Wednesday 10 February 2016

Food, the environment & some other stuff.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

I haven't been spending much time on my blog lately,& yesterday it occurred to me that I spent a huge amount of time on Facebook, but it can be difficult to find posts later. It occurred to me, that I should also be sharing some of the amazing stuff I find, on here.

Ways to reduce food waste:  http://www.mrfood.com/blog/mf/how-to-reduce-food-waste-for-earth-day/

Here's a wonderful article on conserving & using rainwater:  http://www.upworthy.com/she-came-up-with-an-invention-to-save-12-million-people-genius-kinda?g=2&c=reconDFP&fb_ref=Default

An interesting new article on cleaning water: http://www.aol.com/article/2015/10/13/this-incredible-contraption-has-removed-more-than-6-million-ciga/21248603/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00001348

And here's another article about how difficult water can be to get, for some people in this world:  http://www.upworthy.com/her-name-is-gertrude-mamba-here-is-her-story-brace-yourself?c=reccon1

An article on a famous rock star, who is helping people in his area:  http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/at-bon-jovis-soul-kitchen-you-can-pay-it-forward-or-pay-with

Another article, this one about a Baltimore restaurant owner's opting out of "restaurant week" in July 2015 to feed the homeless instead: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/06/homeless-restaurant-week_n_7715644.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063


At the Dandelion Noodle restaurant in South Korea, the customers are either homeless or struggling financially. The owner Youngnam Suh doesn’t charge them a single penny. A devout Catholic, he operates the restaurant this way based on his religious beliefs.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/30/south-korea-priest-restaurant-poor_n_6036684.html

In response to a European Union directive to divert waste from landfills, local governments across the continent have had to come up with ways to meet the target goals or else face large fines. In France, the microscopic town of PincĂ© (population: 206) has come up with a particularly creative and logical solution: Backyard chickens for all.  http://transitionvoice.com/2012/08/three-french-hens/

Elon Musk's brother Kimbal Musk  is attempting to revolutionize the food system. http://www.alternet.org/food/elon-musks-brother-wants-revolutionize-our-food-system

The Dervaes family live on 1/10th of an acre 15 minutes from downtown L.A.. In itself that’s not strange. What’s crazy is that they manage to maintain a sustainable and independent urban farm. Complete with animals! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/08/1391537/-Family-is-producing-6-000-pounds-of-food-on-4-000-square-feet-of-land-near-downtown-LA?detail=facebook_sf
 Here's a very interesting article on an 800 year old archaeological find on the First Nation’s Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin: http://www.littlethings.com/gete-okosomin-big-old-squash-v1/?utm_source=free&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=misc
Here's an amazing article about a man who has spent over 30 years growing a forest, to help & protect animals in his native India, starting when he was in his teens.
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/indian-man-single-handedly-plants-a-1360-acre-forest

And here is an adorable story & video about a stray calico cat who wandered into Russia's Leningrad Zoo & became friends with a lynx: http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/videos/stray-cat-walks-into-a-zoo-and-a-friendship-is-born

Here a terrific article on simplifying your life.
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-seven-stones-of-simpler-living

Here's an interesting article on life/work choices: http://www.bbncommunity.com/imagine-living-a-life-you-dont-need-to-escape-from/

Canada has almost completed "The Great Trail" a cross-country bicycle trail (open also to hikers, horse-back riders in spring/summer, & cross country skiers & snowmobiling in winter. It'll be finished in 2017 & will be over 20,000 km (over 13,000 miles!) http://www.mtlblog.com/2016/09/canada-opening-22000-km-car-free-bike-path-across-the-country-in-2017/

New ideas on growing food:  http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-to-farm-without-a-field

We need at least one of these amazing unique trees, in every city!!
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/mysterious-tree-can-grow-over-40-different-kinds-fruit
                                        And I wish every city had a park like this, as well.


Here's a wonderful article about a town in England, that has started a program to grow food all over town, that anyone can have for free.
" Incredible Edible is about so much more than a plot of veg. It's about education people about food & stimulating the local economy. There are lessons in pickling and preserving fruits, courses on bread-making, and the local college is to offer a BTEC in horticulture. The thinking is that young people who have grown up among the street veg may make a career in food. Crucially, the scheme is also about helping local businesses. The Bear, a wonderful shop and cafe with a magnificent original Victorian frontage, sources all its ingredients from farmers within a 30-mile radius."

Here's one on starting your own hydroponic garden:  http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-to-start-your-own-hydroponic-garden

Here's one link to a woman on YouTube who has dozens of video articles on small houses & living off the grid.  https://www.youtube.com/user/kirstendirksen/videos

Ikea's newly designed shelters for refugees:  http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/04/10/ikea-refugee-shelters-iraq?cmpid=tp-ptnr-policymic

Purdue students invent innovative. weather-resistant shelter for  disaster victims:  http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/outreach/2010/100322SmithUbershelter.html

This eco village is designed to be fully self-sufficient, from energy, to food, to waste. Click here to learn more: http://www.treehugger.com/culture/housing-development-designed-be-fully-self-sufficient-energy-food-waste.html

Here's a very cool article on the future of parking:  http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/01/future-parking-self-driving-cars

Have you ever consider having your cremains made into diamonds? I found 2 companies that are doing this.  http://www.lifegem.com/

http://www.cremationsolutions.com/cremation-jewelry-for-ashes/cremation-diamonds-made-ashes/four-cs-cremation-diamonds/

Or these beautiful pendants?  http://mentalfloss.com/article/62615/artist-turns-ashes-beautiful-pendants

Did you know that bras don't really work? This study may be enlightening: http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/natural-beauty-fashion/stories/bras-dont-actually-work-says-french-study
And here's some interesting tidbits on bras & breast health:  http://www.007b.com/bras_bare_facts.php
And another one:  http://all-natural.com/bras.html
And one more: http://chetday.com/breastcancerandbras.htm

And while we are on the subject, why was it considered news on October 16 2015, that Iggy Azalea wore a pretty (albeit somewhat revealing) shirt at LAX (airport):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/iggy-azalea-low-cut-shirt-airport_5620ea4ae4b06462a13b951b

Here's an interesting article on cultural acceptance of women's equality, as perceived through the lens of toplessness:  http://www.mtlblog.com/2014/09/montreal-woman-walks-topless-on-saint-catherine-street/

And, in case you were wondering, some cool information on Go Topless Day & nudity laws that discriminate against women.  The next go topless day is Sunday August 28, 2016.

The truth about religion in American, we were never a Christian nation:
http://www.alternet.org/story/155890/the_truth_about_religion_in_america%3A_the_founders_loathed_superstition_and_we_were_never_a_christian_nation?sc=fb

A young man's innovative invention, helping to deal with plastic pollution:
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/20-year-old-launch-world-s-first-ocean-cleaning-system-2016

The French government plans to pave 621 miles of its roads with solar panels in the next five years — providing power to about 5 million people.
http://ecowatch.com/2016/02/01/wattway-solar-road/

This is the most amazing & wonderful use for a closed WalMart building:
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/04/1362304/-Texas-town-comes-up-with-the-best-use-for-an-old-Walmart?detail=emailclassic

Here's a wonderful article on a Vancouver artist's series on modern society & faith.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/11/06/dina-goldstein-gods-of-suburbia-photos_n_6117140.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000051&ir=Religion&fb_ref=Default&fb_source=message

And here's a hilarious play about Obamacare; by Dan Savage: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/10/16/jesus-and-the-huge-asshole

I will add more articles later. Enjoy!!

I enjoy a variety of different survey groups, sampling groups & focus groups; including Smiley 360.
http://h5.sml360.com/-/zk7q