Thomas Friedman: ‘The Modern History of Climate and Clean Energy’

From Climate Progress via YouTube:

Speaking at Greenbuild 2011 in Toronto, Author and New York Times Columnist Tom Friedman talks about the period of 2008 and 2011 for climate and clean energy issues. This speech has been heavily edited for length. (We used 8 minutes from a 30 minute speech.)

You can read more about Friedman’s speech here and here.

via plantedcity

Cities and climate change: Greening the concrete jungle | The Economist via jnomics

(via jnomics-deactivated20130129)

Infographic: ‘Samso: The Energy Self-Sufficient Island’

It took ten years and $80 million, but the Danish island of Samsoe now produces enough energy to satisfy all its needs and still export 40 percent of its energy to the mainland. Going 100 percent renewable wasn’t easy, but the results have paid off handsomely. Farmers on the island who are powering their facilities with wind turbines are seeing a 6 to 7 year payback on those investments. And of course it’s remarkable that wind, unlike other energy technologies, is entirely compatible with agriculture.

via plantedcity source: SmartPlanet

(via edificecomplex)

Simple [Innovative?] Energy Storage System

Four Energy Futures

Techno Explosion
Techno Stability
Energy Descent
Collapse

via mielczarek

urbanfoodproduction: Farmin’ in the HOOD

Great example of a modern permaculture project and the planning that goes into creating a sustainable community.

(Source: , via astronautlovetriangl-deactivate)

Aquaponics For Profit

Polyface Farm — Permaculture in Action

First cattle graze a section of grass pasture then three days later free range chickens are brought in to eat the maggots from the cow manure, distributing it across the pasture in the process and leaving their own feces as well. Hens come in next, followed by pigs. By the end of the cycle the grass is composted by the worms and microorganisms in the soil into rich topsoil that will support more plant life.

Working with nature is a beautiful thing – and it only requires that we sit back and observe what nature wants to do and how we can steer it using its own processes.