Greeneroo

We have been talking about house size, culture and growth standards in the Bay Area for longer than I can remember. My first “aha” moment was after reading “Small is Beautiful” and “Do Trees have Standing?”.  Looking at Petaluma’s thinking stand on “no growth” based on water availability gave us all something to think about, More is not Better. There so many discussions Pro and Con, things seem to change every month.

In my little corner of heaven, we are ringed by multi-level apartment towers, some based on the Santana Row model of prescribed luxury, others based on the “pack ‘em in” beehive model. But whether you think a $4200/month apartment is OK or advocate for more affordable apartments, you have to notice things are changing. Cities all over California struggle with community vs. building codes, from Grass Valley to Ventura, you can hear many stories of implementing “the plan”.

If I could find the genie in the bottle, I’d make one simple wish, people would live close to their schools & work. It makes sense and makes for a better community. Kids have an identity and parents are driving 4 hours a day to and from work. For an interesting discussion on Urban Sprawl check out this blog.

Take a look at this article by Josh Stephens, it discusses density and puts it is a worldwide comparison. It is interesting to ponder. What do you think works? What are your wishes for this diverse place we call home?!

For his part, Kotkin has long relegated urban cores to rarified sideshows and believed that the fringes will—and should—keep expanding geographically. It would be nice to have a debate about that notion. Planners should always ask themselves how far is too far, and they should ask what densities are optimal under what circumstances. Kotkin himself has, in the past, advanced plenty ofcompelling ideas about urban growth. He seems, however, to have doubled down on a sort of extremism that will never make its way into actual policy.

Ultimately, the notion of comparing any American city to any hyperdense city, be it Mumbai or Hong Kong, is patently absurd. For San Francisco’s density to mirror that of Dhaka, it would have to have a total population of 5.5 million; Los Angeles would have 57 million. The only way to do that would be to start importing Bangladeshis. (They would, presumably, all live in straw houses.)

 We aren’t all so different, but we often separate and enhance our uniqueness so that we might have an edge in business. Times are changing.

Business disruption to corporations is happening through SHARING.  Imagine if we could expertly and efficiently use resources that were dormant in other companies. You wouldn’t buy products but share. You wouldn’t buy CARS but share, it is a subscription model for durable goods. It’s been done by innovators like NetFlix for years.

We can do this for hotels, taxis, cars, tools, and more.

Is this a deal breaker, a crisis OR an amazing new opportunity?

It’s happening at BMW, Nike, Rentalic, Hyatt and so many other places. We are moving from Now to CO-World. A community in a shared experience, collaborative economy, life in a cloud.

Find out about this trend, as highlighted by Jeremiah Owyang at LE WEB. 

Increased growth in agricultural production has resulted in increased agricultural greenhouse gas emissions—with a huge proportion of emissions coming from livestock production.

Highlights
Agriculture is the third largest contributor to global emissions by sector, with methane accounting for just under half of total agricultural emissions, nitrous oxide for 36 percent, and carbon dioxide for some 14 percent.
Enteric fermentation or the digestion of organic materials by livestock is the largest source of agricultural emissions overall, contributing 37 percent of the total.
One way to reduce agricultural emissions is for people to minimize their consumption of meat and dairy products.
Related Posts

BY LAURA REYNOLDS | MAY 8, 2013
In 2010, global greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector totaled 4.7 billion tons of carbon dioxideequivalent, up 13 percent over 1990. Agriculture is the THIRD largest contributor to global emissions by sector, following the burning of fossil fuels for power and heat, and transportation. In 2010, emissions from electricity and heat production reached 12.5 billion tons, and emissions from transport totaled 6.7 billion tons.

Despite their continuing rise, emissions from agriculture are growing at a much slower rate than the sector as a whole, demonstrating the increasing carbon efficiency of agriculture. From 1990 to 2010, the volume of agricultural production overall increased nearly 23 percent, according to data compiled by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for its program, FAOSTAT. FAO released a new Greenhouse Gas Emissions database for agriculture, forestry and other land use changes in December 2012, which can be found here.

According to FAO, methane accounts for just under half of total agricultural emissions, nitrous oxide for 36 percent, and carbon dioxide for some 14 percent. The largest source of methane emissions is enteric fermentation, or the digestion of organic materials by livestock, predominantly beef cattle. This is also the largest source of agricultural emissions overall, contributing 37 percent of the total.

Livestock contribute to global emissions in other ways as well. Manure deposited and left on pastures is a major source of nitrous oxide emissions because of its high nitrogen content. When more nitrogen is added to soil than is needed, bacteria convert the extra nitrogen into nitrous oxide and release it into the atmosphere. Emissions from manure on pasture in Asia, Africa, and South America together account for as much as 81 percent of global emissions from this source. These emissions from the three regions increased 42 percent on average between 1990 and 2010, reflecting an increase in range-based livestock populations; elsewhere, these emissions either decreased or stagnated.

Carbon dioxide emissions from cultivated organic soils account for some 14 percent of total agricultural emissions, with Asia contributing 54 percent of these emissions. Deforestation and clearing for agricultural land in many tropical South and Southeast Asian countries are a leading cause of these emissions. Asia is home to four out of the top five countries with the highest CO2 emissions from cultivated organic soils, with Indonesia contributing 279 million tons, Papua New Guinea 41 million tons, Malaysia 35 million tons, and Bangladesh 31 million tons.

These data clearly indicate that livestock production accounts for an enormous share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Together, emissions from enteric fermentation, manure left on pastures, manure applied to soils, cropland devoted to feed production, and manure treated in management systems contribute more than 80 percent of total emissions. Meanwhile, emissions related to the direct human consumption of food crops represent less than 20 percent of the total.

One obvious way to reduce agricultural emissions is for people to minimize their consumption of meat and dairy products. This would help stabilize or shrink livestock populations, lessen the pressure to clear additional land for livestock, and reduce the proportion of grain that is grown for livestock feed instead of for direct human consumption.

Farmers and landowners have numerous opportunities to mitigate these impacts as well, bringing environmental and even economic co-benefits. For example, applying fertilizer more efficiently, precisely, and at times when plants can absorb it can significantly reduce nitrous oxide emissions while lowering fertilizer costs. Planting fallow fields with nitrogen-fixing legume crops—such as soybeans, alfalfa, and clover—can also naturally rebuild nitrogen and other nutrients in soils.

Growing trees and woody perennials on land can sequester carbon while simultaneously helping to restore soils, reduce water contamination, and provide beneficial wildlife habitat. Reducing soil tillage can also rebuild soils while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Some practices can even result in increased income for farmers: “cap-and-trade” programs allow farmers to monetize and sell certain sequestration practices, while government programs like the U.S. Conservation Reserve Program pay farmers to set aside some of their land for long-term restoration. As detailed in the 2012 Worldwatch report, Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production, many mitigation practices use existing and accessible technologies and can be implemented immediately.

Read the full report at Vital Signs Online.

Laura Reynolds is a Food and Agriculture Staff Researcher at the Worldwatch Institute

• WHEN:  Saturday JUNE 8, 2013
• WHERE: Oracle Conference Center in Redwood City — Our local Lions Club is putting this event on! Dr Oz will be there, Deepak Chopra too…. you should come!
• Location: Oracle Conference Center 350 Oracle Parkway Redwood City CA 94065
• Tickets: $50 at the door.  ALL DAY 8:15- 3:45
• Event information: www.PSILCSymposium.org or call 415-912-0561 or 650-346-3954

Peninsula Special Interest Lions Club Presents:
Legacy of Health, Wellness & Education

Invited Symposium Speakers

Dr. Mehmet Oz
Keynote Speaker
Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Author, Host of the Dr. Oz Show

Deepak Chopra
Physician, Alternative Medicine Expert, Author

Dr. John La Puma ChefMD®
Physician, Author, Professionally Trained Chef

Dr. Paul Lynn
Physician, Alternative Medicine Expert (Herbal Remedies & Anti-Aging)

Dr. Eleanor Britter
Naturopath, Author

Naomi Tickle
World Renowned Certified Personologist, Author

Tom Sullivan
Author, Entertainer, Motivational Speaker

Honorary Chairs

Esther Lee
District 4-C4 Immediate Past District Governor
Lise Edwards
CEO/Founder Eight Count Leadership

Moderators
Dr. Bill Iannaccone
Dr. Eleanor Britter

The GO-TO-PLACE for Children’s Services

To get involved with the Lions Club, and specifically this Special Interest group that is devoted to health and wellness, please click this link: http://www.psilionsclub.com/  This group is an important part of our local community and support health and wellness. We applaud their efforts, you’ll often see them at Wellness Festivals and we were happy to have them at the College of San Mateo Health Fair this year.  –editor

It’s fun it’s inspiring, if you have an opinion (YES YOU DO!) then comment. It has just started for all our SF Bay livers and lovers, do take a look, this post really made me smile: http://www.loakal.com/uptown-art-park-opening-on-first-fridays-april-5/

BLOG HOME is here!

You have to feed a writer with your interest and comments since we can’t hear your applause. Let us know!

Patagonia is making a bold pledge to consumers to help change the way we think.  I particularly LOVE the commitment to REPAIR rather than TOSS products  in our “throw it out” culture. Since 2012, they have repaired over 26,000 items – stuff that would have landed in the landfill. With many low quality items, you’ll find that they don’t last and cannot be repaired, thus you pay more in the long run. Yeah for Patagonia – they are setting the bar higher.

• Reduce
• Repair
• Reuse
• Reimagine

It all makes sense, because Patagonia’s founder is a leader in the environmental movement – and words are not enough for him, he walks the talk. The Inamori Ethics Prize goes to Yvon Chouinard, the founder of the premier outdoor gear and clothing company, Patagonia Inc.. Chouinard shows a keen focus on watching what he does and protecting the planet; he strives to “create the best quality with the least impact.”

For this year’s Earth Week (April 15-20), hundreds of colleges and universities—including our local San Francisco State University—are participating in the oneShirt Challenge, turning unwanted clothing into cash for charities. Way to GO, SFSU!!!  What other colleges will join them in the challenge?

Just in time for EARTH DAY, A mountain of discarded shirts that won’t enter the landfill this time!

Have you ever thought about how many pounds of clothes you throw away? Students are getting involved and using their brains, fibers and good will to make a difference.

The goal of creating the smallest carbon footprint possible is attained by revising just about everything we do in this life. Here’s one that most people would list well below the kind of car they drive and the types of products they purchase, but every step towards a greener lifestyle counts. Children’s birthday parties typically involve a mailed paper invitation, parents driving to various toy stores to purchase a present, quite often made out of chemical laden plastic and then wrapping that present in landfill bound wrapping paper. ECHOage easily removes these steps and turns your child’s birthday party from mean to green as far as the environment is concerned.

With ECHOage, families choose a wish list gift or gifts for the birthday child and a charity that they would like to support. They utilize an e-invitation to invite their guests and when guests RSVP, they have the option to simply make a donation with half going toward the child’s gift and the other half towards the charity. Beyond a lesson in greener living, this is a great way to teach children about caring and giving at the same time. Because guest resources are being pooled, instead of a gaggle of “toy box clutter” the birthday child can get that something special that they’ve always wanted. And most importantly, the birthday child is still fully celebrated on their big day.

I’ve always thought the 64 box of new Crayola Crayons was the best gift of all, and recall many children opening that and wanting to spend the party coloring. Maybe it was “simpler times” but a great gift is not about the glitter and moving parts. Everytime we select a gift, our kids are watching and learning. This is a great place to start giving experiences and new ideas. – editor

Impacts on wildlife extend deep into surrounding forest

(NEW YORK – February 25, 2013) – According to a study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), impacts to bird communities from a single rural, “exurban” residence can extend up to 200 meters into the surrounding forest. The study also determined that sensitive bird species such as the hermit thrush and scarlet tanager prefer unbroken forests with no houses. Others, like the blue jay and black-capped chickadee, seem to like having, and often thrive with, human neighbors.

As part of the study, scientists sampled the presence of 20 species of birds both near and far from 30 rural residences in the Adirondack Park. Calculating their occurrence at increasing distances from the residences, they determined that “human-adapted” species are 36 percent more likely to occur near the homes than in the surrounding mixed hardwood-conifer forests, and that “human-sensitive” species were 26 percent less likely. Beyond 200 meters, occupancy rates were similar to the surrounding forest.

The report appears in the current online edition of the Journal of Landscape and Urban Planning. Authors of the study are Drs. Michale Glennon and Heidi Kretser of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Rural exurban development is residential development existing outside of cities and towns, and is generally characterized by larger lot sizes (5-40 acres or more) and lower density than suburban development. Exurban residences exist within an otherwise unaltered ecosystem.

Exurban homes change the environment by bringing vehicles, noise, lights, pets, people, and food sources into the forest, as well as by physically altering and fragmenting habitat. These changes can have myriad impacts, including altered species behavior and composition, increased human wildlife conflicts, new predator-prey dynamics, and decreased biotic integrity (a measure of how pristine a wildlife community is).

“Adirondackers take great pride in their surroundings and try not to unduly disturb the natural setting in which they live,” said WCS Adirondack Program Science Director Michale Glennon.  “A key finding of the study is that the ecological footprintof development can be much larger than its physical footprint. We found that even a small home and lawn can change bird communities some 200 meters away, which means more than 30 acres of the surrounding landscape, depending on what types of activities are occurring on the residential property. It is important that we learn how birds and other wildlife react to particular kinds of human activities, and find ways to minimize the negative impacts for wildlife in exurban areas.”

The study found that species sensitive to human impacts include the black-throated blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, ovenbird, scarlet tanager and the winter wren. The presence of some species, like the scarlet tanager, are a good indicator of undisturbed forest health.

WCS Livelihoods and Conservation Coordinator Heidi Kretser said, “Some wildlife species are sensitive to exurban development and are less likely to be found near those residences than adapted species. More sensitive and less common species could ultimately be displaced from the area as a result of this kind of development.”

The study was modeled after one conducted in a shrub-oak ecosystem in Colorado where scientists calculated a 180-meter ecological effect zone based on their results. Glennon and Kretser believe that the similar results in two different ecosystem types may indicate that human behaviors associated with exurban homes play a larger role in shaping avian community characteristics nearby than do habitat alterations created by construction and clearing.

While breeding bird communities were used to measure the impacts of exurban development in the study, the authors note that birds can serve as valuable indicators of overall biodiversity.

WCS Adirondack Program Director Zoe Smith said, “The Adirondack Park is one of the last large, intact, wild ecosystems in the northeastern United States, and it is becoming increasingly important as we face global threats like climate change. As we strive to find a healthy balance between conservation and the needs of humans within the park, we need to fully understand the impacts of different development patterns. This research is another step toward that understanding and can help inform decisions on development and land-use in this rural landscape.”

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The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit: www.wcs.org

WCS Digital Community:

Web Sites:

www.wcs.org?www.bronxzoo.com?www.centralparkzoo.com?www.queenszoo.com?www.prospectparkzoo.com?www.nyaquarium.com

Facebook:

Wildlife Conservation Society http://www.facebook.com/TheWCS

Bronx Zoo www.facebook.com/bronxzoo

Central Park Zoo http://www.facebook.com/centralparkzoo

Queens Zoo http://www.facebook.com/queenszoo

Prospect Park Zoo http://www.facebook.com/prospectparkzoo

New York Aquarium http://www.facebook.com/nyaquarium

WCS Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/WCSMedia

New York, NY. March 5, 2013 – Evergreene Music is proud to present Balkan Arts 701: Bulgarian Folk Dances–the first installment of the highly anticipated Balkan Arts Series, a joint New York venture between Evergreene Music and The Center for Traditional Music and Dance.

Available as state-of-the-art restored digital EPs or as collectible “new-old stock” 7-inch records, the Balkan Arts Series features powerful and authentic performances by local master musicians. Each release is adorned with breathtaking photographs, detailed audio commentary and liner notes, as well as a stunning 12-page digital booklet.

True to the original spirit of the Balkan Arts Series, Evergreene Music will be releasing all 13 individual EPs in sequence, kicking off the series on January 29th 2013 with a magnificent EP of Bulgarian folk dances, followed by three extraordinary EPs from East Serbia in February, Greek rarities from Macedonia and Thrace in the spring, and wrapping up the series with some of the most intense and exuberant music from Romania and Bulgaria in the summer of 2013.

These vibrant and historical sides were recorded in the 1960′s and 70′s and have never before been available to the general public. Each release is curated by Martin Koenig, an esteemed ethnographer and authoritative voice in Balkan culture. Koenig is the original founder and director of New York’s Balkan Arts Center (today the Center for Traditional Music and Dance). Between 1966 and 1979 he embarked on a dozen trips to the Balkans that would transform his life. Working in villages throughout the different areas of the Balkans, Koenig filmed, recorded, and photographed a culture and way of village life that has since been lost forever-transformed by the social and economic pressures of industrial technology, Soviet influence, and Western globalization. Previously Koenig produced two acclaimed recordings for Nonesuch’s celebrated Explorer Series, and his Bulgarian recording of “Izlel je Delyo Hagdutin” was included on the Voyager Spacecraft’s golden record.

“The Balkan Arts recordings are all old-time music and have the same power as the music from Appalachia-the Doc Watson’s and the like,” explains Koenig. “And I truly believe that we, the West, now have more of an ability to absorb and appreciate this music than we did in the 60s and 70s. Even my 18-year-old son and his friends now respond to it. With so little of this music around anymore, anything that’s this real needs to be cherished.”

Initially self-released via Koenig’s own Balkan Arts imprint, the original records were rediscovered at the CTMD’s headquarters during an early meeting with Evergreene Music’s Label Manager, Mark Roberts. “I was taking a break from listening to the Center’s extensive audio archives and wandered around their office to stretch my legs,” recalls Roberts. “Perched on crammed shelves near the entrance, I noticed a large number of cardboard boxes filled with vinyl of some sorts. It turned out the records had been stored there for decades and, aside from their somewhat yellowed and brittle sleeves, were in absolutely pristine condition. After digging out the Center’s record player and listening to a handful of the records, I knew I had found an exceptional treasure.”

With the decision made to give this historic series its first-ever, wide-scale release, Evergreene Music worked with New York’s Magic Shop studio and vinyl specialist Jessica Thompson to create new masters from these iconic vinyl pieces.

Evergreene Music is a unique 21st-century music company with a dynamic roster of established and emerging artists, and music that is distributed and sold in 110 countries. Since its inception in 2004, the company has flourished and grown, while following the singular vision and philosophy of the company’s founder: that all music should be understood as world music, and that the best of it can come from anywhere–New York included. Evergreene Music is committed to a refreshing vision that promotes iconic and timeless music, and transcends the conventional definitions of a “world music” label by uniting and blending the past with the future, the foreign with the familiar, and the traditional with the modern.

Please visit www.evergreenemusic.com