Category: Sustainability

Anything to do with environmentally friendly practices, design or other sustainable development which improves the way we do and make things to make our planet a friendlier place.

  • The 3 Bulls and the Lion

    There is a legend about a lion and three bulls who were in the jungle. One of them was white, one was yellow, and one was black. The lion was not able to eat these three bulls because if he came near them, they would all stand up together, and each one of them would face the lion, so he could not eat them. The lion began to think about how he could get them to become divided.

    He saw the bulls grazing once, and he approached the black and the yellow ones, and he said, “You know that white one over there” He kind of looks like the people around here. He’s different from us. Why don’t you let me eat him?”

    The two bulls said, “Yeah, go ahead. Get rid of him.” So, the lion went and ate the white one.

    Then, the next day, the lion came to the yellow bull, and he said, “Haven’t you noticed that you and I look the same? We have the same color. We’re really cousins! And this black one over here-he’s different from you. So, why don’t you let me eat him?” The yellow one said, “Yeah, you’re right. Go ahead.”

    So, the lion went and ate him. Then, on the third day, the lion came for the yellow bull and said, “I’m going to eat you.” The yellow one replied, “I was eaten the day you ate the white one.”

    – sourced from http://www.jannah.org

  • Village Earth Appropriate Technology – DIY sustainable villages

    I’m surprised I didn’t stumble across this valuable resource sooner. I’ve been considering setting in motion a plan to move out of the city and establish a sustainable village out in the country side somewhere. Myself and a friend have since started debating how we need to start appraching this idea and some of the associated problems.

    Appropriate Technology Library

    The Appropriate Technology Library contains the complete text and images from over 1,050 of the best books on all areas of village-level and do-it-yourself technologies…over 150,000 pages! In use in over 130 countries by Peace Corps Volunteers, development and relief organizations, engineers, and missionaries, the Appropriate Technology library is the most comprehensive, compact, and cost effective information resource in the world!

    A brief overview of the contents of this invaluable resource:

    • Background Reading – 22 Books
    • General References – 52 Books
    • Local Self-Reliance – 13 Books
    • Workshop – 63 Books
    • Agriculture – 133 Books
    • Agricultural Tools – 78 Books
    • Crop Preservation – 35 Books
    • Forestry – 34 Books
    • Aquaculture – 18 Books
    • Water Supply: References – 6 Books
    • Water Supply: Small Systems – 24 Books
    • Water Supply: Pumps – 26 Books
    • Water Supply: Tanks – 4 Books
    • Water Supply: Treatment – 20 Books
    • Water Supply: Sanitation – 4 Books
    • Water Supply: Solid Wastes – 15 Books
    • Energy: General – 26 Books
    • Energy: Cookstoves – 38 Books
    • Energy: Wind – 40 Books
    • Energy: Water – 42 Books
    • Energy: Solar – 25 Books
    • Energy: Biogas – 10 Books
    • Housing and Construction – 80 Books
    • Transportation – 40 Books
    • Health Care – 45 Books
    • Science Teaching – 6 Books
    • Nonformal Education – 5 Books
    • Local Communication – 19 Books
    • Small Enterprises – 34 Books
    • Beekeeping – 9 Books
    • Small Industries – 38 Books
    • Periodicals – 2
    • Disaster Preparedness – 23 Book

    I’m definitely gonna try to get my hands one a set of these. The website has a nice overview section which gives a summary on each book, so check it out and let me know what you think.

    Happy village building!

  • A culture of littering

    Yesterday at around 8am I was sitting in the morning traffic still coming to my sense when the driver in front of me tossed his empty yogurt container out of the window onto the grassy island between the 2 lanes.

    This was enough to wake me out of my half sleep state and send an angry jolt of adrenalin through my sleepy veins. I’ve seen this happen so often but rarely so close for me to be able to react, so I slammed on my car’s horn and gave him a bit of a blast and tried to motion towards the yogurt container still positioned next to his car. Strangely enough he seemed not to know what I was on about.

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