When we say “Low Tech” what we mean is the simplest means to achieve a task without fossil fuels. Over the next few weeks, as we’re sequestering ourselves here at the institute, we’ll be bringing you ideas for entertaining yourselves as well as updates on what we’re up to — luckily we can spend time … More Binge-able Low Tech Series
It is inspiring to hear people across the world talk about their worries and hopes for the future. The movement should not be discounted because it is spearheaded by people often too young to vote. Indeed they have the most to lose, as those of us making decisions today will have passed away when the … More Strike! Today is the Global Climate Strike
The radio show To the Best of Our Knowledge recently spent an hour discussing agriculture and the commodification of seeds. The first act follows the story of wheat and our selection for more wheat of poorer quality. Act two discusses the social importance of corn to indigenous communities across North America. In Act Three, a … More Link Worth Following — Who Owns the Seeds?
A few months ago, contributor and writer Matt Miles came to visit us. The result was a story in Earth Island Journal about the institute and the ethos behind it. “Small is Beautiful: Seeking simple, human-scale solutions to the challenges of everyday living,” is available on the Earth Island Journal‘s website and print edition for … More Earth Island Journal Story About the Institute, From Matt Miles
I know I shouldn’t be encouraging anyone to watch more television, but sometimes it is raining or dark out. Other times, you’re just tired from weeding the garden in the heat all day. If you’re going to kick back and watch something, why not learn while you do it? I recently watched the BBC Two’s Wartime … More Summer Show Suggestion: Wartime Farm
Last month, research professors Matt Fitzpatrick and Rob Dunn took a look at 540 urban areas and created a tool to help us understand exactly what high- and medium-emissions futures mean for us. As they point out in their paper, “A major challenge in articulating human dimensions of climate change lies in translating global climate … More What Does Climate Change Mean for Your City? Check Out this Useful Tool for Visualizing Your “New Normal”
Whether or not you are ambivalent about industrial capitalism, we can agree that keeping our resources local is a positive thing. Tom Eggert —Â Senior Lecturer in Business Sustainability at the Nelson Institute — will be presenting options and strategies for regular people to invest in local startups and other avenues in a talk he’ll … More Tom Eggert Talk on Local Micro Investing in Sustainable Endeavors, Feb. 28
Friend of the institute, Lynn L., recently donated two decades–worth of Small Farmer’s Journal to our lending library. Thanks to Lynn for her generosity and thanks also for reminding me to promote these community resources! Resource Library Our resource library can be accessed from any page on our website by going to the “Libraries” in … More Visit our Libraries, Both Tool and Book Varieties!
Hydropower has a mixed environmental record. Large projects like dams that impound entire rivers are coming down across the west, as their impact on fish hatcheries and other ecosystems is now better understood. Furthermore, in addition to carbon-free power, one of the benefits was supposed to be flood control, but we are now seeing that … More Small-Scale Hydropower?
We’ve gotten almost a foot of snow and are in for another dumping this weekend here in southern Wisconsin. It is a good time of year to take care of indoor projects but it is also important to get outside to enjoy the weather. It makes the long winter more bearable if you can find … More Making Wooden Skis — Video Link