Education

warning: Creating default object from empty value in /home/ecodaddyo/public_html/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.pages.inc on line 33.
Education, learning, schools, colleges

Paris à Vélo (Paris by Bicycle)

Cyclist at Versailles

One of my trip goals was to bicycle as much as possible during our stay. This turned out to be much easier than I expected. Due to projects like Paris Respire and Plan Vélo Paris has become a relatively friendly city for bicyclists. With Vélib' kiosks throughout the city, finding a bicycle to ride is quite easy. Vélib' bikes are perfectly usable, if a bit heavy, city bikes with 3 gears, fenders and a basket. During our stay I learned a few tips that made cycling in Paris even easier.

Hitting The Reset Button

Power Reset buttons

A few days into January and I finally have a moment to reflect on the past year. I didn't finish all the projects I wanted to (Shock!). Nor did I write as much as I intended to (Surprise!). But, I did finish some tasks and started a few more. What lies ahead in 2015? Quite a lot.

DIY Inspiration

The Hand of Man at Abq. Mini Maker Faire

Last weekend I took a break from the list of DIY projects to watch someone else make something. We headed down to Albuquerque to experience the Albuquerque Mini Maker Faire. After several years of reading Make: magazine it was time to attend a gathering of this very geeky tribe. Up until we arrived I was unsure of whether the Maker Faire would be worth the hassle of loading up the family for a two-hour round trip. Well, I think we've found our people.

Gardens and Chickens and Goats, Oh My!

Garden & Coop Tour 2013 - Friendly Goat

Once again it is high summer and time for garden tours. Santa Feans have a selection of garden tours to choose from. Tours range from Behind Adobe Walls and the Botanical Gardens to gardens that are a bit more home grown. As our garden is relatively modest I find inspiration from similarly DIY gardens.

The Cutting Edge of Water

Watershed Restoration Model

By necessity, life in the American Southwest depends on the availability of water. Aldo Leopold understood the importance of watersheds and those lessons are being re-learned today. Here is a documentary of a two day watershed restoration workshop held in October 2012 at Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center near Madrid, NM. "The Cutting Edge" was taught by Brad Lancaster, Amanda Bramble, Jan-Willem Jansens, Steve Carson and Craig Sponholtz. The workshop focused on catching, sinking, storing and using water where it falls.

Happy to be Nominated

If you read green blogs, you've noticed there are a LOT of them. It's difficult to stand out in this big, green crowd. So, I was pleased that EcoDaddyo.com was included in a "Top 100 Green Blogs To Follow In 2013" list. Don't worry, I won't let the fame and glory go to my head.

"I just want to be nominated; beggars can't be choosers."
  - Nicole Kidman

A Cabin Full of Inspiration

Aldo Leopold cabin in Tres Piedras, NM

There is something about the Southwestern landscape that inspires people. Whether it's the mountains and deserts, the distant horizon, or the technicolor sunsets I don't know. But, something about this place sparks people's imagination. Case in point - Aldo Leopold. Something happened while Leopold was in Arizona and New Mexico that drove him to write A Sand County Almanac and to think about conservation in a new way.

The Map Moved Under My Feet

2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for New Mexico

Did you feel that? It felt like the earth moved under my feet. Actually, it was a shift in climate, as marked by the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The PHZM (Plant Hardiness Zone Map) is the guide gardeners use to decide what plants will likely grow, or not, in our yards. The 2012 version of the PHZM shows that the hardiness zone lines have shifted for most of the U.S. My home has shifted from Hardiness Zone 5b (1990 map) and is now solidly in Hardiness Zone 6b (2012 map) which is 10°F. warmer.

What is Wilderness and Whither Preservation?

Rambunctious Garden - cover

What is 'Nature' and does 'Pristine Wilderness' still exist on earth? Emma Marris starts with these questions and launches a journey in Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in Post-Wild World. Ms. Marris effectively challenges many of the assumptions that inform our views and policies toward nature. I think Rambunctious Garden can spark a conversation about green places and how we use and protect them.

Like Farmers, Only Younger

Quivira Coalition New Agrarians Conference

When is the last time you met a farmer? Did you happen to notice how old that farmer was? It's an unfortunate fact that in the United States farmers are generally an old and aging group. Given that without farmers we wouldn't have food it is important that more young folks start working in agriculture. The Quivira Coalition has dedicated their 10th annual conference to these new agrarians. If you would like to meet a young farmer, here is a great opportunity.

What: The Quivira Coalition's 10th Anniversary Conference - New Agrarians

Syndicate content