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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

4 Misconceptions About the Simple Life...

Oh boy!  There are many stereotypes that turn people off the idea of living green.  This essay by Duane Elgin tackles four of the major myths, showing us how a simplified life can create thriving, productive communities!

 

healthy-living
The Huffington Post

by

It is important to recognize inaccurate stereotypes about the simple life because they make it seem impractical and ill suited for responding to increasingly critical breakdowns in world systems. Four misconceptions about the simple life are so common they deserve special attention. These are equating simplicity with: poverty, moving back to the land, living without beauty and economic stagnation...

Simplicity Means Poverty
Simplicity Means Rural Living
Simplicity Means Living Without Beauty
Simplicity Means Economic Stagnation   

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

URBAN FARMING!

Here’s a fantastic article on innovative urban farming out of necessity.  It shows that food production certainly can take place close to home, with a little creativity!  With community garden spaces at the Grow Community we'll seek to nurture this kind of connection with our food supply within a communal, semi-urban setting!  It can be done!

Urban Farming Movement Sweeps Across Havana, Cuba Providing 50% of Fresh Food


by Helen Morgan, 08/18/11
Urban agriculture is a refreshing sign of people localizing food production by bringing it into the city. But in Havana, Cuba, the farming movement has evolved as an amazing response to the loss of food imports and agricultural inputs towards the end of last century. Following dramatic political changes, and the ensuing economic, ecological and social crisis, agrarian production was seen as key to food security. This movement towards urban cultivation systems continues to sweep across the city, and according to recent reports, now over 50 per cent of the city’s fresh produce is grown with its boundaries.


 

Monday, August 22, 2011

Homes Powered by Renewable Energy!

Homes at Grow Community are designed for maximum energy efficiency, needing only 4000-6000 kWh of electricity per year.  Solar panels in community systems will allow residents to live in homes powered by renewable energy.  As with all aspects of sustainability at the Grow Community, we do the homework for you, so you can live comfortably, knowing that your footprint on the planet is just a bit lighter.

Check out this Solar graphic from Jetsongreen to determine how much solar you need.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Grow Community Bike for Pie!

WOW!  What a terrific time we had biking for pie today! We had 5 little ones and 8 big ones riding with us.  Thanks for joining us. Lets do it again next year!

To show our support of pedal power, the Grow Community put together a team for the annual Bike for Pie family ride on Bainbridge Island. Riding a bike reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, while promoting a healthy lifestyle. That’s what the Grow Community is all about.














Friday, August 12, 2011

Bicycles, Pie and Fresh Bread!

This Sunday is the annual Bike 4 Pie event on Bainbridge Island. Who doesn't love bicycles and pie!

To show our support of pedal power, the Grow Community has put together a team for the family ride! Riding a bike reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, while promoting a healthy lifestyle. That’s what the Grow Community is all about.

Also check out this great New York Times Opinion piece on the Dutch and their commitment to the bike.  Although it seems they prefer to bike for bread. Each to his own.

The Dutch Way: Bicycles and Fresh Bread

As an American who has been living here for several years, I am struck, every time I go home, by the way American cities remain manacled to the car. While Europe is dealing with congestion and greenhouse gas buildup by turning urban centers into pedestrian zones and finding innovative ways to combine driving with public transportation, many American cities are carving out more parking spaces. It’s all the more bewildering because America’s collapsing infrastructure would seem to cry out for new solutions. 

Geography partly explains the difference: America is spread out, while European cities predate the car. But Boston and Philadelphia have old centers too, while the peripheral sprawl in London and Barcelona mirrors that of American cities. 

More important, I think, is mind-set. Take bicycles. The advent of bike lanes in some American cities may seem like a big step, but merely marking a strip of the road for recreational cycling spectacularly misses the point. In Amsterdam, nearly everyone cycles, and cars, bikes and trams coexist in a complex flow, with dedicated bicycle lanes, traffic lights and parking garages. But this is thanks to a different way of thinking about transportation...

 

Monday, August 8, 2011

Smart Transit By Choice - YES Magazine

Sustainable Transport is one of the 10 One Planet Principles required for a One Planet Community.  The Grow Community's vision is to achieve this principle by encouraging low carbon modes of transport to reduce emissions and reducing the need to travel.  Here is a an article on how Seattle hopes to become the world's first climate-neutral city: