Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

James Howard Kunstler speaks at RPI

xtraspatial — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:18:17 -0800

Start: 2008-02-28 19:30

End: 2008-02-28 21:30

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

2008 Saratoga Environmental Expo

xtraspatial — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:22:27 -0800

Start: 2008-04-25 13:30

End: 2008-04-27 16:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

The 26th Annual NOFA-NY Winter Organic Farming & Gardening Conference

xtraspatial — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:15:16 -0800

Start: 2008-01-25 09:00

End: 2008-01-27 12:15

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

COMMUNITYMATTERS07

xtraspatial — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 09:39:31 -0700

Start: 2007-10-23 07:30

End: 2007-10-25 17:15

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

The Twenty-Seventh Annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures

xtraspatial — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:35:20 -0700

Start: 2007-10-27 10:00

End: 2007-10-27 17:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

2007 Albany Skill Share

xtraspatial — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 09:21:37 -0700

Start: 2007-09-29 10:30

End: 2007-09-29 17:00

Addison County (Vermont) Relocalization Network (ACoRN)

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

xtraspatial — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 10:19:34 -0700

I'm in the process of reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver, in which she, along with her husband, Steve Hopp, and daughter Camille describe their experience of eating (nearly) exclusively local food for an entire year.

The book is organized by topics but follows pretty much the chronology of their excursion into the food supplies found in their gardens, their neighbors gardens, and the various places where they travel (including Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania).

Her style of writing is uplifting and celebratory, with a bit of sarcasm and a pinch of cynicism. It is a great companion to Bill McKibben's "Deep Economy."

Camille includes recipes at the end of most chapters, and I've learned to make Mozzarella Cheese from her! I now make my own very local mozzarella using Meadowbrook milk (just southwest of Albany), citric acid (OK, not so local), and vegetarian rennet. It takes about an hour (less if you use a microwave), and can be eaten directly thereafter or chilled for later. I had it on my tomatoes, and topped it with my basil, drizzled with olive oil (OK, OK!! Not local!), and pepper (I know: not local). I figure it costs me about $2.75 in materials (half-gallon of milk and traces of the citric acid and rennet). This compares to the $4.50 for the same amount of cheese made from non-organic (and probably rBGH-infused) milk from some huge dairy conglomerate and wrapped in plastic. Next, I want to try cream cheese (or Neufchatel), creme fraiche, and some aged hard cheese (like cheddar). Then on to blues.

I don't eat much dairy now, but I'm intrigued by the process of preserving food and cheese foots the bill there.

Anyone else reading the book or have cheese-making experiences to share?

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash

xtraspatial — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:57:43 -0700

Start: 2007-09-09 15:35

End: 2007-09-09 17:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash

xtraspatial — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:56:59 -0700

Start: 2007-09-07 10:35

End: 2007-09-07 12:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash

xtraspatial — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:56:07 -0700

Start: 2007-09-07 00:35

End: 2007-09-07 02:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

BerkShares Bash 2007

xtraspatial — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 06:30:11 -0700

Start: 2007-07-15 13:00

End: 2007-07-15 17:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

NY's Capital Region Vegetarian Expo

xtraspatial — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:30:08 -0700

Start: 2007-09-15 10:00

End: 2007-09-15 18:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

2nd Green Materials Expo

xtraspatial — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:49:59 -0700

Start: 2007-09-15 09:00

End: 2007-09-15 18:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Will Work for Food: Couple Fills Plates Locally

xtraspatial — Mon, 21 May 2007 07:46:58 -0700

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Opportunity to Influence US Farm Bill

xtraspatial — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:20:39 -0700

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

New book on 100-Mile Diet hits the shelves

xtraspatial — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:14:46 -0700

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Capital Region Energy Forum (CREF) monthly meeting and presentation "Challenges and Potential Solutions for Nuclear Renaissance"

xtraspatial — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:02:03 -0700

Start: 2007-05-14 18:00

Addison County (Vermont) Relocalization Network (ACoRN)

Saratoga Environmental Expo

xtraspatial — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:27:33 -0800

Start: 2007-04-15 11:00

End: 2007-04-15 17:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Saratoga Environmental Expo

xtraspatial — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 08:24:40 -0800

Start: 2007-04-14 10:00

End: 2007-04-14 17:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Models of Distribution for Locally-grown Produce

xtraspatial — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 12:07:15 -0800

Start: 2007-02-25 16:00

End: 2007-02-25 19:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Abrupt Climate Change: Past, Present and Future

xtraspatial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 08:07:56 -0800

Start: 2007-02-28 19:00

End: 2007-02-28 21:30

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Global Climate Change: Water Resources And Human Occupation In The Tropical Andes

xtraspatial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 08:06:11 -0800

Start: 2007-02-21 19:00

End: 2007-02-21 21:30

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Global Warming as a Moral Issue

xtraspatial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 08:03:55 -0800

Start: 2007-02-06 19:00

End: 2007-02-06 21:30

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

The Bicycle and The Bus: Alternative Transportation Modes

xtraspatial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 07:29:38 -0800

Start: 2007-02-09 19:00

End: 2007-02-09 22:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Green Buildings Open House Tour 2007

xtraspatial — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:52:13 -0800

Start: 2007-10-06 10:00

End: 2007-10-06 16:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

AIA Solar Homes Tour (Albany area)

xtraspatial — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:38:20 -0800

Start: 2007-03-24 08:00

End: 2007-03-24 19:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Google Video of Local Borton Passive/Active Solar Powered House

xtraspatial — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:26:23 -0800

From Christian Grieco:

I just finished adding the remainder of the footage I had to a new video
highlighting Harriet and David Borton's home in Troy. I will finish the
Dave Smalley and Sarah Johnston's video next.

Now that I have a fast enough computer to handle digital video I can
continue on with the project of video documenting all renewable energy
homes in the area then post them online.

Both of these homes should be searchable at video.google.com by using
"green buildings open house". I am sure "passive solar" would also
work.

The link to the new Borton House video is below

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5312373664958749521

Christian

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Step It Up 2007! Rallies

xtraspatial — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:21:10 -0800

Start: 2007-04-14 08:00

End: 2007-04-14 22:00

North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group

Annual meeting of the Community Land Trust in the Southern Berkshires

xtraspatial — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:01:29 -0800

Start: 2007-01-12 19:30

End: 2007-01-12 22:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Out of Balance: ExxonMobil's Impact on Climate Change

xtraspatial — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:39:49 -0800

Start: 2007-01-05 19:00

End: 2007-01-05 22:00

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Potluck and Screening of "The Power of Community – How Cuba Survived Peak Oil"

xtraspatial — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 10:29:07 -0800

Start: 2006-11-13 17:30

End: 2006-11-13 21:30

Contact email:
saa@concision.com

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Power Down: You and the end of oil, don't just survive, thrive!

xtraspatial — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:42:16 -0700

Start: 2006-04-21 12:30

End: 2006-04-21 14:00

Teaser:

The panelists will be discussing issues such as alternative forms of
energy and fuel, and sustainable agriculture. The main goal of this
event is to empower people by giving real solutions to the daunting
concern, the end of oil.

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Peak Oil Passnotes: >From Iran to Chad, It's Really Bad

tfugate — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 19:47:20 -0700

http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=18834

Peak Oil Passnotes: >From Iran to Chad, It's Really Bad

By Edward Tapamor
14 Apr 2006 at 09:56 AM EDT

PARIS (ResourceInvestor.com) -- If the markets could behave like a rational entity we would already be at $80 oil, no problem. Of course we know markets do not behave rationally, instead they have a kind of menopausal myopia. Fixated on one topic one minute, hysterical about another the next.

Thus they have ignored a welter of events that theoretically should have pushed price way over $69. First, it appears very likely that one insane African leader, Obusanjo of Nigeria, is going after a third term in office. His front companies have not quite looted enough of the country's oil wealth for his manic greed, so another four years should set his family up nicely for the next 150 years or so. That is if he is able to pull it off.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Creating Sustainable Communities

xtraspatial — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 07:09:24 -0700

Start: 2006-06-08 08:30

End: 2006-06-10 23:59

Teaser:

The Annual BALLE conference brings together community leaders and business leaders who work to promote locally owned businesses, green business practices, sustainable food systems, and innovative public policy solutions. Creating Sustainable Communities provides a forum for the latest strategies and business practices, empowering participants to come away inspired and equipped with valuable tools to create a living economy in their region.

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

A Sustainable World is Possible: The second annual North American meeting on labor, the environment, and sustainability

xtraspatial — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:36:31 -0700

Start: 2006-05-08 09:00

End: 2006-05-08 17:00

Teaser:

Meet and Discuss with Leading Union Environmentalists from:
BRAZIL, KENYA, MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND, NIGERIA, NORWAY, PHILIPPINES, SOUTH AFRICA, AS WELL AS EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

London (UK) Plans Sustainable Thousand-Home "Eco-Estate"

xtraspatial — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 08:10:47 -0700

Courtesy of Wendy A.:

Livingstone plans 1,000-home eco-estate

Matt Weaver

Thursday April 13, 2006

The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, set out plans today to build Britain's biggest eco-development in east London, modelled on a sustainable city being planned in China.

The London scheme will involve at least 1,000 homes, which will be
powered entirely by renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic
panels, wind turbines and the burning of waste.

It is being worked up by Greenpeace, the London Development Agency and

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Looking Through Peak Oil Lenses

tfugate — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:40:13 -0700

The Peak Oil Crisis

Looking Through Peak Oil Lenses
By Tom Whipple

Once a person assimilates the idea that peak oil and its consequences are imminent, it radically changes one's world outlook. Nearly every issue one confronts will be affected by peak oil. In the last 100 years, oil has become so pervasive in our civilization that few issues or individuals will be immune to the reduced availability and much higher prices that will soon be upon us.

At the top of the list of problems coming with the peaking of world oil production are all manner of economic troubles. Optimistic students of peak oil say, at best, we are going to have a great depression lasting a couple of decades. Pessimists write of much worse. The bottom line is the good times much of the world has enjoyed for the last sixty years will not last long.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Xtraspatial's take on CNN's "We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis"

xtraspatial — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 14:13:01 -0800

I watched CNN Presents last nite because I just love their "news" reporting. NOT!!!

I watched because they aired an hour piece (of what, I'll let you decide) on a scenario whereby the combination of a Category 5 hurricane and a terrorist attack on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia brings the world to its collective knees some 40 months from now.

At the behest of another Peak Oil group in the area (Hudson-Mohawk Socio-Economic Collaborative), I wrote a critique of the show as feedback for CNN. Here it is:

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Bio-intensive growing workshop

tfugate — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:29:41 -0800

Start: 2006-05-13 09:00

End: 2006-05-13 16:00

Bio-intensive growing workshop
Instructor: Tom Fugate
Location: Pug Hill Farm in Moretown
Saturday, May 13 - 9 am to 4 pm
Vegetarian lunch included.

Items covered:
Garden planning
Compost
Bed preparation
transplanting
Sustainability
Companion planting
Seed saving
Food harvesting and winter storage
Solar greenhouses

Cost is $40, all proceeds benefit Rootswork and Ecology Action for the promotion of sustainable agriculture in the Mad River Valley and around the world.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Outpost meeting Tuesday, April 18

tfugate — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:24:59 -0800

Start: 2006-04-18 18:00

End: 2006-04-18 20:00

Outpost meeting at Nils Behn's house in Waitsfield.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

A review of CNN: "We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis"

tfugate — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:21:21 -0800

A review of CNN: "We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis"
Tom Fugate
Mad River Post Carbon

This CNN documentary was shown three times on March 18 and again on March 19. Apparently the mainstream media has decided itâ€™s time to alert the American public that thereâ€™s a serious problem coming with energy supplies. I suppose that those of us who have been talking about this looming crisis for years should appreciate the fact that itâ€™s finally getting some traction with the media. As a serious discussion of the issue, however, this film leaves much to be desired.

To begin with there was not one mention of the words â€œpeak oilâ€? by anyone. Surely Matthew Simmons at least must have spoken about peak oil with Frank Sesno. Did they edit it out? If so, for what reason? Instead of a serious discussion about the geological realities we are facing what we got was a confusing mishmash of a future oil crisis in 2009 caused by a category 5 hurricane striking Houston followed by a terrorist attack on Saudi Arabia oil infrastructure. Juxtaposed with this we had CNNâ€™s Frank Sesno investigating various possibilities of meeting Americaâ€™s petroleum â€œneedsâ€?. Osama bin Laden received prominent mention several times as a likely cause of the oil crisis. Indeed the entire film could be seen as one big advertisement for the â€œwar on terrorâ€?.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Minutes, March 15

tfugate — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:20:07 -0800

Minutes
Mad River Post-Carbon
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
At Rootswork in East Warren

In attendance: Tom Fugate, Brian Degen, Brendan Degen, Richard Czaplinski, Dennis Derryberry, Jennifer Grace, Serena Gulisano, John Vitko, Nils Behn, Anne Sidney, Robert Riversong, Alex Maclay, Mason Wade, Dorothy Tod, Barry Simpson, Peter Laskowski

We began this meeting with a slide show by Richard Czaplinski on his experiences with living â€œlow on the hogâ€?. Richard has been homesteading in Adamant, Vermont for the past 28 years. He built his modest house using rock and wood from his own property. The entire house cost less than $5,800 to build. He showed us his vegetable gardens, apple trees (varieties which he chose and grafted himself), root cellar, wood cook stove, and attached greenhouse. Richard grows much of his own food and uses various methods of preserving it for winter consumption including canning, drying, root cellaring, and a passive solar greenhouse. He also hunts deer which are locally abundant. He is completely off grid and uses only a tiny amount of electricity which he gets from three solar panels and batteries. All together an impressive and inspiring lifestyle which we all should seek to emulate as energy supplies become scarce.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

PowerDown: Imposed by Nature (17 Feb 2006)

xtraspatial — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 07:12:02 -0800

As all of you in the Saratoga area are well aware, we experienced a natural Powerdown scenario Friday, 17 February, when winds, locally in excess of 55 mph, downed trees and powerlines, cutting power to many businesses and over 150,000 area residents. For most, grid power wasn't restored until Saturday night, but some were without power until Tuesday or Wednesday. While temperatures were seasonably mild, many were without a means for heating their homes and those without gravity-driven water systems had no running water.

There was one direct fatality in the Spa area: a DOT worker who was killed when a huge pine tree sheared 15 feet up and crushed his truck. There were house fires, including another fatality in a South Glens Falls house fire.

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont Conference report

xtraspatial — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 10:28:33 -0800

Just back from the NOFA-VT 24th Annual Winter Conference at Vermont Technical College in Vermont. What an event! Over 850 attendees filled the VTC Judd Gymnasium to hear Jim Kunstler's keynote address "Feeding America in the Long Emergency" and closing remarks by Amy Seidl of LivingFuture.

The Conference Theme was "Local Energy, Local Economies." During her closing remarks, Amy mentioned that at last year, almost no one at the conference knew what the term "Peak Oil" meant. Now, she added, almost no one at the conference hasn't at least heard of "Peak Oil." Indeed, most of the concurrent sessions had some bearing on Sustainability with "Peak Oil" serving as the rallying cry and call to action.

Sustainable Saratoga Springs (NY)

Energy efficiency

tfugate — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 19:45:30 -0800

The US Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy http://www.eere.energy.gov/.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/
_________________________________________________________________
Conservation
Renewables
Efficiency
_________________________________________________________________
-Efficient products can be: quieter, longer lasting, produce less heat, and cheaper in the long run
-Societal benefits may include: reduced pollution & greenhouse gases; less power plants; less fossil fuels

Focus on weatherization, lighting, and appliances

-Wasted NRG through windows and doors=Alaskan pipeline

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Energy decline survival book list

tfugate — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:24:32 -0800

The Humanure Handbook â€“ Joseph Jenkins
The bible on humanure composting

Seed to Seed â€“ Suzanne Ashworth
The best step-by-step guide to seed saving

Root Cellaring â€“ Nancy Bubel

Four Season Harvest â€“ Eliot Coleman

How to Grow More Vegetables â€“ John Jeavons
Bio-intensive growing

Encyclopedia of Country Living â€“ Carla Emery

Permaculture, Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability â€“ David Holmgren
Emphasizes permaculture techniques for the energy decline

When Technology Fails â€“ Matthew Stein
Excellent manual on survival skills

Where There Is No Doctor â€“ David Werner

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Links for quality hand tools

tfugate — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:36:09 -0700

Recommended sources for quality hand tools:

Crosscut Saw Company
http://www.crosscutsaw.com
Crosscut saws, buck saws, peavies, axes, mauls, sharpeners

Lehmans
http://www.lehmans.com
Grain mills, manual lawn mowers, cider presses, oil lamps, canning supplies, etc.

Scythe Supply
http://www.scythesupply.com
European scythes, blades, sickles, and accessories

Johnnys
http://www.johnnysselectedseeds.com
Quality garden hand tools, plastic mulch, open pollinated seeds

Bountiful Gardens
http://www.bountifulgardens.org
Seed saving screens, garden hand tools, grain seed and open pollinated seed

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

July 24 Outpost meeting and pot luck social

tfugate — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 19:18:55 -0700

Start: 2005-06-24 02:00

July 24 at 4:00 p.m. at Pug Hill Farm in Moretown. Please bring a covered dish to share made from something you've grown yourself OR harvested from the wild. A half hour talk on organic beekeeping will begin as well as a mid-season tour of the bio-intensive mini farm. A short business meeting follows and then DINNER. Please bring the whole family.

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

Peak Oil Petition to Congress

SBC — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 06:11:10 -0700

www.petitiononline.com/EndofOil/petition.html

Click above, sign and pass along to other concerned citizens

Mad River Valley Post Carbon (Vermont)

BBC Poll on Issues Requiring Greater Coverage

SBC — Tue, 24 May 2005 14:12:35 -0700

Pete Clifton, editor of the BBC News website, has requested input into what stories require greater attention

Please vote at BBC News CLICK HERE

Which story do you want to see more coverage of?
1. Human stories from Iraq
2. Climate change
3. The peak in oil production
4. UN General Assembly
5. Primate research
6. Africa
7. EU constitution
8. G8 summit
9. Nuclear power debate
10. Marburg virus