CCTV-9 report: Solar bottle lights in the Philippines

More Parklets Popping Up Around San Francisco Payton Chung's flickr page/viaDeepistan National Parklet When I last wrote about parklets in July of 2011, there were fourteen parklets in San Francisco. The city now claims 31 parklets and counting, with 39 in various stages of review. There has been a large demand for parklets in San Francisco, as evident by the amount of applications that the City Planning Department’s Pavement to Parks program has received during its three issuances for request for proposals. Parklets, small urban pocket parks, have transformed parking spaces into public places throughout San Francisco. How it Began The idea for parklets sprouted in 2005 out of PARKing Day, the annual fall day when residents reclaim a parking space for the day, by rolling out Astroturf, chairs, tables and plants to create a temporary park. The Pluses of Parklets A parklet’s diminutive size allows it to be built much more quickly, cheaply and with less red tape than a traditional park while still providing some public outdoor space.

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference This lesson reviews the content and concepts of a wonderfully illustrated and information-packed picture book. What could be better than playing a competitive H-E-N Bingo game while reviewing economic concepts? One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway [NOTE: This book is relatively new (Kids Can Press, Ltd, 2008). If you do not own a copy, you may find one in your school or public library. Activity 1: H-E-N Bingo! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Activity 2: "Because" Questions Review Kojo’s story with the students by asking these “Because” questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Teachers may also direct students to the One Hen Website for more interactive games and activities. Tell the students they now have an idea of what opportunity cost, loans, profits, capital resources, human resources, natural resources, scarcity, choice and entrepreneurship are and how they work. Instruct the students to draw a picture of a hen. Also, have students complete the One Hen Vocabulary Sheet.

Introduction to Permaculture - 40 hours of Free video lectures Permaculture means 'permanent culture,' (or 'permanent agriculture') and ...'is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem.' (Bill Mollison) This course will explore, through lectures, discussions, field trips, and required projects, a design/thinking methodology that seeks to profide for our physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., while doing so in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner. Download all lectures for Free here: Watch online all lectures for Free here: See also: Introduction to Permaculture - 18 part webinar with Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture - This is an 18 part 90 minute intro to permaculture webinar with Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture in Illinois. Documentary Films - Permaculture / Organic FarmingEbooks - Permaculture & Forest Gardening Free Documentary Films ArchiveFree Full Ebooks Archive

Goods and Services Key Concepts Consumers, Goods, Services, Complementary Goods and Services Goods and Services: Some are Private, Some are Not The role of government is to provide for the common defense, define and protect property rights, and enforce contractual arrangements. Throughout the 20th and early 21st century, government has increased its role in economic life. Grades 3-5, 6-8 Trouble is Brewing in Boston - "Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak" It’s December 16, 1773 and many of the citizens of Boston are furious with King George’s new tax on tea. Grades K-2, 3-5 To Buy or Not To Buy While precise numbers are not known, it is believed the number of boycotts has grown markedly in the past fifty years. Grades 6-8, 9-12 Mystery Workers In this lesson students review the concepts of goods, services, and producers using the Internet to locate examples of each in a teacher's classroom. I Can Be an Entrepreneur Learners are given advice on how they can earn extra money by becoming an entrepreneur.

"One Good Thing" by Jillee: No-Grate Homemade Laundry Soap Despite all the enthusiasm over making homemade laundry detergent recently…I continue to hear murmurings from those who just can’t bring themselves to grate soap and cook it on the stove. It apparently just isn’t going to happen. :-) I’m not naming any names…but my older sister would probably freely admit she didn’t decide to even attempt making her own laundry detergent UNTIL I told her about this “new” recipe I was testing out. (I know it seems like I’m always “picking on” her…but she called me a “brat” on her blog recently…so she pretty much deserves it. lol). Once again I have to credit the incredible readers of this blog for my inspiration. Tiffanie posted this on February 4th….A close friend of mine has been making laundry soap like this one for years, until just recently she found an easier one to make and passed it on to us. 3 Tablespoons Borax3 Tablespoons Washing Soda2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. February 4, 2012 8:59 PM

Advertising Tricks Come play again later! Come play again tomorrow! Ecological Footprint Quiz by Center for Sustainable Economy Living Paper-Free and Loving It: 15 Tips for Creating a Paperless Home “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” [I] detest useless waste. It literally makes me crazy to think of spending money on something — usually out of convenience – knowing that the end result will be the trash. Paper towels, diapers, wipes, disposable anything, and yes even toilet paper…for nearly a year our family has been on a mission to find sustainable replacements for these common household items in an attempt to create a paperless home. Many people will argue that purchasing and using paper products doesn’t effect their budget enough to warrant seeking reusable alternatives. 15 Tips for Creating a Paperless Home Important disclaimer: Don’t pressure yourself into implementing each one of these tips all at once…you’ll only end up frustrated and defeated. Here are a few of my ideas for creating a paperless home: In theory 1. 2. 3. 4. In Practice: Viable Alternatives to Paper Products 5. 6. . 7. 8. is also a very good and sanitary alternative. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Why Trees Matter TREES are on the front lines of our changing climate. And when the oldest trees in the world suddenly start dying, it’s time to pay attention. North America’s ancient alpine bristlecone forests are falling victim to a voracious beetle and an Asian fungus. In Texas, a prolonged drought killed more than five million urban shade trees last year and an additional half-billion trees in parks and forests. In the Amazon, two severe droughts have killed billions more. The common factor has been hotter, drier weather. We have underestimated the importance of trees. For all of that, the unbroken forest that once covered much of the continent is now shot through with holes. Humans have cut down the biggest and best trees and left the runts behind. What we do know, however, suggests that what trees do is essential though often not obvious. In Japan, researchers have long studied what they call “forest bathing.” Trees also release vast clouds of beneficial chemicals.

Open Source Permaculture – help to build the most comprehensive free resource for Permaculture education Talk, Uncategorized — By Irena Efremovska on 04/09/2012 17:37 Sophia Novack, the force behind Permaculture Media Blog and Permaculture Directory ‘What does your backyard look like right now?’ It has the potential to become a thriving edible garden, but only if you’ve got the right resources. That’s what the Open Source Permaculture Project is all about. With Open Source Permaculture, you could have just the support you need to make that garden a reality. Permaculture is a school of design rooted in ecological ethics and principles. Photo by Southernpixel AlbyOpen Source Permaculture intends to become the most comprehensive multimedia resource of free, quality materials for Permaculture education. It would offer people all over the world the ability to easily learn sustainability skills on their own. Who doesn’t want open source education on sustainable design? Why the Open Source Permaculture Project? We believe that sustainability is for everyone. Now it’s your turn – What can you do? PS.

Rock Rocket Stove Is Held Together By Coat Hangers © Liz To Rocket stoves burn hot and clean, using very little wood or other combustibles. Vancouver industrial designer Liz To has designed a new version for Tibet, where they use dung as fuel. Liz notes that 1.6 million people die from indoor pollution from traditional "Three Stones" type fires every year. Meanwhile, in the west, 3.5 billion wire hangers end up in U.S. landfill every year. Designboom describes it: Canadian designer Liz to has repurposed unwanted wire hangers from north america as an opportunity for remote communities to build their own stove. It is a really clever idea; wire hangers don't take up a lot of space, (200,000 to a shipping container) but woven into the stove shape and filled with rocks, they become a stable and effective stove. The stove won a few Canadian industrial design awards when Liz presented it at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and deserves more.

DIY Naturally Scented All-Purpose Citrus Vinegar Cleaners I've been on a quest to rid our home of toxic chemicals for both health and environmental reasons. Did you know? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be 10 times to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. UGH! After my recent post about using fruit, herbs, and spices for making natural home fragrances, it occurred to me that I could use some of those same scent combinations for making natural cleaners with vinegar. These scented cleaners don't completely eliminate the vinegar scent when first sprayed. THESE MAKE COOL, INEXPENSIVE GIFTS. HOW TO MAKE NATURAL CLEANERSwith vinegar, citrus, herbs, and spices Assemble these ingredients: view on Amazon: essential oils, bulk pricing on cinnamon sticks, whole cloves Assemble these supplies: Jars or other sealable containers. view on Amazon:half gallon mason jars, quart mason jars, spray bottles,jar funnel, mason jar lid strainer, wire mesh strainer view on Amazon: citrus scorer/peeler OOPS ALERT! To use the tags: Wood. 1.