While Big Ag touts GM and pesticides and fertilizers, farmers in the Indian state of Bihar is acheiving big yields by giving their seeds a little organic TLC:
'he bought in his staggering, record-breaking 22.4 tonnes per hectare
(five times the usual yield) with nothing but some clever and careful
nurturing of his crop - without a drop of pesticide,
herbicide and fertilizer in sight. Not only that, but Sumant Kumar is
far from the only farmer in Bihar to see yields rise. In fact, this
impoverished state in the north-east of India saw its rice harvest leap'
'The record harvests changing lives for impoverished Indian farmers'.. new article written for The Earth Times
Electric bikes are allowing designers to re-imagine what a bike can - as the nCycle concept bike demonstrates with its elegant design solutions:
'
The bag is empty, there are feathers all over the floor, and the one
remaining pigeon is looking decidedly nervous. Yep, yet another escaped
feline, in the shape of a concept e-bike, has been unleashed onto the
electric-biking public, bristling with design boldness, and inviting
broomstick swipes all round. The nCycle is its name, and there’s no doubting its potent visual appeal.'
'The nCycle: e-Cycling Uncluttered'.. new post added for EvRdr's collection of all that's cool and eclectic in the world of cycling electric..
Whether shifting to Sun,Wave or Wind, don't forget to start with the People:
'While many on Maui may have applauded the prospects for cleaner energy,
reduced bills and the extra jobs that the wind farm development has
bought to this rural Hawaii island, it's a different noise coming from
just across the water, on the island of Lanai.'
When the wind's blowing the wrong way ..new post written on Hot House Islands telling an Hawaiian tale of two windfarms..
'Residents of St. Croix, the largest of the US Virgin Islands, will soon see their electricity coming from a novel source - towering fields of grass. 1,000 acres on the wetter west side of the Caribbean island have already been sown with Giant King Grass, a proprietary variety of tall-growing elephant grass that will be harvested to feed an anaerobic digester. The digester will produce bio-gas that will, in turn, power a 6MW turbine.'
Read more at new post on Hot House Islands:
"Island grids may increasingly be coursing with greener, cleaner electricity but power generation isn't the only source of planet-warming emissions. Globally, nearly a fifth of CO2 emissions come from cars, vans and trucks plying the roads. So if the target is zero emissions, then a solution needs to be found for road transport.
And the Spanish island of El Hierro has just such a plan - taking all of its 6,000 cars over to the electric side of the road..."
New post on HotHouse Islands:
