In our recent columns we questioned whether the historically inherited political structure of our existing towns with their existing borders remains relevant for addressing the looming energy and climate crises we face and suggested the benefits of a regional approach to economic production and services. We also introduced the logic of relocalization, which would make towns more energy and food self-reliant and more carbon-conserving by shortening the distances of people to work and crops to market. We now examine as case studies in relocalization two plans under review for Amherst: a corporate R&D project that has been proposed for land zoned “professional research park” or PRP in the very north of Amherst, and a redevelopment project that would bring a mix of housing and commercial/retail space to an area between the downtown and the UMass campus called the Gateway District.
Continue reading Amherst Grapples with RelocalizationThis is the prepared text of a speech that I gave at the Berkshire Regional Convention of the Green-Rainbow Party on June 19, 2010 in Pittsfield. I am running for State Rep in the 4th Berkshire District.
Other speakers at the event were JD Hebert, who spoke on homelessness, Nick Stanton, who discussed Transition Towns, Mark Miller, candidate for State Rep in the 3rd Berkshire District, and Jill Stein, candidate for Governor.
Continue reading A Candidate’s Convention SpeechEveryone knows that third party candidates have a rough time in the media, if not for the fact that outlets who favor Democrats or Republicans don’t like third parties, then simply because they think people are uninterested in hearing about them. And anyone who’s interested in seeing third parties do well in elections knows that this is somewhat of a self-fulfilling prophecy; news outlets don’t adequately cover third-party candidates, meaning fewer people hear about them, which in turn means that not many people end up voting for them on election day. We all know this to be an intrinsic reality of our democracy, but I’m staring at this first-hand, right now, and we all need to see it.
Continue reading This is how negative feedback in politics worksA picture says a thousand words, and the big smiles across the faces of the insider candidates for governor in their pre-debate photo-op with disgraced Speaker of the House Tom Finneran says it all.
From a Jill Stein press release:
Continue reading Lovefest on WRKO with Beacon Hill insidersEXCLUSIONARY GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE WAS DISSERVICE TO VOTERS, STEIN CHARGES
BOSTON – Following today’s gubernatorial debate on WRKO, gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein noted that “In this debate, Tim Cahill, Charlie Baker, and Deval Patrick cozied up with the disgraced former House Speaker Tom Finneran to give the voters of the Commonwealth a very narrow vision of the state’s future. The failing policies of the Beacon Hill machines were endorsed as great ideas and real solutions were kept off the table. We’re going to work hard to break up this tedious deception and let the voters hear a real alternative to business as usual in Massachusetts.”
The debate was hosted by Finneran and included only three of the four gubernatorial candidates. The Green-Rainbow Party candidate, Stein, was excluded from the debate, whose producers declined to return numerous phone calls from the campaign requesting that Stein be allowed to participate.
After noting that the three candidates invited by Finneran found themselves agreeing on issue after issue, Stein offered the following critique of the debate (below the fold):
Methane (CH4) is a much more effective greenhouse gas than CO2. Methane is also fuel, natural gas. Methane can be made from animal and human dung as well as other kinds of waste.
In Nepal, it is known as Gobar Gas:
“Gobar” is the Nepali word for cow dung. The “Gas” refers to biogas derived from the natural decay of dung, other waste products, and any biomass. In Nepal, villagers use buffalo, cow, human, and other waste products for biogas production. Pig and chicken dung are used in some places, as are raw kitchen wastes, including rotted vegetation….
The Nepalese government built nearly 200 small biogas plants in 1975/6, but decentralized methane digestion truly took off in 1992 when the Dutch group, SNV, launched a large program, including subsidy mechanisms and microfinance schemes, which led to the installation of approximately 204,000 units to date.
Michael Yon wonders if this could also work in Afghanistan.
Continue reading Gas Production and Gas ReleaseToday is Democracy Day in Massachusetts, and so far, I have to say that I am moved by this very grassroots action. I see startling signs of life in an otherwise morbid political discourse. It’s dark and wet out my window but the sunshine is breaking through over at DemocracyDays.com.
The WRKO petition just reached 50 signers, and Democracy Day has seen over 50 small donors pool their contributions to raise their voices in unison for a functional, vibrant democracy in Massachusetts.
Here’s my little take on Democracy Day:
But please add your own, and think of creative ways of spreading this around, of capturing and articulating our deepest hopes for our communities and the Commonwealth as a whole. Please help this grassroots effort make a big splash. If you haven’t already, please sign the petition, and make a small investment in a healthy democracy for all of us.
Spread the word. It’s up to us!
Continue reading Democracy in Massachusetts? It’s Up To Us
Thomas Bjelkeman Pettersson on the global swadeshi ning is working on a “flat-pack emergency home” which includes most of what you need for a functional emergency (or camping) home.
Continue reading Global Swadeshi: Flat-Pack Emergency HomeWe intend to actually put together a working demonstration and show that this can be done for under a couple of hundred dollars/euros.
The demonstration will most likely include the following:
Housing / shelter
Hexayurt – our favorite emergency shelter system
Water purification
Siphon filter – an in production unit, costs around $10, made in India.
ChlorinationLight and power
Nova S201 – solar light and mobile phone charger
The major media outlets have been working overtime to silence the one gubernatorial candidate who refuses to take money from corporate lobbyists and from corporate executives who hire lobbyists. Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein has launched an impressive grassroots attack on politics-as-usual, and has recently surged from 3% in the polls to 8% despite an overall media whiteout. Major newspapers are excluding her from coverage, and the first broadcast gubernatorial debate held by WRKO-AM’s “Tom and Todd” show is trying to keep her off the roster.
We can change that.
Sunday, Jun 13th, 12:30-5:00 pm
Last call, we still need at least 20 people!
Weatherization Barnraising at the Democracy Center
Right in Harvard Square
45 Mt. Auburn St.
(Leakiest site we’ve every seen! Over 18,000 cubic feet per minute as measured by the blower door.)
Home Energy Efficiency Team
http://www.heetma.com