Swales « Leaf Ninjas

For swales to work properly, they must be planted with vegetation that can utilize the water that is being stored / infiltrated, or else the top mounds will become compacted and begin holding, rather than infiltrating water, …

Bio-swales: An Integral Component of a Clean Water Solution …

by David Frantz, David Michael Frantz Landscapes Your landscape can help to save water, clean our creeks, and replenish groundwater, all while creating.

What is a Swale? : TreeHugger

In this video from The Permaculture Research Institute, Geoff Lawton explains the simple yet elegant concept that is the swale. Formally defined by Bill Mollison as “long, level excavations, which can vary greatly in width and …

Using Swales Around Your Home

Raised Beds & Terraces « ecologia design

Raised beds shaped on contour, also known as swales, sculpt your landscape in beautiful patterns that clearly define path and bed. Clearly defined raised beds and pathways help avoid soil compaction, allowing the soil to …

One more bit with very useful info if you are at all interested in swales.

Swales For Water Harvesting

green-change.com9/5/11

The notes from my recent presentation to Jamberoo Community Growers on swales.

 
Additional Resource:

- Lake Superior Stream.org, a resource from Duluth, Minnesota, offers a swales toolkit that covers this drainage feature in some detail.

Been busy with making some changes to the sites layout and design.  Ran into a few glitches, but have them figured out now.  So we’re almost ready to really get this site off the ground.  I am excited to finally get things going.

Website design, internet marketing, social media, and sustainability are passions of mine.  To be in a position to be active in all of them, is a dream come true.  I love this stuff.  I’d like to be able to help others with this too.  That is the reason for this site.  Take what I’ve learned and help people involved in the sustainability movement, big and small, to spread our message about sustainability, and promote what YOU ALL are doing across America.

Once in awhile, I will also include news and information about other countries, but primarily it will involve only those people, places, businesses, organizations, groups, websites, and cities & towns that ARE DOING THE WORK TO BE sustainable.

I would love to feature activities, projects, plans, etc that you all are working on.  You deserve attention!  I want to help that happen.  Some of what I will be offering, for those that “want more hands on help in their internet marketing, video marketing, and social media marketing, were I do it for you”, there will be paid services.  Most of what will be available will be free.  In the days ahead, I will explain all this in more detail.  Starting with exactly what it is that I can do for you personally, your businesses, your websites, your organizations, and your groups, that will be free.  So be watching for that.

For those who might be interested in the “Do It For Me” paid services, for now, use the contact form, and I’ll be in touch.  Later on, I’ll have those types of services and fees list also.

Be sure to leave your comments and questions below.  Tell your friends about our site, and let others know.  Together we can really make a difference in America.  Join with us in spreading the word about sustainability.

Thanks,
Thomas John Fisher
Editor & Webmaster

Don’t get me wrong.  Solar has many ‘other’ uses, for heating air and water, that are ready now also, but for electricity, it’s still a little pricey.

I came across some information today that I wanted to pass on.   The Vermont Technical College is looking at building one.  There is a pdf download there too, that you might be interested in getting called, “Food Scrapes”.

Vermont food scraps, compost and power source | Vtdigger.org

The information for this map came from a project to help determine the feasibility of building a methane digester at Vermont Technical College.

Publish Date: 05/10/2010 3:59

http://vtdigger.org/2010/05/10/vermont-food-scraps-compost-and-power-source/

I have posted some information on Jean Pain and using wood chip composting for hot water and methane gas, before, and here is someone who is going to be doing it on his Urban Farm.  I’m looking forward to hearing his results.

Jean Pain Compost Methods – It Begins. « One Straw: Be The Change

My goal is to produce burnable methane, in my backyard, with no fancy gizmos. Growing Power built a methane digester and theirs cost $750000. I am shooting for about $250 and that is only if I do my heat exchanger idea. …

Publish Date: 05/11/2010 19:06

http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/jean-pain-compost-methods-it-begins/

Next, is encouraging news to me, in that here is another example of the changes in progress.  What I mean, is that every day I am seeing more and more people all over this country, learning about and doing more work with methane.  This story is about a conference held in Wisconsin, learning from farmers who are using methane digesters on their farms.  It also has a link to a government site that has a database of farms with methane digesters, plus other information on methane.  I’m excited to see it all happening.

Lessons learned from digester dairies – Blogspot

And while many of the conference’s attendees had their eyes focused on energy production, none of the farms said that was why they built and continue to operate a methane digester. “We did it for public acceptance (of our large farm) …

Publish Date: 04/27/2010 12:29

http://hdnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/04/lessons-learned-from-digester-dairies.html

This last one for today, is an interesting idea.  Taking an old shipping container, turning it into a self-contained methane digester.  I’m going to be looking into this further.

MuckBuster Anaerobic Digester Generates Energy From Poop – Ecofriend

Eco Factor: Anaerobic digester produces renewable energy from organic materials. SEaB Energy has announced a new anaerobic digester that is…

Publish Date: 04/20/2010 23:23

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/muckbuster-anaerobic-digester-generates-energy-from-poop/

If you have news about methane digesters, please send them in.  Also, if you like this post be sure to share it with others, and leave your comments below.

Here is an article on Sustainable Development:
From Tom Barrett, Green Water Infrastructure.

Sustainable Site Development

Sustainable site development has the goal of preserving or restoring a site’s natural ecosystem. The most widely recognized definition of sustainable development is development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”^[1]

Sustainability Starts with the Soil

Soil is the soul of project

Soil is the soul of a project. Today, when a construction project begins, first  the vegetation is removed. Clear-cutting the trees. Removing any obstructions so the construction equipment can freely traverse the site. If the timber cannot be sold off as lumber (and usually the timber cannot be sold as lumber) the wood is burned onsite or chipped into mulch.

After clearing out the construction traffic obstructions, the topsoil is scraped off. Removing most if not all the rich soil and micro organisms. The soil’s fertility, permeability, and ability to sustain life has been irrevocably transformed into a barren desert. The remaining hard-panned, encrusted soil resembles a track of land with the texture of a poorly compacted piece of asphalt.

When the construction project is complete, new topsoil has to be trucked in for any chance for plant survival. And forget about any wildlife. They have abandoned the site, gone for the hills, literally moved to higher, less inhabited, ground.

Protecting and preserving the soil through minimal site development practices is the starting point for sustainable site development. Restoring an existing site’s soil to a native, natural condition is imperative and the benefits are extraordinary.

Developing Water Resources

Water is the life-blood of the environment

Water is the life-blood in the environment.  Water in the environment is the connecting force that ties the environment together. In a natural, forested environment, seventy to ninety percent of the rain fall stays on site. Less than one percent runs off the site.

In nature’s hydrologic (water) cycle, in a naturally, forested area, forty to fifty percent of the rain fall is returned to the atmosphere as water vapor by evaporation and transpiration. Twenty to thirty percent of the rain fall enters streams and waterways after being cleansed by the soil through the soil interflow. The soil interflow is the lateral movement of water through the upper levels of the soil. The remaining ten to forty percent of the water percolates down through the soil in the aquifer.

Today, we rapidly collect the rain water and pipe it into our streams and waterways. This rapidly collected rain water carries debris and pollution from our roofs, parking lots, and roadways. Additionally, in many communities throughout the nation, storm water is combined with waste water and treated  as waste water. When communities combine storm water systems with waste water systems the result often is the overflow of raw sewage into the local streams and waterways. Storm water is the single largest source of non-point source water pollution. There has to be a better way!

The result from a low impact site is a dramatic reduction in storm water runoff, resulting a dramatic reduction or elimination of non-point source pollution.

Local pollutants stay local. Stream sedimentation is almost completely avoided. The local aquifer is replenished.

Trees are the spirit in the woods

Plant Trees

Simply, plant trees. Trees are the spirit in the world. The environmental benefits of trees are without limit and almost unappreciated. The lack of nature in our environment is creating a “nature deficit disorder.” Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods,  says,”Unlike telivision, nature does not steal time, it amplifies it.” Powerful experience with nature can have a positive influence on attention deficit disorder, reduce depression, reduce stress, and improve creativity. The need to plant trees is largely unrecognized in our communities and the need has never been greater.

The EPA reports that tree planting sequesters carbon and enhance the quality of soil, water, air and wildlife. If every family planted just one tree, the amount of CO² in the atmosphere would be reduced by one billion pounds annually. One tree will absorb about ten pounds of air pollutants, including four pounds of ozone.  Trees planted around a home can reduce air conditioning usage by 30%.  Over a fifty-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion.^[2]

(Source: http://www.coloradotrees.org/benefits.htm#2)

On a larger scale, one acre of new forest will sequester about five thousand pounds of carbon annually. Each year a tree will assimilate thirteen pounds of CO².

Trees reach their most productive stage of carbon storage at about ten years.

The benefits of trees go far beyond carbon sequestration and energy savings. Trees restore the natural balance of nature. People are more satisfied; communities are more productive; biodiversity increases.

Tools for Sustainable Site Development

Since the turn of the last century, little has been done to improve our gray infrastructure. In 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) graded our drinking water and waste water infrastructures a “D” minus, the lowest grades in any infrastructure category. The next lowest grade is “F” ­ failure. Technology has improved dramatically.  Thinking has not. Though we might not always hear about it, sustainable development (and all the interrelated issues associated with it) is an urgent issue.

Green roofs, rainwater harvesting, condensate recovery, permeable paving, rain gardens, bioswales, and daylighting streams are effective tools for changing our world; enhancing our environment. Political will has been slow-paced at best. Much has been written about this.  Little has been done.

For example, there are:

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The more I learn about plants, trees, and their importance, the more amazed I am.  This article, explained alot for me, especially about the importance of trees.  If you also liked it, please share it with people you know, so others can benefit from it too.

One more thing.  Plant some trees around your home, your community, and give some thought into which trees.  Don’t just plant ornamentals.  How about edible ones, or ones that will attract hummingbirds, other birds, bees, etc.

Tom Barrett, owner of Westfield, Indiana-based Green Water Infrastructure, is presenting “Rainwater Harvesting and Condensate Recovery – New Tools for Green Technology”, at the Chicago Center for Green Technology on Tuesday, April 20th from 6-8 p.m. Barrett will explain how the use of locally produced water helps develop a “natural approach” to efficient use of water and relieves storm water management issues.  This is Mr. Barrett’s sixth presentation in a series on sustainable development for the Center for Green Technology.

“The Chicago Center for Green Technology is the perfect venue for this presentation as the Center has embraced many of the tools covered in the presentation including green roofs, rainwater harvesting, condensate recovery and rain gardens.,” said Barrett. “This presentation will inspire others to incorporate such practices into their environments.”

The Chicago Center for Green Technology is located at 445 N. Sacramento Blvd. (between Chicago Ave. and Lake St.) Chicago, Illinois.  There is no cost to attend this presentation.  Go to Green Water Infrastructure to register for this event.

About Tom Barrett:

Tom Barrett is an accomplished corporate growth and change agent with over thirty years of landscape industry experience. Tom’s leadership experience, holding executive level positions, drives corporate revenue growth through change and innovation for business start-ups, corporate expansions, and divisional turnarounds.

Tom Barrett has been delivering energetic, dynamic presentations and training for over twenty years. These presentations empower people to become masters of change rather than victims of circumstance by developing tools for transformational thinking.

“Tom’s been a leader with smart water technologies, green roofs, rainwater harvesting and other emerging technologies well before they became buzzwords at water conferences. It’s impressive to work with Tom because he knows his stuff from the ground up.” – Jeff Carowitz, Principal, Strategic Force, Inc.

About Green Water Infrastructure:

Green Water Infrastructure is a consulting company that integrates water resources for sustainable site development. Their goal is to utilize one hundred percent of the on-site water resources at a site. Green Water saves communities money by combining green infrastructure with gray infrastructure and new technology with existing technology to create sustainable growth — environmentally and socially.

About the Chicago Center for Green Technology: The Chicago Center for Green Technology is the first rehabilitated municipal building in the nation to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ™ (LEED) Platinum rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. Mayor Richard M. Daley dedicated the building in 2002 and it has since become a national model for sustainable design and technology. The Center serves as the most comprehensive green design and educational resource in the Midwest.

Their next speaking event is entitled, “Rain Gardens and Bioswales – New Tools for Sustainable Development”.   This will also be at the Chicago Center for Green Technology on July 29th.  More details on this will be coming soon.

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This was a press release sent to us for this event.  If you have an event coming up, send it in and we will help you get it promoted.  The intent of this site is to help those who are trying to make a difference by working on renewable, sustainable projects, by helping to get the word out about it, so others can learn from it, and they in turn step up and try to change their local communities.