Monthly Archive February 11, 2009

A Great Big Food Garden Tax Break and Stimulus Package

ByGroovy Green Feb 11, 2009

This is a guest post by Ed Bruske. He writes at The Slow Cook.  Ed lives in the District of Columbia. A reporter for the Washington Post in a previous life, he now tends his “urban farm” about a mile from the White House in the District of Columbia. Ed believes in self-reliance, growing food close to home and political freedom for the residents of the District of Columbia.

Warning: The following may contain dangerously subversive thoughts. Young children should probably leave the room….

Although I believe in food gardening, I am also convinced that we will only get so far trying to persuade Americans that there is a healthier way to eat, and that growing your own is a big part of the answer. But I also know there’s something else Americans care very much about: money. That’s why I am proposing right here and right now a big fat tax break on kitchen gardens that will not only spur our fellow citizens to start digging up their lawns like crazy, but will fit right in with President Obama’s economic stimulus efforts by getting everyone busy buying seeds and garden tools.

Read More

Dan Phillips’ Revolutionary Idea of Half Priced Homes

ByGroovy Green Feb 9, 2009

Using “trash” (construction and other refuse) to build homes.  Quote “in a town this size would otherwise be discarding usable building materials that could build a small scale house a week…  That’s crazy!  when we have families that would do anything to own a house.”  Great ideas, funky original homes.

Instructables – Stay Warm Contest

ByGroovy Green Feb 4, 2009

I am an avid reader of DIY projects. Before I begin a project of my own I will most likely spend hours researching and looking at similar projects done by others. One of my favorite sites for finding the real creative and well documented projects is instructables.com.

They recently held a contest to see what their readers could do with used plastic bottles. The entries ranged from an algae bioreactor to fenders on a bike. Currently they are running a contest entitled the Stay Warm Contest: “We want to know what ways you’re staying warm this winter without using of lots of fuel or energy in the process.”  Grand Prize is a sleeping bag and an Instructables Robot t-shirt, patch, and stickers. So GG readers head on over and submit your Stay Warm projects. (Contest ends Feb. 8th)

Discovery Of Giant Snake Fossil Gives Hope To Rainforests Surviving Climate Change

ByGroovy Green Feb 4, 2009

I spied this incredible story today about a giant fossilized snake — almost 43-feet long — that was discovered in one of the world’s biggest open-cast coalmines, in Cerrejon, Colombia. The massive reptile dined on giant crocodiles and turtles, had a height up to your hip, and weighed some 1,600 pounds.

Fantastic images of snakes the size of buses aside, what’s truly interesting about this story is what such a former living creature can tell us about past rainforests — and their abilities to survive climate change. From the article,

Based on T. cerrejonensis, the scientists calculate that the mean annual temperature in equatorial South America 60 million years ago would have been 30-34 degrees Celsius, or 86-93 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes it around 3-4 C (5.5-7.2 F) hotter than tropical rainforests today.
Read More

Programmable Thermostat Giveaway!

ByGroovy Green Feb 1, 2009

UPDATE:  One last day to enter!  Send me your pics today for a chance to win!  (see contest rules below)

 

Time for a great giveaway at Groovy Green.  Home Depot is showcasing its energy saving products, and now is your chance to upgrade your old thermostat.  This Ritetemp 7-day programmable thermostat mounts flush to your wall, is mercury free, and can save you up to $150 per year on your heating and cooling costs.

Here’s the contest rules:

  • You must live in the United States.
  • You have to be over 18.
  • You must be willing to send us a picture of the thermostat after you’ve installed it.

Read More