“Local to Wal-Mart means it’s produced in a state and it could be produced on a mega-farm. In other words, he says, in the eyes of Wal-Mart, that factory farm down the road is just as local as the family-owned vegetable patch.” says Iowa State agricultural economist Bruce Babcock in an interview.

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Plans upon plans were stacking up to dominate my day with activities. Friends in town, time to go paddling, which means early breakfast, a little work, out to the river, back to work, a full evening and on and on.  The day raced forward until, the rains came to own the afternoon.

For my money, afternoon showers are some of the best parts of summer in BV.  The clouds start forming at lunch and fill the sky by two.  The rain falls, maybe with a little thunder, dropping the temperature 15 degrees in ten minutes.  And all you can do is sit back on the porch or under a tree or put on the rainjacket, keep hiking and watch it roll through.  They never last long, just long enough to take the heat-edge off the day.  I found myself gladly trading in my pm plans for conversation and a cup of tea at the kitchen table.  Eventually, even the talk was unnecessary.  The pattern of raindrops on the railing was all that the afternoon required.  Everyone agreed, it didn’t ruin the day.  It made the day.”

Yesterday we had the opportunity to visit the Mission District in San Francisco. This area of the city is well known for its many dramatic and beautiful murals that grace the walls of buildings.

A walk down the famous Balmy Alley (pictured) will bring you face to face with illustrations of history, cultural personalities, and political struggles throughout various periods of time and in regions around the world. Mural painting became a tradition in the area during the 1970s with the increase in Latino population and the Chicano Art Mural Movement which was inspired by famous Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera. The murals here depict themes such as the spread of aids, economic hardships, the joy of freedom and the bounty of the land.

The most impactful part of the murals to me is that the Mission District is a community where people have chosen to communicate their emotional and political views through art for all to see. Whether the onlooker agrees with the position of the work or not, they immediately become connected to the emotion and realness of the issue being expressed. The art itself is an outward expression that adds value to the neighborhood and garners local pride in the artistry and history of its residents.

If you find yourself in the area you should be sure to check it out. You can also sign up for a tour with Precita Eyes. “As an inner city, community-based mural arts organization, Precita Eyes Mural Arts Association seeks to enrich and beautify urban environments and educate communities locally and internationally about the process and the history of public community mural art.”

Come and check out Carin Mari & Pony Express for yourself as they play at the Orpheum Theatre at 6:30pm, July 4th. Tickets are available at the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce and at the door. Adult - $10, teens - $5, and children are free. Call 395-4104 for more information or www.CarinMariMusic.com.

“I don’t pretend to understand all of the technology,” Ms. Willings said. “But I know it works.” She’s not the only believer. Drake Landing sold out soon after construction was announced in 2005, with buyers coming from as far away as Seattle and Quebec. The homes were originally slated to sell for less than $300,000, but with the Okotoks real-estate market booming, the new homes are being resold for closer to half a million dollars. ”

Thanks to GreenBuildingElements.com for the tip on the story.

More than 100,000,000,000 pieces of junk mail are delivered each year—that’s more than 800 pieces per household. In fact, junk mail in the United States accounts for one-third of all the mail delivered in the world.

Ummmm…. what was that again??!??!?!:

… junk mail in the United States accounts for one-third of all the mail delivered in the world. (more…)

This post will hopefully raise awareness about the seafood that we enjoy in restaurants, buy in the grocery store frozen, or eat while on trips to places with oceans. While we are landlocked in Buena Vista, we still affect the oceans by the choices we make when it comes to consuming seafood.

To gain some background information on how fish are caught or farmed and to find out which methods are “ocean friendly” check out this link.

According to the biologists we spoke with on our tour, one of the most important actions we can take as consumers is to choose our fish wisely. The aquarium has a lot of information on what fish and shellfish are appropriate to eat and why. Each is given a rating of “Best Choice”, “Good Alternative” or “Avoid”. Many times we won’t know what fish to order in a restaurant. This list gives you a great idea of what you can do and why it is important. For example: farmed abalone is a “Best Choice” fish (well, snail), while salmon fits into all the categories depending on the method it was caught. Wild caught (hook and line) in Alaska is the best choice, while farmed salmon rates as an “Avoid.”

Take a moment and check out this site and list. It is important that we vote with our dollars and getting informed is the first step. Your oceans will thank you for it!

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“McKibben says in effect, All right, we are two nations: 1) Wal-Mart Nation (gigantic, globalized, unsustainable in the face of climate change and the trashing of nature and the coming exhaustion of the world’s fossil fuels), a world predicted half a century ago by Lucille Ball in the chocolate factory, desperately gobbling oversweet glut from the unstoppable assembly line; and 2) Farmers’ Market Nation (manageably small, localized, communitarian, neighborly, calibrated to the human scale).”

Whether or not we are able to make an entire life shift to move towards Mckibben’s ideas, there are few who would argue against the benefits of knowing, helping and doing business with your friends, neighbors and local community. And with the report on morning edition today that our current consumptive habits point to the doubling of our consumption of coal, oil and production of carbon dioxide by 2030, it maybe time to take personal steps to make our lives more local. “

In this bracingly honest talk, international security strategist Thomas Barnett outlines a post-Cold War solution for the foundering U.S. military that is both sensible and breathtaking in its simplicity: Break it in two.

You can read Thomas Barnett’s bio here.

Check out this thought provoking talk and tell us what you think!

According to ConsumerEnergy.org, “A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually. Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.”

Especially in a very dry climate like BV. Go to many other places in the world and find that most folks out there don’t share our passion for the dryer and do it the old fashioned way by hanging a line in their backyards. When you travel, you will usually find that most people can do without.

So what’s preventing us from hanging our clothes out to dry? In some places, bans on clotheslines have taken effect, preventing people from benefiting from the sun’s natural drying power due to the perception that they are unsightly.

“The rules exist for aesthetics, residents’ expectations, and property values, Mr. Rathbun says: Environmental leanings have to be balanced against the desires of those who find their neighbors’ blue jeans, khakis, and the occasional flannel nightgown to be unseemly, unsightly, or both.” says Caitlin Carpenter in this article.

This Denver Post article features a Buena Vistan making a statement with his clothesline.

You can visit the Project Laundry website to find out more.

Happy laundry day!