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About thinkofitasanadventure

My husband Peter and I attended a sustainability conference with Richard Heinberg of the Post Carbon Institute in 2010. We learned some hard truths about climate change that shook us to our core. We knew we needed to transition away from fossil fuels as soon as possible, for the sake of our children. We initiated a neighborhood Transition group (Transition Longfellow). It became the center of our lives. In 2019, we downsized and moved to a tiny rural village. It's a whole new way of life and we've got a lot more learning to do. We're choosing to continue to "think of it as an adventure."

Vatican Weighs in on Climate Change

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I just finished reading a post by Republican, former climate-change-skeptic, Michael Stafford, “My Road to Damascus: Coming to Terms with Climate Change.” I have mixed feelings about his article – slightly hopeful, frustrated and angry. In fact, I’m not going to talk about it anymore. If you read it, feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think. 

Instead I wanted to highlight the fact that on May 5, a working group of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (the Vatican)  issued a report on the impacts of global climate change (particularly as it relates to the loss of glaciers and mountain snow and the people who are dependent upon those sources for water). The working group recommended three measures to reduce the threat of climate change:

1.“Reduce worldwide carbon dioxide emissions without delay, using all means possible to meet ambitious international global warming targets within a few decades:

  • Focus on a rapid transition to renewable energy sources
  • Avoid removal of carbon sinks by stopping deforestation, and reforestation of degraded lands
  • Develop and deploy technologies that draw down excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

2.“Reduce concentrations of warming air pollutants (dark soot, methane, lower atmosphere ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons) by as much as 50%.

3.“Prepare to adapt to the climatic changes, both chronic and abrupt, that society will be unable to mitigate.”

These are a pretty tall order. The best most of us can do is work to make our own small contribution and then work to elect politicians who can do more.

Frankly, I think the church made an even stronger statement in support of efforts to minimize climate change at last year’s World Day of Peace. The Pope’s statement was entitled, “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.“

Almost every large religious group has come out with its own statement on the care of creation. Do you know what your church has said on the topic? Maybe you’d like to take some time today to look it up online.

“A Chemical Reaction” – coming to the Riverview June 2

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Thursday, June 2 · 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

The award-winning documentary film. ‘A Chemical Reaction’ about a doctor and community that come together to ban the use of chemical lawn pesticides and herbicides.

Info on biodiverse landscaping, natural lawn care, and much more in the lobby starting at 5pm.

Film begins at 5:30pm (70 minute length)
Admission by Donation

Just in Time for Bike to Work Day!

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According to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), May is National Bike Month, and THIS WEEK is Bike to Work Week (May 16–20) and TOMORROW is Bike to Work Day (Friday, May 20). I’m going to be working from home tomorrow so no commuting for me, but my husband is at this very minute biking to an evening committee meeting.

Get Back Into Biking – It’s Still Fun!

The website Bike to Work says that the yearly cost of owning and operating a vehicle is about $9,000 a year, while the cost of maintaining a bicycle can be as little as $120 a year. I don’t think I’ve ever spent near $120 a year on a bike, unless I was replacing a stolen bike (which I’ve had to do several times). I’m sure I’ve spent $9,000 a year on some of my cars. Living with only one car really has saved us a lot of  money.

But if you haven’t been on a bike in a while, it’s not so easy to just decide to ride… at least not for a couple in their 50s with sedentary desk jobs. We wanted to do more biking but we needed to make some changes first:

  • Get a bike that is comfortable. JUST DO IT. Why add to the difficulty by trying to make due with an ill-fitting old bike that you don’t like. If it’s at all possible, find one that fits properly. Check out Craigslist if you can’t buy new. That’s where I found my bike. On the other hand, my husband’s used bike was so squeaky he felt he was being gawked at. He never felt good about riding. We caved and bought him a lovely new bike with a comfy big seat. Now he’s happy to ride.
  • Don’t fight traffic until you’re confident and ready for it. We bike around the neighborhood on mostly unused roads, taking up all the space we want. In our community, we’re lucky to have great bike paths nearby, as well as the Midtown Greenway. Lots of communities are creating bikeways. Check out what’s available in your community with the bike map database.
  • Enjoy the scenery. I love to  leisurely check out gardens around the neighborhood. My husband likes to leisurely check out me – so he rides behind me. This is all very good 🙂
  • Make trips rewarding. We bike to the coop, and then get a ginger brew to take home as a treat.

So what’s going to get you off the sofa and onto a bike this week?

Helix Wind Turbines

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On the Longfellow Sustainability Group Facebook page we’ve been talking about wind energy and how it may be a more affordable energy alternative than solar. As I noted in my post on the movie Windfall, most solar installations are overpoweringly large – certainly not something a typical homeowner can take advantage of.

We saw an urban-friendly wind turbine at the Living Green Expo last week and one of our group members has explored it further. Minnesota Wind Energy offers several small turbines. Their website is terrible. Their brochure is equally bad. But they appear to be the only game in town. Here’s what friend Annette found out about these units, which can be installed on the ground or on a rooftop.

  • The 400 watt-48 volt unit sells for $2800 (add approx $1,500-$2,500 to install)
  • The 1500 watt-120 volt unit sells for $15,000 (add approx $4,500-$7,500 to install)
  • The 3000 watt-120 volt unit sells for $20,000 (add approx $5,500-$9,000 to install)

The US government offers a 30% tax refund and rebates from the state or Xcel may be in the works.

Looking for more info on wind? Group members suggested:

May 21 Events: Book Group, Boat Race, Dome Tour

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It’s 50 and raining today but let’s hope next weekend is GREAT because there are a lot of interesting things happening – all on Saturday the 21st!

First the plug – the Longfellow Sustainability Book Group meets next Saturday from 10:30 to noon at Peace Coffee. We’re reading section 2 of the Transition Handbook – the part on The Heart. Don’t worry if you haven’t read it yet, just show up to listen and discuss.

Plant stuff: If you joined the Southside Food Hub, there is another plant pickup starting at 10 am at Powderhorn Park. If you signed up for trees at the city sale, you can pick up your tree between 7 am and 3 pm at the Minneapolis Impound Lot. And the Longfellow Garden Group plant swap from 11 am to 1:30 pm at Sanford Junior High, west parking lot.

Suffering a solar let-down now that the Living Green Expo is done? Check out the Solar Boat Regatta at Lake Phalen in St. Paul. Sponsored by the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, the boat builders include middle school and high school students, as well as individual inventors. Races start at 10 am and continue into the afternoon.

If you’re up for a road trip and have always wondered what goes on inside a dome home, there is a tour of dome homes, new and old, ranging from 1 & 2 bedrooms to large 4 & 5 bedroom homes. The tour is free but you do need to pre-register at Natural Spaces Domes.

Did I miss something? Add it in the comments below.

The Challenge of Being a Green Tenant

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At this week’s Longfellow Sustainability Group, a tenant expressed frustration with her inability to turn down the heat. We know quite a few people who have to keep the window open in mid-winter to cool down their overheated apartments. We feel for you. We don’t have any answers from personal experience, but you might want to check out this blog “Green Tenant.” And here’s a “how-to go green” rental article from Mother Nature Network.

Solar Bulk Buy Program for Twin Cities Residents

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We attended the solar workshop at Mathews Park on Monday night and found that solar heating and solar water heating — once a long-term dream — is now within reach. “Make Mine Solar” is a bulk purchase program for residents of Minneapolis, St. Paul and  first-ring suburbs.

Through this program you can get  two different hot water systems and one solar air heat system. The program explains the various rebates and tax credits available, as well as where you can get bank loans. There are several certified installers available to work with you. They will provide a list.

After state rebates (which end September 2011) and federal tax credits (which run through 2016), the cost is:

  • Solar water — approx $5200 to $5600
  • Solar air — approx $3100

The cost for a solar site assessment, which usually runs $250, is now $90 (for one technology) or $120 (for both). You may need a structural review of your home, which runs $500. There could be other costs, depending upon where your hot water system is located and whether you want cosmetic covering of exterior pipes.

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May Mini-Challenge: Reducing Trash

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This month our mini-challenge goal is to reduce the amount of garbage our households (or businesses) send to landfills. Up for an even bigger challenge? How can you reduce both trash and recycling? (Recycling takes energy, too.)

If you tamed the PAPER dragon last month, you already have a head start on reducing one of the biggest area of trash. If you became part of the Minneapolis organics trash pick-up program (the green garbage can), you’ve made headway in reducing one of the other big contributors to landfills.

Check out an earlier post on organizing to make recycling and composting easier. This month our household will be paying attention to packaging on things we purchase.