Date: 2008-08-03 05:52 Subject: more on globalization and the neighbourhood effect Security: Public Tags: citizen's rights and responsibilities, ecology, economy, food, garden, philosophy, psychology

This from the NYT- Shipping Costs Start to Crimp Globalization.

(prior links dump Here.)


What can you do about it?
City Farmer
Community Gardening and Kids
Community Greens
Moss in the City: Urban Gardening
Urban Gardening Magazine
ETA Pick Your Own gardens and farms in US, UK, Europe, Canada, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa</a>.


Perhaps you and some friends get together and lament not being in better shape. Can one of you donate land to a group project garden? Maybe all you have is a balcony in a climate with a short growing season. Can you grow herbs? sprout seeds?

Maybe you think it's inefficient to grow any of your own food. Well, maybe it is from a strictly commercial business point of view. But in terms of best use of the calories you take in / the calories you expend, which is more worthwhile? the giant pack from Costco or Tesco? or the oxygen-producing, carbon-dioxide reducing pot of chives or basil on your sill? The tomatoes you get from the pot on the balcony? the lettuce from the box on the verandah? Remember, even some flowers are edible. (I use nasturtiums in my salads. mmm, peppery!)

I dunno if the problems caused (to some extent, unwittingly) by globalizing trade and industrializing farming are all curably by home food farming. I do know that even if you have a 'black thumb', over time you can learn to listen to plants and come to recognize what it takes to have an honest relationship with sun-converting chlorophyll-using beings, and that in itself can be balm to a wounded soul, and help right some of the imbalance in the world.

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Date: 2008-08-03 07:28 Subject: homygod itza mirrucal! Security: Public

home, bathed, brushed, and in bed by quarter past 7 am. amaaaaaaaaaazing.
found 3 cents at the market last night *adds to 'travel 2009' fund*.
sorted (as much as I can) the uni website for my two courses this fall- Native American Studies (survey), and Chicano and Latino Cinema. am SO looking forward to those. Anyone have a copy of La Pistola de mi Hermano they want to upload for me? (imafarmgirl and paulabm would you be a resource/question-checking-out person for me, if I need one?)

damn cold/almost-but-not-quite sinus infection I've had for two weeks nearly gone. yay! for Neti pots and Homeopathy and Ayurveda. in the past one that's started out like this has gone on to a real honest-to-ick sinus infection, even bronchitis or pneumonia, but not this time.

Ok, it's nearly half 7 now. if i'm gonna catch up on my sleep, i'd better get started.

this next week's to-do list:
renew CPR
move dresser and bookshelf
make room for this fall's class stuff
take clothes that are too big (!! YES, AMEN, HALLELUJAH!) to the thrift store.
list things for Freecycle.org

sleep, work, exercise, see friends. write.

that is all. you may go on about your regularly scheduled sunday/monday. xoxo

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