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Berlin — Bike Paradise

May 19, 2011 By 1 Comment
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I recently took a short little vacation to Berlin (just about 5-7 hours away by train from where I live). While I had noticed when I visited the first time (2 years ago) that it was a tremendous bike city and put it at #7 in my bike city photo tours series, I didn’t bike around the city on that visit. Additionally, it was rather cold and rainy, so biking wasn’t in full bloom there.

This time around, we (my partner Marika and friend Salah) were set on biking, a bit at least. The weather was nice and our friend got us some bikes. We ended up going on a bike ride that lasted 5 hours or so on our first full day there.

One of the Most Precious Ecosystems in the World Disappearing (Help Protect It)

May 19, 2011 By 1 Comment
cerrado unique ecosystem under threat
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There is an extremely unique ecosystem in Brazil that contains about 5% of all life on Earth. It is called the Cerrado. Unfortunately, it is disappearing faster than the Brazilian Amazon.

Louisiana Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Marijuana Possession

May 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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The drug laws and penalties in our country are badly in need of reform. In a climate where scores of eminent law professors are calling for the legalization of cannabis, it is difficult to fathom that someone could actually be sentenced to life in prison simply for having two pounds of marijuana in their house — LIFE IN PRISON.

On May 5th the Times-Picayune reported that during a routine visit from his probation officer, about two pounds of marijuana were found in the in Covington Louisiana home of 35 year-old Cornell Hood II, along with “…a student loan application with Hood’s name on it inside of a night stand.” The news reports always seem to mention the student loan application, like somehow that makes it all even more sinister.

Gardeners Help End Hunger in Their Communities

May 16, 2011 By 2 Comments
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Growing food is a fundamental human activity and part of our social legacy that leads naturally to sharing the abundance with our neighbors. Planting extra edibles and donating the surplus for those in need is not only a simple way for gardeners to contribute to alleviating hunger, but it’s also a way to feel a real connection to your community.

If you have any space at all to grow vegetables or fruit, you can have a significant impact on not only reducing hunger, but also on promoting better nutrition. Fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive when you are struggling to make ends meet and feed your family, but they are essential for better health and proper nutrition. All that is required is that you grow a little extra and donate what you don’t need to your local food bank.

Who Won the Wastewater Wars?

May 14, 2011 By 3 Comments
Wastewater Wars
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Many people who enjoy the hundreds of acres of stunning wildlife preserve that comprise the Arcata Marsh and municipal water treatment wetlands have no idea just how difficult it was for the project to initially ever get off the ground. Not so many years ago there was a great deal of opposition to even allowing research on this sustainable idea; neighboring cities and regional officials were pushing hard for the county to spend tens of millions of dollars to build a conventional water treatment plant, and bitterly rallied against the construction of Arcata’s facility. The contentious political struggle lasted from 1972-79, a period of time known as the “Wastewater Wars”.