Peak Moment 100: Tour Janet and Richard’s quarter acre for an example of what’s possible in suburbia. Their front yard of edible plants also provides habitat for birds and insects. The backyard radiates out from an herb and kitchen garden to vegetable beds and containers; 25 fruit and nut trees; and a restful Zen garden. Near a future pond is a “three sisters” spiral of corn, beans and squashes. Check out their rainwater catchment barrels system, solar ovens, grid-tied photovoltaics with backup batteries, a low-energy house, solar-heated garden room, and a comfortable “summer palace” of natural & salvaged materials. [www.richardheinberg.com]
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Duration : 0:25:19
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
MIGHTY AWESOME vid! …
MIGHTY AWESOME vid! 5 stars and faved! Many thanx for sharin’! = )
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I live in Riverside …
I live in Riverside, CA. We get one free up to $25 and 4 more up to $25 will be reimbursed to you on you utility bill. It is awesome. The program is called Green Riverside.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Does the city give …
Does the city give you free fruit trees? Where do you live? How enlightened - to plant fruit (and nut) trees throughout our suburbs and cities!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Awesome. We are …
Awesome. We are doing this right now in our city. We have lots of fruit trees. Everyone needs to check their city for perks. Our city allows us 5 free trees a year and edible trees count!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
This is wonderful …
This is wonderful and inspiring, thank you!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Hemp is the future …
Hemp is the future for bio fuel
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
OHH that dryer …
OHH that dryer rules!!!!!!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
hanging gardens can …
hanging gardens can DOUBLE your space! =-)
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Cities could …
Cities could produce a good chunk of their own food if they were designed to do so. Think how much vertical space is wasted in heavily urbanized environments.
Every skyscraper we build could easily be designed as a giant winter greenhouse to grow food all year ’round. I’m not saying that it would make cities self sustaining but it certainly could help a great deal.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
There is also the …
There is also the possibility of local collectivism;common land whose work & produce is shared by those who participate;Such systems worked effectively in europe for many centuries until the enclosure acts forced people into the cities & factories.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Yes folks. That’s …
Yes folks. That’s it. Get local. Big cities are energy-wasters. Don’t drive with the car for dozens of miles just for some crappy job. Make tele-working. And grow your own stuff. But anyway, just ask people from the 3rd world. They know how to survive in an effective and efficient way.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Take a look at …
Take a look at Richard’s most recent MuseLetter on Resilient Communities at GlobalPublicMedia (.) com/museletter_192_resilient_communities. He suggests that we can’t do it all alone. He and Janet are early “pioneers”, getting their systems working, so many more people can learn from them and come up to speed quickly as the challenges deepen.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I really appreciate …
I really appreciate what you are doing. I am planning an “edible estate” for my home in NJ. It will include the use of waste water from my koi pond to fertilise the plants!!
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
the only question i …
the only question i have is how many people around this couple are doing the same to prepare? It is great that they are leading the way, but in the decline phase won’t the people who are hungry around them who can not afford their own food just walk over and take theirs? Richard did mention that the artichoke gets poached from time to time by people walking by…
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Nicely done, …
Nicely done, wonderful use of the land you have available. Are honey bees abundant in your area? Thank you for sharing your experience and plant choices.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
For city dwellers, …
For city dwellers, there are pocket parks, median strips, abandoned or unused lots — and rooftops! Probalby not enough to feed everyone in a city, but a lot of folks.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Imagine the expanse …
Imagine the expanse of the suburbs if all city dwellers would move to locations where they can have a garden.
I’m not saying it’s an obstacle to sustainable living, but i imagine it may present a bit of a problem in the not to distant future.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
what evidence do …
what evidence do you have to suggest that peak oil is a hoax?
and, seriously, do NOT underestimate the value of establishing community, regardless of their ideology.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
We’d love to. We’re …
We’d love to. We’re looking for financial support to travel and tape across the continent. If you value the Peak Moment Conversations, contribute at our website. (url is in this program description). If we get enough $, we could finish our mobile studio and come east this fall.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
can you do one of …
can you do one of these for people who live in the southeast? it’s all different climates, from the west
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Finally a video …
Finally a video shot outdoors again. Thanks!
Shaul
July 12th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Great job on this …
Great job on this video.
Glad to see Janet and Richard are becoming less domesticated and able to fend for themselves.
Thanks for making this video.
Please keep this style of video up.
Eventually you will realize that peak oil is a hoax along with community based collectivist communistic ideologies as well as realize these basic principles of working land, raising food and getting out of dependency on the electric grid, gas, and city water are your core issues that will remain.