Looks like this is becoming a habit. Truly original content just takes longer than I anticipated.
| “Washington’s greatest and most lasting contribution was his example in establishing what is called “ordered liberty.” Ordered liberty requires that citizens be honest. The opposite of ordered liberty is dishonesty and confusion. Washington was known for his honesty. ” He must turning in his grave with what is going on in the United States right now. http://www.lessonsonlife.net/george-washington-honesty-and-ordered-liberty |
| Perhaps the failure of democracy is inevitable. At least that is what some people are arguing. “Right-wing populists don’t have to make much sense. They can simultaneously blame immigrants for taking jobs away from Americans while claiming that these same people are lazy layabouts sponging off welfare.” https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/08/shawn-rosenberg-democracy-228045 |
| While we are on the topic of politics, lets talk about China. My personal discussions with a former Chinese national who has since become a U.S. citizen seems to confirm what this article is saying. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/12/chinas-great-leap-backward/505817/ |
| EarthShips have been around for a while and are an excellent example of holistically sustainable architecture as long as you ignore the isolated rural locations. That notwithstanding, Michael Reynolds has an amazing vision for a future where all of the waste we generate is re-used for construction. Unfortunately what our society really needs to do is stop making so much disposable crap in the first place. In the mean time, these beautiful and sustainable buildings beat the landfill by a landslide! https://www.earthshipglobal.com/ |
| This article articulates a clear case for free public transit to sports events. https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2020/01/sports-free-tickets-event-parking-transit-super-bowl-traffic/605827/ |
| Urban health goes beyond the built environment and extends to the people within it and their experiences of the spaces. While good urban design is important it is equally important to have a holistic understanding of societal health. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180723-why-we-should-treat-violence-like-an-epidemic Also see https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1992-05545-001 |
| The impact of zoning regulations on the built environment in U.S. cities is profound. Outdated policies may be holding our cities back from their full potential. https://www.brookings.edu/research/is-zoning-a-useful-tool-or-a-regulatory-barrier/ |
| This is a great resource for startup resources! https://steveblank.com/tools-and-blogs-for-entrepreneurs/#Useful-Blogs |
| In order to promote sustainable construction so that business and home owners can envision what a sustainable building looks like here is a sustainable building highlight for the week. https://www.khl.com/construction-europe/olympic-house-one-of-the-worlds-most-sustainable-buildings/138873.article |
| Water efficiency will be one of the major challenges moving forward in a world where precipitation patterns may change unexpectedly. One way to minimize water consumption is to re-use it as much as possible. Enter grey water. This is not an endorsement of this specific product but an example of what is possible and commercially available. https://wahaso.com/our-services/greywater-gray-water-harvesting-systems/ |
| A diversity of energy sources to ensure stability is a pretty important component of renewable energy systems. This post from the U.S. Department of Energy specifically addresses wind turbines for small residential applications. While small turbines are not as efficient at harvesting wind power as larger turbines it does provide a measure of resilience and can supply power at night when the sun is not shining. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/installing-and-maintaining-small-wind-electric-system |
| No discussion of renewable energy would be complete without addressing energy efficiency. This report from the World Economic Forum estimates that over one third of energy in the building sector is wasted by not implementing easy energy efficiency measures. Pick the low hanging fruit first folks. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/why-investing-in-renewable-energy-is-good-for-the-environment-and-society/ |
Hope you enjoyed this week’s link festival!