March 26, 2012 – Noteworthy Items and Upcoming Events
March 26, 2012
March 26, 2012 – Noteworthy Items and Upcoming Events
(Compiled by Shannon Maris/Garden E-News, Arthur Tenebrae and Jeff Westcott)
This weekend is the annual Spring Garden Tour. This year we will be cycling around Happy Valley and Fairhaven:
5th Annual Spring Bike Tour – Happy Valley/Fairhaven Gardens
Saturday, March 31st, 11am Departure
Come join us on the annual spring tour. Visit local gardens in Happy Valley and Fairhaven that incorporate edible gardens into their landscape. Meet at the Firehouse Cafe for a cup of coffee for an eleven o’clock departure. The route is approximately three miles over mostly flat terrain. We’ll end up in Fairhaven for the 24th Fairhaven Annual Plant Sale around one o’clock. Rain or shine, take a few hours out of your Saturday to join us on this fun event and meet fellow gardeners.
We are still in the process of updating our website and making improvements to the calendar. We apologize for any submitted events that may not have been listed.
Upcoming Sustainable Bellingham Events:
Tuesday Roving Garden Parties begin on April 3rd and last through June. Check next week’s newsletter for location. Basically we go and garden at home or property in the community for roughly ninety minutes. The host prepares a meal and feeds us for the second ninety. A great way to meet your neighbors, build community and learn a lot about gardening through hands-on experiences. Locations to be listed shortly. Stay tuned, spring is here!
Movement Making Art and Design from Trash Gains Momentum
By Jason Darling, The RE Store
The creative reuse movement is getting stronger every year. Ideas for do it yourself home furnishings, made from pallets, abound on the internet. Upscale restaurants and home remodel projects feature reclaimed materials as key design elements. Television shows and magazines tout the beauties of barn boards and salvaged flooring. Museums throughout the Northwest have hosted art exhibitions over the last four years based on found and scrounged media.
Read more here.
How Temperature Triggers Buds to Bloom
BBSRC-funded scientists have unpicked why temperature has such a powerful affect on how plants flower. In research published in the journal Nature, scientists from the John Innes Centre on the Norwich Research Park have identified the switch that accelerates flowering time in response to temperature.
Bright Is The New Black: New York Roofs Go Cool
On the hottest day of the New York City summer in 2011, a white roof covering was measured at 42 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the traditional black roof it was being compared to, according to a study including NASA scientists that details the first scientific results from the city’s unprecedented effort to brighten rooftops and reduce its “urban heat island” effect.
From Mantle to Moon?
Over the years, there have been various hypotheses about the origin of the Moon. Historically, the major theories have been fission, capture, giant impact, and co-accretion. A chemical analysis of lunar rocks may force scientists to revise the leading theory for the Moon’s formation: that the satellite was born when a Mars-sized body smacked into the infant Earth some 4.5 billion years ago. If that were the case, the Moon ought to bear the chemical signature of both Earth and its proposed second parent. But a study published today in Nature Geoscience suggests that the Moon’s isotopic composition reflects only Earth’s contribution.
Us For Precedent Rally
Tuesday, March 27th, 7pm at the Majestic, 1027 N. Forest (down from the Co-op)
Us For Precedent will hold the first of a series of monthly rallies to challenge more of us to Learn, Agree and Act creatively to shift the control of the 1%ers who have taken over our country. Kathryn Fentress will present new material developed by the Pachamama Alliance to give us background and inspiration for new approaches to consolidate the effectiveness of local power and actions. Please consider coming and being a part of creating positive solutions!
All About Soil
Tuesday, March 27th 6pm, The RE Store (upstairs, in the Sustainable Living Center), 2309 Meridian St, Bellingham
What does your soil need to provide nutritious, healthy plants? Come learn how to recognize your soil type and how to maximize its fertility. Discover lost traditional methods for learning about your soil without store-bought tests.
Bicycle Zen Koan: “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.”
A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”
The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the student, saying, “You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do.”
The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path.” The teacher commended the student, “Your eyes are open and you see the world.”
The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”
The fourth student answered, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings.” The teacher was pleased and said, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”
The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, “I am your disciple.”
