SPIN in the City
SPIN (Small Plot Intensive relay farming) downsizes traditional organic farming methods and combines them with a franchise-like business formula.
Miranda Spencer
Posts by Miranda Spencer:
For Haitian Artisans, Recycling Is Survival
Haitian craftspeople are turning the country’s rampant garbage into vibrant art—making delicate metal sculptures from oil drums and floral pins from white plastic jugs.
Gaviotas by the Glass
The residents of the remote, rural eco-village of Las Gaviotas, Colombia (population around 200) and their international allies are marketing their pure water to Americans through a grassroots network of mostly volunteers. Despite the cross-continental transportation and plastic bottles required, they expect the project not only to have a neutral or negative "footprint," but also to support the growth and duplication of this model community and the ambitious reforestation project that supports it.
Building Sustainable Cities
Sustainable development is a popular environmental catchphrase, but it’s not always clear what sustainability looks like beyond demonstration projects such as recycling centers or the occasional "green" building. Now North Americans are starting to look at Sweden for both models and methods of sustainability.
Freecycling: Waste Not, Want Not
Thanks to an international network of local volunteers, now there’s a cheap and convenient place to dispose of useful junk while promoting re-use: the Internet. Freecycle.org is a website that links people who want to discard household belongings to people in their area who want or need them. The only rules: everything offered must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages—sorry, no bongs or porn.