I was going to wish a friend a hello and congrats on her FB page, saw her quote…..

“”We need to establish, as basic goals for our society, both preserving the environment’s health and incorporating the routine experience of nature into our everyday lives.”-Stephen R. Kellert”

And then began to ramble, as I am prone to do. So much so that FB rejected the wall post, IE forced me back to the blog. So here it is…. forward design indeed. =)

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This is funny, and likely the big Fishbits goofball you know me to me… but I was looking for a friend, and randomly came across your account. I was like GRETCHEN!!!!!!! and thought to wish you a happy congrats on the engagement on all the wedding stuff you are walking into. We just finished ours (you can check out pics if you like) and I have ENDLESS info for ya! Whatever the case, it was just supposed to be a YAY, HI, quick note. Then… then I read the quote…. and I of course thought about it… and now my fingers prattle out this rambly amble.

I like Kellerts call to permaculture, if I can use that concept it a more arcane way…. a philisophical way (but I guess that’s what it’s about). Anyway…. I think this HUGE bust in our economy isn’t typicaly of a normal recession. We have been bulging from our sides for so long… living in egregious excess (and not so simple a gluttony such as porsches and izod sweaters of the 80’s greed cycle, but that mindless consumerism and consumptive habits based on therapy shopping and finding self worth within our pocketbooks (Fugazi said, “You are not what you own”). I think this huge burst bubble is settling back down… and evening out. We are at a point where we realize that “local” isn’t just good for the environment… it means community, it means better tasting fruit, etc. Growing your own gardens saves money, stops raizing of rain forest ground for organic farms, etc. I think we are finally getting in real touch with our sane sides…. and instead of building our world on top of nature, we are learning to integrate human life with nature as other species do. In this we are discovering new efficiencies, technologies, and innovations that we can leverage to climb out of our dark age of foolhardy industrialization. I know we have a long way to go, and the crazy people get the headlines for being markedly dumb much of the time (big polluters, politicians, etc) and the news polarizes ANYTHING for a headline (like skewering scientific discussion and the complexity of peer review in the climate debate)…..

But I think we are getting there. In essence, some of his bio-design work in architecture is being embraced. Some of the stuff that is coming down the pipeline, even in hotel construction, is unbelievable. Biomimicry and Bioclimactic architecture is ridiculous…. not only efficient, it’s awesome to look at too. I know outside of architecture, even the butterfly has influenced display technology with Interferometric Modulation. I still am not sure what that means. But we are reorienting our science and relationship with nature… it is profound, and exciting. Even hotels are looking forward, from Eco Resorts (http://www2.prnewswire.com/mnr/tripadvisor/37680/) to off grid, 100% solar powered resorts (http://www.wilburhotsprings.com) and even moveable, no impact permaculture yurts and modulars (http://www.carre-detoiles.com/index_uk.html)…

Which leads me to this… a vision of an integrated world where cities evolve into landscapes, and nature grows into existing cities, while new cities are built to celebrate, support, and dynamically interact with nature. This article has some amazing stuff, including moving buildings, offices with wind turbines, and organic processes to heat and cool buildings. http://weburbanist.com/2008/07/08/15-more-future-wonders-of-green-technology/

I am so excited about the future…. as long as our current technological immaturity doesn’t kill us before we get there.

Okay I could go on forever. An innocuous long time coming “howdy” turned into a nature ramble. pardon that. Having a home office means less people to talk to. =)

About Uncle Fishbits

I'm.. just this guy, you know?

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