Sounding Circle

A Palindromatic Meeting In The Middle, Outside of Time...
Sounding Circle implies the cycles, spirals and symbols of our thought, our culture, our lineage and our imagination


This is the weblog of
Raymond Powers.

Here I will be sharing what I find of import, humor, concern, inspiration and on the transformational edge

.
HUMANITY UNITES BRILLIANCE
Food+Water+Education+Microloans =Sustainability
Helping Your$elf While
Helping Others


LEISURE TRAVEL CONSULTANT

LIFE /BUSINESS COACH

Sites to watch:
WorldVentures Travel
Simple Brilliance
The Music of Raymond Powers
Calliote Canyon Vacation Rental
Ceremonial Gourd Rattles
Zaadz

Morphogenesis
Tree Huggers
Organic Consumers Association
Gizmodo
Cheap Stingy Bargains
New Civilization Network
South Coast Permaculture Guild
Nutiva Hemp Foods

People to watch:
Z Budapest
Tom Atlee
Shekhinah Mountainwater
Rupert Sheldrake
Noam Chomsky
Lisa Rein
Letecia Layson
Lawrence Lessig
Julie Solheim
John Perry Barlow
Hazel Henderson
Graham Hancock
Flemming Funch
Elisabet Sahtouris
Doc Searls
Danah Zohar
Catherine Austin Fitts
Anita Roddick

A Quote:
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." (Albert Einstein)


Raymond lives in Ojai, where the time now is:
12:04PM


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Monday, February 6, 2006 

 Teeny Tiny Hitachi RFID Chip0 comments
6 Feb 2006 @ 17:31
Teeny Tiny Hitachi RFID Chip:

Smaller than a grain of salt, Hitachi’s newest RFID chip measures .005 x .005 inches and is 7.5 micrometers thin. Using Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology, it uses an external antenna to receive radio waves (2.45 GHz), and transforms it to energy to wirelessly transmit a 128 bit unique ID number for a high level of authenticity. But most importantly for Hitachi, it can make more of these chips on one single wafer, increasing production by 4 times.

Most importantly for you, expect to see more and more embedded RFID in nearly every product you purchase.


Wednesday, February 1, 2006 

 Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him1 comment
1 Feb 2006 @ 07:54
Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him

QUOTE: "The fight between Dr. Hansen and administration officials echoes other recent disputes. At climate laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, many scientists who routinely took calls from reporters five years ago can now do so only if the interview is approved by administration officials in Washington, and then only if a public affairs officer is present or on the phone."

Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
NEW YORK TIMES, January 29, 2006
[link]

The top climate scientist at NASA says the Bush administration has tried to stop him from speaking out since he gave a lecture last month calling for prompt reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

The scientist, James E. Hansen, longtime director of the agency's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said in an interview that officials at NASA headquarters had ordered the public affairs staff to review his coming lectures, papers, postings on the Goddard Web site and requests for interviews from journalists.

Dr. Hansen said he would ignore the restrictions. "They feel their job is to be this censor of information going out to the public," he said.

Dean Acosta, deputy assistant administrator for public affairs at the space agency, said there was no effort to silence Dr. Hansen. "That's not the way we operate here at NASA," he said. "We promote openness and we speak with the facts."

Mr. Acosta said the restrictions on Dr. Hansen applied to all National Aeronautics and Space Administration personnel whom the public could perceive as speaking for the agency. He added that government scientists were free to discuss scientific findings, but that policy statements should be left to policy makers and appointed spokesmen.

READ MORE  More >

 Corporate Organic & Supermarket Chains Undermining Organic Integrity0 comments
1 Feb 2006 @ 07:50
These are excerpts from this informative article. Click below to read more.

Large companies are often able to sell one organic product at a low price by subsidizing it with a line-up of non-organic products, undercutting the small producer.

Howard describes why supermarket chains (like Whole Foods in the U.S.) rarely stock local organic produce. "Whole Foods has centralized their distribution of produce, and it's easier for them to buy from a large-scale grower in Mexico than a small-scale farmer next door," he explains. "The price premiums that small-scale farmers once relied on to stay in business have been declining as they are forced to compete with massive farms that grow only a single crop. These mega-farms have economies of scale but externalize more costs to society and to ecosystems in comparison."

According to Johnston, most consumers do not distinguish between local and corporate organic foods. Johnston describes the frustrating attitudes of many shoppers, "If it's organic, it's good, even if it is shipped from Mexico or Europe. The lowest possible price is important."

For the bewildered conscientious food shopper, Kneen's advice is unequivocal: "Buy local! Ignore corporate organic, and buy locally produced food directly from the farmer or through a food co-op."

READ MORE  More >


Saturday, January 28, 2006 

 Assembly OKs Bill Letting Farmers Grow Hemp0 comments
28 Jan 2006 @ 23:41
Assembly OKs Bill Letting Farmers Grow Hemp

SACRAMENTO - A bill approved by the state Assembly Thursday would add California to the growing number of states seeking to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp - a biological relative of marijuana.

Supporters claim that despite its family links, hemp is a completely safe product that could become a cash crop for California farmers because of its use in a long list of products from soap and cosmetics to rope, jewelry and even luggage.

But even if the measure eventually becomes law, farmers would still face hurdles to actually cultivate the plant because hemp contains trace amounts of a banned substance and may still fall under federal anti-drug rules.

The bill's author, Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, said the Assembly's passage of the measure marks an important milestone.

"This makes sense," said Leno. "It could provide an opportunity of great value to family farmers. This could be a bonanza of job growth."

The bill passed on a vote of 41-30. If senators approve it, it would need the governor's signature. A spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he has not taken a position on the proposal.

Some critics complained that allowing hemp to be grown puts the state on a slippery slope.

"You pass industrial hemp today and then something else and then something else," said Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, R-Monrovia. "And then at some point you will get legalized marijuana."

The Drug Enforcement Administration had classified hemp as a controlled substance because an average plant contains small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinols, or THC, the same drug that gives marijuana its intoxicating effect.

Analysts from the Office of National Drug Control Policy said there are also concerns that hemp farms could be used to hide marijuana plants.

But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2004 that the DEA did not have authority to regulate hemp. Still, Leno said it remains unclear if states have the authority to let farmers cultivate the plants.

Processed hemp imported from other countries is sold throughout the U.S. for manufacturing products. A hemp trade group estimated the annual retail market in the U.S. at $270 million.

A number of states have already passed laws aimed at allowing hemp farming, including Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia.

Although the vote Thursday in the Assembly was largely along party lines, Republican Chuck DeVore of Irvine joined Leno as a co-author.

"This measure does not allow the cultivation of marijuana," DeVore said. "All we are doing is legalizing in the United States what is already being done in 30 different nations."

 Quotes from "Megatrends 2010"0 comments
28 Jan 2006 @ 17:50
This is from Patricia Aburdene the auther of Megatrends.

Quotes from "Megatrends 2010":

The seven new Megatrends:

1. The Power of Spirituality
2. The Dawn of Conscious Capitalism
3. Leading From the Middle
4. Spirituality in Business
5. The Values-Driven Consumer
6. The Wave of Conscious Solutions
7. The Socially Responsible Investment Boom

"Megatrends 2010 explores the quest for morals and meaning in
business within the legal confines of modern capitalism, a world
where public firms are bound by law to maximize shareholder return.
What is both remarkable and largely unheralded, however, is that
corporate morality often correlates with superior performance. In
other words, plenty of `good guys' are trouncing the Standard &
Poors (S&P) 500!" (p. xxiii)

"Business does not possess the power to prevent people from
transforming. Yet there's little wonder why we think it does! The
business world often portrayed on CNBC and in `The Wall Street
Journal' boasts, not just a single-minded passion for turning a
buck, but unmatched devotion to assassinating any high-minded ideal
that might get in the way.
"Well, guess what? Mainstream business is under siege, from
activists and regulators, as expected, but even from investors. And
all the barricades in the world cannot prevent it. Because the most
dangerous adversary of all ­ a transformed individual ­ lies within
and we are IT. Whether spiritual CEO, activist middle manager or
visionary entrepreneur, we've opened our minds and expanded our
hearts and there is no shutting either of them down." (p. 3)

"What business leaders need more than anything else is exactly what
Spirit offers: The power of self-mastery. Self-knowledge and
personal mastery, the fruits of spiritual practice, are also key to
the worldly pursuits of leadership, high performance, power. Yet,
self-mastery is sorely missing in business (not to mention
politics). The failure of self-mastery is often the downfall of
leadership. And the most reliable route to self-mastery is personal
spiritual discipline ­ reflection, journaling, meditation ­ the sort
of activity designed to force busy, stressed-out, Type A people to
sit still and simple be. True, spiritual practice will lift your
consciousness and bring you closer to the Divine ­ but there's a
mundane benefit as well: the clear thinking it nurtures will prevent
you from making costly mistakes!" (p. 131)


Patricia Aburdene is a world-renown speaker, best-selling author and
passionate advocate of corporate transformation. Coauthor of four
previous Megatrends books, Patricia has addressed business audiences
throughout the world. Her 25-year career in business journalism
began at Forbes magazine. In recognition for Megatrends for Women,
she was appointed public policy fellow at Radcliff College, where
she explored emerging models of leadership. Patricia later embarked
on new studies integrating business research and spirituality. She
now inspires audiences with a concrete blueprint of how values,
consciousness and leadership will heal modern capitalism. Patricia
holds three honorary doctorates and received the Medal of Italy in
1990 for her interpretation of global trends. She resides in
Cambridge, Massachusetts and Telluride, Colorado.

 Hydropolis - The World's First Underwater Hotel19 comments

28 Jan 2006 @ 08:10
Hydropolis - The World's First Underwater Hotel
Posted on Friday, January 20 @ 22:50:47 CST

Currently under construction in Dubai, Hydropolis is the world's first luxury underwater hotel. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. Great photos.

It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares, about the size of London's Hyde Park.
"Hydropolis is not a project; it's a passion," enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Arabian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai. The £300 million, 220-suite hotel is due to open at the end of 2007 and will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne.

There are only a few locations in the world where such a grandiose dream could be realised. A high proportion of today's architectural marvels are materialising like fanciful mirages from the desert sands. We have come to expect extravagant enterprises to be mounted in the Middle East, and especially in Dubai. "This venture could only be born here in Dubai," says Hauser. "It [has] a very open-minded, international community - and that's what makes it so special."

The land on which Hydropolis is being built belongs to His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It was his last free beach property on this stretch of coast. The project is a fantastic one, yet Sheikh Mohammed's success record with comparable schemes instils confidence that science fiction can become fact. With his support, several companies have been formed to kick-start this phenomenal project, and around 150 firms are currently involved.

"There have been many visions of colonising the sea - Jules Verne, Jean Gusto and several Japanese architects - but no one has ever managed to realise this dream," says Hauser. "That was the most challenging factor, and that's what makes it so fascinating. Despite being a dream of mankind for centuries, nobody has ever been able to make living underwater possible."

UNDERWATER HOTEL DESIGN

The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of Hauser's passion for water and the sea, and goes much deeper than just building a hotel underwater. More than just curiosity, it is a commitment to a more far-reaching philosophy. "Once you start digging deeper and deeper into the subject, you can't help being fascinated and you start caring about all the associated issues," he explains. "Humans consist of 80% water, the earth consists of 80% water; without water there is no life."

Hydropolis reproduces the human organism in an architectural design. There is a direct analogy between the physiology of man and the architecture. The geometrical element is a figure eight lying on its side and inscribed in a circle. The spaces created in the basin will contain function areas, such as restaurants, bars, meeting rooms and theme suites. These can be compared to the components of the human organism: the motor functions and the nervous and cardiovascular systems, with the central sinus knot representing the pulse of all life.
READ MORE  More >


Thursday, January 26, 2006 

 WATER FIGHT: BOLIVIA vs. BECHTEL1 comment
26 Jan 2006 @ 22:34
WATER FIGHT: BOLIVIA vs. BECHTEL
Last week brought an end to one of the greatest water battles in history. The people of Bolivia have successfully reclaimed ownership of their water from the Bechtel Corporation. In 1999, Bechtel made an arrangement with the Bolivian government to take ownership of the water supply and charge citizens for its use. Within weeks of the takeover, Bechtel raised water rates by 50% and made it illegal to gather rainwater without a permit. The ensuing citizen revolt forced Bechtel out of the country. Bechtel then sued Bolivia for $50 million for "profit losses." But last week, after four years of legal disputes and public pressure, the case was dropped. "This is the first time that a major corporation like Bechtel has had to back down from a major trade case as the result of global citizen pressure," said Jim Shultz, executive director of The Democracy Center in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Bechtel's surrender coincides with the election of indigenous populist farm leader, Evo Morales, who has long been a sharp critic of Bechtel and other transnational corporations operating in Bolivia. [link]  More >

 UNCHAIN YOUR HEART THIS VALENTINES DAY0 comments
26 Jan 2006 @ 22:30
UNCHAIN YOUR HEART THIS VALENTINES DAY
Seeking expert advice on how to woo your loved one this Valentines Day? Look no further. The Organic Consumers Association has assembled some handy-dandy materials to help you evade one of the biggest romance-making "no-no's"... giving a bad gift. The sweets you were thinking about buying your sweetie may not be so sweet after all. Over 40 percent of the world's chocolate comes from Côte d'Ivoire, where the International Labor Organization and US State Department have reported widespread instances of child slavery. Before your sweetheart takes a deep whiff of those roses you bought at the chain store down the street, you should know that the majority of cut flowers in the U.S. are imported from Colombia and Ecuador and have been sprayed with up to two dozen different toxic pesticides. This Valentine's Day show your loved one that you truly care.

Valentines Day Ethical Buying Guide


Tuesday, January 24, 2006 

 Greenpeace Dumps Dead Whale at Japanese Embassy1 comment
24 Jan 2006 @ 03:33
Greenpeace Dumps Dead Whale at Japanese Embassy to Protest Continuing Whale Slaughter

Dead whale left outside embassy

The demonstration drew a crowd of curious onlookers
(and carrion eaters) {-:

BBC News, Jan. 19, 2006
[link]

A huge beached whale has been dumped outside the Japanese embassy in Berlin in a Greenpeace anti-whaling protest.

The controversial environmental activists hauled the fin whale to Berlin
from the Baltic coast after finding it beached on a sandbank.
The dead whale measured 17m (56ft) long and weighed 20 tonnes.
Activists are trying to demonstrate that there is no need to kill the
mammals for research - as Japan does - because cadavers can be found.
Japan is expected to kill 935 minke whales in the Southern Ocean whale
sanctuary during the first four months of 2006.

The whale got stuck in the Baltic's shallow waters.

The International Whaling Commission imposed a moratorium on commercial
whaling in 1986, but Japan resumed whale hunting the following year. Critics dispute Japan's claim to be whaling for scientific purposes, saying whale meat often ends up on restaurant tables.

A Greenpeace banner in Berlin read: "Science doesn't need harpoons! Stop the
senseless whaling!"

The fin whale in Berlin - between 10 and 20 years old - is believed to have
got lost in the Baltic while looking for herring. Its normal habitat is the
North Atlantic.

The whale is due to be taken to Stralsund on the coast for scientific
examination after the Greenpeace protest.  More >

 Canon Camera Does It All0 comments
24 Jan 2006 @ 03:25
What can I say? Canon's new flagship camera.



Saturday, January 21, 2006 

 World Social Forum: The Great Debate in a Land of Change0 comments
21 Jan 2006 @ 08:31
World Social Forum: The Great Debate in a Land of Change

From:

Published on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 by the Inter Press Service
World Social Forum: The Great Debate in a Land of Change
by Humberto Márquez

CARACAS - Some 100,000 social activists from across the Americas and the
world will soon be arriving in the Venezuelan capital, where they will
condemn war and imperialism, and lend their support -- although not
unconditionally -- to the changes introduced in this country by President
Hugo Chávez.


"The great people of the United States are our brothers, my salute to them,"
Chavez told the 15.000 World Social Forum participants that managed to get
inside the Gigantinho Stadium in Porto Alegre to hear him speak.
Credit: Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias
The sixth annual World Social Forum (WSF) is being held at several different
sites this year, instead of one centralised forum as in the first five
editions. In addition to the Americas forum in Caracas Jan. 24-29, the
African forum will take place in Bamako, Mali, Jan. 19-23, and the Asian
meet will be in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi in March.

In Venezuela the WSF "will find a process of transformation that has
incorporated some of the policies of mass movements in this continent and in
other regions. People come to the forum to speak and debate, but also to see
and learn," Carlos Torres, of the Canadian non-governmental organisation
Alternatives, told IPS.

READ MORE  More >

 Aptera—to achieve up to 330 MPG1 comment
21 Jan 2006 @ 08:18
Accelerated Composites, a San Diego, California-area startup, has designed a two-seat, three-wheel parallel hybrid—the Aptera—to achieve up to 330 MPG and sell for less than $20,000. [...]
The production powertrain will consist of a 12 hp (9 kW) diesel engine with a 25 hp (19 kW) permanent magnet DC motor. (Accelerated Composites is designing the prototype with a gasoline engine for cost.) The electric motor is coupled through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT); when the engine is off the car can run on the electric motor alone. [...]

The Aptera weighs 850 lbs and is made almost entirely of lightweight composites, based on Accelerated Composites’ Panelized Automated Composite Construction (PAC2) process. It accelerates from 0–60 mph in 11 seconds, and has a top speed of 95 mph.  More >

 Get Free Power with Solar Style0 comments

21 Jan 2006 @ 08:09
From TreeHugger

Solar Style is now selling easy-to-use solar-powered electronics chargers. By all appearances, they have successfully launched and are now selling their compact, convenient wares to the world. Solar Style's aim is to help consumers power their portable electronics without using the grid, using "free energy" ("free," of course, after making a small investment in their products), and they're well on their way. Their devices work like this: the photovoltaic panels collect light and convert it to energy, which is stored in what they call the "Battery on Board." When you need a boost of juice, plug in and the batteries will charge or power your electronic life. They are currently offering four chargers and a multitude of connectors for personal electronic devices like cell phones, PDAs, Bluetooth accessories, mp3 players, digital cameras and even some laptop and notebook computers, all at surprisingly low prices. Their models range in price from US $29.99 to $55.99, and all are available from their website. ::Solar Style

 RainTrust — Another Initiative to Save the Amazon1 comment

21 Jan 2006 @ 08:04
RainTrust — Another Initiative to Save the Amazon

January 21, 2006 02:26 AM - Warren McLaren, Sydney

Billed as “one of the most comprehensive efforts in history to preserve the Amazon region while building a sustainable rainforest economy” the RainTrust asks for $100 USD for its ‘Protect an Acre’ project. For each $100, sponsors receive a certificate, but also the unique GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates for their acre (0.4 hectares) and an aerial grid photograph of the location. And in the fullness of time ecotours are planned, so you can go visit your sponsored acre. Your financial support is used to “reclaim deforested lands, and support the growth of environmentally-friendly businesses to create a thriving economy in the Amazon, as an alternative to massive deforestation.” RainTrust (nice word-play of name) is a for-profit company organised to facilitate business development and international marketing for forest-based businesses that spring from the program. They work closely with the Brazilian NGO, Amazonas Verde, who is dedicated to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. Thanks to Rachel B. who gave us the tip. Heaps more info - including a long list of endorsements from high profile folk who reckon it is a very sound concept - can be found on their extensive website at ::RainTrust  More >


Friday, January 20, 2006 

 Experimental hemp house created in north Bohemia2 comments
20 Jan 2006 @ 10:04
Another great Hemp story from John Roulac of Nutiva Hemp Foods.

Experimental hemp house created in north Bohemia

Prague Daily Monitor

January 15, 2006


PRAGUE, Jan 13 (CTK) - Petr Zacek is trying to fulfill his dream - to build a house of technical hemp that he has grown himself, though authorities mar his efforts, the daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) writes in its latest weekend supplement.

Zacek, 38, a gardener by profession, has been working on the construction of a two-storey house completely made of natural material in Trnovany, north Bohemia, for five years.

He recalls in the paper that after he divorced a couple of years ago, he bought a garden with a little wooden cabin as his provisional dwelling. Then he started to dream about his own house. As traditional materials such as concrete, brick or stone were too expensive for him, it crossed his mind that he could use technical hemp.

"I wanted to prove that alternative houses can be built for low costs," he told the HD supplement.

Zacek then bought seeds of the legally permitted hemp (cannabis) containing up to 0.2 percent of the narcotic substance THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and planted it in his small garden. He used his first hemp harvest to build first a doghouse the walls of which were reinforced with a mixture of lime and clay.

Next year, he leased a small field from the local authority where he succeeded in growing 6-metre tall hemp plants. Instead of crushing the dried plants and then manufacturing hemp bricks, he invented an easy construction method - he tied hemp sheaves which he lined up closely side by side as surrounding walls.

Zacek said he considers his construction "an experimental work of art" as he needs no documentation or budget outline, but he only follows up his imagination. If he succeeded, he plans to offer his project to young families with children, he added.

However, local authorities have not expressed understanding for his experiment. The building office in Litomerice, north Bohemia, refused to issue a permit for the construction of hemp and demanded project documentation, which Zacek refused to submit.

He insisted on his right to creative work and experimental research, referring to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Despite the obstacles, he threw himself into the work on his house without the official consent.

First he dag out elliptical foundations where he laid small and bigger stones like cubes of child's construction kit without any binding material such as concrete. He raised a wooden structure above it, made of old piles for hops growing. Then he started to insert hemp sheaves into the wooden structure and covered them with a mixture of lime and clay instead of common sand-based plaster.

His house's shape resembles a pyramid or Eskimo igloo. The whole ground floor is a 35-square-metre large multifunctional room with heating in the middle, while the second floor offers two bedrooms and a studio, the paper writes.

It says that experts have appreciated Zacek's project.

"To build a house of renewable sources is a brilliantly simple idea," said Marie Siroka, head of the Czech Hemp Association, adding that hemp can also be used as fuel the quality of which is comparable to brown coal.

"Moreover, a house made of natural material radiates a positive energy," she stressed.

Architect Oldrich Hozman, renowned expert in experimental structures, has highly praised Zacek's "pioneer project."

"This is an example worth consideration how to build both simply and efficiently and at the same time without burdening the environment," Hozman told the paper.

However, Zacek's neighbours do not share experts' enthusiasm. They filed a complaint against the illegal building. Zacek again defended himself, pointing to his right to free creation and the highly environment-friendly character of his house, but in vain.

The local authorities strictly demanded a project documentation that would cost some 30,000 crowns which Zacek with a 8,000-crown monthly wage could not afford. If he does not meet the legal conditions, his experimental house will be threatened with demolition.

"The system is wrong as instead of supporting the creation of an environment-friendly house, it puts obstacles in its way," the paper quotes Zacek as saying.

Moreover, his growing of technical hemp was complicated by occasional thieves and by policemen who from time to time checked his field. Once criminal police arrived and took samples of his hemp plants. The laboratory analysis then found out that their THC content exceeded the permitted level by 0.05 percent.

Zacek was charged with the production and possession of narcotic substances and in the end given a one-year suspended sentence with a two-year probation, the paper writes.

Nevertheless, this experience did dot discourage him from his intention to complete the hemp house. He has already made the rough structure and he must yet lay wooden floors inside, cover the roof with thick hemp-made canvas and then connect the house to the water and sewage system. So far, he has consumed ten tonnes of hemp he has grown alone in a small field.

The paper recalls that hemp is now applied as construction material in many EU countries and its popularity has been rising. The highest number of hemp-made house is in France, followed by Austria, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.

In the Czech Republic, the ban on technical hemp was lifted in 1999. Now hemp fields cover some 160 hectares only, but according to the Czech Hemp Association, hemp growing and processing will expand in the future as home-made hemp fibres will be also less expensive than the imported ones.

Apart from Zacek's house, hemp has been used in the construction of three modern houses in the Czech Republic.

Zacek told the paper he plans to fully complete his house this autumn. If the project proves viable, he would like to set up a company building similar low-budget hemp houses for young people who are short of money.

"Isn't it marvellous that material for the construction of a family house can grow in your field in a year?" Zacek concluded in HN supplement.  More >



<< Newer entries  Page: 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 ... 52   Older entries >>
Sounding Circle implies the cycles, spirals and symbols of our thought, our culture, our lineage and our imagination.

A place to share ideas, create community, and give voice to our muse.

"Giving more than we take, taking just what we need."

"The universe is music connecting 10th dimensional hyperspace".
Prof. Michio Kaku, Phd.


Previous entries
2008-03-06
  • Affirmation & Visioning Software
    2008-02-02
  • HUB (Humanity Unites Brilliance)
    2008-01-04
  • Photography Gallery Now Online
    2007-12-28
  • Update On Lakota Sovereignty
    2007-11-29
  • Grand Opening of My New Travel Business
    2007-11-28
  • His, Her, Our Love Story
    2007-09-12
  • How the Food Industry is Deceiving You
    2007-08-17
  • BUilding Straw Houses from flax to hemp
    2007-07-15
  • Ultimate green machine: a car made of hemp
    2007-07-02
  • South Dakota Farmer Struggles To Grow Hemp
    2007-03-01
  • Michael Pollan, Whole Foods' John Mackey Dialoghue in Berkeley
    2006-12-18
  • Lawsuit stirs up guacamole labeling controversy
    2006-11-22
  • Americans Surprised, Concerned that 90% of Flu Shots Contain Mercury
    2006-11-03
  • Seafood, other ocean life threatened by overfishing, pollution
    2006-10-30
  • Stoynfield's Response to Business Week Organic Myth Article
  • The Organic Myth
    2006-10-04
  • Positive Proof of Global Warming
    2006-10-03
  • Sign Sign everywhere a sign...
    2006-09-25
  • WORLD SOLAR ENERGY NEWS
    More ..

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