Mar 19

Technical Capabilities for Transformation ….. Part 2 ‘Structural Moving’

Business/Commerce/Industry, Optimization, Property Design, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Structural Moving is the basis of Urban Transformation.

Structural Moving is an established industry of highly skilled professions and has a long history of optimizing existing resources and minimizing waste by saving/reusing entire buildings.

In ‘Part 1′ of this Introduction, the examples of ancient history – Stonehenge; Herod’s Temple of Jerusalem – highlighted our ancestor’s accomplishments in lifting and moving huge, massive stone blocks and positioning them with great accuracy. The largest, a foundational block of the Temple Mount, was an astonishing 600 tons!! And, 2000 years ago! (4000 years ago for Stonehenge’s 20-50 tons stones, and no wheel for transport!). Sheesh.

This serves to establish our human technical capabilities.

With ‘Part 2′ of the Introduction, a few examples from recent history will highlight the specific technical capabilities of lifting and moving ‘buildings’ – spatial constructed assemblies, as opposed to solid rock.

We are capable of lifting/moving large buildings (houses). We’ve been doing so for a long time, and we now have decades of highly experienced knowledge/skill and various modern equipment/machinery to utilize.

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Nov 05

‘Getting to Zero Waste’ … book review.

Optimization, Principles, Sustainability No Comments »

Here’s an excellent book: ‘Getting to Zero Waste‘, by Paul Palmer, PhD.

With his PhD. in chemistry (Yale), Mr. Palmer founded (1973) a chemical recycling (and brokering) business, and is now the Founding President of The Zero Waste Institute.

We have, in this book, a wealth of knowledge and experience gained through Palmer’s professional life. Palmer’s accounts of dealing with the ‘authorities’ will leave you laughing at the nonsense while you share his frustration. Similarly enlightening is his analysis of the ‘garbage industry’ – really, a ‘hauling’ industry.

Imagine chemical dump sites full of rusting, leaking barrels of chemicals that could otherwise have been put to good use.

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Oct 16

Tech’nology … Tech’nique

Management, Optimization, Principles, Sustainability No Comments »

Whereas technology is a physical embodiment of information, technique is a direct application of information (in the form of a service).

For example: a pre-processed food product is a technology, so to speak, while the ability to prepare a meal, ‘just-in-time’ (J.I.T) is a technique.

With the processed food, a frozen prepared dinner, the ‘information’ content is embodied … and takes place in the factory – actually, the ‘high-tech’ technology is behind the scenes.

By comparison, the ‘J.I.T’ preparation of food … the culinary technique is equally ‘high-tech’ in a different way: the knowledge/skills required to prepare and cook a meal is quite sophisticated.

Technique is a form of ‘information technology, and can be very ‘high-tech’.

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Sep 30

Falling Leaves: Nature’s Resource Extraction and Distribution

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Sustainability No Comments »

With the falling leaves of Autumn, we lament the ‘hassle’ of getting rid of the yard ‘waste’.

But these falling leaves contain the nutrients and fibrous ‘bio-mass’ to condition the soil.

Think about it … the natural cycle of the falling leaves of the deciduous trees (of the temperate regions), is the natural method of resource extraction and distribution. The tree ‘takes up’ various mineral/nutrients from deep below the ground, and with each season grows a new crown of foliage … which is later dropped onto the surface of the ground.

How elegant! No mechanical motorized equipment or machinery required. No harsh petroleum fueled chemical-industrial manufacturing facility involved.

To be sure, this is chemistry. Natural chemistry: the chemical exchange between the soil and roots, through the tree and fueled by the solar energy.

The end result, is that the chemical/mineral nutrients that were once deep in the ground are placed on the surface to replenish the top layer of soil – made available to the many shallow rooted plants.

And we don’t have to do anything. Except appreciate it.

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Sep 14

Driving your way to a mastery of optimization.

Biomimicry, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Sustainability No Comments »

Driving a motor vehicle …

Make it a goal to accelerate ONLY as much as needed to get through the next ’stage’ … the next ’stop’ sign, or traffic signal, etc. without having to use the brakes any more than necessary (if at all) – accelerate only as much as necessary to allow gravity (and friction) to bring the car/vehicle to a stop, ‘naturally’.

This is what I’ve been doing since I began driving over 20 years ago. It seemed a sensible thing to do. Recently, it has become popular under the term of ‘hyper-miling’.

In fact, make it a point to minimize the ‘use’ or ‘touch’ any of the controls – accelerator; brakes; steering.

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Sep 13

Stop ‘tampering’ in the garden … and in business, economics, etc.

Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Garden, Management, Optimization No Comments »

Are you new to gardening?

Far too many people actually do too much, in terms of making ‘adjustments’ – ‘fixing’ problems, etc. without really understanding the situation.

Whether with food gardens, or purely aesthetic flower/landscape gardens, I have seen people ‘doing things’ mostly for the sake of ‘doing’ … ‘puttering in the garden’, to make themselves feel as though they’ve accomplished something.

Watering, for instance: I’ve watched people water the garden with the hose – just enough to wet the dry surface to become a rich brown colour, as though they’re painting the ground. And, of course, the earthy aroma is satisfying. But, actually, such ‘light waterings’ are counter-productive Continue reading »

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Sep 07

Making best use of what we already have: Optimization (Part 1)

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Optimization, Permaculture, Principles, Urban Agriculture, Urban Transformation 1 Comment »

To truly resolve our ecological/social issues it is imperative to seek to make the best use of what we already have: we need to seek Maximum Optimization/Utilization of existing assets/resources (knowledge, skills, capabilities, etc.).

In doing so, we inherently seek (move toward) minimizing waste … minimal emissions, pollution, cost, etc.

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Honestly, do we make effective use of what we already have?

Consider: why would we think we’re going to effectively use any new ‘invention’ or technology, if we don’t currently make best use of what we already have?

Doesn’t this call into question the focus of national governments’ efforts into the R&D into new ‘technologies’ (specifically: ‘green’ – clean tech; efficiency; emissions; alternative energy; etc.)?

How can we honestly expect any new technology to ’save us’ from the problems wrought by the inappropriate or inefficient use of existing technologies?

Without a culture/mindset of optimization/utilization, isn’t it likely that we’ll merely use any new invention inappropriately and inefficiently?

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