Ed Dowding

Month: May 2009

Repurposing bikes

We recycle used bicycles to build pedal-powered machines, bicimáquinas, which support and help facilitate the work of small-scale, self-sustainable projects. Through this work we hope to contribute to the conservation of the environment, the health or the Guatemalan people, and the productivity of the local economy. MAYAPEDAL. Via @Al_Humphreys

This and that

A few notes from various bits of paper lying around the place: — More people are being more productive that ever, and we still have trouble making ends meet. Something is fucked here, Dude. — “Eat only parents.” This was my conclusion about the ethics of eating meat. Basically once they’ve fulfilled Biological Imperative #1 ...

Another reason not to buy plastic bottled water, or plastic bottled anything for that matter.

Plastic bottles leech chemicals which cause cancer and / or mimic oestrogen. WTF?! WHY DAMMIT?! WHY WOULD YOU MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?!?!! And if you knew you were, wouldn’t you stop? Reusing Plastic Bottles Can Pose Serious Health Hazards Refilling and reusing plastic bottles can release toxic cancer-causing chemicals http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/plastic_bottles.htm > Popular plastic baby bottles ...

Alas, the only thing that prevents me from going mad from a corrosive combination of hatred and fear of the unknown is the thought that I would not have been able to become so blasphemously rich were it not for one simple truth: the peoples of the world will always believe whatever preposterous hateful bull-shit ...

In Transition

Wind powered car

The founder of Ecotricity is building a wind powered (well, electricity powered) car. Read about it as his blog, Zerocarbonista.

Orwell on Spring

Certainly we ought to be discontented, we ought not simply to find out ways of making the best of a bad job, and yet if we kill all pleasure in the actual process of life, what sort of future are we preparing for ourselves? If a man cannot enjoy the return of spring, why should ...

GiveWell

This page logs mistakes we’ve made, strategies we should have planned and executed differently, and lessons we’ve learned. Because we are a startup organization working in areas we have little experience with, it is particularly important that we constantly recognize and learn from our shortcomings. We make this log public so as to be up ...

Spotify media pack / ad rates

Spotify Media Pack is quite interesting and gives some indication of where they’re going with it all.

Link roundup

Belgian city plans ‘veggie’ days Just Add Spice – Spice is a social enterprise that develops credit systems for engaging people in communities and public services. Spice’s community credit systems have been tried and tested and are uniquely successful in dramatically increasing participation of community members in public services and in achieving community transformation. Spice ...

Make it important

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” Pablo Picasso

Database of all children launched

I’m not against having a database of all children, but I am against databases of citizens, per se. It just doesn’t seem to be necessary, and is a can of worms waiting to be opened.

Link Round up

Rethinking the food system – aka Food Security, with Tim Lang About 95% of people do not want ID cards Bolivia’s Chacaltaya glacier is completely melted What can we learn from the 1918 flu pandemic? Prince Charles’ Rainforest Charity – RainforestSOS.org Delivering medicines and information via Coke crates in Africa