Ed Dowding

Stuxnet

A great story, but more importantly a really interesting one.. Stuxnet is a worm (computer virus) which has been designed – by a very good team for about 6 months – to do a very specific job. But what is that job?

Open-Access Public Workshops

OH. MY. WORD! THIS IS BRILLANT! TechShop San Francisco is 15,500 square feet and includes a private parking lot. It will feature all the tools and equipment that members enjoy at other TechShop locations, including: Epilog Helix 60-Watt Laser Cutters Tormach CNC Milling Machines 3D Printer NextEngine 3D Scanner Formech 600 24″ x 24″ Vacuum Forming System ...

Supporting the vitality of the Commons

I mentioned I’m doing a course on the Commons who yesterday asked the question: How can we live and work in a way that supports the vitality of the commons? (It’s only week one, give us a break!) Here’s my reply: I couldn’t agree more with Mary Beth that “as long as we all live under ...

Help fund the Do Lectures by designing a poster

The Do Lectures is here to give talks away *Free to the world. To inspire. To share ideas. To see if there’s a better way of doing stuff. But *Free costs. That’s why we sell tickets to the event, Do an auction and yes, sell posters. The feel for the poster should be: Positive, Inspiring, Uplifting. Message: ...

Change the System, Not the Climate

I came across a marvellous speech as part of a course I’m doing on the Commons. Every now and then in history, the human race takes a collective step forward in its evolution. Such a time is upon us now. […] From the perspective of the environmental movement, I see two problems that hinder us in ...

Invest in green energy

Key facts: 1) You’re doing something brilliant, 2) It’s 7.5% return, 3) You’re locked in for 4 years. EcoBonds from Ecotricity.

Walking across America

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzRKEv6cHuk&feature=player_embedded

Make money from your car when you're not using it

Hire Cars on WhipCar – Local Car Rental, Put Your Car to Work | WhipCar.

Good Guide

GoodGuide is in business to provide authoritative information about the health, environmental and social performance of products and companies. We believe that better information can transform the marketplace: as more consumers buy better products, retailers and manufacturers face compelling incentives to make products that are safe, environmentally sustainable and produced using ethical sourcing of raw ...

Copy and clone

Copy and clone on Vimeo Thanks to DEFRA’s own Lucy Gilliam for putting me on to this.

I Love Charts

Two excellent charts, one hilarious, the other depressingly obvious: I Love Charts – Bohemian Rhapsody. Also from I Love Charts via Mr Robert Loch.

Urban Farming

I’ve just started listening to Stewart Brand’s new book, An Ecopragmatist Manifesto (audio version | book version) whilst I was out getting the very last of the blackberries and doing some planting, weeding, apple picking, peeling, and making crab apple jelly. (It’s astonishing what one can get done in two hours.) So far, it’s brilliant. ...

Economic reality check

I’ve written quite a lot about money, and plan to write a lot more. In the meantime Tim Jackson’s economic reality check video at TED summarises a great deal of it rather nicely.

Change your search engine, save the world

You’re still using Google, but results are piped via Ecosia, who use the money from the adverts (same amount as Google) to fund rainforest protection. Brilliant, easy, simple. Takes about 2 minutes to make it your default search engine. “Each web search saves about 2 m² of rainforest for free. We already protected 186,443,380 m².” Take ...

Prince Charles' new film, Harmony

HRH (who I’d LOVE to work with, if anyone knows anyone) has a new book & film coming out. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWJtS2VpYm0

World greenhouse gas emissions

Please note that deforestation accounts for TWICE AS MUCH greenhouse gas as all road transport. I think 10:10 would approve of getting people who like hunting, flying them to areas where illegal logging is taking place, and declaring fair game on all illegal loggers. I’d suspect that a few weeks in Indonesia or Brazil for ...

9 things I'd do if I were in government right now

Remember that reducing use is easier and more effective than increasing supply to meet ‘demand’. Invest in research (especially algae and solar). Invest in infrastructure, especially electricity grid, rail, and electric car stations. Do not build more roads. We have plenty, and cars are getting smaller anyway. Remove VAT from renovation works. Add VAT to ...

How did it come to this?

Considerably better lyrics than I had ever expected from Take That: Just the other day somebody Said to me, hey maybe you’re slightly schizophrenic And a little out of reach my friend. I said, yes that?s partly true, But jokes aside, I can explain, It?s just my way of keep in track with Living on ...

Bamboo water bottle

Nice design. Bamboo Bottle Company.

Solitude

Happy the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air In his own ground. Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire; Whose trees in summer yield shade, In winter, fire. Blest, who can unconcern’dly find Hours, days, and years, slide ...