the plant II

Finally a picture showing the crazy agave plant nextdoor that I mentioned a while ago. Heather took this about a week ago....since then the plant has taken a turn for the worse. It didn't handle Friday's storms too well, and is now held up with ropes to keep it from completely falling over and wrecking the greenhouse. The agave's days are numbered.

Memphis article

The latest post-charrette article from Memphis.

Back in Boston

The normal work week seems like a vacation after last week's charrette. Check the Miami Knight Program website for links to the final presentation and a daily update from Mary Newsom, Knight Fellow from Memphis. Much more to come as we work on the final report...

Working in Memphis II

An intense week so far...don't be fooled by our one evening break to check out the Memphis Redbirds minor league game from the "Founder's Suite". Check this website for updates from Mary Newsom, Knight Fellow from Charlotte.

http://www.urbanartcommission.org/charrette/overview.html

Working in Memphis

A fantastic weekend in Memphis! The charrette starts tomorrow...

the plant

Heather and I have been wondering what the hell is going on with this crazy 20-30 foot tall tree that sprouted right through a hole in our neighbor's rooftop greenhouse. It wasn't there last year. Well, here's the story. Amazing. I'll have to get some pictures tonight to show the context, it is so strange.

The 4th, from our Beacon Hill roof

the 3rd

I checked out the scene at the Boston 4th of July rehearsal at the Hatch Shell last night, including watching the Pops drive right past me on Storrow Drive with a big police escort. The Esplanade was packed and the central seating area closed around 7; I walked around for a while before heading to Harvard Gardens for a beer and a bit of the Sox game. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry with the Pops is going to be awesome!

An Inconvenient Truth

I saw Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" last week at the Coolidge Corner Theater. While a bit cheesy at times, the film manages to convey the urgency of climate change and global warming in a compelling way without any sense of Michael Moore-ish propaganda. The projected consequences within our lifetime are catastrophic, and the barriers to change are infuriating. Short-term thinking, intentional political misdirection, and worst of all, apathy, must be overcome.

Heather and I didn't need convincing as we already devote a large portion of our time as advocates for compact, walkable communities that minimize impact on the environment, and it was interesting to see how that fits into the bigger picture of global warming and climate change. Coincidentally, I just began Ecocities by Richard Register which is about designing our cities in balance with nature for long term sustainability. It all fits together.

We left the movie going in a hundred directions with new ideas, but the best impact we can have is by continuing to speak out and spread the word. Visit the website to see how you can make an impact with small changes like energy efficient light bulbs, and see the movie.