Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Welcome to terra, not terror

Why?
I'm starting this blog to discuss some earth-friendly activities going on around the world. I like to keep up on the progress that's being made to create an earth-friendly, less expensive, safe, energy-efficient place to live. I love doing whatever I can to save money, energy, and resources, so I'll show you my ideas, too.

What?
This will be a positive space for us to share what we're doing to reduce our footprint. I hope you enjoy reading about efforts to help our planet. (Negative comments are not welcome.)

When?
I plan to write something at least once a week. -that's a lot of progress!- I imagine this page will evolve over time, and I hope you check back once in a while to see what fun things are going on in the "green" world.

The name?
When Bush talks about the "war on terror," it usually sounds like "war on terra," which I jokingly take offense to. (Terra is Latin for Earth, and is also my name) Whether a war on the planet is actually his strategy is open for debate. We should focus on living in harmony with the earth, not living in fear.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Terra,

Petey here. I live in a beautiful part of Geauga County, Middlefield to be exact, Have a dog (Yorkie) and an old tomcat (neutered).

Saving energy and in general, being green is a hobby of mine. Have produced ethanol, and was experimenting with Bio-diesel also.

Of course as you know, the Amish in my town get by without being grid dependent - I admire that and have absorbed some of their attitudes towards good food, pastoral life...etc.

I apologize that you have only been associated with my political and abrasive side on the Chiefsource. I promise to leave all that on the CS.

I will stop back from time to time & maybe add a thing or two- such as the Amish furniture plant (Homestead Furniture near Mt Hope) that produces all its own energy and powers the plant by compressed air- also all the heat from the generator is recycled from the coolant and exhaust into the plant. The Amish are into solar bigtime also.

Take Care and keep up the good work

Friend Petey

terra said...

Petey,
That is so awesome that you have produced ethanol!! (I have a Rottweiler mix and 2 cats.) Did you know that Great Lakes brewery uses biodiesel? I can't complain about my husband drinking their beer now, can I.

I've gotten so many good ideas for posts today from people who are interested in green technology. Thanks, everyone.

Anonymous said...

I wont tell you husband about the "other" most traditional use of pure ethanol.

So far I havent used any in the car, but have produced some thats very pure and use is for sterilizing cuts, cleaning most everything, stop bleeding, cleaning skin when I am exposed to poison ivy whick I am allergic to...and very infrequently, a good snort to make the melancholy go away.

I also converted my huge victorian house's nat gas/boiler hot water heating sys into an Amish built anthracite boiler hybrid sys that now uses the Nat gas boiler as a backup. The comfort of the house in winter is snug & toasty...BUT , I am not sure what its doing for the carbon footprint. It seems to "afterburn" the gases and no noticable smoke is exhausting , although I smell a faint sulfur smell when its first ignited (it then burns constantly for weeks.

Thought about solar, but ruled it out because I have a heavily wooded/shady lot.

I plan to retire in about 4 yrs and growing my own food or just getting fresh food from the local Amish is in my plan.

Another rain barrel basin idea that holds about 100 gallons or so and has a dandy spiquet tap in a rubbermaid animal water trough available at Tractor Supply. I think I paid about $35 for mine to store coal about 3 yrs ago.

I am a surveyor(land) and an engineering Tech working in public works....I like building stuff that conserves- am I "conservative"

Anonymous said...

BTW, that Dortmunder produced by the Great Lakes Br. is one of if not the best I have ever tasted.

Thats saying alot because I have had an ocean of beer in my time.

Cee Jay said...

Hi Terra,
I got here via Writes Likes She Talks and will add a link to you from my blog. Nice site!