Travelling to a distant a planet for food?

How ridiculous, you might say...

this is what springs to mind immediately

But, I've been thinking about time and space a lot this week. (And not the whibbly wobbly kind of spacetime) Maybe it's because I watched #Interstellar, I don't know. For those who haven't seen it do yourself the favour and do so. It's Christoper Nolan doing what he does at his best.

Why should we take note, now? Well Nolan hits the nail on the head---Food. It is a known fact that by 2050 we will have to feed 2 billion more, and frankly this planet will not be able to do so, given our lack of respect for it and its processes! Space might be our only option (as a species) for surviving major climate change. (we don't want to end up like Venus with its runaway green house effect) We are already growing a lot in space, many of the missions to space has had greener companions to explicitly see how they will grow in zero gravity. And on a side note, we have been making and drinking space beer for a while.

a view of space agriculture from NASA in the 1970's

Another reason to explore space might be mining. Mining has become a rather taboo practise on earth today. We have come to associate mining with all that is negative, digging up coal, destroying the rainforest etc. But we forget most industries are built on mining activities which fueled our advancement. Space might be the next wild west were materials that are in low quantities on earth are abundant. Who knows?

And finally, another reason might be more romantic and the topic of our TEDTalk today. The idea of travelling to diatant planets, describing new life and ultimately understanding our place in vast universe. A quest you might say as old as the human race. Who better, than Professor Brian Cox, to take us not really on a journey of space but to encourage the explorer within all of us. In this inpsiring talk he shows that the MONEY (we are constantly worrying about) should not be the reason why we should stop exploring, as he puts it---It will fund itself. So, enjoy

The exploration of the spacetime continuum or the new wild west, you be the judge. But money should not be the limiting factor.

All I know is we have looking up at the stars since the day we walked upright and wanted to travel there. Maybe now is the time, given that we might need to find a new home "out there" sooner than we'd like.

Maybe a Kite is all we need?

In South Africa for the last two or so weeks we have been suffering through something we lovingly refer to as load-shedding. What is load-shedding you might ask? Well it’s when the ESKOM (our only power supplier) switches of the power in shifts to ensure that the country does not experience a total black out. The cause of the immense strain to the power grid might as well be caused by gremlins...

So, what are we to do? Over the last decade or so more and more money has gone into finding green solutions to solve the power issue, considering South Africa is 80% reliant on electricity generation through fossil fuels like coal. One of the most obvious investments into electricity is via wind turbines. And as the saying goes, it works there it should work here. I believe the project has largely been successful. But the power generated is still not enough!

The talk by Saul Griffith dares us to think differently about energy. To harness the power of wind through the use of Kites!!! In the talk he briefly explains how kites have played a very important role in our pursuit of flight and suggests how they can be used to fuel our future. So, enjoy!

Hopefully ESKOM will take note!! 

and I repeat: Maybe all we need is Kite?

Colour to change lives

Okay, so every day driving to work I am reminded about how difficult life is still for many South Africans. But after watching this video, it also reminded me that when people are given a chance they will strive for the betterment of their entire community. The idea is simple, change the perspective of the community by transforming their environments, and in this case they use colour as a medium of communication. 

They are not saying that by painting the houses in a given neighbourhood it will change the circumstances of the people living there, but it’s a positive start to encourage those living there to strive for more.

Enjoy the talk by Haas and Hahn

Just imagine South Africans doing this? Possibilities are endless if we just believe. It works in the Bo-Kaap why not everywhere else?

What's that growing on your balcony?

Is the question the little boy in the apartment complex I live in asked? It dawned on me right then and there that he is the picture of the modern child. The child that does not know where his/her food comes from and how it is grown. This is of course not a new topic or situation, still it’s so sad. And it's becoming more and more prevalent even here in South Africa. The headlines are filled with stories of children being obese, living sedentary lives. The causes are as diverse and complex. But I don't want to debate those right now (story for another time). And in the spirit of living better the video below dares us to think differently about the spaces we live in. 

I think she will inspire you to re-imagine the way you think of gardening and the space you need to do it in….I know I'm already planning!!

Are you up for the challenge?

Expensive smensive, is it really that good?

Expensive smensive, money schmoney...the more you spend the better it tastes?! Right? I don't know I haven't had the chance to taste it yet (don't judge). But, don't we all think it? What guides us to say that something is better just because it's way more expensive. I had a similar experience last night where the person I was with decided that the more expensive wine was the best, but was it? That's up for debate...

Anyway, Benjamin Wallace tackles this exact issue in the video below. Aptly titled: The price of happiness.

You be the judge

Cheerio

Sandy

Changing perspectives through foodscapes

My friend recently told me about starting a food garden in her local community. I support the idea completely but the practicality of such a project seemed tricky. But to my surprise it seems that it may be feasible. Sort of: If they can do so can we. 

Pam Warhurst explains how she is doing it in her community and how others around the world is doing the same.

Here's to hoping more communities in South Africa will take up the banner of growing their own food and in the end feed their own.

Cheerio

Sandy