Google Search
   

 

Home | Site map | About | Contact

Independent investigation of the truth; collaboration for social justice


Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/photo.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 7

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/photo.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 7


Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/theme_display.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 9

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/theme_display.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 9

Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/vistapoints_display.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 11

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/vistapoints_display.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 11

Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/categories.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 13

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/categories.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 13

Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/articles.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 15

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/articles.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 15

 


Warning: include(/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/blogroll.htm) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 19

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '/usr/www/users/ikonos/communicationagents/steve_bosserman/includes/blogroll.htm' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /usr/www/users/aadams84/www.newmediaexplorer.org/steve_bosserman/includes/left_column.htm on line 19


Social Agriculture


October 09, 2007

Greenhouses That Change the World

Rick Nelson is the inventor of SolaRoof, a novel approach to greenhouse design and function that integrates a unique covering, heating / cooling system, and infrastructure / framework. It will revolutionize the greenhouse industry. More than that, once the materials are certified for use in human habitation, it will be disruptive to the housing and building industry as well. So what is SolaRoof, anyway, and why does it carry such potential to change the world? Let's find out.

Revolutionary Technology:
The greenhouse construction is unlike any other. Rather than a single layer of covering or glazing there are two. Each layer is a laminate of woven fiber mesh sandwiched in between two sheets of transparent plastic material. The laminated layers are sealed against the top and bottom of the roof and wall frames to create air-tight spaces. This combination by itself offers hardly any insulating value. However, fill the space with bubbles--yes, bubbles--and the equation becomes totally different!

The distance between the two layers varies depending on the desired amount of insulating value. Each inch is roughly equivalent to an R-factor of 1. A distance of a little over a yard yields an R-factor of nearly 40. That is almost unheard of in traditional construction techniques. And given the transparency of the two layers of covering, over 80% of the photosynthesis-catalyzing sunlight reaches the inside of the greenhouse.

In the SolaRoof webpage: Green Buildings for Urban Agriculture and Solar Living, two illustrations show how the process works from one extreme season to the next. Quite ingenius!

Continue reading "Greenhouses That Change the World"

posted by Steve Bosserman on Tuesday October 9 2007

Permalink | Comments (3) | No trackbacks

Trackback link: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.r484.cgi/2362

 


July 06, 2007

The Case for Localization

Over the past five months I have dedicated considerable attention to "localization." According to Wikipedia, "Localization may describe production of goods nearer to end users to reduce environmental and other external costs of globalization."

The Relocalization Network, which is affiliated with Julian Darley's Post Carbon Institute defines "relocalization" as "…a strategy to build societies based on the local production of food, energy and goods, and the local development of currency, governance and culture. The main goals of Relocalization are to increase community energy security, to strengthen local economies, and to dramatically improve environmental conditions and social equity."

Another way to consider localization is to see it as the shrinkage of distance between the point of production and the point of utilization or consumption. It is the conversion of bits and bytes into material form as close as possible to where that form will be used. In contrast, globalization is the virtualization of experience, knowledge, and innovation so that intellectual property created can travel from anywhere to anywhere quickly, easily, at minimal cost.

Continue reading "The Case for Localization"

posted by Steve Bosserman on Friday July 6 2007

updated on Sunday July 8 2007

Permalink | Comments (1) | No trackbacks

Trackback link: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.r484.cgi/2339

 


February 12, 2007

Boids, Integrated Structures, and Renewable Energy

About 20 years ago, Craig Reynolds, developed an artificial life program entitled, Boids, that simulates the flocking patterns of birds. One of the compelling features of Boids is that despite random starting points and infinite range of action enjoyed by each boid, through adherence to three simple rules a consistent behavior pattern among the boids is quickly established and maintained.

Boids exemplifies a principle in complex adaptive systems termed "emergence." Emergence is a key concept in organization design. It has particular relevance when the issues of control, dependence, and autonomy in centralized and decentralized structures are recast into integrated structures such as networks, communities, and teams.

My previous posting, "Lessons from the Grid," focuses on distribution of responsibility and authority to generate electricity, by whatever type of renewable energy source, to individual homeowners and business owners. Net metering connections to the grid enable owners to sell excess electricity generated to the utility company and draw from the grid as necessary during times of insufficient electricity generated locally. This is a win-win solution: an expanding network of home and business owners, representing multiple families, neighborhoods, and communities, are actively involved; participants meet their individual and local needs, first, then, sell their surplus to meet regional and global demand; and, the localization of electric power generation through "green energy" is more efficient and consumes less "brown energy."

Continue reading "Boids, Integrated Structures, and Renewable Energy"

posted by Steve Bosserman on Monday February 12 2007

updated on Thursday January 26 2017

Permalink | Comments (1) | No trackbacks

Trackback link: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.r484.cgi/2275

 


February 03, 2007

Distribution Channels for Agriculture Equipment Systems in India

Overview
The long run of substantial growth in the Indian economy since liberalization in 1991 spread opportunities for business expansion and entrepreneurial start-ups in all commercial sectors, including agriculture. During the past decade and a half, noticeable gains in the purchasing power occurred for some Indian farmers. Their economic circumstances improved through the expansion and strengthening of infrastructure, rapid farm consolidation to take advantage of economies of scale, adoption of genetically modified cropping, and utilization of more productive agriculture equipment systems. However, there are 700 million farmers in India—the second largest block in the world behind China—and clearly, not all enjoyed the same level of benefit from the blistering economy as evidenced by the article, "India on Fire" in the current issue of The Economist.

Regardless of economic strata and chosen agricultural practices, all farmers are dependent on some type of agriculture equipment system to conduct their farming operations. The range of different equipment systems is quite broad, extending from low-investment handheld tools moved by draft animals to extensive, high-investment "packages" of machinery, computer systems, integrated software, and global communication networks. As with any complex marketing landscape, matching solutions with opportunities to make a difference for the customer and the company is essential.

The following graphic illustrates the interrelationships of the number of farmers, farm size, and market potential for sales of agriculture equipment systems.

Indian Market Potential for Ag Equipment Systems, Revised.jpg

The distribution clearly shows that 690 million farmers hold 80% of the arable land in India on farm sizes that are less than 2 hectares, approximately 5 acres, each. In fact, estimates suggest that 600 million farmers work on lot sizes that are each less than 1.5 hectares, or slightly less than 4 acres. This distribution is significant for several reasons, but one that features prominently when considering a marketing distribution channel strategy in India is population, both in terms of density and migration. As evident by the sheer number of people involved, unchecked farm consolidation, such as what occurred in North America and Europe since WWII, is not a viable course.

The infrastructures of urban areas in India would be quickly overwhelmed if even 25 – 30 % of the 700 million farmers scattered across India abandoned their rural homes in hopes of brighter futures in the cities. The challenge facing India, then, is to improve agriculture practices, increase output, and raise the quality of life for 700 million farmers so they choose to stay put. Not an easy mandate to meet.

Continue reading "Distribution Channels for Agriculture Equipment Systems in India"

posted by Steve Bosserman on Saturday February 3 2007

updated on Thursday February 8 2007

Permalink | No comments | No trackbacks

Trackback link: http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.r484.cgi/2263

 

 

Greenhouses That Change the World
October 09, 2007

The Case for Localization
July 06, 2007

Boids, Integrated Structures, and Renewable Energy
February 12, 2007

Distribution Channels for Agriculture Equipment Systems in India
February 03, 2007

Agriculture Megatrends: Ten Trends Redefining the Practice of Agriculture in the World
February 01, 2007

Food Systems and Distances Traveled
January 02, 2007

Riff on Michael Shuman
October 21, 2006

Localize - Link - Globalize: A Closer Look at India
September 03, 2006

Localize - Link - Globalize
August 27, 2006

Push Me, Pull You--Dueling Business Models
April 16, 2006

Confessions of a Chocoholic--It's All in the Bean
November 25, 2005

Introduction to Social Agriculture
August 30, 2005

 

Home | Site map | About | Contact

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

 




Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz


 

Recent articles
Greenhouses That Change the World

Cycles of Communication and Collaboration

What Is an "Integrated Solution"?

Thoughts about Value-Add

A Broader Framework in Which Localization Occurs

A Voice for Localization


Archive of all articles on this site


Most recent comments

Giving It Away, Making Money

Greenhouses That Change the World

Greenhouses That Change the World

Greenhouses That Change the World

A Broader Framework in Which Localization Occurs

 

Candida International

What Does MHRA Stand For??

Bono and Bush Party without Koch: AIDS Industry Makes a Mockery of Medical Science

Profit as Usual and to Hell with the Risks: Media Urge that Young Girls Receive Mandatory Cervical Cancer Vaccine

 

Health Supreme

Multiple sclerosis is Lyme disease: Anatomy of a cover-up

Chromotherapy in Cancer

Inclined Bed Therapy: Tilt your bed for healthful sleep

 

Share The Wealth

Artificial Water Fluoridation: Off To A Poor Start / Fluoride Injures The Newborn

Drinking Water Fluoridation is Genotoxic & Teratogenic

Democracy At Work? - PPM On Fluoride

"Evidence Be Damned...Patient Outcome Is Irrelevant" - From Helke

Why Remove Fluoride From Phosphate Rock To Make Fertilizer

 

Evolving Collective Intelligence

Let Us Please Frame Collective Intelligence As Big As It Is

Reflections on the evolution of choice and collective intelligence

Whole System Learning and Evolution -- and the New Journalism

Gathering storms of unwanted change

Protect Sources or Not? - More Complex than It Seems

 

Consensus

Islanda, quando il popolo sconfigge l'economia globale.

Il Giorno Fuori dal Tempo, Il significato energetico del 25 luglio

Rinaldo Lampis: L'uso Cosciente delle Energie

Attivazione nei Colli Euganei (PD) della Piramide di Luce

Contatti con gli Abitanti Invisibili della Natura

 

Best sellers from