Can a Newly Discovered Fungus really solve our Plastic Waste Problem?

 Image Collage by Genesis: Go Ahead... Make My Lunch.

A team of students from Yale University have discovered a fungus which apparently enjoys snacking on polyurethane, one of the most commonly used plastics. Led by Scott Strobel, a molecular biochemist at Yale, the students found the fungus in the Amazon in Ecuador on their annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory. 

Experiments by a team of researchers found that the fungus, Pestalotiopsis microspore, can thrive on eating plastic in an anaerobic environment—like that which you find at the bottom of landfills.

Image Collage by Genesis: P. microspora under microscope.

Source: http://scitechdaily.com/ecuador-rainforest-fungus-survives-on-polyurethane-without-oxygen/

This is a significant development, because the implications for a number of reasons, beginning with the global problem which plastic has become.

‘Houston, we have some plastic.’

We all know that plastic is a bit of an Achilles heel of modern civilization…and that may be a bit of an understatement. Sure, plastic is light, flexible, inexpensive, convenient, easy to work with and oh-so-disposable. Aye, there’s the rub.

We all like to believe that most plastic is recycled. Apart from the horrendous amounts of energy which is spent collecting, processing and then re-purposing that plastic, it’s a pretty good idea, too.  Except it’s nowhere near reality.

According to a study published in Science, plastic pollution is growing, particularly in underdeveloped coastal countries. 

Chart: Plastic Pollution is Growing, Credit: Jambeck et al, Science, 2015

Source: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/02/ocean-plastic-waste-china

This, of course, contributes to the notorious plastic flotilla in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (also known as the Great Pacific garbage patch), not to mention the plastic debris littering the shorelines of all major bodies of water around the world. 

Image: Great Pacific garbage patch 

Source: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/12/are-there-reall.html

Here’s some more interesting tid-bits about plastic which you may not be aware of…

Inforgaphic: The Truth about Plastic 

Source: http://greenlivingideas.com/2011/08/01/plastic-world-infographic/

Biology to the Rescue?

So clearly something has to be done about plastic, right? The Yale scientists certainly seem to think so. In fact, they’re not the first to suggest a biological approach to solving the plastic waste problem, particularly in the Pacific.

Be it mushrooms from the Amazon rainforest or genetically engineered E. coli bacteria, scientists are scouring the natural world (and their very unnatural laboratories) searching for ‘silver-bullet’ organisms to clean up our mess.

Does anyone else see any inherent danger in this approach? Have these scientists forgotten the lessons learned from cane toads in Australia, killer bees in North America, and every other attempt to introduce a foreign species into a new environment?

Of course not, because materialist scientists don’t seem to learn from experience.  Their arrogance and hubris makes them believe more in their theories than in proven reality, believing in the technocratic dogma of the incessant march of progress which promises them (and the world): ‘this time will be different.’

Materialist Science: Playing with forces it cannot comprehend…nor control.

In July of last year, PeapodLife took on the question of GMO Foods in its blog by pointing out the dangers of introducing new species into the environment. Read the article and watch a related video on the introduction of foreign species here.

Despite what the scientists will tell you, they are in no way, shape or form ‘in control’ of the ‘technology’ they are purporting to wield, here. Anyone who’s seen Jurassic Park can tell you that!

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Jurassic Park Genetic Power, Nature & Science montage

So, are we saying giant mushrooms are going to devour New York City or Tokyo?

Image collage by Genesis Eco Fund: Rampaging Gumba, NYC.

No, of course not. We just couldn’t resist the image.

What we are saying is that nature is governed by chaos, and there is positive chaos, the chaos observable in evolutionary fractals—defined to a large part by the Fibonacci sequence—for example, the pattern of petals in a blooming flower or branches of a growing tree. But then there’s also the negative chaos of a devolving fractal: water as it’s being flushed down the toilet.

Rainforest Keeps on Giving; Humans Keep on Taking

Having said all that, that’s not even the greatest problem with this story about the plastic-eating mushroom. As always, it’s a story of exploitation. Here’s thing in nature, let’s see how we, the human race, can exploit it to the maximum of our abilities.

You would think that when we find such organisms that there would be a sudden and universal outcry: “Hey! Maybe there are other as-yet-undiscovered organisms that can solve other major problems we face!” But sadly no, rainforest devastation and resource extraction continues globally at an unprecedented pace.

Image collage by Genesis Eco Fund: Rainforest devastation: cutting; burning.

And the discovery of new species with ‘practical applications’ like our friend Pestalotiopsis microspora, doesn’t help precisely because it, too, is just another example of humanity’s culture of exploitation. Not harmony, not mutual symbiosis, but the same old ‘we’re at the top of the food chain so the world is ours to command, control, use and abuse as we see fit’ mentality which is responsible for how we’ve completely mismanaged and ruined the biosphere.

Be a REAL human being. Get an ecosystem and develop a harmonious and mutually symbiotic relationship with it. Allow the knowledge which comes from that experience to inform all your actions, inquiries, decisions, and goals.

Take Responsibility. Reduce your plastic consumption.

10 Tips to Reducing your Plastic Use

1.    Use reusable bags, not plastic or paper.
2.    Drop the bottled water.
3.    Don’t use single-use plastic packaging (buy in bulk when you can).
4.    Leave the sandwich bags on the shelf and use reusable sandwich boxes instead.
5.    Go the classy route and use silverware, not plastic-ware.
6.    Let the ’90s go — go digital… no more CDs, plastic CD cases, and so on.
7.    Use a refillable dispenser for your soap and cleaning supplies.
8.    Use a nice “to-go” mug instead of cups made of plastic or styrofoam (don’t even want to go into that issue).
9.    Try to buy products that don’t contain hard-to-recycle plastics (when you need to buy something, that is).
10.    Better yet, find products not made of plastic at all (again, when you absolutely have to buy something).
Source: http://greenlivingideas.com/2011/08/01/plastic-world-infographic/

Ecosystems & Mining: Natural Answer to Oxygen & Air Quality?

Collage by GenesisEcoFund: Could  Ecosystems Be the Answer to Oxygen & Air Quality in Mining?

Mining companies pump countless billions of cubic metres of air every year deep underground, and spend billions of dollars every year on liquid oxygen, oxygen masks, and oxygen extraction and condensing machinery.

When we began looking at the topic of oxygen, air quality and mining, we approached it primarily from the perspective of human health and safety—workers need clean air to breathe. It turns out that oxygen is an essential element in the ore extraction process—especially gold—aiding in the separation of the desired ore from the surrounding material.

So the short answer to the question, could ecosystems have some role to play in producing fresh oxygen and cleaning the air in deep mines is: we’re not sure; it really depends. On what? Many factors.

For starters, we cannot even begin to look at a pilot study with the mining industry without some kind of quantifiable figures: how much O2 is produced per X sq ft. of ecosystem? This is just a reality of trying to apply an ecosystem to an industry which is all about efficiency and exploitation (let’s face it: there is no other way to describe extraction of precious minerals from the earth).

Mining as an activity is fundamentally concerned with outputs. It has no concept of inputs—few resource extraction industries do, with the exception of some leaders in forestry which have learned the economic benefits of sustainable forestry practices (planting trees to replace the ones which were cut down). 

A mining operation will want to know how big an ecosystem they need (or how many individual ecosystem “modules”) for how many cubic feet of mine shaft per person? But here again: the mining industry is going to be about “what’s the maximum oxygen I can get for the minimum amount of ecosystem?” They will look at an ecosystem not as a superorganism, a living thing, something of intrinsic value, but as a cog in their machine—the big mining machine in this case—just as they do not consider the rock and ore they are mining as anything other than a resource to be extracted and profited from.

It’s not an attack. It’s not even a criticism. It’s just an honest and objective look at an industry which may be fundamentally incompatible with the essence of what ecosystems are all about.  Any industry/use which only cares about what the ecosystem outputs are, and not what they themselves need to input, has no grasp of harmony and mutual symbiosis.

So what about air quality? Could all the dust and soot in a mining operation offer an ecosystem a veritable treasure-trove of minerals and nutrients? Surely they could be considered an input.

Sadly, an overabundance of nutrients in a high order rainforest ecosystem results in an abundance of algae growth. In other words, considering how much dust and soot we’re talking about in the typical mining operation, it would take an impossibly large ecosystem to process all the contaminants in the air.  As a matter of fact, it would be very difficult to keep such particulates out of any ecosystem placed in that environment.

It definitely would make for a very interesting pilot study—to see if ecosystem technology could be utilized by the mining industry in a cost-effective way. Such a pilot project would require a significant amount of funding, a mining company to partner with, and participation by an academic institution.

Genesis is certainly not opposed to looking into the matter further. Despite what the initial indications are, we are not mining experts; we may be missing some key piece of the puzzle. We will definitely take some time digging deeper into this matter in the future.

Stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath.

More than just Cooperative: Ecosystems are key to a Better World

Infographics by GenesisEcoFund: More than Cooperative Co-ops:

If Cooperation is the cornerstone to a better society, ecosystems are the foundation to a better humanity

The idea of co-operatives is not new, just as the concept of co-operation is as old as humanity itself. But is co-operation all we need to overcome the challenges facing humanity in the 21st Century?

Co-operation is a very human concept. It suggests not only an agreement, but a conscious choice: a decision to co-operate versus some other alternative (i.e. compete). This then not only makes it an aspect of higher-order thinking, it ends up in the mental frameworks of cost-benefit analysis, etc.

It turns out there is something even more fundamental, more primal and far more instinctive than cooperation. And as always, it is found at the heart of nature, ecological relationships and at the heart of every ecosystem.

Harmony and mutual symbiosis is the foundation and framework of all nature. Competition exists at multiple levels within this broader, superior framework, but since competition serves the whole in the big picture, it too then is an aspect of harmony and mutual symbiosis.

What is good for one organism is ALWAYS beneficial to the ecosystem as a whole. Unless that organism happens to be a human.

Human beings are the only species who do not comprehend this fundamental law of nature: that any action taken in the microcosm will be reflected in the macrocosm. Thus, any behaviour by any particular organism must be aligned with the goal of the macro ecological goal, or it must be discarded.

Now clearly, since harmony and mutually symbiotic relationships are everywhere in nature, right down to single-celled organisms, such harmony is spontaneous, instinctive, inherent…individual organisms do not exactly have a say in the matter.

The fact that human beings do have a say in the matter is precisely what is to blame for civilizations’ dismal track record of abhorrent environmental stewardship…or better put, our complete inability to respect and maintain a harmonious and mutually symbiotic relationship with the planet.

This, despite the fact that most humans comprehend the importance of cooperation. So what’s going on?

How is it that human beings have such a dismal relationship with the macro environment, despite having such a firm grasp of co-operation, particularly in our personal and professional relationships? 

The answer comes back to the fact that co-operation is a limited human concept with a limited reach. Nature doesn’t function on cooperation, it functions on that more primal, instinctive, foundational thing…harmony and mutual symbiosis. 

Humanity’s compulsion to cooperate with fellow humans when need be and exploit everything and everyone else has led to the total lack of comprehension of what harmony and mutual symbiosis actually is.

So here we have organizations called “Co-operatives” or “CO-Ops” who like to think of themselves as superior to typical for-profit enterprise. What gives them that sense of superiority—a kind of moral superiority, as it were—is precisely the fact that their actions in the world are more likely to be beneficial to individuals, community and society by virtue that their cornerstone is co-operation. 

But sadly, when it comes to SUSTAINABILITY, co-ops are just as hamstrung as all other corporations and organizations…running around trying to apply this human-engineered system or that human-derived solution to problems which are INFINITELY MORE COMPLEX and FAR BEYOND THE REACH of human conceptions.

Even a Co-op, though theoretically positioned to do what is best for society, has no special advantage when it comes to sustainability, because nature cannot rely on its cornerstone of co-operation. Nature must function on something deeper, more foundational and infinitely more powerful than mere cooperation. Nature must have harmony and mutual symbiosis.

And now co-ops can have it too.

If co-operation is the foundation for a better society, then imagine what can be achieved with ecosystems? Imagine what happens when organizational culture is based on harmony and mutual symbiosis?

Just as the concept of co-operation leads to the co-op culture, stronger communities, and a better society; so too, ecosystems will lead to a culture of harmony and mutual symbiosis, true sustainability, and a better humanity—able to maintain harmonic and mutually symbiotic relationships with ecology and the planet.  

As in the microcosm, so will it be in the macrocosm. Developing a harmonious and mutually symbiotic relationship with nature within the walls and halls of your organization, is what will inspire harmonious, symbiotic and bio-mimetic behaviours, innovations and solutions that truly work.

Take your co-op to the next level. That's what we mean by more cooperative co-ops. 

Infant Allergies linked to Air Pollution What can You Do to Protect Your Children?

Image by Genesis EcoFund: Shielding Infants from Air Pollution Could Help Prevent Allergies

Image Credit/Source: Infant iStock http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/infant-allergies-linked-to-air-pollution-by-new-canadian-study-1.3060312

Smokestacks http://www.glogster.com/nora1254/clean-air-act-apes-/g-6lkq7n5b7b5tb3vj0lpbma0

"Allergic diseases constitute one of the most prevalent childhood illnesses. Several population studies have reported increased risks of developing allergy in relation to ambient air pollution exposure. However, there are only few studies on specific sensitization following children over longer time periods, with detailed assessment of exposure to air pollution.”

~ AAAAI American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology; January 2012

Source: http://www.aaaai.org/global/latest-research-summaries/Current-JACI-Research/air-pollution-allergic-sensitization-child.aspx

Landmark Canadian study surveyed 2,700 Children; Shows risk of Infant Exposure

We can add another study to the growing body of evidence that air pollution increases the chance of allergies and asthma in children. This new Canadian study is the first to link pollution and allergies to food, mould, pets and pests in infants.

"This study started by recruiting pregnant mothers in 2008. That continued until about 2012," Brauer told CBC News.

"The idea is to follow moms during pregnancy and the kids as they age, to look at the development of allergy and asthma in quite a detailed way."

"Those kids that had higher exposure to air pollution during their first year of life were at an increased risk of developing sensitivities and allergies," Brauer said.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/infant-allergies-linked-to-air-pollution-by-new-canadian-study-1.3060312

The study did not find a link between neo-natal exposure to pollution and allergies in children.

You can read the complete study by clicking the image/link below:

Image: Environmental Health Perspectives Infant Allergens Study

Source: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/advpub/2015/3/ehp.1408700.acco.pdf

Of interest, was the finding that sensitivity rates appeared highest in Vancouver.

Image by Genesis EcoFund: Percentage of Children who develop sensitivity to Allergens, by City

Data Source: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/advpub/2015/3/ehp.1408700.acco.pdf

Brauer told the CBC that the higher rates in Vancouver were not linked to air pollution but other factors, including the general affluence of the population in Vancouver.

"We know that populations that tend to be wealthier tend to have higher rates of allergies. Allergy is something that we seem to link to more affluent lifestyles, globally. So there may be something going on there," said Brauer.

"Of course there's other things: the vegetation, food, lifestyles — other factors that may differ between Vancouver and the other cities."
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/infant-allergies-linked-to-air-pollution-by-new-canadian-study-1.3060312

General Effects of Air Pollution

Air pollution causes a range of respiratory symptoms, including

• coughing,
• throat irritation,
• chest tightness,
• wheezing,
• shortness of breath

Higher air pollution levels have also been associated with a higher incidence of heart problems, including heart attacks, and toxic air pollutants can increase the risk of developing cancer. The following poster/pdf provides more information:

Image Thumbnail: Effects of Common Air Pollution Poster PDF

Source: http://www.ourair.org/edu/health-effects-of-air-pollution/

So What Can be Done?

Interestingly, the study found that several factors seemed to lower the risk of developing sensitivity to allergies, including:

• A cat or dog in their house.
• No attached garage on the house.
• Eating dairy products, eggs, nuts or grains during the first year of life.
• Attending daycare.
• Having older siblings in the house.

The researchers also evaluated the use/type of the home’s ventilation system; with exposure to traffic-related air pollution assessed by measuring nitrogen dioxide levels at each child’s home address.

There seems to be an interesting connection between exposure to natural elements versus industrial ones. That is, exposure to pet hair, dander, etc. as well as other children or another sibling seemed to reduce sensitivity to allergens.

If we consider the ability of an indoor ecosystem to break down synthetic compounds and VOC’s, it seems like a natural extension to any preventative program to reduce allergies. Ecosystems  not only clean the air of pollution which many home ventilation  systems cannot filter, they also produce freshly oxygenated air, as well as ionized water vapour which acts like a magnet attracting airborne particles.

Genesis Eco Fund looks forward to the day when there is a critical mass of ecosystems in homes across Canada so similar studies can compare the effects of ecosystems on the development of sensitivities to allergies in children.

What is Mother Telling us about Population Growth?

"As a woman leader, I thought I brought a different kind of leadership. I was interested in women's issues, in bringing down the population growth rate... as a woman, I entered politics with an additional dimension - that of a mother."
~ Benazir Bhutto 
Source: brainyquote.com: BrainyQuote: Population Growth Quotes

Image Collage by GenesisEcoFund.org: What is Mother Telling us about Population Growth? 

Image Source: motherthefilm.com: Mother Caring for 7 Billion, An Award-Winning Film

As a tribute to Earth Day, the film “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion” is free to watch for the month of April! This means you have just a little over a week to watch the full-length version of this award-winning documentary about global population growth online. Here’s the trailer:

Video: Mother Caring for 7 Billion Trailer

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPc9BdWVl5s

If that trailer is not explanation enough, here’s what the filmmakers have to say:

“Mother, the film, breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises - population growth.”

~ Motherthefilm.com

And there it is in a nutshell: there are simply too many of us. No ecosystem can support an imbalance for too long. No ecological framework—even as immense, complex and diverse as this planet—is immune to the consequences of having too many of one particular species.

Even if that species were really conscientious about living in balance and harmony with the rest of the planet (which we are not), there is no getting around the sheer mathematics. What’s worse, the mathematics are not working in our favour—nor the favour of the planet.

The film does a splendid job of illustrating the various issues and challenges around population growth, including the perceived negative economic impacts of negative population growth. In other words, despite the fact that population growth has turned negative in some industrialized countries around the world, there are powerful forces aligned in favour of continued population expansion…be it religious dogma and cultural traditions to economic dogma and the belief in perpetual growth.

This is ludicrous. Utter madness. A complete lack of awareness, comprehension and appreciation for the nature of…well…NATURE!

But let’s not go there just yet. It is all too easy for economists, businesspeople, and scientists who busy themselves with high-tech, biotech, etc. to dismiss arguments about what is or is not ‘natural’ by chanting the universally accepted mantras of ‘efficiency’ and ‘innovation.’ So here’s Richard Heinberg, journalist, educator and expert on energy, economic and ecological issues to put the slow drone of consensus materialist intellectual dogma to rest…

Video: The Law of Diminishing Returns

Source: YouTube https://youtu.be/q3meq7br1rE

In the simplest terms, then, what this law tells those believing in unlimited growth is what natural law tells ALL creatures, communities, civilizations, ecosystems, planets, stars, solar systems, even galaxies:

“Nothing lives forever; nothing grows forever…diminishment, decay and DEATH is inevitable. Sure, renewal is possible and very real. But renewal, the great circle of life, cannot advance without periodic death and destruction.”

~ Mother Nature

Only the ego believes it can cheat death. And it is clear that ego is behind all those ‘grand religions, traditions and economic dogmas’ which encourage ongoing population growth.

Consider an Ecosystem for your Family…

A selfish child throws a tantrum when he can’t get the latest video game console, or a dog, or a little brother to play with. Hypnotized by desire, the child is completely oblivious to the fact his father is unemployed and his mother is working two jobs just trying to make ends meet, while the family slips deeper into debt.

Having a connectedness with our family gives us the awareness of what our household—our parents and/or siblings—can bear. We develop empathy and compassion and seek ways to alleviate the suffering of those around us. The result is we become net contributors in a positive way. We become creators; problem solvers; true innovators…inspired…as opposed to being simply consumers; inventors of new gadgets and/or schemes for consumption.

Having an ecosystem in our life—in our home, office, boardroom, school, church, etc—helps us to reconnect with our bigger family—our GREATER MOTHER and our brothers and sisters around the globe.

Connecting to the ecosystem connects us to the wisdom and inspiration which resides at the very heart of nature; we become in-tune with what works and what doesn’t; and in no uncertain terms, what’s right and what isn’t. This isn’t an intellectual knowledge, it’s an experiential knowledge. It’s an intuitive kind of knowing: something that you feel in your gut, heart and bones. And it’s the kind of knowledge which informs us, in an individual basis, what we can do to help our Mother care for the other 6.999… billion on this planet.

The full-length version of Mother: Caring for 7 Billion will be available to watch for free on YouTube for the remainder of April, 2015. Click HERE to watch Mother show you what you need to know about population growth:

Image: Screenshot of Mother: Caring for 7 Billion

Source: YouTube https://youtu.be/fetnSYasbjA

Mindfulness and Ecology: How do they Relate?

Image: Mind Full or Mindful? 

Source: naturallyeverafterblog.com: Naturally Ever After: Mind Full, or Mindful?

What is Mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).”

~ James Baraz 

Source: goodreads.com: Quotes About Mindfulness

Without any doubt, most of us live very mind-full lives. That is—as startlingly yet simply illustrated in the below photo, our minds are a cluster-fest of thoughts, emotions, concerns, fears, anxieties, plans, hopes, fantasies, wants, don’t-wants, and the list goes on.

Image: Mind Full 

Source: blogg.halsopsykologi.se: Utmattningssyndrom - den nya folkhälsosjukdomen?

Without question or exception, we all suffer from this “crazy mind” syndrome. And while some suffer more than others (especially those with Autism-spectrum disorders like ADD, ADHD, Schizophrenia, epilepsy, etc.) very few people can claim to live in complete mental peace and equanimity at all times.

And yet, mental tranquility is very much a component of true relaxation. The mind-body/body-brain connection is well documented. And while there are many practices and techniques to achieve it—most relating to meditation—a quiet mind is not necessarily the same as being mindful; nor is it a prerequisite to be mindful.

In meditation, for instance, we may seek to achieve a quiet, receptive state of consciousness…a quiet mind. However, one cannot force the mind to be quiet and remain truly relaxed and peaceful. Nor can one sit in frustration as the seemingly endless series of thoughts emerge one after the next, and expect to achieve a quiet mind. The frustration itself feeds the crazy mind. One can, however, simply be mindful of the mind that is full.

In other words, being mindful is simply observing, being fully present and aware of what is going on around us and within us—in our hearts, our mind and our body—at all times, including during meditation. Being mindful doesn’t mean we have an empty mind, it means we are not allowing ourselves to be caught up in the stories our mind is telling us. We observe the stories arise, and then we observe them pass. We do not dwell on them.

Try it now:

Video: Guided Meditation with Eckhart Tolle

Source: YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sQ0DTF2tAM

In meditation, this technique for simple mindfulness—coined psychological kung-fu by Samael Aun Weor, but also known as ‘no meditation’—eventually leads to a completely quiet, peaceful mind. Like watching the waves slowly die down after a storm has passed, the ripples in our psyche settle down and eventually—if we do not get caught up in the waves and/or produce new mental storms to whip them up once more—the mind becomes as calm and smooth as the surface of a mountain lake, perfectly reflecting the world as if it were a mirror.

Image: Mountain Lake calm water glassy mirror 

Source: http://pixabay.com/en/lake-calm-water-glassy-mirror-389980/

And, it is upon this perfect reflection that inspiration, imagination, insight and experiences of pure joy can be witnessed. In other words, when the mind settles down, the true nature and substance of the consciousness can be perceived directly.

Mindfulness and Nature

"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness."

~ Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks 

Source: http://www.notable-quotes.com/t/tolle_eckhart.html

If it is true that observing ourselves—our own mind, heart, body, can lead to a stillness in consciousness, an emptiness into which true insights can emerge, then what about being mindful about the world around us? What happens if we apply the same principles used in mindfulness meditation while in nature? Actually, a very interesting phenomenon takes place. We begin to comprehend its true nature.

For example, Rudolph Steiner, founder of the Waldorf Schools in 1919, said “All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature.” Source: http://www.awaken.com/2013/02/quotes-by-rudolf-steiner/

This sentiment is most certainly echoed by countless esotericists, mystics and practitioners of mindfulness, from practitioners of Japan’s unique brand of Shinto Buddhism (which incorporates Japan’s traditional ancient Shinto tradition of nature worship and Buddhism) to the Dalai Lama.

Video: Mindfulness in Nature

Source: YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUM4Z2JIyQI ;

http://dalailamacenter.org/heart-mind-2013-helping-children-thrive/short-films-inspired-heart-mind-2013/mindfulness-nature

But this is not to say that the relationship between mindfulness and nature has gone unnoticed in more secular circles. Books like Awake in the Wild by Mark Coleman are an example.

Image: Cover, Awake in the Wild 

Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136232.Awake_in_the_Wild

There are also numerous scholarly articles addressing the issue. Consider the abstract from Andrew J. Howell’s, Nature connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness:

“Wilson’s (1984) biophilia hypothesis predicts that people’s psychological health is associated with their relationship to nature. Two studies examined associations among nature connectedness, well-being, and mindfulness in samples of undergraduate students while socially desirable responding was controlled. Significant associations emerged among measures of nature connectedness and indices of well-being (in Study 1 and Study 2) and mindfulness (in Study 2). Results are discussed in relation to possible mediators and moderators of the association between nature connectedness and mental health.”

Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886911001711

This is all well and good, but let’s be realistic. With the massive urban intensification programs being pursued worldwide in a bid for efficiency and curbing the impacts of population explosion, access to that which can be seen and experienced as “nature” are becoming rarer and more far afield than ever before—for most people.

The term Nature Deficit Disorder or NDD has emerged only in the past few decades as a direct result of people’s changing relationships with their world—particularly as young people switch to virtual representations of the natural world delivered on interactive devices—and the impact it is having on their minds.

Mindfulness and Ecosystems

Ecosystems are a way of bringing nature in its highest expression back into our daily lives, so that we can be mindful of it and our relationship to it. Rather than being surrounded by lifeless, artificial, and largely toxic environments at work, at school or at home, we can surround ourselves with vibrant colours, lush textures, and living sounds of conscious super organisms: trillions of creatures living together in harmony and mutual symbiosis.

Image by Genesis: Mindfulness & Ecosystems

To be mindful in the presence of an ecosystem, is to open the door to a whole new level of consciousness, a whole new world of peaceful discovery. It’s not a world that can be described; it is one that must be experienced. But that’s how it goes with matters of the mind: be it the busy, crazy mind that’s full, or the peaceful, tranquil, mind that’s aware, receptive and present…mindful.

Solar Roadways - Will they work?

Image Collage by GenesisEcoFund.org: Solar Roadways – Will they Work?
Image Credits/Source: http://www.solarroadways.com/intro.shtml

“It seems really terrible to point this out, given the visionary nature of this project, but there are times when a wet blanket may be necessary and, much as I hate to say it, I’m here to play that role. No matter how much you love the idea of solar roadways, I really don’t think it’s a bright idea to donate any money to these seemingly-wonderful people.”

~ Joel Anderson, Equities.com Staff Writer

Source: equities.com: Editors Desk: Stocks: Technology: Why the Solar Roadways Project on Indiegogo is Actually Really Silly

There’s a battle underway in the online court of public opinion. It’s a battle being waged on blogs and comment threads; Facebook posts and Twitter Feeds; but nowhere does the debate over Solar Roadways seem to be more graphic and emotional than on YouTube.

Let’s begin with what is no-doubt the most enthusiastic and emphatic video in favour of this IndieGoGo crowd-funded venture:

Video: Solar FREAKIN' Roadways!

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlTA3rnpgzU

It should be noted that in addition to the over USD 2.23 Million raised thus far on IndieGoGo, the Scott Brusaw and his wife also received $850,000 in grants from the Federal Highway Administration to build a small prototype parking lot.

According to their website, Solar Roadways admits they are still in the R&D phase of the project. At this time, there seems to be no indication of what real-world costs might be, nor what actual power generation solar powered roads might yield.

The very notion of replacing a well-worn (pardon the expression) low-tech solution like asphalt and/or concrete with a high-tech multi-layered surface strikes many as dubious at best. And there is no shortage of individuals who have gone to some length to make their argument against the viability of the Brusaw’s high-tech vision for clean energy and safer, low-maintenance roads.

Here’s just one such video:

Video: Solar Roadways: Busted!

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzzz5DdzyWY

In response to the “haters, naysayers and doubters” the Brusaw’s offer a webpage on their site in which they try to debunk the debunkers (the call it “cleaning the air”). You can browse their responses point-by-point for yourself; but we do share the following from said page:

“We wonder about people who reflexively dismiss our concept without trying to understand it, or go on public forums to attack us. It's helps us to remember that there have always been people against change. For some it's just too scary. They want to just keep things the same. Perhaps they are the descendants of those who argued that the earth was flat, that we didn't need cars because horses worked just fine, told the Wright Brothers they were out of their minds, or insisted that we'd never reach the moon. Or perhaps they are the voices of larger entities who are now feeling threatened by the paradigm shift that is Solar Roadways.”

Source: http://www.solarroadways.com/clearingthefreakinair.shtml

Now, here at GenesisEcoFund, we are no stranger to the reactionary, automatic naysaying mentality of those who dogmatically follow established paradigms. In many ways, we can relate to the Brusaw’s frustration –and whimsy—encountering those who seem hell-bent on tearing down their idea without giving it any honest consideration. 

It must also be said, however, that not all criticisms we came across researching the topic of solar roadways were from the voices of haters and naysayers per say. 

Joel Anderson’s thoughtfully written article on Equities.com entitled Why the Solar Roadways Project on Indiegogo is Actually Really Silly lays out a number of well-rounded arguments from the point of view of the established solar industry.

Yes, despite what anyone may or may not think about the “coolness” and/or plausibility of having solar-power-generating roads, there is an army of well-financed, highly motivated, extremely intelligent individuals and companies racing against the clock in search of better, cheaper, more efficient solar solutions for the “virtually endless supply of places you could install solar panels that DON’T have cars driving over them.”

Anderson’s “nail in the coffin” seems to be this statement:

“…the Brusaws have been unable to secure any piece of the more-than $2 billion a year spent on solar research and development around the world (more than $1 billion a year in the United States). Probably because there’s too many more-practical, more-promising investments to be made to seriously consider this pipe dream.” 

Source: equities.com: Editors Desk: Stocks: Technology: Why the Solar Roadways Project on Indiegogo is Actually Really Silly

Well, with our experience of bureaucrats and government programs, we’re not surprised if that be the case, regardless of how feasible the concept may or may not be. That’s more a question of the sophistication of the applicants and their contacts or ability to contract a professional lobbyist (or someone who specializes in applying for government grants and other funding programs).

Still, the fact remains that this idea, for better or for worse, seems to touch a chord in people: some for the good, others for the bad.

Strangely, when it comes to ecosystems, we see very little in the nature of such contradiction. Very few people we have ever encountered seem to think bringing ecosystems back into our lives in a meaningful way is anything less than a brilliant prospect.

Perhaps it’s because everyone, deep down, feels an instinctive longing to reconnect with that part of themselves which aligns with harmony and mutual symbiosis—with each other; with the planet. Perhaps it’s as simple as a deep-felt longing to recover what was lost when industrialization and technology began wiping nature from our minds, lives and the surface of the planet.

In any case, what our experience tells us is this: no matter what kind of road we take moving forward—solar powered or otherwise—we would all do well to listen to our intuition and deepest instincts of connection if we hope to encounter innovations like Solar Roadways and simply know, intuitively and instinctually, if they are “good ideas” or not. 

Ecosystems can help us align with that deeper, higher centre of ourselves.

For more YouTube videos for and against Solar Roadways, click the image below:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=solar+roadways

War of the Wolves B.C. Should look to Yellowstone Case before Wolf Cull

Video: Wolf cull in B.C. | A War on the Wolf   
Source: CBCNews http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2653349257/

“Nature needs no help, just no interference.”
~ BJ Palmer
Source: greatest-inspirational-quotes.com: The Greatest Inspirational Quotes Nature

Today we look at a contentious issue again, one which rattles people on both sides of the argument: human interference or non-interference with nature?

Should human beings overtly get in the way of natural processes, systems—ecosystems—extinctions, even? It is a contentious and emotional issue. After all, as people we tend to get pretty attached to one of two deciding factors in the argument:

1. Nature First:be it a moral position of superiority over human judgment; or, an ethical statement on the rights of animals and plants to exist free from suffering. 


2. Humans First:be it our position of moral superiority (being “conscious,” the most “evolved” of all animals, and/or divinely assigned the role of guardian and custodian of the planet and all life on it; or, a pragmatic secular statement on humanity’s rights to exploit nature however and whenever it deems necessary; that this, too, is survival of the fittest.

These two positions are not mutually exclusive.  In the case of the proposed B.C. wolf cull discussed in the video which opened today’s article, advocates of the cull are claiming good ecological stewardship, claiming they have the best interests of the “endangered” caribou at heart—a “beloved Canadian symbol.”

We can’t help but wonder if those considering this cull have looked into the Yellowstone case for what the large-scale impacts that top-level predators have on ecosystems.

Video: The importance of predators, the Yellowstone case 

Source: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAGEXDlUHDE

We wish to try and be somewhat balanced in sharing this information; so for the sake of balance, we should point out that even the Yellowstone “success story” has its detractors. One man’s success is another man’s disaster. This should come as no surprise.

Video: Crying Wolf: Exposing the Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park – Preview 

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHRWIrbrlHI

Good or bad, right or wrong, for better or for worse, one cannot debate that the re-introduction of wolves to Yellowstone was a human intervention…albeit reversing previous human interference which included culling wolves and/or driving them from Yellowstone in the first place.

The point is, human beings have an ongoing and unquestionable knack for intervening in nature which leads to highly disruptive if not all out disastrous results.  The planet even has a continent which more than any other has served as a massive experiment in species introduction, relocation, and interference…Australia.

Video: Human interference with nature - it doesn't work! - BBC wildlife 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMG9CzArGBE

So where do we end up? Species introduction bad? Species reintroduction good? In the final analysis, these questions of good or bad, right or wrong have no place in the discourse of nature. We should, by now, know all too well that nature does not share humanity’s ideas of morality, nor does it function on a purely binary code of conduct.

At times life appears sacred to nature, and we see it nurturing and fighting to protect life at all costs from all threats. At other times, nature appears callous and uncaring, partaking in wholesale destruction of entire species.

Nature is mysterious that way, and the thinking human doesn’t like mysteries…the thinking human likes to be in control. We like to think we have the answers, and want to believe we know what we’re doing. Humanity like to think ourselves masters of the universe, whether we are scientists manipulating genes in test tubes, or spiritual gurus professing ourselves to be one with the Source of the Universe.

The problem is precisely our point of view…not which point of view we have, but the fact that we have one at all. It’s the very notion of imposing what we think—from our subjective perspective—needs to be done on what operates on a fundamentally objective paradigm.

Say what you will about nature, it at times appears fair and other times unfair…but what it is not is biased. Nature is what it is. And truthfully, it’s only from this level of consciousness that anyone can hope to approach any problem in nature and hope to get it right.

Intervention? Non-intervention? Who knows? Here’s what we do know: you’re never going to think it through…like so many of our experiences of nature, you have to feel it, but not subjectively in the mind (“poor caribou, poor moose, poor wolves”), but objectively: what is most beautiful.

You can fill countless textbooks on the ecological effects of this or that; using statistics, satellite imagery, head-counts of fauna, and every conceivable metric to stimulate the mind in an attempt to convince it of what is right or wrong. But to know what’s most beautiful you only need your imagination...

Australia overrun with foreign invaders? Yellowstone returned to her former glory? Unknown consequences to B.C. ecosystem?

Just feel it. What feels right?

Did the Romans know more about the Nature of Concrete than we do?

Image: The concrete walls of Trajan’s Markets in Rome have stood the test of time and the elements for nearly 2,000 years.
Credit: Marie Jackson 

Source: sciencedaily.com: Back to future with Roman architectural concrete: Advanced light source reveals key to longevity of imperial Roman monuments

“The architect should be equipped with knowledge of many branches of study and varied kinds of learning, for it is by his judgement that all work done by the other arts is put to test. This knowledge is the child of practice and theory.”
~ Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, De architectura, ~ 15BCE.
Source: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Vitruvius

It’s never an easy idea to swallow: the ancients may have known things that we don’t. They were able to accomplish things which we can’t, despite all our knowledge and technology.

Actually, the idea that the ancients were superior to us in any way at all is a “crackpot notion” which is never acknowledged by present day “experts,” despite there being hundreds of observable phenomena and material achievements which defy all explanation by modern scholars.

Egypt is a great source of such enigmas. From the colossal—the Great Pyramid of Giza itself—to the small—onyx vessels with a tiny neck perfectly carved from a single stone, no one knows for sure how the Egyptians could manage various feats of engineering given the “consensus” view of what tools, materials and technology were available to them at the time.

The Roman civilization had its own secrets which scientists have only recently begun to decode. Among them, the incredible durability and longevity of Roman concrete.

From the Pantheon, Trajan’s Markets and the Colosseum to any number of incredible concrete structures throughout the ancient capitol and beyond, modern architectural engineers can only gaze in wonder and marvel at technology which has stood the test of time and the elements for almost two millennia.

Image: Gardiner Expressway versus Roman Concrete. 

Sources: http://romeonsegway.com/10-facts-about-the-pantheon/, 

http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/showpicture.htm?key=kveit1352, 

http://www.thehistoryhub.com/colosseum-facts-pictures.htm, 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/what-to-do-with-toronto-s-crumbling-gardiner-expressway-1.2055339 

And if you think the above comparison of Roman concrete to the Gardiner Expressway, consider that Marie Jackson, lead author of two papers on the subject, said “Roman concrete has remained coherent and well-consolidated for 2,000 years in aggressive maritime environments…It is one of the most durable construction materials on the planet, and that was no accident. Shipping was the lifeline of political, economic and military stability for the Roman Empire, so constructing harbors that would last was critical.” Source: http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/06/04/roman-concrete/

Well thanks to Jackson, a team of researchers and advanced imaging techniques, modern technology has a shot at redemption.

“Using the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), a research team from the University of California, Berkeley, examined the fine-scale structure of Roman concrete. It described for the first time how the extraordinarily stable compound – calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H) – binds the material used to build some of the most enduring structures in Western civilization.” Source: http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/06/04/roman-concrete/

Here’s an idea of what it looks like:

Image: This scanning electron microscope image shows crystals of a rare mineral, Al-tobermorite, magnified about 25,000 times. UC Berkeley researchers characterized Al-tobermorite in samples of Roman concrete. Credit: UC Berkeley 

Source: newscenter.berkeley.edu: To improve today’s concrete, do as the Romans did

According to researchers, manufacturing Roman concrete not only promises a more durable product; it’s more sustainable too: using far less heat energy than the standard Portland cement (the key ingredient in modern concrete) and leaves a much smaller carbon footprint.

At 19 billion tons, some estimates place the carbon emission contribution of Portland cement to be 7% of our overall carbon footprint. No small sum, given all other sources of atmospheric CO2.

At Genesis Eco Fund, we think there’s something more fundamental about this research, which is sadly lost on the researchers but significant.

 Image: Nikola Tesla’s assertion that crystals are alive.   

Credit: crystal-life.com: Cosmic Portal – Crystals Are Alive

“Crystals are living beings at the beginning of creation."

~ Nikola Tesla

Source: http://www.unt-genius.hr/en/quotes.html

Crystals are alive.

The descriptions provided about how Roman Concrete was produced—and that it was composed of mortar formulated from lime, volcanic ash and chunks of volcanic tuff and brick—indicate an aggregate which is alive versus the lifeless concrete of today.

Consider:

“The mineralogical changes that Jackson and her collaborators observed showed the mortar reproduction gaining strength and toughness over 180 days as calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H) cementing binder coalesced and strätlingite crystals grew in interfacial zones between volcanic scoria and the mortar matrix. The toughening of these interfacial zones is reflected in the bridging crack morphology, which was measured by co-author Landis at the University of Maine, using computed tomography scans of the fractured mortar specimens. These experimental results correlate well with computations of increasing fracture energy determined by co-author Brune, now at Dupont Technologies. The strätlingite crystals show no corrosion and their smooth surfaces suggest long-term stability, similar to geological strätlingite that persists for hundreds of thousands of years.” Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141215185026.htm

In essence, the situ crystallization of the strätlingite crystals produces an interfacial microstructure which is superior to that of modern-day Portland cement, whose porosity is what gives rise to cracks and fractures.
In the end, it would seem the Romans knew something about the true nature of crystals and crystallization and its effects on the nature of concrete. 

The bottom line?

Given the climatic changes and geological challenges facing modern civilization, we would do well to continue looking into ancient methods and materials which have stood the test of time. More importantly, to expand our minds and embrace ancient philosophies related to the nature of things, philosophies which modern science is slowly discovering were really “natural philosophies” that is, the original name given to the study we know today as science.

Certainly, using living materials is the hallmark of any truly Advanced Civilization, and a requisite for Advanced Human Habitat.

One Million Children in Meditation Show us the Power of Ecosystems

Image by GenesisEcoFund: Flower of Life Blooms in Thailand: 1 Million Children Strong  
Credit: BBC Video  Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21016612

“The first goal is to get 10,000 students practising Transcendental Meditation in the U.S. to create a wave of peace in America that will be a catalyst for peace in the world…”

~ David Lynch 

 

Quote and Image Source: http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/words/Transcendental%20meditation

A few weeks ago we wrote a blog asking What can the Ferguson Riots teach us About Ourselves and the Flower of Life? And while this was all well and good, today we offer an expansion on the subject of the flower of life, morphogenetic fields, the impact of collective energy and consciousness on our well being. This time, from what we hope will be a more positive example.

According to organisers of the V-Star Change the World project, their most recent event—which brings together schoolchildren for a day of meditation—was attended by one million children. The event was held at Phra Dhammakaya Buddhist temple near Bangkok, Thailand.

As the following BBC report states, the event has not been met without some controversy in the past, with critics claiming it to be everything from a publicity stunt to a cult. Nonetheless, the Temple believes bringing children together to meditate on masse can indeed change the world.

Video Screenshot & Link: 'One million children' join Buddhist meditation event

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21016612

So what does a million children have to do with ecosystems?

As we previously explored in the aforementioned post about Ferguson MO, we each have an electromagnetic field which, when it is compounded with that of others, creates a more intense energy field.

We asked the question, “How is it that one person’s negative energy can interfere with the electromagnetic field of hundreds of people?”  The answer was “the flower of life,” an ancient symbol describing the interaction of electromagnetic fields in 3-dimensional space and the resulting phenomena of the morphogenetic field and the bizarre and/or violent behaviour of individuals caught up in “crowd mentality.”

The following video excerpt from Thrive shows how this happens:

Video: How electromagnetic fields (torus) compound each other to create powerful morphogenetic fields, shown in “the flower of life.”

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgGtMiqGKeg

Just as negatively-charged morphogenetic fields have a negative effect on individuals, positively charged ones will have a positive, beneficial effect.  

And it’s not just people who generate these fields. All living things have an electromagnetic field, even the planet itself (which is the source of the aurora borealis). In fact, the planet’s field is partly made up of the field of every living thing living on it. This is where the claim a million meditating children can change the world comes from…it’s literally true that a million beings resonating in harmony will have a positive harmonic effect on the whole.

Now imagine being a part of that resonance field…a field of harmony, peace, joy, happiness, and love? Innocence, intensely expressed, compounded.

We cannot orchestrate such events on a regular basis in our life. But what we can do is create a similar space of love where we live, work and heal using a high order rainforest ecosystem.

Image: An ecosystem 

Sources: http://mysticmedusa.com/2012/05/heart-electricity-is-stronger-than-brain-voltage/ 

Torus: http://www.horntorus.com/illustration/standard_dynamic_horn-torus_still.html

Like one million meditating children, an ecosystem has the benefit of numbers. Though not in the millions, ecosystems work in the range of billions of organism—yes, billions…we cannot discount the existence of bacteria and other microbes whose function is paramount to collective harmony and symbiosis of the superorganism.

Ecosystems resonate with one shared frequency of balance and harmony. And, even moreso than children, ecosystems are innocent. They have no ego to speak of. This naturally cleansing environment is why people are so drawn to escape big cities and the collective consciousness of chaos of modern living to seek refuge out in nature. We need to surround and immerse ourselves in the energy which only nature can provide: pure, balancing, refreshing…truly alive.

Truly, we all stand to benefit from getting the flower of life to bloom in our lives.