ypsi~dixit

When the shit hits the fan I will immediately take over the Farm Bureau tower on Forest. Impenetrable and fortress-like, I will be able to see the enemy encroaching from afar and pick them off one by one.

All righty. Well, I'll be sure to give it a wide berth. My idea was seeking some slightly more cooperative efforts. :)

Funny thing is that the post-apocalyptic book I'm reading, Earth Abides, lacks many of the elements attributed to post-a fiction; roving biker gangs, savage fights for survival, the ultimate faceoff with evil, &c. There are surpluses of food, for example. It's quite interesting.

from the Earth Abides Wikipedia entry:

"Perhaps this novel's most striking aspect, in the context of modern literature and culture, is its lack of common post-apocalyptic conventions: there are no biker gangs, roving bands and tribes, final confrontations between good and evil, and no indomitable enemy to fear and fight. There are not even shortages of food, shelter, or supplies.

"Fundamentally, the novel reads like a dirge for the end of society and mankind's supremacy, without lamenting Mankind's end. Stewart spends much time discussing the emptiness and decay: clogged storm drains, water seeping into houses and rotting carpets, termites in collapsing houses, dust (and grass) settling into the corners of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the work of rain and frost on the northeastern roads."

From a better review of Earth Abides:

"Earth Abides takes a more organic view. Once its plague kills off the vast majority of humanity, leaving only a few scattered survivors to stumble across each other on a playing field the size of a continent, the game is essentially over. There will be no rediscovery of great technologies. There will be no bold charismatic leader capable of leading those remaining to a new golden age. There will be no grand scheming villains either—only the inevitable decay that comes when the population falls below the number of people required to keep a civilization going. The protagonist, Ish, wants to honor the world he came from. But he's the only one who wants it, and he wants it only enough to talk about it. The tribe he builds around himself comes to see him as a eccentric irrelevancy, constantly spouting off about a world in which nobody believes. By story's end, the community he founded has become a band of superstitious hunter-gatherers, as primitive as the Cro-Magnon."

Sorry for the derail, there. OK, back to SPAY!

Sounds like a job for the Girl Scouts, (and Boy Scouts). Suggested viewing: "A Boy and His Dog" with Vincent Price; roaming bands of moraless gangs roam the surface of the earth digging through ruined cities looking for food. There's more, a secret underground 'Victorian' society seeks donors for it's weakening gene pool. Rent the movie (under Sci-Fi), shocker/surprize ending.

...?

Why not start a "Sustainability in Pre-Apocalyptic Ypsilanti" discussion group?

Ya got a dangling modifier, there, Anonymous. But never mind. Modifiers will be allowed to dangle freely in the breeze in post-apocalyptic Ypsilanti.

Why Wait: Oh, I guess "post-apocalyptic" has a sort of ring to it. :)

Don't worry. When the shit hits the fan I'll make sure none of it gets on you.

Yikes! That was some pretty quick posting, Y. Thanks for getting the ball rolling. I LOVE the idea about waterwheel. Does Parker Mill still have water power?

Folks should also go see Dave Strenski at the EnHouse at 11 AM this Saturday. He will be talking about the solar installation at the Co-op. I will be there to discuss eco-renovation of the manse. If you miss it, he will also be talking at the Corner Brewery on August 17, same topic.

Has any of this Discussion group in Ypsilanti run a business in dowtown Ypsilanti Michigan?
That would help.

It's to say the least; quite interesting.
Tough, in the trenches, reality.

Anonymous - have you run a business in downtown Ypsilanti? Maybe you could contribute your wisdom to the discussion group.

Because, as I see it, locally-owned small downtowns are an important part of sustainability.

(p.s. I'm implicitly asking to join up, myself. Regardless of the name.)

I think it might be kind of fun to learn about that kind of stuff. At the very least, we can expect energy prices to keep rising. At some point it will make real economic sense for individuals to try to have solar and wind if they can. What would Ypsilanti's historic district commission say about solar panels on a roof or a wind mill in a yard?

Good question, Lynne. They approved the solar panels on the food co-op, though those are obscured by the cornice on the building, I think. They have frequently(?) approved new skylights on houses in the historic district, which would seem to me a decent reference point. (Concerns with skylights, on the approvals I've flipped through, seem to include a desire that they lay as flat to the roof as possible.)

In order to get a definitive answer, though, you'd have to bring them a proposal and see what they say. Nothing the HDC members (or anybody) says is binding / authorizing unless it's part of a formal proposal.

(Note: in my current employ with the City, I serve as staff support to the HDC, among my myriad other tasks. Which means that I can tell you about the procedure, and can tell you what the HDC's concerns might be, but I can't tell you anything for sure. Right now, of course, as with anything else I might say online, I speak purely as a somewhat-more-informed-than-median citizen.)

Similarly, as a private citizen reasonably knowledgeable about the zoning ordinance, I think a windmill would probably be considered under the ZO's language on "structures accessory to and customarily incidental to any special uses." A small windmill for personal electricity generation would stand a better chance than an industrial turbine, but I'd really have to be at work and looking at a specific proposal to say anything intelligible.

In general, and working from memory, an accessory structure has to be in a side or rear yard, at least 3 feet from the lot line (1 foot from a lot line onto a boundary) and at least 7 feet from any habitable principle structure, and no more than 25 feet tall. Consult your local zoning ordinance for details or call the planning department during biz hours: 483-9646.

If your wood ain't cut, split and stacked by now your screwed.

Murph: we would be flattered if such a knowledgeable and sharp person as you joined. You would have so much to contribute. Yay! Welcome!

I mean, I can't speak for Lisa, but if she knew you, I'm sure she'd agree.

In general, and working from memory, an accessory structure has to be in a side or rear yard, at least 3 feet from the lot line (1 foot from a lot line onto a boundary) and at least 7 feet from any habitable principle structure, and no more than 25 feet tall. Consult your local zoning ordinance for details or call the planning department during biz hours: 483-9646.

That's some good solid information there. Thanks, Murph. That means that I could put one or more 25-foot windmills in my back yard. This is exciting news. 25 feet is pretty darn tall. You could make a heckuva big windmill. You could also make the blades of clear plastic so that they'd be less noticeable.

Does Parker Mill still have water power?

No, but the very ingenious turbine system is intact. I was there with the adventurous friend last weekend on a long bike ride. We scrutinized the many very interesting info-signs.

It's fascinating to see how it works. Basically, a channel of water flows off of the Huron and through the center of the basement of the mill building, then bends and exits into Fleming Creek. While it's in the building, it turns a big metal turbine which is connected to the millstone. It's quite elegant and ingenious.

But the water is too low now to power the turbine. The Huron River was 5 feet higher in the 19th century (and this whole area was much swampier) till we started drainage programs and damming and such.

Lisa: Thank you for the talk info. I'll have to go to the August one, since the adventurous friend and I are off for some sustainable fun tomorrow (bike ride and picnic on the Border to Border trail).

Anonymous: I'm still hoping a wood stove is in my (financial) future. I need to go to Heat 'n Sweep in Canton.

Watch the "one or more windmills". A single family lot is allowed a single garage and a single "accessory storage structure". I'm not sure where windmills would fit (in fact, I'm pretty certain they don't fit at all!), but I'd conservatively advise to expect an interpretation of one windmill, too.

In residential areas outside the historic district, I think the accessory structure height limit is lower - maybe 15 feet? A nod to the carriage barns and other two-story outbuildings in the closer-in 'hoods.

useful info, Murph; thanks. I need to get myself educated on this topic to find out the exact specs for Ypsi Twp.

Well, I envision the diagram as something that individuals can use to determine how well their own/their family's basic needs are met, and how sustainably. The things I entered in the blanks are things I'm either doing now or in the process of figuring out how to do. You might be doing some other things. It's assumed that all items would be re-used, recycled, etc., to the point of zero waste.

I made a solar cooker today from stuff I got at the ReUse Center. It's a pattern I found online. It's out there in the driveway right now cooking dinner and my kitchen is not hot ...well not any hotter than it was before.

Today, I really want to get & install a solar attic fan. The ones I saw in Homepower Magazine this month run about $250 and can be self-installed. The sun turns it on automatically when it gets hot and can lower the temp in the house quite a lot. I imagine it would be possible to have a backup source of power to run it at night, too.

Lisa: I found the diagram to be very thought-provoking and useful. It offered me a platter of ideas and made me assess my lifestyle overall in terms of sustainability.

I am fascinated by the solar cooker. May I ask, how does that work? Is it a sort of Dutch oven with reflectors? What did you cook on it today?

You are setting a good example for the rest of us. My hat is off to you.

I am so proud of my solar cooker! Gary Urick even filmed me explaining it for his ReUse Center event on Sept 16 -- LOL!

So, for $17, I got all the fixin's to create the cooker according to this pattern: >

Oooops, sorry about the abortive post -- definitely not yet wide awake for some reason.

OK, here's the link for the pattern for the cookers: http://solarcooking.org/plans.htm#panel-style. I used the "SPC" solar panel cooker made of a cardboard box.

I got a set of four black silverstone sauce pans and knocked off their handles so they would fit under the glass dome. The glass dome I used is a pendant chandelier globe with the light fixture removed and the chain pulled off, leaving a nice ring as a handle. It looks kind of like a Tiffany Lamp over a pool table but clear and 6 sided. Because some of the glass was cracked, it cost me $3 -- I just taped over the cracks.

Saturday, I built and tested the solar cooker using the new black pots. Cold tap water reached 160 degrees after about 2 hours. Sunday, I made a bean stew and put it in my iron dutch oven and then into the solar cooker at noon. I confess I cheated by heating the pot on the stove briefly because I feared the soaked beans would not cook by dinner time. Then we went out for the afternoon and the storm came through! When we got home at about 3:45, despite the downpour, the iron pot was still scalding hot. (The cardboard reflector, however, was mush.) The soup could have been eaten then, the beans were definitely cooked through. However, we all took naps and I brought it inside to finish cooking on the stove for an hour or so on very low flame. The silverstone is not my first choice, but I wanted something black to experiment with -- then I realized that my cast iron will indeed fit under the globe.

The ReUse Center had about 4-5 more chandelier globes that would probably work well, altho a glass salad bowl, a large plastic bag, or a large jar would also work.

Also, for my $17 I got a bulb planter, an oscillating hoe, a small tea pot, an ice container for the freezer, an air-insulated cookie sheet, four 8" cake pans, a container for fresh herbs, a large willow laundry basket, and a beaver tail canoe paddle. Can you BEAT that?!?!

For some reason, the link to solar cookers (above) does not link directly to the section on panel cookers, so look halfway down the page. The SPC is shown using a plastic bag in the illustration, but in the plans, a clear salad bowl is described. I must admit, I want to try the solar cooker made of an old tire. That should be SUPER simple.

Lisa: That is amazing. I had no idea a solar cooker could work so well. I've got to get out to the ReUse Center to snag one of the domes. You have provided me with an outstanding example of a cool and fun sustainable project. Great for the summer, too, since I don't have to heat up the house with the gas stove.

Some dumb questions:

1. Did you put meat in your bean stew? Can you safely cook meat in a solar cooker?

2. How much time total were the beans in the solar cooker?

3. How was the stew? Did it taste similar/different to stovetop bean stew?

Extremely cool project. I've gotta try it! Thanks for the link to all the solar cookers. Yes, the tire one looks cool.

One more dumb question: does a solar cooker work in winter?

To answer your questions:

No, I didn't use meat and I had similar concerns. Must do some research, but in thinking it through, I bet if you used the stove to raise the heat quickly and then put your meaty stew in the solar cooker, it would be fine. To be honest, I have thrown raw meat into a crock pot more than once and I lived through the experience...

I used cranberry beans (big) soaked overnight and they were in from 12-3:45, but remember, I did heat them up first.

The stew was great! It was a little different... Seemed a little less strongly flavored. I had potatoes, kale & basil in there, with bay, pepper, salt, and olive oil. I amended with V8 and it was fine. I think it was a lot of water (normally I'd use stock) and not enough herbs. Coulda used some garlic, too.

I don't know if you can use it in the winter, but I think so. The pattern was devised in Paris, which is at the same approx latitude as Ypsilanti.

Sadly, looks like the only ones interested in discussing sustainable life in Ypsi is you, me & possibly Murph...

Lisa: Thank you for the answers. You've inspired me to try this project. I'll test the results on the AF.

As far as there being three people in Ypsi interested in discussing sustainibility: three people can effect great and sweeping changes. Plus I think there are plenty of "Sustainables" lurking in the woodwork who would probably sidle up to a meeting one of these days: if we pick good and interesting topics.

On this page, looks like about 50% of the recipes use meat heated on the stove and then solar cooked, some use a "preheated solar cooker," which I imagine means to set the pan in the cooker and leave it an hour before introducing meat, and then some just plop the meat & other ingrediants into the cooker unprepared.

I also found this: "The Global Sun Oven has been used very successfully at the base camp of a Mt. Everest expedition where the temperatures are often well below zero. There are, however, more cooking hours available in the summer than in the winter. In the early summer, it is not unusual to cook from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, whereas during the early winter, effective cooking is limited to 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM." The panel cooker I made is probably less efficient, but still, gives you an idea.

Lisa: This is the coolest project ever. Do you think, maybe, that the first SPAY topic/project could be "Building Your Own Solar Cooker"? It would take little more than 1. a few handouts from the page you linked to 2. maybe one flier explaining the basic principles and how to build a cooker using those principles 3. a demo using your cooker. I'd be fascinated. I'd be willing to help get handouts together if you would be willing to demo your cooker.

This is fascinating! And it seems like it would be so healthy. Seems similar to how some cultures cook food by digging holes deep into the ground.

My only concern... we have alot of feral cats around our house. Do you know anything about whether this would attract wild (or otherwise) animals? Come to think of it, what about the vagrants that I find in my yard occasionally? I guess if I put it on my back roof they'd have a tough time getting to it...

Rachel: I imagine that if the glass dome were used, it would dissuade feral cats. As for vagrants, I imagine the whole setup would be unfamiliar enough that it wouldn't excite attention from passers-by. Alternatively, do you have a balcony or rooftop spot where you could put a cooker?

Yes, I think I could manage that. In fact, I have a pretty large roof with southern exposure. I could probably fit multiple contraptions up there. I bet I could open a restaurant! Guess I should check on my zoning first! hehehe... Better yet, maybe some kind of make-shift soup kitchen for those vagrants. I'm going to have to keep brainstorming on this one. $17 is a pretty good price for all the interesting ideas I'm getting. Anybody have a good beet recipe for the sun-oven? I get alot of those from the farm that I belong to. I wouldn't mind a few new ideas for preparing them!

I would LOVE to do a demo of the solar cooker. Everyone should just bring a large box, taller than it is wide, and a roll of aluminum foil. Let's make them at the discussion group. As I said, a large clear salad bowl can be used to cover pans, a sturdy plastic bag, or large jar. People have also used glass jars painted black to cook in. I heard a smart idea of adhering a strip of tape to one side before painting, then removing it, to allow you to check on what's cooking in the jar.

I really want to do this discussion group. I admit to feeling shy & nervous about it, although I have taught classes before and led book groups at the Ypsi Food Co-op, not to mention the Co-op Quilters Club. Yet, this is more personal and, dare I say it, spiritual. Although I have been sardonic, outspoken and critical in other places in this blog, I believe strongly in the power of diversity and strenth of multiple opinions (not that I won't try hard to change yours!)--and I will change my point of view given good evidence for another perspective. So for those who disagree with me politically, fear not! I'm willing to reach out across difference and I hope you are, too.

BTW, $17 was for *everything* I got at the ReUse Center that day. I only paid $3 for the pendant lamp globe that I'm using for a cover. I also noticed a couple punch bowl sets for sale that might work well, in addition to several other large pendant lamp fixtures. I also "Froogled" the terms "clear serving bowl," and found that party supply places have large clear bowls for CHEEP--I bet one of the party rental places around here would have something perfect for this use. However, I prefer re-use, when possible--after all, sustainability means "waste" must become a resource.