Stay On the Trail

Blooming Cholla Cactus

Here's another plant that serves many purposes in the desert Southwest. Cholla (genus Cylindropuntia, family Cactaceae) grows in the plains and foothills across the Southwest. It's a native species, closely related to the Prickly Pear, that grows in thin soil and on hot, dry sun-baked locations.

Governor Extends State Ban on Oil & Gas Drilling in Santa Fe County

Great Seal of the State of New Mexico

Governor Richardson has extended a state ban on new crude oil and gas drilling in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin through January 24, 2009. The moratorium will allow more time for government agencies to gather information and begin rulemakings to protect water aquifers, archaeological and cultural resources, and wildlife in this ecologically fragile area.

Does a Bear Commute in the Woods?

Traffic Signal in the Forest

How do you use your National Forests? Are you a camper, hiker, equestrian, mountain biker, motorcyclist or an Off-road driver? Given that the National Forests aren't growing (in acreage) but the number of users is, there is some friction between different user groups. To address growing traffic in the woods, the US Forest Service is asking for your input on how our National Forests should be used in a new Travel Management Plan.

The Santa Fe National Forest released its

The Omnivore's Solution - a review of 'In Defense of Food'

In Defense of Food cover

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

Those were the simple directions at the end of The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's a straightforward and direct answer to the question "What should people eat?" Yet somehow, that wasn't clear enough for a lot of people. What is food? How much is too much? What kind of plants? Etcetera and so on. So, Michael Pollan wrote In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.

Building a Better Firework

Ancient Chinese Firework Rocket

The Fourth of July is a holiday famous for parades, back-yard barbecue and fireworks. What could be more wholesome, festive and fun? Well, maybe a little less pollution from the fireworks would be nice.

Stop to Smell the Flowers, Carefully

Bee pollinating Prickly Pear Cactus bloom

Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers. But, smell carefully. The cacti are in bloom along the Dorothy Stewart trail where I saw a bee busily collecting nectar and spreading pollen on this Prickly Pear blossom. It was definitely worth taking a moment to smell the flowers to see this, despite getting drenched in a downpour later on that mountain bike ride.

More Info:

Wikipedia: Prickly Pear Cactus

Wikipedia: Bees

How to Kill (or at least, wound) the Solar Industry in America

Concentrating Solar Power Trough

UPDATE - July 2, 2008
The BLM has reversed its earlier decision and will continue to receive and review applications for utility scale solar power projects while it develops a unified PEIS. Click for the Press Release. It looks like the public comments had a direct influence on the BLM!

Is This Our Final Warning?

Dr. James Hansen

In 1988 James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Space Institute for Space Studies, told the U.S. Senate "It's time to stop waffling ... and say that the greenhouse effect is here and is affecting our climate now." Unfortunately, very little has been done by the U.S. goverment in the past 20 years to address the causes of global warming. Congress and the U.S. have been given a second warning.

Why I Garden #7

Freshly Harvested Bosque Early Garlic

Got Garlic?

Freshly harvested Allium sativum L. (i.e. Bosque Early Garlic). I dug these bulbs up yesterday evening and they are now hanging up to dry. The laundry room is quite aromatic at the moment. My wife informed me that we will be planting 'three times as many' after seeing the ten garlic plants I pulled up. I have no argument with that whatsoever. I may have to try a few different varieties like Spanish Roja or a hard-neck garlic.

More Info:
Wikipedia: Garlic

Let The Sun Shine In

Taos Solar Music Festival Logo

What: Taos Solar Music Festival
When: June 27th - 29th, 2008
Where: Kit Carson Memorial Park, Taos, NM

The 10th Annual Taos Solar Music Festival is a great chance to see some of the best live music under the Sun. The festival features national touring acts and local favorite musicians in the solar capital of Northern New Mexico. Put on your dancing shoes and sunscreen for three days of music, food, renewable energy demonstrations, environmental and wildlife protection groups, green builders, solar and wind technicians and installers, and more!

Musical Acts

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