20050712
Sola Tunnel? project and bigger projects to come!
My most ambitious goal would be to have a Sola Tunnel? fabricated and ready to demonstrate at the BGG (3rd to 7th of August). Then we could take orders for kits with profits to go to Tsunami Relief?. Anyone who can help make this happen should jump in to support this project. Even if it is too soon to deliver a demonstration for that date we can still do it and find another event in September to put on a show. Also, we can lend the Sola Tunnel? to Nottingham University School of the Built Environment and/or the Cambridge University Shelter Centre for studies and investigations.
Similarly, our USA friends could also collaborate to produce a Sola Tunnel? that could be shown at events and given on loan to NREL or one or more of your progressive State research agencies - so that there is no excuse for not taking action to mainstream Sola Roof Tech.
Let's take up the challenge - grass roots action is the solution needed for world changing results. Mandela said that we must be the generation to take up the challenge; we have the power to Make Poverty History?!
Those who feed on a downward spiral of violence are a small and misguided minority that have been exploited due to personal tragedy and hopelessness. Open Source is a gift for all to use to regain control over our circumstances - no mater how difficult. Every day is an opportunity to move things in the right direction. Ed was saying how his recent near death experience has illuminated his path and when I consider that I could have been on one of the bombed trains - we can see that these traumatic experiences have a positive side of making us aware of how precious life is and how we can feel blessed if we can see a way to make life better for ourselves and others. How we can save our children from a future of conflict over depleting resources. How our solutions can show the way for those in poverty to have sustainable, accessible methods to lift themselves out of terrible destitution.
Sola Roof provides such urgently needed solutions and there is no time to hold back - only an all out commitment to share our best know how, without thought to personal reward will be able to mobilize a vast scale of response such as is needed.
You might get the feeling I am talking to myself - and this is true - my sole reward for "working openly" is to see the growth of this community and to try to appreciate the significance of our "movement" - this is very encouraging indeed. So my conclusion is that I will publish more of the most advanced concepts that I am working on - under the banner of Life Synthesis for architecturally integrated systems and Bio Synthesys? for commercial scale biotech/water/energy projects. I will be doing this at the wiki in new Groups that will have those names. The complexity and detail is best explored at the wiki - but no doubt some discussion can happen here as well.
What is interesting is that these "big" projects have some technical advantages over the small scale systems like the Sola Tunnel? but you still have all the basics in a small project and with a need to reduce every concept and subsystem to the least possible complexity and cost. So there is a challenge at every level and scale of implementation.
What I hope to see is that many individuals and groups will take advantage of the detailed Open Source plans that we are developing. And going with that expectation is also the FAITH that I have in this community that many of the projects will gain funding and will be able to engage me (and others of our pioneering "leaders") to participate as a consultant and team member (paid when possible) so that I can support myself and my family and not need "charitable" support to do what I do.
I also need to ask that those who do progress with this Open Source technology to a stage where they are earning good financial returns - that they then evaluate what can be returned to the community as "Honor Payments?". Also, personal and non profit users right across our community are asked to consider making "Pay It Forward" donations to "Grass Roots Projects", which will get those who are most in need a hand up onto a path to sustainable living. Our challenge is not only technical it is social and spiritual; it is an effort to be creative and show the world a new planet friendly lifestyle: Eco Living!
This is a lifestyle of hope and an expectation of abundant and prosperous living; of sustainable livelihoods and economic growth. We will see the emergence of the Gift Economy. We can eliminate fear of scarcity and extreme poverty and this will be a foundation for peace and true security. Such is our mission if you wish to be proactive and see the big picture. If you are simply a Sola Roof enthusiast and solely focused on your personal and family situation you will have the benefit of knowing that you are part of the solution and that is also good.
Thanks for taking the time to listen and to appreciate what makes me tick and I hope that Sola Tunnel? can turn out to be a widely available kit that will be a show case wherever it is built - and so help to "mainstream" the Sola Roof solutions.
Those who can; be builders of a sustainable future! Regards, Rick
Rick, that is very inspiring. By the way, I live next door to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. If proximity can help let me know. David Braden