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Heaven is a Garden – Jan Johnsen
A few years ago I read a paper about how grasses ‘moved’ to music, then I read about the effects of harmonious sounds on plant growth.
Why do I mention this?
Well a few weeks ago we were talking about Tesla and his discoveries, which led us to talking about vibrations, sound waves, force fields etc., then a strange thing happened.
Ann and I interviewed a wonderful lady landscape architect Jan Johnsen, about her new book “Heaven is a Garden” we talked a little about how at a very young age she discovered during a science fair competition – which against all the odds she won – the effects early morning birds singing have on plants. The sound waves, which are similar to a violin stimulate a plant to open its stomata taking in carbon-dioxide to help it grow quicker.
Jan has written a book called Heaven is a Garden, it’s a really fascinating and informative read. Jan has ‘connected’ the dots so as to speak, between the natural world and our emotions. How the Four Winds are important when laying out a space,the careful use of curves, and my favorite Golden Rectangles and the Divine Proportion. – Phi is the mathematical proportion ( 1 : 1.618) we see in every natural form. Using this proportion ensures a sense of harmony in any outdoor space that contains it. I’ve always tried to use these proportions in my designs.
Jan then talks about Trees – natures rechargers as she puts it… The Celts shunnache, the Hindu tree devas, and Greek dryads are really references to light energy? The Chinese call this energy chi…the Japanese consider the health giving properties of trees the basis of a medical therapy called ‘ Forest bathing’, it helps reduce stress.
Jan then discusses the magnetic attraction in a Zen garden – rocks in these gardens reflect a deep understanding of the geomagnetic properties of stone and its impact on a place.
Finally the benefits of color in a garden.
You can listen to our truly fascinating interview with Jan Johnsen or if you prefer on iTunes at Growing Trends or just click on the arrow below to start the interviewWe would love to hear from you if you like this interview
Ann and Chris,
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Views: 141
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Growing Potential for Algae – Part one
Our interview this week is with Bill Sosinsky and Joe Ravet, it’s all about the amazing properties of algae and the work being done today that could transform many areas of our lives. This fascinating interview is in two parts, with the second part coming next week.
Algae has some fascinating uses :-
As an Energy Source – a 737 plane flew from Houston to Chicago on fuel derived from algae, way back in 2011
As a Fertilizer – from as long ago as the 16th century, seaweed has been used a fertilizer.
As a source of Nutrition – China has been consuming Algae for over 2000 years, they harvest over 70 species as does Japan, Ireland, Chile, Wales,Korea, California, New Zealand, Hawaii, Scotland, Greenland and Iceland to name a few. It was an ingredient in Aztec foods.
Oils obtained from some algae have high levels of unsaturated fatty acids,others essential omega 3 fatty acids.
As a Pollution control – treating sewage with algae, reducing the use of toxic chemicals that would be used. They can absorb fertilizer run off from fields. Aquariums can be filtered by algae
As a Pigment – alternative to chemical dyes
As a Medicine – helping fight malnutrition, immune health, reducing cholesterol
Amazingly there could be more than 72000 algae species worldwide.
You can hear our interview with Bill Sosinsky and Joe Ravet on iTunes at Growing Trends or here on our podcast just click below to hear
We would love to hear from you,
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Views: 61
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Country: Growing Trends -Small is beautiful in modern energy production
Ann & Chris continue their talk with Rich Sapienza and Bill Sosinsky, starting with windmills and wind turbines.
Rich is a believer in ‘Small is beautiful’ – the idea of making incremental savings of say 25% with smaller units being preferable to building huge systems that may or may not work.
Most of the savings will come as we discover more efficient energy storage and they have been exploring some interesting options.
We then move on to hydrogen power, thorium, Tesla and so much more. It’s fascinating to listen to the bright picture they paint for future generations..
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Views: 68
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Country: Growing Trends -Sustainability for the world today
Ann and Chris interview Rich Sapienza and Bill Sosinsky we talk about sustainable solutions for the world today.
It's fascinating, interesting and very enlightening.
Sustainability must work on its own, grow on its own, support itself with the built-in ability to endure and grow naturally. There must be a plan. As long as we rely on subsidies and philanthropy as the means by which we re-establish our sustainable balance on this planet, we are ultimately doomed. This lack of strategy insures we run out of sufficient monies way before we have fully addressed these essential challenges. The simple answer is that everything must work together and their needs to be a singular general vision that incorporates the best efforts of all the contributing parties
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Views: 55
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Country: Growing Trends -The vision for Energime University
Bill continues his visionary journey creating Energime University.
Empowering the world to re-establish a sustainable environment.
The Tipping Point
As far back as I can remember since we as people began to recognize our potential to destroy our planet’s environment, experts have spoken of a tipping point. This is a theoretical time frame where our collective action would no longer offset catastrophic damage to our biosphere. The reality is we passed that tipping point years ago.
You can visit Energime University here
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Views: 190
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Country : Growing Trends – Introducing Energime University
World Wide WEsponsibility
Bill Sosinsky, Founder, Co-Owner, and CEO of The Energime Family of Companies including Energime Sustainable Technologies, Energime Power, Energime Energy Efficiency and is the Chairman of the Board for The Energime Foundation. Bill is also the Founder and Director of Energime University.
What Energime University is planning to Accomplish
Energime University will have three main goals. The first is to train students in the skills required to run this new sustainable infrastructure. We will need tens of millions of specially trained workers to populate the industries and factories that will produce these new technologies, and direct the advanced agriculture, farming, waste and water management protocols that will be the key to this turnaround. Courses and curricula will be specific to developing this skilled workforce so they can support regional efforts throughout the world. The plan is to empower individuals to participate in the ongoing projects and jobs being created through our global partnerships in these key areas.
The second goal is to offer a basic curriculum to the general population that clearly defines how each individual, household, business, and local government can adapt affordable changes that support this effort. We are living in a new world with new challenges. If we are to get this right it is essential for our population to change the way they relate to our resources. New technologies and advanced protocols will help by increasing output, productivity, and efficiency. It is still necessary to address the consumption part of the equation. If we do not educate our consumer based population to manage their consumption on a more sustainable basis, all attempts at increasing our output will eventually fail.
Finally, we must educate our business, governmental, and social leaders. They need to understand and implement the proper protocols and methodologies required to allow this process to go forward in a manner that is economically feasible and ultimately adaptable. Without that understanding we will not have the money to finance this global effort. This is essential if we are to re-establish a sustainable balance between consumption and resource management. It is that lack of understanding that has been key to our failures thus far.
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Views: 59
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Country: Growing Trends – Bees & Beekeeping
Patti is one of those rare ladies, an expert bee keeper and a fascinating speaker. Listen to her explain the intricate lifestyle of the honey bee, it's truly fascinating and very educational.
We visited Patti at her lovely country home one Saturday morning.
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Views: 86
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Weston Red Barn Farm
We called in to the farm early one morning, just as the sun was rising, to talk to Steve before his busy day had got into full swing.
A trip to the Weston Red Barn Farm is like visiting a turn of the century working farm.
In the spirit of preserving the American dream of farming, the Red Barn Farm offers visitors the opportunity to experience a real working farmstead. We feature traditional farm animals and crops. In addition to the working farm, we offer school tours, a country store featuring our fresh produce, facilities for weddings and bonfire/hayride events and a fall festival where families can come pick pumpkins and apples, take a hayride and enjoy the country.
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Views: 53
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Country: Growing Trends- Kelly’s Garden of Serenity
Kelly was an inspiration, sitting in her beautiful garden was almost spellbinding.
Take a listen and tell us what you think ?
"Finding happiness in a garden – how it's done at the Kelly Gallery"
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Views: 57
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Iconic Gardens of Kansas City – a must visit when in town
Ann & Chris sit down with Duane Hoover horticulturist at the Kauffman Memorial Gardens
and then Jan Schall , Sanders Sosland Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 
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Views: 77
