When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine

138 – Local Climate Action Plans

As the global bigwigs have just finished their summit at COP 21 in Glasgow, hoping to set the global agenda for climate change mitigation – things are happening at the local level as well. In fact, many would say this is really where the real progress is being made.

Cathy Cowan Becker, executive director of Simply Living joins Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion of Columbus Ohio's Climate Action Plan – and how action at the local level might just make all the difference.

016 - Sustainable Celebrations

Formal celebrations are an important way to mark life's milestones. As the holiday season is once again upon us, how can we celebrate in a way that is fun and memoriable – but also with as little impact upon the planet as possible?

Join Annie and Jay Warmke from Blue Rock Station for a discussion of sustainable living in the real world.

137 - How AmeriCorp is Cleaning up your Neighborhood

Just as the Civilian Conservation Corp helped rebuild America during the Depression, and the Peace Corp has helped in developing nations for generations – the AmeriCorp is now tackling the problems associated with climate change right here in the good old USA.

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Bryn Sowash, National Serice Program Planner for Rural Action for a discussion of how AmeriCorps volunteers will meet the challenges presented by a changing environment.

136 – Smart Homes

The electrical grid has not changed much since the days of Edison and Tesla. The electrical system in your home has largely remained the same since screw-in fuses were replaced by circuit breakers in the 1960s. But all that is about to change.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of how distributed energy (wind and solar) is changing how power is delivered to your home and how smart home devices are going to dramatically change how you consume that power.

073 – Alternatives to Money

• Money is simply a paper IOU (and not really even paper) that is only as valuable as the faith you put in the promise. And usually not even paper – only about 5% of the world's money is in physical form. The rest are simply electrons floating around in some cyber cloud. So what is money and how does it work?

• What are some of the alternatives to traditional money systems. Are we in the process of moving from country-based money to technology-based money?

• Can you live comfortably in an economy that is not rooted in the concept of money?

• And what happens when the money-based economy stumbles or crumbles?

135 - More FAQs about 30 years Living in a House Made of Trash

About 30 years ago, Annie and Jay Warmke decided to build an Earthship (a home made of tires, cans, bottles, mud and recycled materials) in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Over the years, many of the nearly 40,000 visitors have had questions about the hardships and realities of seeking a sustainable and purpose-driven life.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion what was gained and what was lost in dropping out of the consumption-driven lifestyle to build a life more connected to the earth.

134 - Marketing Yourself

So how can you live your dream but still pay the rent?  Many see it as a choice of either working at a soul-sucking job or struggling to make ends meet as you build your little cabin in the woods.   But there is a lot of space between those two choices.

Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station are joined by Elyse Perruchon, who has co authored a recent book, the Family Guide to Medical School Admissions.  So how does this relate to sustainability? 

Getting into an elite school involves a great deal of self-evaluation, developing your narrative, marketing yourself, and relying to the support of your family and community.  Living a purpose-driven life requires the same.

133 - Electric Vehicles (EVs) in 2021

Most major automobile companies have announced that they are transitioning to a fully electric fleet over the next decade or two. EVs (electric vehicles) are becoming more common – accounting for 25% of all cars sold in 2020. India and China will soon challenge Detroit and Japan as they build their EV manufacturing capacity. We are witnessing the death (or maybe a slide into retirement) of the internal combustion engine.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion where we are as a society with electric vehicles today – and where we are headed in the next decade or so.

132 - Earthship Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

About 30 years ago, Annie and Jay Warmke decided to build an Earthship (a home made of tires, cans, bottles, mud and recycled materials) in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Over the years, nearly 40,000 people have visited and normally come loaded with dozens of questions.

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of some of the frequently asked questions about the good, the bad and the ugly of living in a house made of trash.

131 - Sustainable Utilities

So you have decided to build your dream cabin out in the woods and sit out the Zombie Apocalypse.   So how would you design your lifestyle so that the utilities you consume are reliable, safe and gentle on the planet?

Join Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station for a discussion of the various utility systems options for water harvesting, waste disposal, heating and cooling, electricity and even communications.