Random Act of Good

Something somebody/group has done that is an unexpected good deed.

Real Foundation

- Cam Proctor

I would just like to take a moment to apprecieate the good work the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia does for both the environmental and the built environment. Funding comes from the intrest accured upon real estate deposits.

Estimates for similar models in Ontario have been valued in the billions of dollars annually. The foundation’s mission is to support sustainable real estate and land use practices for the benefit of British Columbians. At quick glance, past projects have been salmon restoration, urban planning, education and restoring natural and heritage features.

Man Grows Furniture, Art From Living Trees

- Benny Powers

It’s called arborsculpture, and Richard Reames has been doing it for years. He plants trees in patterns, and uses bending and grafting techniques to form the saplings into benches, staircases, sculptures, and an assortment of other amazing living things.

I believe that if enough people put their minds to using living trees, we can learn to grow houses. I believe that if we put our minds to it, like going to the moon, there’s no reason we couldn’t all be living in houses where the walls and ceilings are composed of living tree material and there are leaves coming out of the roof. We could accomplish this in one generation. We’d build doorways and windows that the trees would grow around, and also plumbing and electrical conduits. The trees would just swallow all the pipes. We’re going to call this “arbortecture.”

You’ve just got to see the pictures in this article!

Book Crossing

- Cam Proctor 2 Comments

A personal friend and overall great thinker once recited that books tended to reveal themselves to people at the right time and place. Some might say coincidence, I say fortune. Book Crossing attempt to engineer that experience by seeding the luck market.

The idea is simple. Register your book online and recieve a free BC-ID (Book Crossing IDentification) and release your book into the wild. This could be your favorite coffee shop, under a tree or any place of significance. Random people discover your book, read about book crossings, re-register the book online and begin reading. Users can track the books they release and monitor the progress. Alternatively, you can “hunt” for books in your local area.

Since consumers are the best critics, book crossings are an excelent way to discover books that impacted other peoples lives. I quote from the Ray Anderson the founder of Interface who attributes his companies environmental paradigm to a chance reading of the Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken.

Multi-Billionnaire Buffet Gives Away 85% of Net Worth.

- Benny Powers

Super-rich American investor Warren Buffet will be giving away 85% of his $44 billion estate to charities, most of it going to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This will be the largest single gift in history!

Warren Buffet is the owner of Birkshire Hathaway. He made his fortune through astute investing. Despite his astounding wealth, he lives a relatively modest life. He takes an annual salary of $100 000 and lives in the same house he has since 1958.

From Me to We

- Adam Clare

Me to We is a great idea! It’s all about getting individual people to make large changes. Some of the people who have taken me to the we level seem kinda cheesy, but hey – at least they’re doing something. From the site:

“Me to We is a worldwide movement of people finding purpose through living with compassion, strengthening community and making a commitment to our shared humanity. “

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