Talk:Main Page

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Read more here..

• Maybe the front page should be more informational for someone completely new to the subject? By adding a few beginners "Read more here" it would be more enjoyable, or something like that. My 2 cents! --Fat64 16:42, 18 February 2009 (PST)
  • The article "Evolve to freedom" seems like something not far from where I am getting. --Fat64 16:44, 18 February 2009 (PST)

Internationalization

As you probably know, Mediawiki the software you're using is the same as Wikipedia. So you can also use the multilanguage features used on Wikipedia. If you'll adopt that feature, each page could have a translation in a different language.

HTML disabled for non-sysops

Looks like you have $wgRawHtml enabled on a publicall editable wiki. That is really dangerous, it's really an invitation to mischif. For embedding videos, use a specialized extension [1]. If you need full HTML every now and then, make sure it can only be defined by trusted people [2] [3]. -- Duesentrieb 20:56, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

I added an extention called nukeHTMLPHP that's supposed to remove any <eeeeeeehtml>html tags</eeeeeeehtml> in edits from non-sysop users (<-like that) while letting sysop users add the <eeeeeehtml>html tags</eeeeeehtml> (like this). So if anyone needs to use HTML then talk to a wikisysop to enable the html on a page or section. As long as a non-sysop doesn't edit an html section then it should keep working after users edit other sections. -jeremy

ideas for products

I was searching for a stainless steel spray bottle but only found a few links

• http://norbys.stores.yahoo.net/caststspbo11.html 10.99
• http://www.enailsupply.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=15698 35.96
• http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=11318517&RN=937 9.99

This is a very small niche market that OSE can capture when metal working comes online. LuciaStove

Global Villages

would be good to point to a definition and stress on what "interconnectedness" of villages means. Franz 05:12, 8 June 2009 (UTC)

Combined Greenhouse/Solar and Biofuel powered steam generator/distiller system

This is all a brainstorm/pipedream in my head at this point, so criticism, suggestions, refinements, and complimentary ideas/links are welcome.

All this talk of zero waste made me wonder why the combination of several elements to utilize waste streams hasn't been suggested.

In a nutshell, the goal is to combine a solar concentrator with a biofuel boiler to ensure a consistent flow of steam which would exert it's work on a turbine generator. The biofuel exhaust would be directed into a greenhouse or bio-reactor, functioning as a CO2 generator. The feedstock for the boiler would either mix filtered graywater with rainwater, or would have a separate side for graywater, engineered to be easily cleaned. The steam line would be connected to a condenser/heat exchanger, and the distilled water used where needed or recycled back into the system.

I figure you could work in some sort of still that takes advantage of waste heat to get ethanol for fuel, with an initial sustainable crop for feedstock. [4] Watched a youtube video for understanding [5] and I believe a small scale biorefinery that uses the leftover lignins as a main heatsource would be needed.

TLDR Recap

- A steam boiler heated by both solar concentrator and biofuel burner (with exhaust gas directed into a greenhouse or algae bioreactor, maybe both with algae being on the end).

- Heat exchangers where feasible, excess heat used for ethanol still or anything needing heat (interior heating).

- Modular, easily replicable design. Emphasis on flexibility, simplicity, and effectiveness at actually performing in effective amounts.

- An initial pre/post processing area for lignocellulose to be converted and fermented and further distillation of the low-yield stills.

- The combined stills will use the fermented lignocellulose to make low proof ethanol, which will be fed into the post process solar/biofuel powered still to finish concentrating the ethanol.

---

Considerations and pitfalls

• If it's even feasible or possible to do this. I'd imagine having to supplement the stills with more heat then the excess produced by the steam generator.

• Figuring out the ratios, this includes a suitable crop for biomass for the stills and the land required, and if ethanol is even suitable.

• Determining the most suitable and cost effective materials.

• Incorporating permaculture principles to the stock crops, and picking stock crops suitable for permaculture.

• [6] This link is intriguing. Especially the bottom part talking about combining thermodynamic cycles.

• A lot of different fields coming together. An expert in thermodynamics would do a lot to set me straight.

• The design. I picture separate processes incorporated to capitalize on waste chains.

• Variations for different climates, ecologies, and other natural resources available.

• What biofuel to incorporate into the system. Lignocellulose needs a pretreatment. Algae has a few breakthroughs to make before becoming practical. If Ligno is used, a biorefinery would need to be made, and a decision would need to be made on what goes where and how to incorporate the waste CO2 with greenhouses.

• • • And of course, the cost. Being able to fabricate a majority of the parts would be a major plus.

Windward

Haven't seen this mentioned on the site; http://www.windward.org/what01.htm "Building a working model of sustainable community"

"Windward is an intentional community located just north of the scenic Columbia River Gorge about 80 miles east of Portland, Oregon. So far, we've acquired 131 acres of pasture and forested land, put in basic services (septic and water systems, power and internet-access, etc.) and learned a lot in the doing of it all. While we still have work to do, we're proud of what we've accomplished, and excited about having reached the point where our renewable systems are coming on-line and we're able to turn our attention to building sustaibable housing.

Nature is complex, and the rule in working to master complex systems is that everything takes longer, costs more and turns out different than you thought going in. It's only by getting "hands on," and actually working and living with these systems, that the challenges can be overcome and their true potentials realized.

     It's easy to see that change is coming at a feverish pace. What's harder to see is a way to ride that wave of change to a better place; to show that it is possible using appropriate technology to enhance the environment while creating a wholesome, satisfying and sustainable way of life. Put another way, we're working to demonstrate that it is possible to sustainably feed, clothe and fuel a village of twenty people on one hundred acres.

Nature is complex, and the rule in working to master complex systems is that everything takes longer, costs more and turns out different than you thought going in. It's only by getting "hands on," and actually working and living with these systems, that the challenges can be overcome and their true potentials realized.

     It's easy to see that change is coming at a feverish pace. What's harder to see is a way to ride that wave of change to a better place; to show that it is possible using appropriate technology to enhance the environment while creating a wholesome, satisfying and sustainable way of life. Put another way, we're working to demonstrate that it is possible to sustainably feed, clothe and fuel a village of twenty people on one hundred acres." 

Looks like they've been at it for about 20 years.

Also this sounds like BS but possibly worth a look: A book of "Public Domain Inventions" for sale: http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/renewing-the-earth-public-domain-inventions-for-a-sustainable-future/2498556 "Renewing the Earth: Public Domain Inventions for a Sustainable Future" "solar-powered desalination and solar-powered steel foundries, from megascale seawall construction to pumping large water supplies without a pump"

RSS feeds for watchlist - MediaWiki upgrade

Hi there, I just registered here... would be nice to have feeds for watchlist, like recently almost all Wikimedia project and also OpenStreetMaps have. I guess this has something to do with the version of MediaWiki. I have no clue which revision or version has these feeds, but it would be nice to have them here. Like that, one is able to watch multiple wikis and does not have to visit the site to check whether something is happening. Cheers, --Kozuch 17:53, 13 September 2010 (UTC)