Positive Future #477 (Feature photo – Bumble Bee – Public Domain) Inhabitat journalist Lucienne Cross brings us good news about restoration of bee habitats. The legislature of the State of Minnesota just approved $900,000 to help people turn their yards into bee-friendly habitats. Minnesota is not the only state to take action. Other states including…
How Are You Feeling About the Economy?
Positive Future #476 (Feature photo – Powerhouse Mechanic in 1920 – public domain) The National Restaurant Association is certainly concerned about what people feel about the economy. If people don’t feel good about the economy it could impact the numbers of people eating out. Interesting is that millennials are the most negative, with 63 percent…
American Agriculture Gets Jitters over African Swine Fever
Positive Future #475 (Feature photo – USDA Seal – public domain) Agri Pulse journalist Sara Wyant uses the term “staggering losses” to explain what is going on in China and Asia as relates to losses of pigs due to the African Swine Fever. If you are a small local pig farmer and serving local markets…
Are Big Corporations The Next Dinosaurs?
Touch the Soil News #1341 (Feature photo – Dinosaur – Public Domian) Certainly the question is a bit off. However a recent press release by Nestle – the world largest food company – makes one think. In order to invigorate its earnings, the company has announced that it is closing 1 plant of its 413…
The Future of Urban Food Delivery
Positive Future #474 (Feature photo – The P1 eCargo Delivery Bike – courtesy of EAV)) Inhabitat journalist Katherine Gallagher brings us the story of a new expression of cargo bikes. This small partially enclosed cargo bike can carry up to 330 lbs. of cargo and can negotiate dense urban settings. Based in Great Britain, Electric…
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Touch the Soil News #1340 (Feature photo – Integrating Trees into Farmscapes – Pixture2016 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73809651) AgFunder journalist Emily Payne takes a look at regenerative agriculture amidst what can be termed as an unfolding “Topsoil Crisis”. According to the United Nations, 1/3 of the world’s topsoils have been acutely degraded.…
U.S. Postal Service Tests Autonomous Semi-Trucks
Positive Future #473 (Feature photo –TuSimple Autonomous Semi-Truck – courtesy of TuSimple) CleanTechnica journalist Steve Hanley surprises us with a story of how the U.S. Postal Service is testing autonomous trucks at Level 4 self-driving. The Postal Service is testing the autonomous trucks between Dallas and Phoenix. Plans are to start integrating semi-autonomous trucks into…
Where Does Food Come From For These 7 million People?
Vietnam – Culling 1.7 Million Pigs So Far
Touch the Soil News #1338 (Feature photo – Pig Farm – Public Domain NRCS) FoodMarket News brings us updates on the African Swine Fever that is decimating Vietnam’s pig herds. The virus was detected in February of this year and has already spread to 42 of the country’s 63 provinces. Agricultural officials in the United…
May the Wind Blow
Positive Future #472 (Feature photo – 60 Foot, 80,000 Lb. Turbine from 1888 Powered Charles Bush’s Home for 20 Years – Public Domain) Wind Farm Management reminds us about how wind power is a dominant force in transitioning the world to renewable energy going far back in history. Wind has come a long way from…