Barney, and me.

This is the very first picture that I took of Barney. On Tuesdays this past semester, I would begin my day by waking up at 8:50 am to get ready for my 9:30 class. Afterwards, I would walk roughly 10 blocks to arrive at the Terra Trace apartment complex. In the absence of a camera, I would take out my laptop, open up photo booth, turn up the brightness on my computer to 100%, and try to find a new angle of Barney that I would capture. I never wanted to post the same perspective as a picture I had previously taken (until today, but the purpose of  the reshowing this photo is purely for nostalgia's sake).

It began with me standing out in the cold, holding the laptop with my bare hands, trying to angle my computer so that I could have a worthwhile picture. Luckily it never rained while I was trying to snap off a photo. But after I got the shot I wanted, I would head into the apartment complex where I would see two of my friends, Emily and Sully. At first they wondered what I was doing, and I explained to them that I was blogging about one of the trees in the courtyard, Barney. They became accustomed to this taking place every Tuesday, so after a while they would ask how Barney was doing, and even tell me about their observations about Barney.

It didn't stop there. I would be over at their place, hanging out and whatnot, and we would be out on the deck, sometimes just Sully and myself, and we would talk about Barney. Mostly about how he's budding, how beautiful he is--things of that nature. More importantly though, it would spark conversation about the environment and our place in it. Barney slowly didn't just become a tree known by 3 people, he became a symbol for me and friends.

Most people would look at the task of blogging about a tree and not think much of it. Someone having to do it might scoff at the task, consider it a waste of time. I'll admit, at times the prompts were not my favorite. Each week I knew that on Tuesday I would blog about Barney and I decided to take advantage of that opportunity.

Barney, it was fun. I will continue to see you throughout my time at IU. Swing easy in the breeze my friend.

James Gross

The Linden Tree (and other things)

Little 5...

Is there more to say? IU students, faculty, residents of Bloomington, the state of Indiana, alumni, even Lance Armstrong, know the significane of the past weekend--and so do all the trees, flowers, shrubs, bushes, and grass; to name just a few members of the biotic environment.

An immediate survey of Barney and his surrounding area, in conjunction with a minimal amount of observation, it's fair for me to conclude that there weren't any negative ramifications from the previous week's festivities.

Now, that's not true for other areas of campus. The overall impact of Little 5 can be fully realized upon analysis of a few basic actions: many people from across the state--and country--come in to visit and partake in the festivities. There's definitely an associative cost involved. I personally had visitors from Madison, Wisconsin, East Lansing, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York...so I think that speaks for itself in terms of resource consumption that didn't even directly happen in Bloomington.

Trash.

That's another direct side effect of Little 5. Although, apparently there were 271 fine citizens who were able to partake in trash pick up last Sunday. So Bloomington did take some action to mitigate the negative environmental effects from the week. Another brief component I might add would be the concerts and the efforts taken to get the bands in here and the stages, the congregation of people, possible noise pollution, so on and so forth.

Below is a picture of a Linden tree.

In the spirit of Linden Whitt; my good friend and neighbor who left us this past Saturday.

Linden Whitt

1992-2012

"A little bit of the unpredictable and a lot of playing the piano."

Socio-Environmental Sustainability...What Fun!

I would venture to guess that the area surrounding Barney is an area that is could be considered socio-environmentally friendly. In the courtyard where Barney resides, there is designated green space amongst the built environment. This is important for a number of reasons: it allows wildlife to create habitats, humans to enjoy the outdoors, and natural environmental cycles to continue relatively unobstructed.

Should we do more?

Would it make sense to picket Terra Trace for crimes against the environment?

Can we speculate as to what would happen if members of Green Peace converged onto this piece of property?? (Oh, the possibilities!)

A definite answer would be...probably not. The environment surrounding Barney is a positive socio-environmental zone. The squirrels scamper around with ease. The birds chirp and mate in tree branches. Humans look out and say "nature...hell yes." The courtyard scores an A-.

A Tree Grows in a Courtyard.

Barney is surrounded by apartments, sidewalks, stones, concrete, a pool, gravel, shrubs, bushes, fellow compatriots (trees), and grass. In terms of Barney's ability to live, he receives plenty of sunlight and water. However, I'm not sure how much of his root growth is obstructed by the built environment, or if this is even a problem.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what is feasible to do, in order to make this area more sustainable. The close proximity of the apartments to one another doesn't provide much of an opportunity for improvement. Especially with there being a pool right in the middle of the courtyard. Perhaps the only real solution would be to make the buildings surrounding Barney more environmentally friendly, that way they are more sustainable and helping to improve Bloomington's sustainability.

Who Are You?

The first thing I looked at when I visited Barney today was his branches to see if they were opposite or alternating--what I found was that they were opposite. When referencing trees native to Indiana, there are only seven trees that have opposite branches: boxelder, white ash, buckeye, sugar maple, silver maple, red maple, and dogwood. My instinct told me that Barney's leaves look unlike any tree leaves that I observed during my time in Dunn Woods the previous week. After consulting my trusty tree chart, I concluded that my instinct was right. Barney is not a tree native to Indiana.

Barney's leaves are unique. They are small and thin, and have a light green color to them. They aren't in clusters, and the leaf itself is light, so I ruled out that I may have misdiagnosed the branches as being opposite because according to our tree chart, the silhouette of a shingle oak leaf looks similar, but it's not a shingle oak. I am confident in that. If you look closely at Barney's bark, it looks a big shaggy, or scaly:

He's a pretty big tree and by that nature, I guess that he's been around for a while. I'm going to say that he was probably planted there. But what I'm wondering is why an apartment complex was built around him, and what the reason might have been, if there is one, for Barney not being removed? His location is interesting. Anyway, Barney is enjoying spring and at some point I will identify who he truly is.

A Poem for a Tree

Oh, Barney the tree,

How art thee?

You look good,

From what I can see.

I walked by a girl

Named Moll-e,

Who just finished watching

Wall-e.

Look it's sunn-e!

So much better than yesterday

When it was...gloom-e!

"The enemy see

A sea anemone."

Editor's Note:

The author would like to acknowledge that this is in fact a poor attempt to construct a poem. He would also like to say that when looking through his inbox yesterday he came upon an email that detailed "free post" as the blog assignment, a task he was so thoroughly excited for. He began thinking of the possibile topics in which he could write about, vis-a-vis, a possible follow up to the entry A Load of Crop--to which the author responded by screaming "$%^& YES!" in obvious excitement and shock to his unsuspecting roommates. After closely inspecting the email his dreams were dashed and he became deflated, thus resulting in this poem. How tragic. The author apologizes if after reading the editor's note you wish you had not. He acknowledges that time is fleeting and reading this constitutes time you will never get back.

A Load of Crop

I guess I will use this space to expound on an organization that I hate and feel as though you should too. Need I go further than mention that American farmers characterize Monsanto as the...*gasp*..."Gestapo"??? And!!! In 2008 there were 16, 196 farmers that committed suicide in India. As suggested in short documentary by Frontline, there was a linkage between farmers who were using GMO's and increased debts...leading to the equivalent of indentured servitude...leading to suicides....all which may not be the actual case, but in any sort of the matter I would like to feel that Monsanto (and Cargill, which, interestingly enough, has their own wikipedia page dedicated to "Criticisms of Cargill") is somehow adding to this measure--not in like a "they're evil and purposely trying to off Indian farmers," but from the standpoint that there is an issue but "we're too douchey and only care about profits." A slogan they probably should adapt.

But let's cut out the morbidity for second and go to something less extreme, something more towards the end of extortion. Here's farmer Joe and he buys seeds from Monsanto. He plants his seeds, only using about 75% of them, and the next growing season he has seeds left over. Joe decides to use those left over seeds--WRONG!!!!!! A fine is slapped on farmer Joe. Monsanto lawyers in their polar bear fur coats, aligator suits and bald eagle skinned hats come driving up the gravel path to farmer Joe's house in Hummers and ask farmer Joe if he used the seeds, and he did, so they take out their gold plated clipboards and platinum pens, cram legal documents in Joe's face, and it's so bad he suffers a paper cut...On the way out from farmer Joe's they swerve to run over his precious dog and cackle like hyenas as they blare Ted Nugent from their speakers and honk their horns wildly riding off into the sunset.

BUT WAIT.

They stop at neighboring farmer Phil's because somehow through their extremely tinted Hummer windows and over their conversations about possibly buying Ford F-150s as the new Monsanto Repo Men fleet truck, and how awesome it would be to have the truck jacked up 20 feet in the air (because apparently that's awesome...), they spotted the lone crop in a field that came from a Monsanto seed. A seed that had blown from farmer Joe's plot of land and landed on Phil's farm, without his knowledge, but you know what??? He's screwed.

"We've got a code destroy-this farmer," squawks a Monsanto lawyer into a radio receiver.

Shortly thereafter a plane flies over Phil's farm and Monsanto lawyers parachute from the plane and float down to the farm by the dozens. Once on the ground they locate Phil and drag him over to the lone Monsanto crop.

"We know what you're up to," all the lawyers say in unison. They all speed-dial the closest court to begin proceeding for the lawsuit Monsanto slapped on Phil seconds after the legion of lawyers jumped out of the plane en route to Phil's farm. Little did they know that Phil's wife recently had octuplets, and oddly enough, it was the second time his wife has had octuplets. 16 kids!! And they all have to go to college. With the measly wages farmer Phil earns, how can he support the 2 pairs of octuplets!!!!!! But Monsanto has no conscience. And another American farmer was ruined.

So let this be a warning to you, and to everyone who wishes to live and not fall to this fate: let this enlighten you to the misery that is Monsanto.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

No budding yet. On Saturday I looked out from my deck and saw that a few trees had begun to bud. I had hoped Barney might have begun to as well, but that did not turn out to be the case.

So what are we to expect? Well, spring seems to be around the corner. There is a feeling though that winter could have one last breath before it gives in. I don't think that a frost, or snow, would drastically impact Barney.

However, there does happen to be one consequence of spring...I had noted in an earlier post that there were flags around Barney that seemed to indicate that some kind of digging. Well, with the arrival of spring, I believe that may happen soon. This could affect the soil around Barney as well as the air quality and drainage. Still hoping that Barney will be here and that the digging won't be too invasive.

Another possible issue could be that with warmer weather, there will be more food traffic; increased amounts of waste around Barney; urination and increase salinity of the soil in the immediate area; organic waste. I also think that Barney can handle this, simply because he has experienced it before and is still here.

Spring would be nice, right about now.

I am fascinated by the prospect of building more eco-friendly cities. I would like to put up a few pictures and briefly describe what is going on around the world, where rational people are doing rational things, in an effort to not only reduce their costs, but to positively alter the environment around them. I kind of wish I had a garden myself, or a place to grow some kind of greenery. Maybe a hanging garden. That would be pretty cool. The air quality of my room would be great. Perhaps I'll buy some plants now. Who knows. It seems like it would be a great addition.

Anyway, here are some cool rooftop gardens from around the globe:

(Chicago City Hall)

(Somewhere in the world, maybe Spain?)

http://www.egodesign.ca/_files/articles/26d_roof_gardens_spanish_dusk.jpg

(Also some awesome place, and rather innovative)

http://topdesign72.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/roof-garden-5.jpg

For the Unabashed Tree Lover: Help is Needed!

Before the concrete was poured, the metal bent into tube like structures and chain links, the wood fabricated into housing structures, the foundations dug--there was a place that existed before this place was erected. Barney was alive for it.

In an effort to uncover what might have seen before all of this construction and subsequent co-habitation with students, I searched the web for a glimpse into this past; what I found was this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLFTEvOVHvc

My first reaction was that there were WAY more trees and foliage back then. There were also less buildings and open space that new structures now occupy. As IU expanded as an institution--due to increased enrollment, increases in state and federal money for budgets, renovations, etc.--trees have been removed, more concrete has been poured, grass has been planted (which leads me to this question: why the hell are Americans obsessed with grass?), parking lots, buildings, statues, walkways, parkways, spillways, tunnels, sanitation networks, areas specifically designed for students to get shit-faced (the tailgate fields), and other things that are imperative for for current and prospective students, in order to keep, and attract, they must build, and build, and renovate! What a cycle! Has anyone asked for natural restoration? Perhaps, a preserve where one can go to observe the once natural, unadulterated habit?

May I insert a picture of a campus where a balance has been achieved with the preservation of nature, particularly with respect to trees:

http://infrared.ucsd.edu/images/ucsd_aerial2.jpg

It is lovely there in La Jolla, California--but have no fear! Bloomington can be just as nice, minus the whole beach thing...where you can go to hang out, surf, have a burrito, open a book...Let's plant more trees. Let's improve our already beautiful campus. Let's do it!

Snow! Really? Yes, it's here (have you been waiting for this?)

Do you see that? The white stuff on the ground??? Snow!!! It's February, and its on the ground. Was it there during Christmas? No. Was it 60 degrees in January? Yes.

So now that there is snow, what does this mean for the local water supply!!??? (The excessive punctuation feels right on this occasion.)

The snow will eventually melt, creating runoff--where will this water go? The layout of the apartment complex doesn't have access to streams or rivers, so I would tend to think that the water would be absorbed through the grass, or stones/pebbles that border the apartments and sidewalks. With that being said, I wouldn't expect the runoff to be that significant. More likely, the snow would evaporate and become water vapor. If there were more accumulation, then runoff might be an issue and flooding may occur.

BUT THERE'S A SHIT LOAD OF SALT ON THE GROUND.

Ok, so there is an issue of increased salinity. In order to keep people from falling, breaking limbs, cracking skulls, busting noses, breaking phones, dirtying clothes--in an effort to avoid things people generally describe as "bad," salt is tossed down onto the cement in order to provide proper footing for people who walk in the area.

Could that affect the grass?? And other plants??? Maybe...Barney????

Trees can actually have a positive effect on areas with increased salinity. Although, I don't think that a situation like this necessarily calls for Barney to have to mitigate the surrounding area, and the salinity is mostly an issue with groundwater.

Salt. Salt. Salt. Salt. So much salt.

Did The Best Part of The Super Bowl Occur Afterwards When Gisele Said "My Husband Can't ****ing Throw And Catch The Ball Himself?"...yes

One thirty-second commercial time slot during the Super Bowl costs roughly 3 million dollars--here are the 8 brands that have wasted the most amount of money (according to economists):

E*Trade (2002-2011): $35.9 million

Ford (2002-2011): $36.6 million

Warner Bros. (2002-2011): $48.6 million

Coca-Cola (2002-2011): $61 million

Yum! Brands (2002-2011): $67.8 billion

General Motors (2002-2011): $135.2 million

PepsiCo (2002-2011): $209.7 million

Anheuser-Busch InBev (2002-2011): $246.2 million

Grand Total of Wasted Money: $841 million

Here are 8 ways these companies could have better used their money, specifically in ways that could benefit trees like Barney:

-Plant more trees

-Buy an acre, or more, of rain forest

-Buy a plot of forest and make it a National Park (ex. The General Motors Round Lake National Park)

-Sponsor an existing National Park (ex. Yellow Stone National Park Presented by Coca-Cola)

-Donate a lot of money to the Sierra Club

-Actually recycle????

-Start a nonprofit organization called "Life Starts At Germination" and picket logging companies

-Fund a movie where Liam Neeson's favorite tree is cut down and he mercilessly kills a bunch of people with a chainsaw as retribution

Oh, @#$%...what could be going on here?

There seems to be some plan to dig in the immediate area surrounding Barney. To be frank, I'm a little scared.

Barney, the Provider.

Among the many qualities that Barney has, the most important might just be his good looks. Amid a courtyard surrounded by old apartment buildings (which look like they were stolen from the set of Star Wars in the 1970s), Barney provides an aesthetic beauty to what otherwise would be described as a visually anaesthetized experience.

Other services provided by Barney include: soil stabilization, carbon sequestration, oxygen emission, wildlife habitat, and moderator of extreme weather impacts.

The most important function just might be soil stabilization. In front of Barney is a small, two-tier knoll--the second tier of which has a significant drop off that leads down to a pool. Barney keeps the soil from eroding, causing runoff into the pool, or dramatic shifts in land formation. Also important is that because of Barney, artificial barriers don't have to be constructed, such as a sidewalk or concrete retention wall.

Here's a Picture of a Titmouse Perched on a Tree Branch With Berries

This is for everyones enjoyment, or fulfillment, as in this bird could help you win a game of Scattergories.

Let's Hope For A Decisive Spring (As Opposed to this Bipolar Winter)

In four months my entity will...(the prediction for Barney is interwoven in between frivolous banter--may this be somewhat enjoyable).

I woke up the other morning to find that my deck was entirely frozen. This shouldn't have been too much of a surprise given that Bloomington is much farther south than the northern suburbs of Chicago, where I grew up, and they have been bombarded with snow. The winters here are much more mild with the temperatures constantly hovering above and below 32 degrees. I'm not entirely sure if the lack of snow accumulation is abnormal or not, but I tend to think that we could be in for a cool to moderate spring.

I'm hoping that come April, the temperature will be a nice 60+ degrees. I would be ecstatic. I have a feeling Barney would be thrilled too. I can't say this with much certainty, but I don't believe Barney particularly enjoys the ice. So far he has faired quite well throughout this freeze. I went out to chat with him and he didn't really say much besides the occasional "pshhh," which I think is his favorite noise to make. I could gather that he might be a little fed up with the indecision exhibited by this winter season.

I believe last spring brought some fairly heavy storms through Bloomington. I fully expect Barney to be able to withstand severe storms; he is nested in a courtyard, surrounded by tall apartment buildings which I think provide a nice buffer to possible gale force winds. I'm thinking that he'll probably have leaves by the time finals roll around. It would be an encouraging sign.

I can't imagine too much else that could happen to Barney between now and early May. I would describe him as an adult tree, fairly mature, still in the prime of his life. Spring just has such a great feel to it, as nature begins to wake up--you know how spring feels. I'm curious to see what kind of birds will hang out with Barney. Robins. Yes, they will be there. I don't know much about birds, but I think it would be kind of cool to observe and see if I can identify any of them. I'm sure there will be squirrels around Barney too.

Well, in four months Barney will have budding leaves at least. And for my boldest prediction, there will be a bird's nest! For some reason, I'm particularly confident about that.

Hello, Barney.

This is Barney. I have a pine tree in my house, Martin, that I think would be good friends with Barney. They're both Daoists, by my estimate at least. I say this because they have a tendency to 'go with the flow.' I was watching Barney the other day and there was a breeze. You know what Barney did? Some of his branches swayed in the direction of the breeze. Daoist.

Anyway, a little story about myself: way back in the 1990s when I was at a relatively young age, my brother and I had watched a National Geographic episode about rappelling, or climbing, something of the sort. Naturally, inspiration followed--we wanted to rappel from trees. We gathered plenty of rope and climbed up a tree in our backyard, fastened the rope to the tree and prepared ourselves to descend the trunk.

However, there was an important component of rappelling that we did not pay close attention to: when preparing to rappel, you do not fasten the rope around your neck. What a wonderful call my mother received from the neighbor as we were about to jump (definitely not proper rappelling etiquete). She must have been so proud of us.