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