Comments for The March Hare http://blog.dancingrabbit.org Behind the scenes of sustainable living at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Sat, 12 May 2012 15:15:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on May Day! May Day! – May 7 by Dan Durica http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/WeeklyUpdate/may-day-may-day/comment-page-1/#comment-14351 Dan Durica Sat, 12 May 2012 15:15:52 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?post_type=weeklyupdate&p=540#comment-14351 Ha,ha. Thanks for the comment Tonto. We try to keep from getting too riled up at these meetings as we strive to discuss things in a calmer manner using nonviolent communication, but someone did express the need at the meeting for us to say what we really feel. Apparently this was more of a norm in the early days at DR, but I've never heard of punches being thrown. As far as I know nobody is keeping track of the relationship between conflict and astrological signs. Maybe that could be a project for our conflict resolution team. Ha,ha. Thanks for the comment Tonto. We try to keep from getting too riled up at these meetings as we strive to discuss things in a calmer manner using nonviolent communication, but someone did express the need at the meeting for us to say what we really feel. Apparently this was more of a norm in the early days at DR, but I’ve never heard of punches being thrown. As far as I know nobody is keeping track of the relationship between conflict and astrological signs. Maybe that could be a project for our conflict resolution team.

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by Stan @ Jo Ann http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-14300 Stan @ Jo Ann Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:56 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-14300 Tony (& Cecil & Jacob) Very well done! I was impressed that you covered both sides & I look forward to the other 3 parts of the article. I will also fwd it to some friends. Regards, Stan Tony (& Cecil & Jacob) Very well done!
I was impressed that you covered both sides & I look forward to the other 3 parts of the article. I will also fwd it to some friends. Regards, Stan

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by Robby Boyer http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-13979 Robby Boyer Tue, 08 May 2012 03:39:06 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-13979 Or what if New York City didn't ban personal vehicles per se, but just started narrowing roads, replacing pavement with more suitable, beautiful, an permeable walking surfaces, building robust bicycle networks, planting trees in the right-of-way, and allowing merchants to fill the streets with patio furniture, fruit stands, and small performance spaces? Driving your car would grow increasingly inconvenient at the same time walking and cycling became less perilous. You might end up with corridors that look like the Dutch Woonerf, or the old pedestrian malls in Copenhagen where cars are technically permitted, but they're an afterthought, forced to compete with meandering foot traffic and cyclists. So do you ban cars first and fill in the streets, or do you fill the in the streets first and let cars fade away? Planners face these chicken-and-egg dilemmas pretty frequently: If you're trying to create a pedestrian-friendly downtown in an auto-oriented city, do you build a parking garage and then fill in the surface lots, or do you fill the surface lots first and then build a parking garage as demand increases? I think the later strategy makes sense. The City of Champaign decided on the former, so now we have a multi-million-dollar six story parking garage that is never filled PLUS the original surface lots and people still complain when they have to walk more than two blocks to their restaurant. Or what if New York City didn’t ban personal vehicles per se, but just started narrowing roads, replacing pavement with more suitable, beautiful, an permeable walking surfaces, building robust bicycle networks, planting trees in the right-of-way, and allowing merchants to fill the streets with patio furniture, fruit stands, and small performance spaces? Driving your car would grow increasingly inconvenient at the same time walking and cycling became less perilous. You might end up with corridors that look like the Dutch Woonerf, or the old pedestrian malls in Copenhagen where cars are technically permitted, but they’re an afterthought, forced to compete with meandering foot traffic and cyclists.

So do you ban cars first and fill in the streets, or do you fill the in the streets first and let cars fade away? Planners face these chicken-and-egg dilemmas pretty frequently: If you’re trying to create a pedestrian-friendly downtown in an auto-oriented city, do you build a parking garage and then fill in the surface lots, or do you fill the surface lots first and then build a parking garage as demand increases? I think the later strategy makes sense. The City of Champaign decided on the former, so now we have a multi-million-dollar six story parking garage that is never filled PLUS the original surface lots and people still complain when they have to walk more than two blocks to their restaurant.

]]> Comment on May Day! May Day! – May 7 by John F Reed http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/WeeklyUpdate/may-day-may-day/comment-page-1/#comment-13962 John F Reed Mon, 07 May 2012 22:10:09 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?post_type=weeklyupdate&p=540#comment-13962 Hello Dear Dancing Rabbits & Friends! Many thanks for all your efforts, and sharing a holistic view, for me who is growing closer & closer to DR! This beautiful morning I woke up with a new idea: I'll hold a gathering here for a look at the DR intro on the web, and maybe more, with discussion afterward! A five minute walk from where we live is a newish cafe called The Bridge that hosts exactly that kind of community-building event! I did one on Damahur that went very well, with only the hour long DVD a friend who's lived there gave me. 15-20 folks, sharing from their hearts & minds! I'll tell magical Mandy if & when that really happens; or anyone else who'd be interested? I just wonder now, why NVC was not mentioned, around the power issues? Aren't you all experts now? Just joking, such a Jackal word "expert" can be! I am sure not a trainer, either: Rather more the logistics parts of supporting NVC here for about a decade. Now moving onward, to end my lifestyle in the city, and become nomadic until I find The Butterfly! A life in all Love, within & without, life in balance on dear Earth... Meanwhile thanks again for your juicy newsletter, and pioneering work & play! Dancing Rabbits inDeed! hugs*john~Seattle Hello Dear Dancing Rabbits & Friends!
Many thanks for all your efforts, and sharing a holistic view, for me who
is growing closer & closer to DR! This beautiful morning I woke up with
a new idea: I’ll hold a gathering here for a look at the DR intro on the web,
and maybe more, with discussion afterward! A five minute walk from
where we live is a newish cafe called The Bridge that hosts exactly that
kind of community-building event! I did one on Damahur that went
very well, with only the hour long DVD a friend who’s lived there gave me.
15-20 folks, sharing from their hearts & minds! I’ll tell magical Mandy if
& when that really happens; or anyone else who’d be interested?

I just wonder now, why NVC was not mentioned, around the power issues?
Aren’t you all experts now? Just joking, such a Jackal word “expert” can be! I am sure not a trainer, either: Rather more the logistics parts of
supporting NVC here for about a decade. Now moving onward, to end
my lifestyle in the city, and become nomadic until I find The Butterfly!
A life in all Love, within & without, life in balance on dear Earth…

Meanwhile thanks again for your juicy newsletter, and pioneering work
& play! Dancing Rabbits inDeed! hugs*john~Seattle

]]> Comment on May Day! May Day! – May 7 by Tonto http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/WeeklyUpdate/may-day-may-day/comment-page-1/#comment-13956 Tonto Mon, 07 May 2012 20:51:31 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?post_type=weeklyupdate&p=540#comment-13956 These meetings where problems are announced and discussed, do people get riled up during this? Has anybody ever got fighting mad, and/or decided to leave? Does everybody attend, or just people with issues at hand? Are the issues substantial or often times little things? When dealing with peoples issues, do you keep the current astrological transits in mind and how it's affecting people, like solar/lunar eclipses and new/full moons? Have you noticed any particular sun signs that seem to have more issues than others? Do I ask too many questions? These meetings where problems are announced and discussed, do people get riled up during this? Has anybody ever got fighting mad, and/or decided to leave? Does everybody attend, or just people with issues at hand? Are the issues substantial or often times little things? When dealing with peoples issues, do you keep the current astrological transits in mind and how it’s affecting people, like solar/lunar eclipses and new/full moons? Have you noticed any particular sun signs that seem to have more issues than others? Do I ask too many questions?

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by Could Cities Become Ecovillages? | Sustainablog http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-13949 Could Cities Become Ecovillages? | Sustainablog Mon, 07 May 2012 18:52:26 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-13949 [...] board members of the community) digs into the notion in the first of several articles in which he imagines urban spaces operating under his own community’s ecological covenants. Tony defines these covenants as …the foundation of our ecological expectations of residents [...] [...] board members of the community) digs into the notion in the first of several articles in which he imagines urban spaces operating under his own community’s ecological covenants. Tony defines these covenants as …the foundation of our ecological expectations of residents [...]

]]> Comment on The Rabbits Do Dance – April 30 by Dan Durica http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/WeeklyUpdate/the-rabbits-do-dance-april-30/comment-page-1/#comment-13894 Dan Durica Mon, 07 May 2012 02:48:19 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?post_type=weeklyupdate&p=528#comment-13894 Hi Anne. Thanks for your suggestions. I've often thought that we had really good writers here too. Maybe we should consider putting together a book. We do have the equivalent of the old March Hare newsletter in blog format now. I've put the weekly columns in the sidebar and the blog articles in the main body of the blog, but every post goes out to the mailing list. So there are regular articles, they just aren't happening as frequently as the weekly updates. Given that the writers in the community are doing the weekly updates, it's a little more difficult to get people to write other blog posts. I would like people to write more though. The comments are usually reviewed by one of a couple people here, though now that we have this new system of sending out each post to our mailing list that then directs them to the blog, we are getting a lot more comments, and some spam. I will try to keep up-to-date better on approving them. The comments just appear on the blog, though and do not go to the entire mailing list. I like the idea of a radio show. I thought a podcast would be a good idea, since they seem so easy to create and get out to people. It would be an investment of time, but perhaps some here would want to take that on. Hi Anne. Thanks for your suggestions. I’ve often thought that we had really good writers here too. Maybe we should consider putting together a book. We do have the equivalent of the old March Hare newsletter in blog format now. I’ve put the weekly columns in the sidebar and the blog articles in the main body of the blog, but every post goes out to the mailing list. So there are regular articles, they just aren’t happening as frequently as the weekly updates. Given that the writers in the community are doing the weekly updates, it’s a little more difficult to get people to write other blog posts. I would like people to write more though.

The comments are usually reviewed by one of a couple people here, though now that we have this new system of sending out each post to our mailing list that then directs them to the blog, we are getting a lot more comments, and some spam. I will try to keep up-to-date better on approving them. The comments just appear on the blog, though and do not go to the entire mailing list.

I like the idea of a radio show. I thought a podcast would be a good idea, since they seem so easy to create and get out to people. It would be an investment of time, but perhaps some here would want to take that on.

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by tony http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-13822 tony Sat, 05 May 2012 18:21:42 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-13822 Hi Troy, I applaud your ecological endeavors and they are a great model. Our next article will look at the fuel question so I won't respond much to that point, but I do want to say that vehicles have more impact than just their fuel. For one 10% of their ecological impact is in their production, maintenance, and disposal. But even more important is their affect on the design of our cities, neighborhoods, and towns. Private vehicles lead to sprawling cities with suburbs eating up farmland and habitat. Public transit leads to compact cities and towns centered on transit hubs which leave more land available for nature, food production, and fuel production. Compact cities and mixed use neighborhoods help create more community as well. Perhaps raising fuel prices would have the same result - more use of transit, more compact development, fewer private cars, and I would applaud any city having a high fuel tax or road fee. I would note that with high fuel costs people may not drive as much but might still keep their vehicles meaning cities would still need a lot of space for parking - a huge waste of valuable real estate. Perhaps some high cost for vehicle registration or parking could address that problem as well. Tony Hi Troy,

I applaud your ecological endeavors and they are a great model. Our next article will look at the fuel question so I won’t respond much to that point, but I do want to say that vehicles have more impact than just their fuel. For one 10% of their ecological impact is in their production, maintenance, and disposal. But even more important is their affect on the design of our cities, neighborhoods, and towns. Private vehicles lead to sprawling cities with suburbs eating up farmland and habitat. Public transit leads to compact cities and towns centered on transit hubs which leave more land available for nature, food production, and fuel production. Compact cities and mixed use neighborhoods help create more community as well.

Perhaps raising fuel prices would have the same result – more use of transit, more compact development, fewer private cars, and I would applaud any city having a high fuel tax or road fee. I would note that with high fuel costs people may not drive as much but might still keep their vehicles meaning cities would still need a lot of space for parking – a huge waste of valuable real estate. Perhaps some high cost for vehicle registration or parking could address that problem as well.

Tony

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by Cece http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-13809 Cece Sat, 05 May 2012 16:13:28 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-13809 Great post Tony (and Cecil, and Jacob)! This dream is absolutely an achievable one. I can only hope folks in these and other cities will read this and make it happen! Great post Tony (and Cecil, and Jacob)! This dream is absolutely an achievable one. I can only hope folks in these and other cities will read this and make it happen!

]]> Comment on Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities by My soup http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/2012/05/04/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-13797 My soup Sat, 05 May 2012 11:52:05 +0000 http://blog.dancingrabbit.org/?p=500#comment-13797 <strong>Car-Free Cities - Taking the Lessons from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage to the City | The March Hare...</strong> What would happen if a major US city passed a law that personal motorized vehicles were not allowed or at least seriously curtailed their use? For example, what if New York prohibited personal motorized vehicles to drive or park on the island of Manhat... Car-Free Cities – Taking the Lessons from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage to the City | The March Hare…

What would happen if a major US city passed a law that personal motorized vehicles were not allowed or at least seriously curtailed their use? For example, what if New York prohibited personal motorized vehicles to drive or park on the island of Manhat…

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