Designing with Biophilia in Mind

One of my all-time favorite books on eco-conscious design is Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.

In this book, McDonough and Braungart tell about a factory they designed. A factory you and I might actually want to work in. They designed it with "biophilia" in mind— people's love of the outdoors. Here's the marvelous description of this place that increased worker's productivity. And we should not be surprised, according to recent research that suggests nature's healing, focusing power...

We wanted to give workers the feeling that they'd spent the day outdoors, unlike workers in the conventional factory of the Industrial Revolution, who might not see the daylight until the weekend. The offices and manufacturing space that we designed for Herman Miller were built for only 10 percent more money than it would have cost to erect a standard prefabricated metal factory building. We designed the factory around a tree-lined interior conceived as a brightly daylit "street" that ran the entire length of the building. There are rooftop skylights everywhere the workers are stationed, and the manufacturing space offers views of both the internal street and the outdoors, so that even as they work indoors, employees get to participate in the cycles of the days and seasons....The factory was designed to celebrate the local landscape and to invite indigenous species back to the site instead of scaring them away. Storm water and waste water are channeled through a series of connected wetlands that clean them, in the process of lightening the load on the local river... p.75

If you click over to the Herman Miller page, you can see some of the company's beautiful buildings. And maybe be inspired to include more green space and daylight in your own places of work, community, and even public schools. Now wouldn't that be a beautiful thing?


Green-Walled Building in Paris, photo by J Barkat.

Kindling

"The number of catastrophic wildfires in the U.S. has been steadily rising," reports Scientific American (p.47, August 2007)

Ironically, this increase in catastrophic fires is based on suppression of smaller, natural wildfires. These smaller fires clear the forests of excess brush and debris that build up over time. When such fires are suppressed, the excess brush and debris make fodder for intense fires that are virtually impossible to fight.

Proposed three-fold solution? Let certain natural fires simply burn. Set other areas on fire, purposely. And thin out low-hanging tree limbs, brush, and debris.

When such a policy is pursued, forests are actually strengthened. Also, it's interesting to consider that certain pine cones, like the Redwood cone, must be burned to release their seeds into an environment that ends up conducive to germinating.

This is all highly fascinating to me. On the one hand, it makes me cautious about simple environmental solutions like suppression, that seem wise but ultimately are not. We really do need to take our cue from Creation and see how it preserves and propagates itself. On the other hand, it kindles my thoughts about spiritual growth. Should I be suppressing certain fires that arise in my life? Should I fight the fires of God? Maybe I should let the smaller burnings speak to me... even offer up my soul for kindling now and again.

The Back Yard News, Vol 1, No. 1

Afternoon Sun photo, by Sonia.

This is a new column, produced by Sara and Sonia, with occasional contributions from their friends.


In fiction...

"The Surprise", story and illustration by Sara.



One morning, Sir Cardinal woke up and complained loudly, "Hey, Cat, stop meowing! You woke me up!"

The cat just walked away, ignoring the cardinal.

"What? Not you?" said Sir Cardinal. "Then who?"

Suddenly, a catbird flew out from behind Sir Cardinal's nest, leaving a cloud of feathers.

"Yikes! Ha! It was only you!"

The catbird circled over Sir Cardinal, squawking, "April Fools!"


(Editor's note. Cardinals are here in April, but catbirds aren't. Poetic license!)




In arts and entertainment...

By Sonia. Rose of Sharon photo also by Sonia.

You can take forsythia and if you hold it at the spot that attaches to the branch and let go, it will twirl down like a helicopter. But the four petals have to be fully open.

You can take wild onions and make jewelry from them. You can do the same with chives. Just loop them into circles and weave another piece over and under, around the circle to hold it in place. In this way, you can make rings, crowns, bracelets or necklaces.


In the garden...

Observations and illustration by Sara.



Currently in bloom:

bee balm, daisies (waning), oxalis, nasturtium, pansies, and butterfly bush


Currently producing:

blueberries, raspberries, basil, chives, sage, rosemary, sorrel, red russian kale, fennel, cucumbers, garlic, snap peas, and oregano





Musings...

By Sara. Bee balm photo also by Sara.

I wonder if the catbird will attract any cats?

Wordless Wednesday: Even

Even the thorn bush
blossoms ivory bells,
bleeds a pearl of nectar.


Thorn Bush in Bloom photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Giving Space

Recently, Craver asked me about beneficial creatures. Not like teddy bears and housepets, but backyard creatures. The context was a conversation about leaving "edges" on one's property. Edges are the places where we let native plants grow as they will, to support what they will in terms of insects and wildlife.

I thought to bring the discussion up here to the post level, based on a conversation I had last night. I have this friend who knows all kinds of things. She was talking about bees. How their populations are devastated. Something like 70% gone. That's serious. Somehow, we've not been leaving the bees their edges, their spaces to live and do their thing. (All sorts of theories abound, including everything from cell-phone radiation waves messing up their homing ability, to pesticide application, etc. I suggest Googling the issue. It's interesting.)

So what have bees to do with leaving edges? It simply struck me that we have not been mindful on either the small level (our own properties) or the macro level (agriculture), and we are seeing the devastating results. Somehow this reminded me of a verse (oh, I don't feel like looking up the reference) that says, "Woe to you who join house to house and leave no room in the land for anyone but you." Yes, woe. But we can make a choice to be different. We can give space.

Clover on the Edge of My Garden, photo by L.L. Barkat.

Green Inventions Invitation: if you write a related post and LINK back here, let me know and I'll link to yours.

NEW LINKS TO THIS POST:

Aisling's Wild Edges

Wordless Wednesday: Divine Sound

Forsythia flowers
are golden bells,
ringing, ringing
peace, over the cares
of my morning.


Forsythia bloom photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Wordless Wednesday: Dancing Leaves

Leaves dance
through this
secret place,
follow each other
like a wedding train,
past the shadow
of the pine,
into the arms
of the wind.


Leaf train photo, by L.L. Barkat.

Greenwork

Sometimes when I sit out in my "woods", I see things that surprise me and give me hope. Like the "cross" that's in the picture above. As a person who's into preserving the world, I need such hopeful surprises. For, there are moments when I feel like my greenwork is not making a bit of difference. I feel endlessly sad that perhaps I, and others like me, will fail to keep the world intact.

Indeed, the book of Revelation suggests this is exactly how it will go. The world will be assaulted until it is ruined beyond hope. And those who participate in its destruction will be judged...

...your wrath has come, and the time for judging...both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth. Rev. 11:18

Yet, Revelation also offers hope. Even as its writer, John, weeps, he is told to stop, for there is one who is worthy to open the scroll and herald in a recreated heaven and earth. Indeed, this assurance, found in Revelation 5, ends with a hopeful chorus, sung by "every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them."

To whom do they sing? To the one who was "slaughtered" that we might live (Rev. 5:9). And this song, and the one to whom it will be sung, comes to me in the simple visions of my little "woods." And I am renewed in strength to go on with my greenwork, as a prelude to that greater, future song.

Photo by L.L. Barkat




Speaking of approaching our work with hope and strength, this week TheHighCalling.org is going on blog tour to bring you special ideas about living and working— including many aspects of work and family; gifts and leadership; excellence; integrity; attitude; professional relationships; and service.

If you'd like to be encouraged, inspired, or revitalized by some of HC's earth-in-mind resources, consider these tour options...

Membership... become a member of TheHighCalling.org


Awesome Articles... Memento Mori, Skyscrapers and Leaves


Amusing (and Awesome) Article... Packing Faucets


Other tour rest stops...

Seedlings in Stone
Gordon Atkinson
Gina Conroy
Craver VII
CREEations
Milton Brasher-Cunningham
Mary DeMuth
Karl Edwards
Emdashery
Every Square Inch
Amy Goodyear
Marcus Goodyear
Al Hsu
Jennwith2ns
Chalres Foster Johnson
Mike McLoughlin
Eve Nielsen
Naked Pastor
Ramblin Dan
Charity Singleton
Stacy
Camy Tang

Have a Great Trip!!

Wordless Wednesday: First Harvest

First harvest of the year,
fresh from the back lawn...
young dandelion leaves


Photo by L.L. Barkat.

Wordless Wednesday: Heaven in My Own Backyard

But you, O LORD, are...my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. Psalm 3:3


After today, I'll be on vacation until next week. Hope to see you on Friday.

Looking Up photo, taken at my outdoors "secret spot." L.L. Barkat.