Miscellaneous: August 2008 Archives

PROPERLY EQUIPPED, A BICYCLE CAN BE REMARKABLY UTILITARIAN

I've never heard of cargo bikes before. I've seen people riding bicycles with baskets that they can put a bag of groceries in, or a bunch of flowers, or pulling a child behind in a colorful weatherproof 'capsule'. But the idea of being able to accomplish most of your errands, including hauling a boat (if you have one), wall paneling, or whatever, never crossed my mind. 

I STILL LOVE THIS MAGAZINE

John and Jane Shuttleworth started Mother Earth News with a budget of $1500, and published their first issue from their home in January of 1970. The magazine "embraced the revived interest in the

"Approaching environmental problems from a down-to-earth, practical, how-to standpoint, Mother Earth News has been a pioneer in the promotion of renewable energy, recycling, family farms, saner agricultural practices, better eating habits, medical self-care, more meaningful education, affordable housing, and, in the process, offered a platform for some of the most far-thinking minds of the day".

As interest in back-to-the-land ideas waned in the mid 1980's, so did the interest in the magazine, which was then sold to a major publisher. It has had several owners since then. Despite all the changes, and hefty competition (in a future blog posting) Mother Earth News continues to deliver valuable information for these times, and lots of it.

While you can subscribe to the magazine, you can also get their free email newsletters which come about three times a week. They are loaded with ideas and resources covering many topics and interests.

Here's their homepage: http://www.motherearthnews.com/