| |
A frank discussion with a dairy farmer
by Amy Seeger
After their father died in a farm accident, the Jackson brothers, David, Edward and Mark, helped run their family farm just outside Waco to enable the family business to survive. As do many making their living in agriculture, the family worked hard and the sons participated first hand. Not surprisingly, all three eventually developed local dairy businesses of their own. Out of nine dairies still in the Waco area, four are independently owned by each of the Jacksons. David, who got into the business first, owns two dairy operations. While production of milk — an essential commodity — has gotten a bad rap by the environmental lobby, most Americans include some form of dairy in their daily consumption. What happens when it becomes too burdensome in America for dairies to survive? “Got milk, anyone?” p29
pick up the wacoan to read the full stories!
|
|
Conserving and reusing is normal in Ukraine
by Claire St. Amant
While watching a man change a tire using only a two-by-four and a rock, a fellow volunteer came up with quite possibly the best two-word description I’ve ever heard of Ukraine: ad hoc. I wish I could take credit for this gem. Especially considering how many ad hoc contraptions I have fashioned in the last nine months. My bathroom is a prime example: The shower curtain is a carefully cut trash bag held against the side of the tub by magnets, and the shower nozzle is positioned upright using the thread from a clothesline that criss-crosses the ceiling. After months of flooding due to a lack of curtain, and many failed attempts at the balancing act of holding the nozzle in one hand and performing all necessary cleanliness tasks with the other, I found a hodge-podge way to optimize the bathing process. Before I pat myself on the back though, I should recognize this unique genius of Ukraine. The Ukrainians stand above the rest in being resourceful. p54
|
|
Environmentalist | Sustainability Officer | Grandfather
by Jordan Lloyd
With the eco-friendly movement regenerating a sense of environmental responsibility around the world, Sid Ross isn’t about to let the movement pass by the Waco community or one institution in particular. Ross is the director of facilities planning and construction at McLennan Community College. Two years ago, MCC signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, ensuring the college would begin constructing eco-friendly buildings on campus. “That commitment started the ball rolling,” Ross said. “We wanted to do the things necessary to care for the environment, not only for us, but for our students and the community.” MCC’s president established a 10-person committee composed of faculty, staff and students from various departments. In January 2008, Ross was appointed the head and chairman officer of the committee. “They did a great job of choosing people who had a passion for the environment, which made my job a lot easier,” Ross said. p62
|
|
Homestead Heritage embraces green living
by Kevin Tankersley
It’s everywhere in the news. Businesses are hurting. Companies are laying off workers or just closing entirely. The economy is in the tanks. But there are a couple of industries that are thriving in the midst of all this. “At canning jar companies, business is up 30 percent. Seed companies are up 60 percent,” said Kevin Durkin, who works with businesses and development at Homestead Heritage, a community on a 510-acre campus off Farm-to-Market Road 933 past Gholson. Durkin and some of his colleagues spoke recently of gardening, recycling, composting and numerous other ways that Homestead embraces green living. The thing is, however, they’ve been doing it out there for years. The rest of us are just catching on. “When you look at a lot of things we do, what’s new is what’s happened in the last 60 or 70 years,” said Butch Tindell, who helps oversee and teach Homestead’s many course offerings in back-to-the-land subjects like woodworking, gardening, sewing and canning. p66
|
|
