Author: The Outpost

greenhouse home in Sweden
Design, Sustainability

Passive-Solar Greenhouse-Wrapped Nature House in Sweden

In 1974, architect Bengt Warne designed the prototype for a greenhouse home to deal with the cold winters in Sweden. Rather than converting an existing structure and moving inside it, he built a normal house — and then encasing it in glass — a Nature House (or “Naturhus” ). Inspired by these designs, a family has created a home near Stockholm integrated with the elements of earth, water, air, and fire. The electricity bills have been cut in half, heated by an eco-friendly wood-burning oven and a hot water masonry heater. The greenhouse also shelters Mediterranean-style gardens that couldn’t survive the Swedish seasons — figs, kiwi, peaches, wine grapes, etc.

5g wireless technology
Environmental Health

Scientists Warn About 5G Wireless Technology

More than 180 scientists and doctors from 35 countries recommend a moratorium on the roll-out of the fifth generation, 5G, for telecommunication until potential hazards for human health and the environment have been fully investigated by scientists independent from industry. 5G will substantially increase exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on top of the 2G,3G, 4G, WiFi, for telecommunications already in place. RF-EMF has been proven to be harmful for humans and the environment.

Beltane, Scotland
Rituals and Traditions

The Pagan Spring Fertility Origins of May Day

May Day (May 1) marks the return of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, with origins in ancient agricultural rituals to ensure fertility, handed down from the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Later permutations included the Celtic festival of Beltane and Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half a year from All Saints Day (November 1), and cross-quarter day with pagan overtones. Today, this ancient festival survives, including gathering wildflowers and decorating a May tree or Maypole, around which people dance, and some use it for political protest in association with International Workers Day.

Pauline oliveros, Postcard Theatre
Sound

Pauline Oliveros and her Beautiful Canopies of Sound

Pauline Oliveros was a vital creator of new music, a renowned electronic art music innovator and composer, an accordionist, the founder of deep listening and other experimental practices, a genius inventor of sound-making software, and a fearless champion on issues of gender, race, ability, and sexual orientation. Following is an essay on her “Sonic Meditations.”