ski season's a coming!

We may be still getting 90 degree weather, but ski passes are already on sale. Ski pass prices for all resorts in the Rockies has gone up significantly for the 2007-2008 season. As well, gas prices, cost of parking and traffic on I70 are no picnic either.

Car pooling and caravaning are a great way to beat the pains of commuting to the hills. Post which ski passes you are getting and we will try to get some kind of group going on a regular basis.

Wax your skiis or board and hope for a awesome powder season!!!

Sustainability and Skyscrapers

Are skyscrapers a dying breed? Some thoughts on the long term sustainability of the building type.
www.gsd.harvard.edu/research/publications/hdm//current/26_Buchanan.html

Biomimicry and Biophilia

From Andrea DeVico:

Here is a link to the tree hugger blog, featuring the Eastgate Building I discussed in my presentation last night. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/biomimetic_buil_1.php

also a link to other fascinating case studies some of which are available and in use today. http://www.biomimicry.net/casestudiesB.htm

and to begin training... http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/Education%20and%20Training%20Detailed.htm

and Janine Benysus's speech, very intriguing!! http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/19

From Holly:

As an interesting side note to biomimicry, I had a conversation this spring with Pliny Fisk, III from the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. We discussed Biophilia which is the psychology behind the human need for a connection to nature in the built environment. (The Green Guide for Health Care includes a credit point for creating this.) Beyond views and incorporating natural elements, it includes things like irregular clustering of elements, creating a sense of enclosure in spaces, rhythms that mimic nature and areas that encourage exploration and discovery.

Here are a few links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophilia_hypothesis

http://www.aia.org/nwsltr_print.cfm?pagename=cote_a_200608_biophilia

http://arts.envirolink.org/interviews_and_conversations/EOWilson.html

http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-bio2.htm

Volleyball of the Rockies!

For the best volleyball in the region, check out Volleyball of the Rockies! Their trip to Mexico every January is a week of beach volleyball, amounting to almost 100 games for you die hards.

Volleyball of the Rockies http://www.votr.com/

Say "Hi!" to Tom for me!