Every strong community in the future will have its own supply of locally grown food and locally farmed livestock.  The more people participate in these organizations in their areas, the more streamlined the process becomes for food distribution in that community.  That’s good for the planet and good for the people in a region.  Check out these handy facts to get a sense of what shopping in your local community can do for you and the world.

In the following infographic we will see a comparison of how groups of people are using both Google+ and Facebook to organize and stay in touch. While these are certainly similar services aimed at the same kinds of people, the ways people have chosen to use them are not identical.  Take a look:

What austerity measures can be implemented to save the Greek government from total financial collapse?  One option is default, but that is a last resort and would result in further isolation of Greece from the rest of the EU.  Creditors never like for a country to default on its debts, because they seldom get any return on the money they have invested in the country.  And for that country which chooses to default, climbing out of the deep cavern of poor credit ratings is along, hard road to travel — one that sometimes does not lead back to prosperity.

The following infographic seeks to help you understand the debt crisis in Europe.  Click to expand:

Since Walter Isaacson’s biography entitled Steve Jobs was released, it has been at the top of the best-seller charts in the United States. News of the book’s early success has been reported on directtv.  Clearly, the death of this tech icon affects not only those within the Mac community, but people outside  that circle as well.  Steve Jobs brought people together, it was one of his gifts.  He was a visionary, and a perfectionist.  An innovator, and an artist.  For those readers here who consider themselves part of the Mac community, here is an infographic highlighting the biggest achievements of Steve Jobs in a timeline that begins the day he was born in 1955, and ends on the day of his death — October 5, 2011.

To get a little insight into the happiness levels of a sampling of cultures from around the world, this infographic is greatly helpful.  The large, yellow smiley faces below illustrate the reported happiness levels of people from their respective countries over a period of years, along with some factors that could very well have attributed to the happier or less happy times.  Click to enlarge the image, and don’t forget to smile:

At the end of the day, instead of finding some sort of compromise where everyone left at least somewhat satisfied, Congress decided to play chicken with Standard & Poor’s rather than realize that they had basically no choice except to find a way to reduce spending and increase revenues if the US was going to look like a responsible government. Instead, bi-partisan politics consumed everyone and the two party system was grid-locked into doing nothing at all except raise the debt ceiling. While President Obama trumpeted the need for increasing revenues in the new budget, he somehow didn’t manage to explain to the American people why Congress had so miserably failed to increase revenues, but instead went on television and in interviews spun the outcome as a positive one that the American people should somehow be happy with.

The larger issue that is clearly reflected by all of this is America’s inability to live within its means and Washington’s inability to function. It’s very clear that our two party system has become so corrupt and clogged up with bureaucracy that large scale failure is inevitable, and that was proven when the latest budget bill was passed. If, say, some of the Bush tax cuts were repealed, and the age of retirement was increased, and eligibility to receive Medicare was changed, then maybe a combination of several different measures would have the US just enough clout to keep its AAA credit rating score. But now, with an AA+, interest rates on our insurmountable debt are going up, and we’ll have more and more to pay back. Aren’t we going to end up just like Greece, being forced to sell of national treasures and property in order to scantily avoid default? The Culture of credit Americans are so hell bent on keeping is going to be the end of us, unless we make some serious changes very, very soon.

Of the 20 schools that competed, only two were from the US- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and the University of Florida, an oddity considering the US Department of Energy created and sponsors the competition. You would think in an effort to foster sustainable development and generate new ideas, innovations, and technologies, the US government entity would like to have more American team competing, but this just goes to show how far we are behind the world when it comes to sustainable development. Albeit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms contributed to IaaC’s design, so there’s at least some semblance of domestic intelligence.

The Fab Lab House is said to be built for a family of four, but it clearly was not designed by Americans, because that family of four is supposed to live in 750 square feet of space. But the “parametic” structure of the home allows for some serious adaptability and energy efficiency, with a rooftop covered in flexible photovoltaic cells that alter shape along with the roof itself. This type of organic development is key to what needs to be produced in future homes. The director of IaaC, Vincent Guallart, makes this very clear: “The form of the house responds to its energy production potential. While in the 20th century form followed function, in the 21st form will follow energy. Buildings must be like trees, which are self-sufficient, and must follow natural principles”.

The 2012 Solar Decathlon features 15 US teams, including individual schools like Appalachian State University and Middlebury College, and state and international teams like Team Florida, which features four major florida universities, and Team China, showcasing just one talented school from across the Pacific. We can only hope that the diversity of schools increases as the competition goes on, finding the right balance between international talent and domestic support.

The question many online users, which is basically everyone, have to ask is if they are doing enough to protect themselves online, and how would they ever even know if their personal information had been violated. Some people think that they’re not “important enough” for anyone to even care, of that they don’t have enough money for a hacker to want to steal from them. This is the same dilemma we face as a global people today against the threat of climate change due to dumping of heat trapping gases into our atmosphere: the potential repercussions are so drastically devastating, that instead of worry about it we just ignore the problem. We all want to think that since everyone is doing their banking, shopping or appointment booking and more online than ever before, that means that everyone else knows how safe it is and it is thus okay to participate. But this way of thinking is the same as when smoking was considered a normal activity, and cigarette companies denied that it caused lung cancer, or how today lawmakers are denying the fact that global warming is a serious issue, despite the overwhelming evidence of hotter temperatures and increases in both the severity and frequency of major storm cells and droughts.

The one possible solution to this problem is Secure DNS, a server that ties names to IP addresses globally, making it virtually impossible to hack someone’s personal account just though online transactions. But many people oppose this solution because if would allow whoever had access to the three servers in Singapore, Zurich and San Jose, to track the movements of literally everyone with a laptop or data phone. But at the same time, if tabloid media giants are connected enough to hack into the Prime Minister of England’s files, then we have to question the power these illegal hackers have via clout with the federal government, allowing them to access private information. So the question becomes, how do we learn to function safely in this digital age and still maintain our social lives and participate in society?

By taking the Backdoor Route to Machu Picchu, one can avoid the notorious crowds that will be flocking in greater numbers than ever before, and experience much more than they dreamed they would have by taking the traditions route to the mountaintop. The Backdoor Route starts by taking a three day hike to Choquequirao, the ancient city ruins spread out over nearly 100 acres in the Andes mountains, with stone terraces, grassy plazas, and thoughtfully arranged buildings and patterns with unexpectedly intricate detail. While all of Choquequirao’s sweeping sprawl hasn’t been excavated and restored yet, they’re continuing to find unique and spectacular finds in the 100 acre site, like agricultural terraces with llama carvings and design motifs, making Choquequirao like a much larger Machu Picchu was 50 years ago, and therefore possibly having much more archeological potential (and increasing the longevity of the tourism in Peru).

But if one is thinking of getting ready for such an adventure, be aware of the rigorous terrain ready to test the legs limits, as a 25 mile distance as the crow flies equals a roughly 40 mile hike in the region of the Andes mountains that makes up the Backdoor Route to Machu Picchu. In addition to the challenging terrain, which includes a mountain pass at 15,200 feet on the way to Vitcos from Choquequirao, nighttime temperatures in the mountains, as it is when camping in most high elevation spots, drop drastically as soon as the sun sets. Hikes in between destinations may include 1+ mile drops in less than a few hours, drops that include a 40-50 degree increase in temperature, so come prepared with a wide variety of equipment and clothing options.

From ancient jungle cities and Incan palaces to rapidly changing weather and more than challenging terrain, the risk is worth the reward if you come well prepared and are actively interested in your destination and wanting to avoid crowds. With more climbing and descending than one would have to do if they were climbing Everest, and geological features like snow capped mountain passes over 15,000 feet, passing through glaciers, and much more, the casual traveler is diverted from this route. At the end of the 2.5 week Backdoor Route, you arrive at the most famous Peruvian dig, Machu Picchu, your well-worn journey having earned you this beautiful destination.

The music, nature and yoga festival will provide over 100 classes in 4 days, with yoga studies and practices ranging from traditional classes like Uddiyana Bandhaskara and Vinyasa Rasavana, to teacher training like Tending the Sacred Fire and Teaching the Essence, to fusion classes like Rock and Roll Vinyasa Flow and Hipster Flow East Coast vs West Coast, and everything in between. With such diverse options ranging from groundbreakingly innovative to expertly traditional, there’s no doubt it would be extremely difficult to really experience all that you can at Wanderlust. Nationally recognized yoga teachers from all over the world will gather to celebrate the centered and balanced lifestyle that yoga advocates and represents so adamantly. 

But this celebration is not restricted to meditation and relaxation through vigorous yoga exercise, but also through a fantastic line up of bands that exude upbeat, vibrant energy, whether based in a rave dance party or ethnic praise chants. Whether you want to take a ride on the dance floor with the built-up mash ups of Gregg Gillis as Girl Talk, or would rather leave your raging days behind and groove to reggae tunes from Jai Uttal & The Wailers or reggae funk fusion of Michael Franti & Spearhead, you’ll have the opportunity to do it all, and do it all how you want to. Music day passes are being sold for those who would like to enjoy the show, but not to worry: this peaceful retreat has no intentions of turning into a hectic jam fest. Besides, who would want to miss out on the workout experience of a lifetime: sweating out on the mat while breathing in the fresh mountain air and looking out over the Sierra Mountains?

Good music, better yoga, and an all around phenomenal four days await you in North Lake Tahoe (or Vermont, Chicago, or Santa Monica, if you so choose) this summer. It’s time to get out there and experience the most unique retreat thought of by man, complete with the most fun-loving downward-doggers you can find!