NEOtropolis Big Idea

Food: Up or Out?

The answer is up - way up... and certainly not "out". 

Vertical farming is the idea -- and it can change the landscape of how we produce and consume food.

Regarding the photos, below... both depict Akron, Ohio.  Urban is rural.  Rural is urban.  We can feed those in our respective communities, and we can do so across the world.

There's lots to think about.  It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef and it takes 120 gallons of water to produce a single egg.  Imagine. 

There are all kinds of inefficiencies associated with what we do and how we do it, with respect to food.

But it doesn't have to be that way.  There are better ways.  The ideal idea is to grow food where people live (versus shipping it to them) and do so without wasting other precious resources.  We can seed and feed to the sky - and grow plants without soil or water.

We can do these things.  If we decide to do them - together.

image complements of ralph solonitz

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Pre-show post:

NEOtropolis returns from its Spring Break and kicks-off its season "back nine" on March 27th.  The show, titled "Taste and Place", explores the forces of technology affecting our production and consumption of food.

The "What's the Big Idea?" segment smacks you with some sobering facts:  A billion people are still hungry... 40,000 kids die of starvation each and every day... and 50% of the food we produce is thrown out.

But once again... there is good news if we leverage technology, apply a collective will, and implement visionary ideas.  Join NEOtropolis and "What's the Big Idea?" on Tuesday for one of those technology solutions.

Quiz:  Which photo depicts Akron, Ohio?

Craig Arthur James 2012

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis Western Reserve PBS.  Rather, the above article is the view of this author related to topics he may discuss as a contributor on NEOtropolis.

 

Music in the Workplace... and Beyond

[This article is a post-airing update to the 2-14-12 "What's the Big Idea?" on Western Reserve PBS NEOtropolis]

On February 14, 2012 NEOtropolis covered "The Languages of Expression".  The "What's the Big Idea?" segment talked about the power of music in the workplace - and beyond.

Usually we think of music as pleasant or entertaining.  Well, it can be both of those things and much, much more.  Like the power of the smile, expression through music transcends language.  Science is telling us that music is essential to physical & cognitive health, and that it can be a useful tool in the workplace.

Below are the articles and resources mentioned during the segment. 

("Bonus" - If you watched the show, you witnessed that technology daemons within an electronic keyboard robbed host Luke Frazier and contributor Craig James from their chance to play a masterpiece live on the show.  At the bottom of this page is a rare opportunity to witness a "behind the scenes" green room prologue of the masterful (?) performance)

 

Music and Brain Health Links: 

The Surprising Effects of Music - Physical & Brain Health

Music Moves the Brain to Pay Attention from Stanford University 

 

Music Therapy:

A Northeast Ohio gem and a nationally renown Music Therapy department at:

The Cleveland Music School Settlement 

 

Music in The Workplace:

"Music at Work"

Inc. Magazine - 50 Songs to Listen to at Work

 

Luke, Craig & Music - Prologue:

As Luke says, "We will not be denied!"

 

What? The video (above) won't play for you?  Try This

View the entire Languages of Expression Episode & the Big Idea Segment @ minute 11:28

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS.  Rather, the above post has been produced by and are the views of this author, related to topics he may discuss as a contributor on NEOtropolis.  Further, the fabulous prologue video is not a production of Western Reserve PBS, but rather an impromptu video capture via iPhone courtesy Sea James.

Musing about Expression

[This article relates to Craig's "What's the Big Idea?" segment on Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis Tuesday 2-14-12 @ 9:00 PM on NEOtropolis.org]

--> Update:  Post-show blog post including links to information on Music in the Workplace, Music & Health... and more. Find it HERE

Muse-ic.  Do you know that the word "music" is derived from the the Greek word "mousike" meaning "Art of the Muses"? - Muses are those magic goddesses who inspire the creation of literature, art and lyrics.

You see, there are all kinds of expressions; visual, verbal and artistic.  Spoken language has been around for a long time.  But other types of expressions - the more mysterious and magical ones - are the ones that have been around even longer.  They're the ones that tend to touch our soul and ignite our hearts.

Music might be considered one of the most magical and mysterious of all.  There are no words to express the feelings music can emote.  As my friend Pastor Joe says, "One can read and play notes - but jazz and improvisation can't be described or prescribed.  Life is jazz".

He's right.  Life is jazz - here in Northeast Ohio - and across the world.  Maybe it's time to improvise.

Today's post is primarily verbal via the "audio-blog" you'll find immediately below.  Through it, you'll meet a guitar-playing guy named Pat, and hear a few musings about music, big ideas, and expression.

Could music be a key (no pun intended) to making progress here in Northeast Ohio?  Tune-in on February 14th to find out - and hear a few hints here about the "What's the Big Idea" segment of the Feb. 14th episode called, "The Languages of Expression":

 

iPhone photo by CAJ

 

Visual Music by Ralph Solonitz: 

 

 

By now if you're into music at all, you've probably already seen Walk off the Earth's 5-people-playing-a-guitar video.  53 million people have decided to watch it - and counting.  Is music powerful?:

 

The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS.  Rather, the above post has been produced by and are the views of this author, related to topics he may discuss as a contributor on NEOtropolis