permaculture

[LBUZZELL@aol.com]

Good info, Loren.  I'd love to learn more about constructing fog  screens, 
plus get a list of plants that would grow here on the Calif coast that  
catch atmospheric moisture.
 
Linda
 
 
In a message dated 9/3/2010 1:14:21 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
loren@sborganics.com writes:


Marjory and Lawrence-

I looked into this technology and  was impressed with the concept, but 
disappointed at the cost of the unit  ($27.50 each for a minimum of 10, down 
to 
$8.50 if you can afford $62,000 for  7200 units).  If people can't afford to 
plant trees how will they afford  this?  It seems like a rich man's scheme 
to get funding for his product  though the guise of humanitarian work.  I do 
agree that this is a great  idea and replicable with the real world in mind.

I think your idea for  using old tires and soda bottles is great, Lawrence. 
 A design that uses  waste products from local areas is always preferrable 
to manufactured  gizmos.  I was thinking of a design using corrugated tin 
roofing  with
lots of nails like spines as condensers, or better yet steel tubes  (maybe 
not so readily
available).  The donut shape is good, though it  could be any shape as
long as the condensation is directed to the root  zone.

Surface area is an important part of the design.  If you  look
at the Waterboxx, it has ridges like a thistle leaf.  Metal would  be
the best material, as it tends to cool more and keep that temp  longer
than plastic.  Stones also work well, especially angular ones  used as a
mulch or stacked high to the windward side of a tree  seedling.  Fog
screens made of shade fabric will also trap moisture in  windy areas,
and serve as little micro-shelters for the plants.

The  concept is atmospheric moisture harvesting, which may be accomplished 
through  many techniques.  The temperature differential between a material 
and the  air causes condensation, which then is trapped and fed to a waiting 
plant or  storage.  Milk thistles have evolved to do this wonderfully, along 
with  1000's if other dry coastal species.  Recognizing this pattern, we 
can  plant nurse species that will condense dew, like Casaurina and Acacia 
(small  or needle like leaves= lots of surface area) .  Using nature's own 
design  will be the best long-term solution.  

Still, I would take some  Waterboxxes if he was giving them away!
Loren Luyendyk
(805)  452-8249
www.sborganics.com
www.surferswithoutborders.org




>  Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 14:43:25 -0400
> From:  venaurafarm@bellsouth.net
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
>  Subject: Re: [permaculture] waterboxx
> 
> On 9/3/2010 2:16 PM,  Rain Tenaqiya wrote:
> > Hey Marjory,
> >
> > I  have a friend who was very excited about using these in southern
> >  California, so I did a little research.  As usual, a lot of new
>  > technologies are overpromoted, with wild claims.  This device  would
> > definitely help if you have the right climate.  In  other words, if
> > you have any Summer rain or dew, this box would  help collect and
> > release the water over time, plus shade the  seedling and conserve the
> > water, acting like a mulch.
>  
> Maybe used small diameter vehicle tires (also wheelbarrow and hand  truck 
> -sized ones - they are around $4-5 or less new!) and used tin  cans (with 
> a hole in the bottom; many types and sizes, soda and beer  cans of 
> aluminum would be rust-resistant, possibly aiding collection  of dew and 
> providing longer service) could be recycled to make one of  these 
> devices. Using a hole cutter cut a ring of holes into one side  of the 
> tire, insert cans in holes, put around seedling; total cost,  around $5, 
> emminently reusable, durable, UV resistant. The bottom  half of the tire 
> would become a reservoir; the height of the tire  above grade would
> provide shade for the plant in addition to  conserving water and 
> providing cooling in soil under the tire. You  could adapt many different 
> sizes of tires to serve this purpose; the  larger diameter ones could be 
> left in place permanently.
>  _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing  list
> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subscribe or unsubscribe  here:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
>  Google command to search archives:
>  site:https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/permaculture searchstring

_______________________________________________
permaculture mailing  list
permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Subscribe or unsubscribe  here:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
Google  command to search  archives:
site:https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/permaculture  searchstring