Do you feel smothered by understanding technology on your daily life? THE Low technology institute Maybe the place for you.
Located in the historic village of Cooksville, the mission of the non -profit organization is to seek ways to live locally and permanently without depending on fossil fuels.
For the leaders of the Institute, this often means to return to previous generations to inspire.
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Scott Johnson, the founder and director of the Low Technology Institute, visited the WPR “The Larry Meiller Show“To talk about how he introduced the methods of the past in the future.
Survive on simplicity
The Institute’s initial idea was born from Johnson’s university career, he said.
“I wrote a book on the fall of ancient civilizations – complex societies on a large scale,” said Johnson. “A large part of what I found came to societies like the ancient Romans not understanding that there were major changes in the world and not adapting.”
“Then I started thinking about where the world is heading and what I can do before it is too late,” said Johnson. “And I started to think about what is practical, practical and small scale that we can do. I started to think about teaching lessons and doing research. The idea of the institute was therefore born from that. ”
A city kept in time
Johnson thinks that Cooksville is the ideal setting for the low technology institute. He is known as “The Town that Time Forgot” after railway construction in the mid -1800s bypassed the village in favor of surrounding cities like Stoughton and Evansville.
Suddenly, lacking reliable trade, transport and tourism, the village has become more isolated. Its residents have become more and more self -sufficient, making Cooksville an ideal setting for an installation dedicated to helping communities less dependent on external forces.
The power of a
Johnson subscribes to the theory that the desire to be independent is linked to the birth of the United States.
“America was founded by risk takers who left everything they knew to cross the ocean to found this new world,” said Johnson. “So, for many of us, the solutions to our problems must be practical and personal. So I want our lessons to reflect this. ”
Johnson also advocates localism, which he defines as “a systemic preference for local resources, in particular with regard to subsistence”.
“Basically”, he explained, “get as much of your things you plan to live as close as possible. It is not a miracle solution for many problems we face, but it can certainly make us more stable.”
Low technology gardening
Many ideas and philosophies of Johnson are carried out in the gardening areas of the Institute. Its Walipini greenhouse is partially built under the ground, which makes it possible to maintain a more stable and hot more temperature than the greenhouses at the surface.
“It mainly uses earth as a thermal battery,” said Johnson. “So, it’s storing heat during the day the sun beats. Then it is not so cold at night.”
Johnson also has a chicken coop, a hoop house, cultures in the field, including wheat and rye, and a composting humor built on the principles of static airy battery composting, which makes it possible to compost without the need for a manual turn.
“What is great, because turning the compost is the collage point for most people,” added Johnson.
In addition, Johnson relies on vermi -composting or the composting of worms, which, according to him, is an excellent way to compost all year round.
“But you can’t use any verse,” said Johnson. “Make sure they are red pervals. It is a species of specific worm that is well in detention. ”
Johnson’s interest in gardening is aligned with his conviction that the best way for us to reduce our carbon footprint is to cultivate our own food.
“Most of the carbon in our food comes from transport and growth far or growth in artificially hot conditions,” said Johnson. “It takes a lot of energy.”
Maximize muscles, disagreeing on power, increase aquatic
Just like Johnson says you need the good type of versatile for composting, he also highlights the need to use the right muscles for gardening.
“Most people have stronger legs than arms, so I prefer to use my legs than my arms if I can help him,” he said.
To this end, Johnson’s low -technology gardening devices include a high wheel hoe that reduces the need to comply and reach. He also works on a cult, which is a bicycle tractor.
Johnson also uses aquaponics – fish waste that is used as nutrients to grow hydroponic plants.
“Hope is that we will dig a large pond for Tilapia or trout, then it will cross these large garden beds and clean the water for fish, which we can then eat at the end of the season,” said Johnson.
Ok, there is technology
Helping others prepare in the future – any type of future – is what feeds Johnson’s work. His passion means that he is ready to adopt technology in the form of production videos And podcasts in the hope of sharing and expanding knowledge.
“Many of these ideas have been transmitted once from generation to generation,” said Johnson. We have now lost a lot of this knowledge. Through videos and podcasts, we can preserve some of the knowledge behind these things, because you never know what you will need in the future. “”
To find out more about Low Technology Institute’s offers and events, as well as ways to get involved, visit its website.