Selby Gardens

 

Very impressive!

"Sarasota stands out on Florida’s culture circuit, with the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the contemporary Sarasota Art Museum, and the remarkable Marie Selby Botanical Gardens on Sarasota Bay. 

A recent expansion of the latter has all eyes on this thriving oasis of banyan trees and mangroves, now set to become the world’s first net-positive-energy botanical complex thanks to the installation of a 57,000-square-foot solar array. (It exceeds the facility’s energy demands by more than 10%). The visitor experience is equally impressive. A new welcome center beckons arrivals into an open-air structure draped with spectacular air plants that introduce the gardens’ many wonders, including a world-renowned collection of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads, and ferns. 

The expanded facilities include concept restaurant The Green Orchid, which uses no onsite combustion and sources produce from rooftop gardens cared for by a group of military veterans. The botanical gardens’ stormwater management system diverts and cleans millions of gallons of water each year before returning it to Sarasota Bay and future projects include a restoration of the landmark 1920s Payne Mansion, located onsite. For now, there’s more than enough to admire across this 45-acre green lung housing some of the world’s most noteworthy plantlife."

https://time.com/6992344/marie-selby-botanical-gardens/

Gators

Using Artificial Intelligence to draw Aligators of Florida

https://gemini.google.com/app

Draw cartoons of Gators

Using the Artificial Intelligence program to generate images.

Written Input:  draw the birds of Sarasota

https://gemini.google.com/app

Americas' Confidence in US Institutions

 

https://news.gallup.com/poll/647303/confidence-institutions-mostly-flat-police.aspx?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=o_social&utm_term=gallup&utm_campaign=x-news-confidence_071524

Illinois - Presettlement

PRESETTLEMENT FORESTS AND EARLY SETTLEMENT TIMES 

It was a common belief that when the early European settlers entered North America they found an unbroken forest of large trees. It was often stated ”a squirrel might have gone from Maine to Louisiana by leaping from one giant tree to the next, never touching the ground.” 

Until the latter half of the twentieth century many foresters dismissed the possibility of any significant disturbance by the Native Americans. We now know that in many parts of North America indigenous people built large cities, had extensive farms, and operated far-ranging trading networks. Though appearing pristine to the casual observer of the 1600s, these primeval forests had been subjected to extensive modification by both human and natural disturbances. 

Careful search and critical reading of many of the early European settler’s journals and diaries reveal that large areas in eastern North American forests had been extensively modified by early indigenous cultures. In general, forest succession allows for relatively rapid recovery of a forest system, that to a casual observer gave the appearance of a pristine virgin forest. More careful observations, however, by someone familiar with a particular forest association, revealed a forest successional stage and not an end point in forest dynamics. 

Click to read more about early Illinois.

https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/education/documents/onlinewoodlands-2-.pdf

My Books, Mostly Under Construction

 

My Books, Mostly Under Construction. The Living Glem is not mine - It is written by another Craig Hullinger.  Kind of hard to believe there are two of us. 

AI Writes About The Future of Solar Power

Dear Copilot AI https://copilot.microsoft.com/

Write about the future of solar power. 

_________

The future of solar power is looking increasingly bright, with significant advancements and expectations for growth. Here’s a glimpse into what the future may hold:

Technological Advancements: Technology improvements are expected to make solar energy even more cost-effective. By 2030, solar could become the primary source of energy for electricity production in many parts of the world1.

Decarbonization Goals: The Solar Futures Study by the U.S. Department of Energy projects that with aggressive cost reductions and supportive policies, solar could account for up to 40% of the nation’s electricity supply by 2035 and 45% by 20502. This would be a substantial increase from its current contribution.

Economic Impact: The deployment of solar energy is anticipated to create numerous jobs, potentially employing between 500,000–1.5 million people in solar-related jobs by 20352.

Global Impact: As solar technology becomes more affordable and efficient, it’s expected to have a positive impact on the environment and contribute significantly to mitigating climate change1.

Energy System Transformation: Solar power is likely to play a crucial role in transitioning to a carbon-free electric grid. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projects that solar energy could provide 45% of the electricity in the United States by 2050 if the energy system is fully decarbonized3.

In summary, the future of solar power is promising, with expectations of technological advancements leading to greater affordability, increased adoption, and a significant contribution to global energy needs and environmental sustainability.

An interesting approach is to raise livestock where part of the pasture is devoted to solar panels.  This panels can also provide shade and shelter from wind and high rains.