The March Hare: Spring '00
Issue 24

HELP US!

WhewÐÐyou're just in time to catch this new column for our newsletter. Help us! is your chance to provide the answers that sustainability enthusiasts everywhere are looking for. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is intended as a life experiment to provide hands-on experience and research into sustainable living. Sometimes trying to find the best eco-solutions seems like trying to decide between paper or plastic when we would really rather find an organic cloth book bag.

So here is the idea: each issue we will let you know what burning questions about ecologically sustainable living are on our mind, and you can tell us what you know or what you've found out. If we get helpful answers, then we will publish the results in the next issue along with a new question.

This season's question:
What is the most ecologically sound way to create a pedestrian- and bicycle- friendly road that can also accommodate emergency motor vehicles in most weather?

We would be interested in general answers to this question, however for our own efforts, the question could be refined with the following concerns:
1. We would prefer to use bioregionally available material to avoid shipping costs and energy use.
2. We have heavy, clay soils in the areas roads are likely to be built, so roads that won't wash away and that will drain properly in heavy rains are necessary,
3. We would prefer road-building methods that could reasonably be accomplished with a labor pool somewhat smaller than the Roman Legionnaires'.

Send any ideas, leads, research, etc. to us at #1 Dancing Rabbit Lane, Rutledge, MO 63563. Thanks for your help!