Too late for #SolarPunkSunday!
Drum & Bass On The Bike
Sunday 29 June.
Starts 14:00 at VITALITY STADIUM, DEAN COURT, BOURNEMOUTH BH7 7AF
Sign up for ride announcements at https://domwhiting.live/
#DnBOnTheBike #Bike#Cycling #DnB #DrumAndBass #DomWhiting #DrumAndBassOnTheBike #Bournemouth

Well, that wraps up another #SolarPunkSunday. TY to @MaQuest , @BrambleBearGrrrauwling , @Adorable_Sergal and @jblue for their posts with the hashtag, and a big thank you to everyone who posted such great content and discussions! Not sure what we'll post about next week, but we'll figure it out. Meanwhile, #StayCool!

Well, one positive effect of #ClimateChange...

Can Britain be a nation of #tea growers? Scientists say yes – and it could even be good for your health

Published: June 17, 2025
by Nigel Holt, Professor of Psychology, Aberystwyth University

"It’s not every day you find yourself standing in a tea garden in Devon, surrounded by rows of #CamelliaSinensis – the same plant species used to make tea in India, China and Japan. But there we were, in the heart of Dartmoor, picking fresh tea leaves from plants that are thriving in the UK’s cool, damp climate.

"It’s a surprising sight, and one that could become more common. Britain may be known as a 'nation of tea drinkers', but might there be opportunities for it to increasingly be a nation of tea growers? Our research has involved working with growers in Devon and Wales to explore the chemistry of UK-grown tea.

"We’re using a technique called 'metabolomics' to understand what’s going on inside the leaves, and how different growing conditions, processing methods and even fermentation (like making kombucha) affect the final cup.

"Tea competes with coffee to be the UK’s favourite drink, but almost all tea leaves are imported. With concerns about climate change, #FoodSecurity and #sustainability increasing, there’s growing interest in whether more food, including tea, can be grown in the UK.

"We chose mid-Wales and south-west England for our project because of their mild, wet climates, which are surprisingly well-suited to tea cultivation. Dartmoor, in particular, has a unique #microclimate and varied soils that make it an ideal test site. There’s also a strong local appetite for sustainable farming and agricultural innovation.

"Wales already has a tea pioneer in Lucy George, a Nuffield farming scholar who began growing tea near Cardiff in 2014. Her brand, Peterston Tea, is now sold in Welsh shops and around the world. She believes that slower growth in Wales’ cooler climate may actually improve flavour, making Welsh-grown tea more than just a curiosity."

Read more:
https://theconversation.com/can-britain-be-a-nation-of-tea-growers-scientists-say-yes-and-it-could-even-be-good-for-your-health-257495?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

How to Keep Beverages Cool Outside the Refrigerator

April 25, 2012

"In the industrialized world, we know only of one way to cool beverages: place containers in refrigerators. This practice, which occurs on a massive scale, is utterly dependent on fossil fuels.

"However, people obtained the same result much more #sustainably before the advent of the Industrial Revolution. In hot, dry climates, we used porous earthenware jugs that were not only re-usable, but also kept water cool by taking advantage of natural energy sources.

"The best known example is the Spanish ‘#botijo’, an unglazed ceramic container that cools beverages by evaporation. Similar drinking containers can be found in other Mediterranean countries, as well as in Mexico (where it is known as a ‘#búcaro’) and on the Indian subcontinent (where it is called a ‘#ghara’, ‘#matka’ or ‘#suhari’).

"The ceramic water cooler probably originated in the Indus Valley Civilization, which would make it 5000 years old."

Read more:
https://www.notechmagazine.com/2012/04/botijos.html

How #Paris's #SeineRiver keeps the #Louvre cool in summer

Delphine PAYSANT
Wed, June 18, 2025

"As Paris braces for a #heatwave this weekend, a little-known network of underground pipes will be cooling the Louvre museum and other storied landmarks using water from the Seine river.

"Since 1991, the river water has been cooling more than 800 buildings via a humble but hard-working system that is still relatively under-utilised worldwide.

"Paris boasts the largest such urban cooling network in Europe: 110 kilometres (68 miles) of subterranean pipes criss-crossing the City of Light, reducing its need for energy-guzzling air conditioning.

" 'It's like 'Batman'!' exclaimed a passer-by in the chic and touristy eighth arrondissement or district of Paris, as a manhole cover was removed to reveal a spiral staircase to the cooling network below.

"The technology is not new: the headquarters of the United Nations in New York has been using water from the East River for cooling since the 1950s.

"But much planning and construction is necessary and as such, these efficient and #sustainable cooling systems remain relatively rare.

"But in Paris, the network has grown considerably in recent years to confront more intense and frequent #heatwaves, with the first of the summer forecast this coming weekend.

"The process works much the same as a district heating network, but in reverse: heat is transferred from the air to chilled water pumped via pipes to buildings around the city.

"But unlike conventional #AirConditioning, it does not blast hot air into the streets, according to Fraicheur de Paris, which manages the Seine cooling network and others in #Barcelona, #Singapore and #Dubai.

"The company, co-owned by the French energy utility Engie, says it also offers significant savings in electricity consumption, chemical use and emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide.

"Heatwaves could push summer temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) by 2050 in Paris, said Raphaelle Nayral, secretary general of Fraicheur de Paris.

"The city needs a more sustainable solution than air conditioning units with their associated heat and energy burden, she added."

Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/pariss-seine-river-keeps-louvre-102539210.html

So, a beverage I find refreshing when the weather is hot is cold #HibiscusTea. It was originally used in Africa, and its use spread around the world. Not sure about using garlic, but a ginger-spice-fruit version of #Zobo sounds refreshing!

Wikipedia: "Zobo is a local beverage drink in Nigeria. It is made from dried hibiscus leaf and other ingredients. The drink is commonly sold in restaurants and on roadsides."

Overview

"Hibiscus drink is made by boiling the hibiscus leaf alongside ginger, garlic for less than an hour. It is served hot or chilled depending on the weathered condition of the area it was produced. Other ingredients used in making zobo drink include nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, lime, pineapple and artificial colours. The particles are sieved leaving behind the zobo juice. The roselle drink has flavour similar to cranberry juice and it is ruby red in colour."

How to Make Zobo Drink

November 23, 2024 by Florence Akpotaire

https://verayea.com/how-to-make-zobo-drink/

#SolarPunkSunday #KeepingCool
#Heatwaves #AfricanBeverages #KeepingHydrated

One of Europe’s Hottest Cities Rediscovers an Old Cooling Technique

By Laura Millan
August 8, 2023

"The streets of #Seville in southern #Spain were so hot that July afternoon that it felt almost impossible to walk outdoors. As temperatures approached 42C (108F), people scrambled to find shelter in air-conditioned homes, offices and public buildings. Yet, less than two miles from the city center, a cool breeze blew under a giant white roof.

"The structure is a part of CartujaQanat, an architectural experiment in cooling solutions that doesn’t rely on burning more planet-warming #FossilFuels. The site, about the size of two soccer fields, includes two auditoriums, green spaces, a promenade and a shaded area with benches. But its star performer remains hidden — the qanat, a network of underground pipes and tubes inspired by Persian-era canals.

"The grid of #aqueducts can lower surrounding temperatures by as much as 10C using just air, water and #solar power, according to Emasesa, the Seville public water company that helped to build it. The system is modeled on ancient tunnels dug to bring water to agricultural fields that were first documented in what is today #Iran. The Persians realized 1,000 years ago that the running water also cooled the air in the canals, so they fashioned vertical shafts to bring that air to the surface.

" 'This is not an air-conditioning system like the one you may have in your home,' says Juan Luis López, the project’s supervisor and an engineer at Emasesa. 'We use natural techniques and materials to reduce temperatures.' "

Read more:
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2023-seville-spain-extreme-heat/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/36fz1

Please enjoy these glorious blooms. They barely last a day before setting fruit.

The little green dots beside the flowers are a second set of blooms.

Eugenia repanda aka pitanga-jambo

It takes at least 4yrs to fruit from seed but if you have the patience, they are worth the effort for how much fruit they produce. Compact plant, bring inside in winter.

I love the aesthetic of "beehive clay pipes"! More of this, please!

#AncientTechnology gets an update in #sustainable #cooling solution

By Drew Zeiba • February 20, 2019

" 'The way we cool our buildings right now is totally wrong,' said Indian architect Monish Siripurapu in a video produced the United Nations‘ Environment program. The words are bleak, but arguably true; the electricity and hydrofluorocarbons most modern cooling systems demand ironically warm the planet overall while they cool our conditioned spaces. On top of that, with global temperatures rising and worldwide populations growing, demands for cooling are only increasing. More #EcoFriendly options are urgently needed, and Siripurapu’s New Delhi–based firm Ant Studio has proposed an affordable, scalable, sustainable, and aesthetically appealing solution to the problem of #AirConditioning.

"Ant Studio’s mission is to combine 'art, nature, and technology,' and its temperature-regulating solution is designed to be as much an art installation as a cooling system. The Beehive, as the system’s first iteration is called, was built to ameliorate high-temperature conditions for laborers at the Noida, Uttar Pradesh–based manufacturer Deki Electronics, where generators and other equipment output their own heat, adding to high outdoor temperatures. The Beehive is part of a larger exploration by the firm that leverages #terracotta tubes and water as part of a low-energy cooling system.

"The Beehive, so-named for its honeycomb-like structure, follows an Indian tradition of using earthenware to cool water. 'Traditional architecture has so much wisdom,' said Siripurapu.

"The ancient process has been wholly modernized, with tools such as computational fluid dynamics modeling, as well as the addition of low-energy water pumps and, if needed, electric fans.

"But instead of using fans with the Beehive installation, Ant Studio’s cooling device was placed right in front of the exhaust vents of the diesel generator near where workers at the factory were active. This was able to drop the 'scorching' air being expelled from the generator from 122 degrees Fahrenheit to 97 degrees Fahrenheit, while lowering the overall temperature in the area and reportedly consuming 40 percent less energy than other cooling systems, not to mention using no refrigerants."

Read more:
https://www.archpaper.com/2019/02/ant-studio-beehive/

Another article about #Switchel I found...

Make Your Own Refreshing Summertime Drink

by Catherine Boeckmann
April 4, 2024

"Switchel, also known as Haymaker’s Punch, is a refreshing drink with apple cider vinegar. It was how colonial farmers quenched their thirst in the hot, sunbaked fields—which is enough of an endorsement for me!

"Switchel, a refreshing and ancient beverage, combines the goodness of ginger, apple cider vinegar, and sweeteners like molasses and maple syrup. Known for its hydrating properties, this tangy elixir boasts a unique flavor profile, making it a wholesome and natural alternative to sugary drinks. Enjoyed for centuries, switchel is a timeless, revitalizing choice.

This drink is also called Haymaker’s Punch because it was often drunk while haying—which is hard work under the hot summer sun!"

https://www.almanac.com/switchel-recipe-haymakers-punch

#SolarPunkSunday #LowTech #KeepingCool #KeepingHydrated
#HeatWave #History #Histodon #HistoricalRecipes #ThirstQuenching

How To Make Traditional #Switchel (Haymaker’s Punch)

Written by Author Tracey Besemer Published on September 2, 2019

Excerpt: "Switchel is an old fashioned sweet-sour-spice drink.

"Where switchel originated is still debated. New England, the Caribean, China? No one knows for certain where it came from.

"What is certain is this popular 17th-century drink helped the colonials beat the heat. Think Plymouth Rock Gatorade in a stone jug, minus the red dye #40.

"Its popularity continued among hard-working farmers in the summer when they were out haying, giving switchel the name haymaker’s punch.

"And today with all of the sports and energy drinks available, you won’t find a more refreshing drink for a hot and humid day when you’ve been busting your backside out in the sun.

"Or for sitting on the back porch under a patio umbrella watching someone else work in the sun.

"Switchel was made with ginger, a splash of tart apple cider vinegar and something sweet like molasses, maple syrup, or honey. The ginger made it easier on your stomach to drink a lot of cold liquid all at once. The apple cider vinegar cut through your thirst and left you smacking your lips, satisfied, and ready to get back to work.

"Switchel kept you hydrated and replenished your electrolytes long before we knew enough to be concerned about depleted electrolytes."

Read more (includes recipe and instructions):
https://www.ruralsprout.com/switchel/

Some good tips in this article. Something I like to do is soak my feet in cool water before bedtime!

20 Ways to Keep Yourself Cool without #AirConditioning

By Heather Harris / Last updated on June 3, 2024

We have survived without a central air conditioning unit in our home for the last 9 years…

https://thehomesteadinghippy.com/how-keep-cool-without-air-conditioning/

The 1 thing gardeners forget to water during hot weather that's essential to plant health

Taking care of gardens during the summer can be a challenge, especially during a #heatwave, but there's one thing you should never forget to water.

By Sydney Evans, Audience Writer, Spare Time
Fri, Jun 20, 2025

Excerpt: "In a video posted on Instagram, gardening enthusiast @cookseyfarms reminded gardeners of watering this one thing, and said: 'Don’t forget — your compost needs to be watered too sometimes!'

"Many gardeners keep and use homemade compost, using weeds, shredded wood and even vegetable scraps. Not only does compost improve soil structure, but the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) explains that it can also boost moisture retention in fast-draining soils.

"However, compost that has become dry won't be of any use in your garden as the beneficial bacteria and fungi need moisture to break down organic matter, making it hard for compost to decompose and essentially do its job."

Source:
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/2071463/one-thing-gardeners-forget-water-compost

#SolarPunkSunday #HeatWaves
#KeepingCool #Gardening
#Composting #GardeningInAHeatWave

Thinking about this article on the sustainability of bicycle manufacturing.

https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles-sustainable-again/