Slowed by the Wind

Slowed by the Wind

Byrichard

Yesterday I walked into the wind for two to three kilometres. The wind was so strong that the Apple watch gave me “high noise level” warnings more than once. The wind was around 30-40km/h. It was so strong that I stopped listening to an Audiobook because I couldn’t hear it. I then heard the summary for the last kilometre and was told that I was walking at 11 minutes per kilometre, compared to my 10 minutes 40 per kilometre.

I didn’t ride the bike because I saw how windy it was, but for the wind to be strong enough to affect my walking speed is new. I’ve walked in very high winds in the past, but that was at the sea side, not Switzerland. Walking in a strong wind is unpleasant because it’s noisy, So noisy that you can’t listen to anything but the wind.

Wind on a Bike

We are all familiar with the wind when cycling. We are used to that feeling of fighting an uphill battle despite being on flat ground. A few days ago I cycled to Geneva and back and I was fighting the wind. When you cycle into the wind you’re making a certain amount of effort but your progress is sluggish. You question whether you are less fit than usual, and you feel more tired. The wind makes you work hard. That’s why riding with the wind pushing is more fun. That’s when you feel much faster than usual.

Surprised

I was really surprised that the wind actually slowed me down but that’s normal. I was walking into the wind, and there were no trees or other obstacles to break up the wind. I was walking headlong into the wind, with no trees or anything else to slow it down. I tried walking in the lee of a power pole but that didn’t help. I just walked into the wind.

Warm Day

I checked the temperature before going on my walk. I saw that the temperature was 27°c, so walking in that temperature, with that wind, is not unpleasant. I wasn’t cold. I was simply impatient to get next to some trees and buildings, as well as to change direction, to stop facing straight into the wind.

According to the Beaufort scale, walking into the wind becomes difficult at around 32-38 kph (50-61 mph). This is the equivalent of a moderate gale. At this wind speed, the wind can start to push you back, making it difficult to maintain your balance and forward momentum. If the wind is blowing from the side, it can also make it difficult to walk in a straight line.

At wind speeds of 40 kph or more, walking into the wind can become dangerous. The wind can be strong enough to knock you over, and it can also make it difficult to breathe. If you are planning on walking in windy conditions, it is important to dress appropriately and to be aware of the risks involved.

According to Google Bard I was right at the limit of what can be walked in, comfortably. Just a little stronger and I would have been fighting with the wind, rather than inconvenienced.

And Finally

Overall this summer has been calmer than usual. We have had wind, rain and moderate heat. We have not had days in a row that reached 37°c or more. This summer has been more comfortable, less extreme.

Garmin Instinct Solar Low Battery
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Garmin Instinct Solar Low Battery

Byrichard

Yesterday just as I was telling the Garmin Instinct to start tracking I noticed that I had 20 or less percent of battery left so I considered turning around, to swap to another device. I didn’t, and I just went for a 12km walk. During the walk I was more focused on keeping the watch face facing into the sun, to keep the sun powering the watch and it worked.


I really expected the watch to die. I had about 20 percent battery and that is what is used during a usual walk. I think that the strong sun, as well as me actively trying to keep my wrist facing into the sun helped give the watch enough power not to die.


First time


Usually I always keep my devices charged. As soon as I see them dip to 30 percent I usually charge them. In this case though, I didn’t, so I really depended on the sun to keep the device powered, and it worked.


The Alternate Plan


The alternative that I considered was to take off the watch, strap it to the back and have it count steps, rather than track the activity with the GPS and more. I know that in this mode the battery can last for weeks, when the sun is shining, as it is doing at the moment. With Solar watches, in theory, you never need to charge, them, especially if you use them as a step counter and nothing else.


Just Enough Power


I believe that the watch, with the sun we had yesterday, generates just enough power to keep itself running whilst tracking, with little left over, if anything for actual charging. It went from eight hours down to three hours but I suspect it would have died, if the weather had been overcast and if I had not kept the watch facing the sun.


I don’t recommend letting the battery get so low, I just carried out an experiment, since the opportunity presented itself. I was also tracking with the Apple watch on the other wrist so I would not have lost the track. It would just have taken more effort to keep things up to date.


And Finally


I need to get back to doing more interesting things. I’m walking around in circles, so although I track everything I do, it isn’t interesting to look at on a map, because these are walks I do regularly.

Heat Waves and Tarmac

Heat Waves and Tarmac

Byrichard

Heatwaves and Tarmac


When you cycle you feel the difference between different landscapes between seconds. You go from farming landscapes to wooded areas near forests before finally getting to the cities. In the process you notice the difference in temperatures between these different land uses.


The Permanent Summer Heatwave


This summer has been mild in Switzerland, so far, but it could get up to 37°c for several days at a time again. As heat becomes more common the way the Swiss are building new properties becomes absurd. Where there was a single house, surrounded by grass, with two of three trees, and shade, you get a tarmaced parking space, with walls that prevent breezes and tarmac that absors the heat during the day, and radiates it at night. Fantastic in winter, awful in summer.


More and More Swimming Pools


According to the RTS More and more people want swimming pools. The falacy of pools is that require electricity for water filtering pumps, and to heat the water. They also require water due to evaporation and being splashed out of the pool as people play.


The Stratosphere and Rocket Launches


One of the more interesting theories I came across a year or two ago was the notion that rocket launches are taking a lot of material into the stratosphere, where it has a greater impact.


  • But emissions from rockets are emitted right into the upper atmosphere, which means they stay there for a long time: two to three years. Even water injected into the upper atmosphere – where it can form clouds – can have warming impacts, says Marais. “Even something as seemingly innocuous as water can have an impact.”


It’s interesting that as rocket launches increase in frequency climate change appears to increase in severity, due to the positive feedback loop. In Environmental Science this describes how change feeds upon itself and increases in severity over time.


  • Closer to the ground, all fuels emit huge amounts of heat, which can add ozone to the troposphere, where it acts like a greenhouse gas and retains heat. In addition to carbon dioxide, fuels like kerosene and methane also produce soot. And in the upper atmosphere, the ozone layer can be destroyed by the combination of elements from burning fuels.


More should be done to investigate the environmental impact of launches, and, I feel, we should reduce their frequency until we understand their impact on the planet.


49°c in Several cities


According to the Guardian European heatwave: red alerts issued for 16 cities in Italy, with temperatures up to 49°c. Usually 40°c was considered hot in Europe. Now we’re talking about 49°c.


The tragedy of this situation is that if you look at motorways, and car use, it hasn’t changed. There was a brief honeymoon period during the pandemic when people gave up their cars to walk and cycle. Now the toxic habit of driving everywhere is back. People are overheating, but they’re not making things better, by not adapting their driving habits.


Animal Deaths


Trees are getting dehydrated as they have to survive drought after drought. They are also suffering from insect infestations, due to the milder weather not kiling off pests in winter. Baby birds are dying because as they try to get to cooler air they are falling out of their nests.


Crossover


When I was watching the Canadian documentary series “Big Timber” in season two they regularly mentioned the term crossover. The term crossover describes when the air temperature is higher than humidity. This means that forest fires are more likely. Geneva is at level 3, Vaud is at level two and parts of Valais are level four forest fire risk.


Tarmac and Buildings


As I walk from village to village and from town to town I see that towns and villages are replacing parks, and properties with grass and trees with concrete buildings and tarmac surfaces. Whilst these are great for cars they are bad for getting rid of water when it rains, and heat during a heatwave. Densification, as the Swiss are doing it, will worsen heatwaves. I was looking at the temperatures yesterday and noticed that Geneva and Nyon were three degrees warmer than neighbouring villages. By trying to cram more people and buildings into smaller areas they are increasing the ability for cities, and villages to trap heat.


And Finally


Now that heat is common efforts should be made to plant more trees, and increase air flow within buildings to promote the cooling effect of a breeze. If it does get hot then going to a forest makes sense although being wary of fires might be good. We should cut down on car use, and cycle and walk more, to stop filling the atmosphere with crap. I learned how to cope with the heat, even in an attic. The secret, for me, is to always have water and a hat, and if possible a breeze.


Cycling With Different Levels of Fitness
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Cycling With Different Levels of Fitness

Byrichard

Originally I wanted to write about following route 50 from one village to Romainmôtier. I changed my mind as I created the title for this post.


An old pickup truck and bike
An old pickup truck and bike


Yesterday I cycled with two people on electric bikes on my normal bike. I didn’t feel that I was making that great an effort, especially since I was cycling at a relatively slow speed compared to usual. I actually felt that I was taking it easy.


View of one of the porticos
View of one of the porticos


Calories Burned


It’s when I looked at calories burned that I realised that what felt like an easy ride to me, was actually a huge effort. It didn’t feel that way to me, because it is normal for me to make such an effort, and I usually push myself when I ride alone.


Three Times More Calories


By riding with people with electric bikes I felt that I was having a relatively easy day. I burned three times more calories than them. It shows to what extent being fit affects how we perceive effort, but also how much energy electric bikes save.


Perfectly Within My Comfort Zone


A window seat and table, from the days before planes and trains
A window seat and table, from the days before planes and trains


I was surprised by the huge difference in calories burned because I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel that I was struggling to keep pace with the bikes, or struggling on hills whilst they glided with ease. That’s the beauty of cycling a lot. Effort becomes ordinary, and fitness makes electric bikes harder to justify. Why get an electric bike when you can cycle with people with electric bikes and keep up?


Cyclists and Non Cyclists Riding Together


There are two types of people. Those that invests hundreds of hours over several years to boost their cycling fitness, and those that use electric bikes, to keep up with those with experience. I would argue that the strength of the electric bike is two-fold. The first is that it encourages non cyclists to cycle and experience the pleasure of getting from A to B under their own steam, but the second is that electric bikes allow non cyclists to ride with cyclists, and get a taste of what we enjoy.


Visiting Romainmôtier by bike


Romainmôtier is a nice destination to cycle to. The road takes you through a nice quiet road in the forest. The woods are the Bois De Ferreyres. The route that I took was undulating, with some climbing and some descending, but these ondulations are not extreme like cycling up to La Dôle or up to La Rippe, so manageable.


Cycling Destination


Quite a few people cycled to Romainmôtier and I noticed that a few went into the grounds of the Abbaye and rested their bikes against the wall, before having a drink. By taking the bike parking is simplified, but as well as parking being simplified, you get to experience the landscape first hand. You’re faster than a hiker, but still get to experience the winding roads, the ups, the downs, and the freedom to stop with the bike, more conveniently than with a car.


An old fireplace
An old fireplace


Recommendation


If you are not a confident cyclist, and don’t want to spend hundreds of hours getting fit, then electric bikes are a fantastic short cut because they give you the freedom to explore, without the dread of having to get back, despite being knackered. Electric bikes are more forgiving than cycling without a motor. With an electric bike you just ask for more assistance and you’re comfortable.


Big Timber – A Netflix Documentary Series
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Big Timber – A Netflix Documentary Series

Byrichard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-swFnrFptc4


For a few days I have been watching a few documentary series on Netflix. Big Timber is one of them. Usually I like nature that is untouched. I like to see trees that are standing tall and proud, not on their sides, ready to be chopped up into wood for housing. 


It is because I like to see living trees that I started watching the series, and then gave up. As a person that likes trees it makes little sense to watch as “claims” of trees are cut down, and hauled up the slope, down the mountain and then turned into wood for various projects. 


Eventually I did start to watch the documentaries and I enjoy them. Kevin, the owner of the company, has learned how to build roads, scavenge wood from the sea shore, and more. He likes to buy machines, second hand, and repair them, before using them. In so doing he is able to get machines that do what he needs, at a much lower price, than if he bought them new. It helps that he has access to mechanics and more. 


The documentary is broader than “A and his team go to cut down trees, and bring them to the mill, to make things”. It’s A uses this machine for that, but because it’s slow he wants to use that machine, but that machine requires someone with other skills. It’s fun, and every episode is different. It’s the type of show where you think “oh, one more episode”. I burned through the first two seasons fast, because I enjoyed it. 


A Lot of Drone Use


I noticed that both in Big Timber and an English documentary series about castles they used a lot of drone shots. The drones are used to show the forests, the landscapes, the castles, and a top down view of trees being cut down. It’s a great way to get a diversity of shot types and values that would not otherwise be possible. 


It’s great for getting the camera into places that would otherwise be inaccessible or dangerous. I would be more specific but that might count as a spoiler. 


With the documentary about castles I noticed that one type of shot was missing. The “detail” shots of castles. They would regularly have drones flying over the castles, flying from one end to the other, over the town and more. They did not often have drones flying to show details that we can’t see from the ground. They could have shown us specific parts of the architecture that we wouldn’t notice otherwise. 


If they make a documentary about cathedrals then they must get close to the statues, gargoyles and more, to show the intricacies of those details. Now that we have flying cameras, we should take advantage. 

Flawed Thinking and Cleaning
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Flawed Thinking and Cleaning

Byrichard

The Unilateral Solution


I stopped making a mess because I came up with unillateral solutions, until I found the ideal one. I experimented with skewers to remove the mud from shoes, I experimented with rubber boots that I could rinse under a tap. I tried with spare shoes in the letter box. 


A Simple Doormat


In the end my favourite solution was the doormat by the car in the garage. This is my favourite solution because it takes seconds to brush the mud off my shoes before going upstairs, and best of all, I walk with muddy shoes, into the garage where no one will complain. No more mud in the building. 


The Absurd


As mentioned above I already have a solution to the issue, so this is purely an excuse to write a blog post, without spending hours trying to find inspiration.


The solution to dirty hallways, according to one apartment care company is “If you make a mess clean it up”. If you live on the ground floor, right by the door this makes sense, because there’s no skin in the game. Thirty Seconds of sweeping and you’re done. If you live on the top floor the solution requires several minutes. 


It’s a shame they didn’t ask 


“What is the actual problem?” 


“Mud”, 


“Okay, so get a proper door mat for the front door.”


Unfair Solution and Curiousity


What I want to discuss is the analytical mind. There are two type of people in the world. Those that hear “The hallways are messy, so clean them up when you make a mess” and those that would ask “What is the mess?”. If the mess is from leaking bin bags, then carry bin bags in a waterproof container, if the problem is wet shoes then dry the shoes. If the problem is mud, and your solution is to tidy up the mess then you’re both lazy, and short sighted. 


Demudifiers


If mud is the problem then cleaning up the mud, after you deposit it in the hallways and on the staircases is not a solution, because it will happen again and again. It will occur at the end of walks, and at the start of walks. If your shoes are muddy they drop it as you enter a building, but also as you exit. 


The solution to mud in a building has been known for generations. My school had the solution. Private homes have the solution. The solution to muddy hallways is not to clean up after you’ve made a mess. The solution is to get a doormat. The solution is to get a shoe scraper at the front of the building, before you enter. 


The Habit of Asking Questions Before Coming Up With Solutions


The notion that professionals, in building care and maintenance would not ask this question saddens me. It’s such a simple and rational question. It’s also an issue that every building in a rural area has. 


What frustrates me is that when I was making a mess almost every day no one complained. it’s when I stopped making a mess that people complained. It’s when I forgot to clean my shoes, after two months of being tidy that people went mad.


Passing the Buck / Shirking Responsability


I’m frustrated that the building’s solution to messy hallways is to tell us to clean it. I find this to be a shameful response, since the issue is muddy shoes, and everyone, especially parents, will have to deal with that problem. The doormat I have to clean my shoes is 30 CHF. The one for the front door costs from 100-200 CHF in Europe. That mat would ensure that no one has to clean the hallways themselves, not even the cleaner. 


The Childhood Problem


In the grand scheme of things I am still the same person I have been, since childhood. I still get muddy shoes and trousers, and it still doesn’t bother me in the least. Mud is organic dirt. It’s not harmful, and once it has dried it is very easy to clean up. 


I never plan to stop getting muddy. I’d rather have my very own proper doormat, in the garage, that I can use at the end of a walk where I got my shoes dirty. I find the idea of cleaning the hallway used by everyone else absurd, especially since there is a simple and elegant solution, the doormat. 


Remember, schools implement another solution, shoe cubbies at the entrance to the building. You put your shoes in the cubby and you wear “pantoufles” in class. I would quite like that solution in my building. 


And Finally


We live right next to the fields. There are five roads in and out of this village, but there are no clean paths for pedestrians to walk along. If we want to go for a local walk without using the car we have to walk along muddy paths, unfortunately. The result is that shoes get muddy. If the commune, and Switzerland at large, didn’t just speak about mobilité douce, but actually built infrastructure to make it possible, then I wouldn’t have muddy shoes. If car drivers didn’t try to terrify us, out of walking along roads, then we’d walk on the clean tarmac rather than the mud at the side of the road. 


We need more cycle and walker friendly routes between villages and towns in Switzerland. It’s free to encourage people to walk and bike, rather than use cars, but too little is done to ensure we feel safe. If clean walking solutions existed then my shoes would remain clean. 

Minimal Walking – Day 2
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Minimal Walking – Day 2

Byrichard

I went for a walk with the barefoot shoes for a second day in a row. I didn’t regret it. I need to pay more attention to how I walk, specifically I need to make sure not to slam my heel into the ground with each step and this takes focus, muscle use, and discipline.
This time I wore socks with the barefoot shoes and the sensation is different. I prefer feeling that my feet are protected by the shoe, and by the socks. I don’t know why I dislike walking without socks in these shoes. I suspect that it’s a matter of adapting, psychologically.


Shopping Centre With Barefoot Shoes


I went to the shops to get two or three drinks with the barefoot shoes and in this environment they feel great. The ground is smooth so if you’re going shopping, minimal shoes are fine. I know we don’t buy minimal shoes to walk in supermarkets but by association if we’re at a winter club med, summer club med or elsewhere and we don’t want to wear normal shoes, these are fine.


Weathered Tarmac


Despite the shoes feeling good on lose stones that are used to cover driveways they do not feel good on weather worn tarmac that has disintegrated to leave chaotic stones around. In this context I felt the limitation of 6mm of sole protection. I sometimes felt discomfort. It’s intriguing because on a dirt path they felt fine but not on a surfaced road that has been allowed to degrade over several years, or even decades.


Feeling Calf Muscles


After two days of walking in barefoot shoes, and after my 5km walk two days earlier my calves still feel pumped. That’s why I will take a rest day today. It’s not that I don’t want to walk with the barefoot shoes today, but that I don’t want to risk injury from building up fatigue in my legs.


The Difference Socks Make


Wearing socks, with the vapour glove 7 does impact how hot feet feel. My feet felt warmer when I wore socks, than without. In summer the shoes are comfortable without socks, so it makes sense to save on washing by not wearing any but when it gets colder wearing socks will extend the temperature range within which these shoes are worn.


And Finally


I have walked 18km or so in about 3 hours over two days and so far the shoes feel fine. I do feel that I need to spend a little more time thinking about how I am walking, but I often find myself walking without thinking about the change in shoes. Walking barefoot is comfortable and intuitive. Socks make me feel safer despite them hardly offering any extra protection. Today I am taking a rest day from barefoot walking and tomorrow I could take them in case of technical issues when cycling. I think I was triggered to think about how I get around because I sold the scooter, so now I will either drive the car, walk, or cycle. Without that trigger I probably would not have pivoted.

Thoughts On The Vapour Glove Six
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Thoughts On The Vapour Glove Six

Byrichard

I walk around in socks when I’m at home, so not quite barefoot, but almost. The idea of barefoot shoes is to get the human body, and especially the lower half to get back in touch with walking barefoot.
Yesterday I went for an 8.55km walk in barefoot shoes. I didn’t regret it. I took some spare shoes with me in case I found myself in such agony that I felt the need to switch. The truth is that I didn’t. When I walked the same route with crocs, and again with wellington boots I felt pain quite fast, and I just wanted to get home. With the barefoot shoes I didn’t. The Shoes I have: Merrel Vapor Glove 6.


A Reminder of Diving Shoes


If you go scuba diving you will be familiar with the “barefoot” sensation because diving shoes and boots have thin soles designed to protect your feet from pebbles, rocks and more. Barefoot shoes are similar. They’re thin and flexible. You can roll them up into two little balls and have them with you when rollerblading or doing other sports. They can be worn with, or without socks.
The reason for which I did not try walking with diving shoes is that they are made from neoprene and I felt worried that I would get blisters or friction burns. That’s why I chose these shoes, rather than the cheaper alternatives.


Heel Impacts


The first thing that I noticed is that walking barefoot feels normal, at least in the appartment, because I do, all the time. The moment walking with barefoot shoes feels different is when you are walking with big strikes and you feel the heel hit the ground with each step. At this point you will feel that if you don’t change your ground strikes you will get heel damage fast. It requires you to think about walking. Ever hear that clomp, clomp, sound when children or adults walk without thinking of cushioning their footsteps when not wearing shoes? That’s the problem when walking outdoors. We need to re-learn to walk barefoot, without clomping with our heels.


No Residual Pain The Next Day


I considered writing this post last night but didn’t. I wanted to see whether I had any knee, heel or other pains. I don’t. I feel fine so I’m tempted to go for another barefoot walk but I am not sure that’s wise, as it makes sense to give my body time to adapt. They say to do half an hour. I did one and a half hours as a first try. That’s a full immersion. I am not regretting it now.


Without Socks


I always wear socks, except for when I am in a wet suit. I even wear socks in my dry suit. Wearing socks in a dry suit is normal, as you wear a dry suit for cold water diving. I feel that the base of my foot got a friction burn but I think that’s related to the previous day’s running, rather than the shoes.
With the rain we have had recently plants have thrived and grass has grown. As a result of the plant growth I had to walk through taller grass at moments. I don’t feel comfortable with this. I’m worried of creepy crawlies or snakes biting me. This is due to feeling exposed without socks, and wearing much thinner shoes than usual.


Pebbles, Dirt Paths and Tarmac


I walked on tarmac for the most part. The shoes feel comfortable, aside from the heel strike that I need to concentrate on avoiding. This behaviour modification will be easy to implement, especially now that I have read that it requires active avoidance, at least initially. I tried walking along a dirt path and I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel the pebbles and stones too much. They’re comfortable on dirt paths. The final surface test was to walk on pebbles. Near one church they have a nice testing bed of stones so I walked there and felt fine. No pain from small stones and pebbles. I only retracted my foot in anticipation of pain once with these shoes. They are fine for the terrain I walk on ever day.


Spare Shoes


If I’m cycling or rollerblading these shoes would be great because they allow me to go for a bike ride, and when I get to destination, and if I then go for a walk with people, then I can swap from cycling shoes to normal shoes. The same is true of rollerblading. Rollerblading is great to get around faster than on foot, but sometimes you encounter a steep hill that you need to get down, or you want to go into a shop, but can’t, due to the roller blades. With these spare shoes in your pockets you can swap one for the other.


Fitness and Adaptibility


Fitness is meant to play a role in how fast you adapt to barefoot walking. I hope that I’m fit enough, and used to walking barefoot around home enough to find adapting to barefoot shoes simple and pleasant. I don’t plan to see or feel any health benefits. I am experimenting with this out of intellectual curiousity. In the last 12 months I have walked four million six hundred steps. With such a solid base I think I will be okay.


And Finally


Originally I was tempted to get new running shoes that cost twice as much but eventually not only did I forget about the running shoes, but I also considered that I want to try such expensive shoes in person, before spending such money. Buying shoes is hard because they feel fine in the shop, but after seven kilometres of walking at full speed you start to regret plenty of shoe purchases. That’s why I have two or three pairs of shoes in active use now, on contrast to the old single pair of shoes.
I have hiking boots, for proper hiking, hiking shoes, for my daily walks in rainy conditions, and when I want more protection, running shoes that I also use for hiking and that I plan to use daily now, a second pair of running shoes, that I haven’t used frequently because they’re good for dry weather, i.e. summer. The fourth pair are years old and will be retired. I then have a pair of cycling, and a pair of climbing shoes, along with a pair of crocs. Now I have the barefoot shoes too.
At the moment my walking shoes last for six months, if I’m lucky but they usually wear out sooner. I usually replace them when I start to feel that the base is getting so thin that I feel stones almost breaking through the sole. I will log how far I walk before I feel the need to replace them.

Earth Day – Some Simple Acts
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Earth Day – Some Simple Acts

Byrichard

Today is Earth Day, as Google, Moleskine and other companies are reminding us of. Earth Day is an opportunity to think about how to reduce our carbon footprint and ecological impact. 


Sigg recently began to sell aluminium water bottles that are made entirely from recycled aluminium. Instead of encouraging us to recycle our old bottles, they have skipped a step, and now make their bottles from recycled aluminium directly. 


It takes five uses of a recycled Sigg water bottle for the carbon footprint to be offset. Amortising the cost of a bottle takes about 30 litres, so theoretically thirty days if you drink one litre per day.  


Sportstracker, a sports tracking app that I have been using for a decade and a half or more tells me that I have walked 22hrs, cycled almost 8hrs, nordic walked 2hrs28 and run one hour. 


It says that I have saved almost 5kg of CO2. It would be more if it counted cycling as commuting. I can’t control what is considered for that calculation. 


I would love to see a shift away from car culture, to bike and walking culture. I would love to see people walk and cycle more, and for cars to behave more courteously, towards pedestrians and cyclists. 


In theory people should be quiet from 22:00 onwards but unfortunately this isn’t the case. We always hear about how we should stop eating meat and driving cars but I’d like some effort to be made to stop people from being nocturnal. Specifically I would like the cost of alcohol consumption and smoking on balconies at night to be tackled. Being social at night, rather than during the day, means more energy being wasted for lighting, to prepare alcoholic beverages, to keep them cool and more. Think also, of the carbon footprint of every cigarette, from the tobacco that is smoked to the filter that needs to be disposed of, the supply chain and more. 


It seems paradoxical that festival goers and other forms of altermondialistes are nocturnal, given that being nocturnal requires so much energy, and light pollution. 


The La Dole Webcam shows the seriousness of the problem with light pollution at this moment in time. Review the night time images of the sky over the Léman


And Finally


Cycling and walking are fun. Moving away from automatically taking the car, would improve our quality of life. Driving, in traffic, is unpleasant. Water bottles are now made from recycled aluminium to start with, rather than after use. Coffee capsules are made from seaweed rather than plastic or aluminium. Progress is being made to help the environment, but more can be done. 

Northern Exposure and Blowing Bubbles
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Northern Exposure and Blowing Bubbles

Byrichard

Northern Exposure is a series about a doctor who finds himself sent to Alaska to be a doctor for a few years. He thinks that it is the middle of nowhere and he has to adapt from enjoying life as a New Yorker to life as a frontier town doctor.  


Early colza in the Canton of Vaud
Early colza in the Canton of Vaud


Although the series is thirty plus years old it still remains relevant today with its exploration of global warming, pollution and more. The characters have existential conversations and in a few episodes we meet the man living in a geodesic dome. He lives in the dome to avoid pollution. He is allergic to aluminium, methane gas and more. 


It’s an interesting episode to watch within the context of the pandemic. People, including me, continue to wear masks when we are indoors. People think that we are strange for doing this. The pandemic isn’t over. We hear all the time about how Long COVID lies dormant, whether people are symptomatic for weeks, months of years after primary infection. It makes sense to wear masks, given that a mask takes a second to wear and take off, but long COVID can be for life. 


Cars coming from Geneva on Easter Friday
Cars coming from Geneva on Easter Friday


The idea of being allergic to the modern world, to various forms of pollution is an interesting one. We read about forever minerals and plastics in drinking water, more and more often, and about air pollution. We have CO2 monitors to keep an eye on pollution. We have maps of pollution around cities, motorways and more. The topic is still relevant today. 


This television isn’t on Netflix or Amazon Prime. It is on Filmin, a film network for experimental films. The content is niche, more diverse and more interesting. as long as you understand Spanish. It has films like Nano of the North, which I find interesting. I know this because when I typed North for Northern Exposure it suggested Nanook of the North, a documentary film I read about regularly when I was studying documentary. 


Modern television series should have people wearing masks to socialise. “Lunatics” like me, who still wear masks, should be normalised in modern television series, to show that being cautious should not be worthy of stigmatisation and prejudice. Northern Explored pollutants in the air. Modern series should explore the reasons for still masking despite the gas lighting of politicians, stating that the pandemic is over, despite the death rate telling a different story.