Derek Markham

I dig singlespeed bicycles, simple living, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyle design, slacklining, bouldering, and baking with sourdough. My blog about fatherhood and natural living can be found at Natural Papa. We just finished our own family experiment in lifestyle design, living for almost six years in one 8 by 15 foot room. We hauled all of our water, used a sawdust toilet, had a solar shower for washing up, and we had two unassisted births during that time (one under the stars, and one in a tipi). Don’t try it. (Just kidding- you’ll never truly understand cabin fever until you’ve experienced 2 adults, two kids, and a cat in 120 square feet, during single digit temps in January!) I love good food; Colorado peaches are my all-time favorite. I really enjoy conversations with three year olds. I love being in the wilderness with my family; it feels like home. I love positive thinking and big audacious dreams. I like to skip rope, and yes, I do have a tiny rubber chicken (vegan) that lives with my flash drive.

Derek's articles:

Great Resources to Help Get Your Bike Ready for Spring Riding

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Derek Markham .

I hope this isn’t how your bike was left this winter… I ride year round, so I keep an eye on my bike’s maintenance needs on a regular basis, but for many people, the bikes get left in the garage or behind the shed all winter. When spring finally breaks, they’re left trying ride a squeaky, possibly rusted, flat tired bike that’s badly in need of a tune-up. Which can be extremely frustrating. If you’re game to learn the basics, getting your bike ready for the first spring ride could be just a click away.

Adventure, Inspiration, Activism: Wend Magazine

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Derek Markham .

If you’re into environmental activism and the outdoors, and you’re looking for some eye candy and top-notch writing, then do yourself a favor and check out Wend magazine. I’m not that into magazines anymore, as I get most of my news on the web, but there’s something about holding an actual hard-copy in your hand that cruising the internet doesn’t have. And Wend is definitely a worthy media candidate for the eco-adventurer.

Zoomi Monterey Electric Bicycle

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Derek Markham .

Zoomi Scooters’ 2009 Monterey electric bicycle will help even the laziest rider commute up hills, to the store, or out for drinks with minimal effort. The bike gets up to 33 miles per charge, and has a top speed of 25 miles per hour, so you can get where you’re going without worrying if you’ll get there in time, or if you’ll get back before your battery dies.

Plastiki Expedition: 12,000 Miles in a Boat Made From Plastic Bottles

Posted on March 7, 2009 by Derek Markham .

The Plastiki Expedition is the brainchild of David de Rothschild, and the goal is audacious: to sail 12,000 nautical miles across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney in a boat made entirely out of plastic bottles and recycled waste products. They plan to embark in April, carrying (among others) four scientists from the Scripps Research Institute who will study ocean acidification, marine debris, overfishing, and coral bleaching.

Recycling Your Gadgets Is Easier Than You Think

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Derek Markham .

We’re a nation of gadget lovers. Our computers and cellphones and MP3 players rapidly become outdated, obsolete, or simply not-so-cool anymore, and our consumer urge is to simply replace them instead of fixing or upgrading. The EPA estimates that 2.25 million tons of electronics were disposed of in 2007, and 80 to 85% of them [...]

DIY Solar Bike Trailer: Eco Pioneer

Posted on February 28, 2009 by Derek Markham .

The Greener Gadgets Design Competition brought tons of great green ideas into the limelight, from composters and Twittering electric metering devices to cardboard computers and public bicycle service systems. One of my personal favorites was the entry by Eco Pioneer, a DIY solar bike trailer. It’s a modern day covered wagon, ready to power your [...]

Choose Recycled Content Toilet Paper: Save Ancient Forests

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Derek Markham .

What’s your choice for taking care of business? Is it ultra-quilted? Made from virgin paper? If it is, you may be wiping out ancient forests with each swipe of the hand.

Around the World Solar-Powered Airplane Flight: Solar Impulse Project

Posted on February 21, 2009 by Derek Markham .

Bertrand Piccard is a third generation adventurer working toward a high-flying goal: To develop the first airplane to be able to fly around the world using only solar power, generating no pollution during its flight.

Hydrogen-Fueled Gypsy Zeppelin

Posted on February 19, 2009 by Derek Markham .

An autonomous self-regenerating hydrogen-based zero-emission low-cost low-tech nomad houseboat airship. Wow. What an idea! Lieven Standaert, a Dutch engineer, architect and science teacher, has designed a ship that makes its own energy, using its propellers to generate hydrogen for fuel. The tagline? “Powered by wind, fueled by rain.”

Samsung’s Blue Earth: First Solar Powered Touchscreen Phone

Posted on February 14, 2009 by Derek Markham .

With a body made from recycled plastic, a solar panel for power on the back, an ‘eco-mode’ energy-saving setting, and a built-in ‘eco walk’ pedometer for calculating how much CO2 emissions you’ve saved by walking, the Samsung Blue Earth cell phone just set the bar for eco-friendly phones very high.

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