I’ve been quite interested lately in “evolutionary ____.” Evolutionary medicine, evolutionary exercise, evolutionary diet, etc – finding ways to use and take care of our bodies the way they evolved to work. So when it came time to buy new shoes, I jumped at the chance to try out what I might call “evolutionary footwear.” Vibram Fivefingers is essentially a glove for your foot that allows full articulation of your foot and toes, allowing you to walk the way that nature intended, as our early ancestors walked for miles each day. It’s like walking barefoot, but with synthetic calluses so that you aren’t in pain on scorching hot pavement or rough surfaces. So far I love them. They aren’t made of any particularly sustainable material, nor do they have much to do with dorms, but I thought I’d share.
How could we better adapt the green dorm to the Pleistocene primate lifestyle we are designed for but generally disconnected from?
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.cfm
Rope Swings? Hammocks? Indoor wild animal hunts?
Ok maybe not but this is an exciting train of thought. Creating spaces that are more conducive to healthy/happy living is a great part of sustainable design that helps people participate actively in sustainable living, not just living in a sustainable space. Finding a way to get people to engage in the roof garden/green space or things like this are great ways of connecting people back to nature.
By the way, I think I saw those shoes in a shop window last week and thought they were very exciting! Glad to have a good review… I’ll have to check them out next time I’m in the market!
-Mike Delgado
Nick, would you consider posting your book-as-it-comes on the green dorm site as well? It was really great to read, and I’m sure the GDers would be excited to hear about it too!