June/July 1983 RAIN Page 3 Nancy Cosper, who has been a primary mover behind RAIN for over two years, underwent surgery in March, and was discovered to have cancer. She is recovering from the surgery, and currently is undergoing monthly chemo-therapy treatments. There have been many moments of shock, anger and depression, and there have been many profound experiences, as we all face up to the fragility and uncertainty of life. In addition to the chemo-therapy, Nancy's healing is taking the form of an inspiring outpouring of love and support from her friends. The organization is undergoing great stress as staff members, including those of us who live with Nancy, make adjustments to this new way of life. While doing this issue of the magazine, we realized we were stretching ourselves thin. The deadline of the magazine felt oppressive. We decided after much deliberation that we could not personally afford to put out the next issue of the magazine (August/September). Instead, we will be publishing a special issue in the Fall, which also happens to be RAIN's tenth anniversary issue. We hope you can understand, and support our decision. We are also beginning the search for a new editor for the magazine. If you are interested, or know anyone else that might be, write to Steve Johnson at RAIN for details. Extending the Rain Family We like to think of RAIN readers as a unique group, a family of people with similar interests and perspectives. Without compromising our views, we also need to enlarge our family. We believe that the best source for new readers is our current family of subscribers. We have provided a small form for you to give us names and addresses of your friends who might be interested in subscribing to RAIN. We will send them a complimentary copy. If you know of libraries, bookstores, food co-ops, etc. that might like to carry RAIN, let us know about them too. Gracias. Name___________________________ Address Name_ Address ACCESS: Energy The New Alchemy Water Pumping Windmill Book Gary Hirschberg Brick House Publishing Co. 34 Essex St. Andover, MA 01810 $8.95,141 pp., 1982 Gary Hirschberg began his work with wind and solar systems at the New Alchemy Institute in 1977. Five years and much learning later, his Water Pumping Windmill Book combines remarkable technical knowledge and a vivid writing style to guide you gracefully through the laws of aerodynamics, water system design, installation, and maintenance. Maia Massion's clear illustrations lure you into the backyard to look for the perfect site for your own mill. Hirschberg discusses the economic and design merits of New Alchemy's "Sailwing" windmill at length. His tricks of the trade simplify the confusion of choosing the appropriate mill, for commercial or home-built systems. This book pays tribute to the work of the New Alchemy Institute and to the promise of wind for our future. "Windmills are on their way back. These gentle symbols of the past are also the banners of the future—symbols of a renewed kinship between humanity and the forces that sustain us." Community Energy Cooperatives; How to Organize, Manage and Finance Them Co-op Development and Assistance Project Conference on Alternative State and Local Policies 2000 Florida Ave., NW Washington, DC 20009 $10.95 ppd., 1982, 239 pp. Here is a good guide to gaining local economic control through the development of energy co-ops. Better than any other current guide, it shows how community co-ops are viable options during hard economic times. This revised edition reflects the important insights gained since the 1980 version: adding renewable energy products and services to distribution co-ops, assisting community groups in developing energy co-ops, and self-financing of initial development costs. The guide also serves as a valuable tool for any cooperative enterprise, since five of the eight chapters address topics concerning all co-ops. Be courageous. Get this map, gather friends, and embark on a cooperative journey. — KN Tools for the Soft Path Jim Harding, editor Brick House Publishing Co. 34 Essex St. Andover, MA 01810 $11.95,1983, 288 pp. Reading through this anthology of articles, most of which have appeared in Soft Energy Notes, I was struck with the sense of how much the "environmental movement" has changed since the late 1960's. In the earlier days, energy—as well as agricultural or urban planning— was not an environmental issue. Now, here's this compendium of articles, representing some of the best critiques of current energy policy and soft-energy path solutions, from an old environmental group. Friends of the Earth, through their International Project for Soft Energy Paths. For readers of Soft Energy Notes, this anthology can serve as a one-stop shopping for all the good information the journal has published during its five years. For others, it can serve as a hop- skip-and-jump through the pioneering work of many people around the world who are developing solar technology, renewable fuels, efficient motors, energy- conserving and ecological farming techniques, and much more. -SJ —Penny Fearon
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