links for 2009-04-17

"The small, US$3000 ($5150) robots, which move through the garden on a base similar to a Roomba vacuum, are networked to the plants. When the plants indicate they need water, the robots can sprinkle them from a water pump. When the plants have a ripe tomato, the machines use their arms to pluck the fruit."

"Environmental art or ecological art (a.k.a. ecoart) has evolved from the earth-art and land-art movements of the 1960s and early 1970s, and has been greatly influenced by the work of Joseph Beuys and his environmental actions "in defense of nature," defined by him as social sculpture. Ecological art now provides a context for environmental education, and is achieved hand-in-hand with communities. Ecoartists seek to gain access to and become advocates for communities, working as both co-learners and co-creators. Their work is collaborative and supports both natural and social ecosystems. Ecoartists can be thought of as midwives for the earth, facilitators of environmental education, consultants for environmental restoration and visionaries for transforming ecological communities."