For about ten years, Peter Allen had to go for a bike ride whenever he wanted to take a shower, use the facilities, or anything else that required water. In the house on the outskirts of Plattsburgh which Peter shared with his wife, Eileen, access to that vital natural resource could be gained only by running Peter’s very own bicycle pump invention. So when the need for water arose, Peter would jump on the bike and start pedaling to nowhere. The cycling motion would power a large pump which would draw the water through pipes into the loft and, using the natural power of gravity, distribute water throughout the house.   Read More

In a remote location north of Plattsburgh, there is a small business that has become the definition of self-sufficient. Almost 30 years ago, an idea popped into the mind of Rob and Jaki Roy as they were traveling the world.  This idea was to be self-sufficient, while at the same time compliment the surrounding environment.  They both knew that the answer would not be easy, but it would be very specific.  Read More

Naturalist Kenneth Adams sees more than an over-grown pond teeming with insects when he stands before a wetland.  He sees a classroom.  A man who learned to appreciate the natural world by always being a part of it, Adams cites his childhood as the compass that guided him to his current position as distinguished professor of natural sciences at SUNY Plattsburgh.  “A person’s achievements are always attributed, in part, to the direct and indirect influences of others,” says Adams, who continues to find new ways to keep his students interested in the world around them. Read More