Welcome to Slab City.

A dictionary has many definitions for the word "need". Until October, when I decided to take up a challenge by a friend to not use any Internet for a whole month, I didn't really understand what I needed or even why I needed it.

Some argue that wind and solar are the only acceptable means of going green. Others make the point that only carbon-free nuclear power can generate the volume required to support whole cities. These arguments can be distractions.

While we sat by the fire that night, I thought about how our Twitter and Facebook feeds were trapped in their digital prison all day, and a spool of memories unwound in my uncluttered mind. I remembered things I hadn't thought about in years.

With such bounty, keeping the soil healthy is key. How does the Blancaneaux team do it? Compost, compost, compost! During a private garden tour, I learned about the resort's super soil practices, large-scale compost strategy, and gardening techniques.