Art as Damage Control

Image by alexis22578 via Flickr Olivia and Nate hosted Elliott’s birthday party at CHAP. Fabulous. I was reminded, near the end, that reusing takes many forms, and art is an important step. I was reminded to think of damage as opportunities for art. I studied sustainability, right? Reduce, reuse, and recycle has been a mantra in varying forms since I … Continue Reading →


Waste in Jars

It’s reusable. It’s durable. It’s made of glass. And, it’s not allowed in daycares, for reasoning I can understand but think is flawed. “No glass,” was what I was told the first day of Levi’s daycare. The day after we visited Jim’s Jars, the eccentric jar seller to folks in the Portland area. “Why doesn’t Levi have any food left?” … Continue Reading →


Recycling at the Smithsonian

In April, I had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. for the National Low Income Housing Coalition Conference. We were in D.C. for five days. Two mostly occupied by travel, one day to ourselves, and two days in NLIHC workshops. The conference was very educational, informative, and interesting. As a board member for the Community Alliance of Tenants, it’s … Continue Reading →


My Commute (in 2005)

I wrote this in 2005 for the Portland Transport blog for the “My Commute” series. I moved to Portland nearly two years ago. The trip across country took our trusty van as a sacrifice for making the distance in Missoula, so my ex and I arrived without motor powered wheels. Since I wasn’t willing to drive the beast we named … Continue Reading →


The Story of Cap and Trade

From the folks who brought The Story of Stuff comes The Story of Cap and Trade.  Click on the links if it doesn’t show below. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvaoqRSshv0&hl=en_US&fs=1&] The Story of Cap & Trade from Story of Stuff Project on Vimeo.


Eco lunches

I’ve noticed lately two things:  1) there are a lot of tips to show you how to build a green lunch and 2) there is a lot of talk about how organic food doesn’t hold any more nutrition than conventional food.  The discussion that could happen based on these trends is amazing, and I would like to add a few … Continue Reading →


Greenville in the News

Some time ago, I posted a link about United Solar Ovonic and its new plant in Greenville, Michigan, my home town.  Well, the piece finally aired:  NBC Nightly News & United Solar Ovonic.  It’s a short piece that describes how former Electrolux employees are being trained and employed at the new solar-cell plant.  The company will manufacture solar panels that … Continue Reading →


Your Footprint

Ecological Footprint Quiz by Redefining Progress When’s the last time you checked your ecological footprint?  Do it today.  Redefining progress has an ever-evolving tool to measure your impact on this earth.