Create Better Impact
My Facebook status reads: Taxes
Steve responds: Spends
As I tried to think of a funny way to continue this conversation the words that came to mind were ‘Drains’ or ‘Exhausts.’ While debating, my internal semantics critic began to shout. “Do you realize,” the critic asked “that all of those words are about draining and taking away?!” Read the rest of this entry »
I’m leaving for Haiti early Monday morning and I am so excited that I am bouncing off the walls! OK, so, I am not literally bouncing off the walls, I’m just giddy with anticipation.
Seriously?
Well, yes. I’m heading down to volunteer in any way that I can, and while at it I hope to bring stories of what its like back for people to understand a little better what is going on there, how a country can be made a little more sustainable, and how to restore peace post-disaster. I expect that while I have a lot of practical knowledge and an MA in Socially Responsible Business and Sustainable Communities from Goddard College I’ll be learning much myself on this trip.
I’m packing right now and the interior of my room is an explosion of outdoor gear, clothing, and donation items. My conversation with Amurtel further helped me to realize that this is not a typical trip, and my packing list will be drastically different: for instance, I need to bring my own accommodations (a tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag.) I guess it’s a good thing that I’m an outdoorsy person and have some of what I need. But I will need to pick up some fun things like a super lightweight sleeping bag (its in the upper 90′s), (lots of) mosquito repellent, and a small solar charger. Darn it! <– sarcasm
Some of what I’m bringing for donation:
I’ve registered with the US Embassy in Haiti, wrapped up (most of) the loose ends with work, set up bill payments (thank God for online banking) and put everyone on notice that I’ll be leaving.
Any support to the success of this trip is welcomed, whether it is financial, prayers, compassionate thoughts, information, connections, equipment, et cetera. I’ve already managed to engage the interest in a serious investor; the Jersey City-based fourth grade class of Ms. Litman is sending along $350 for the children of Haiti.
I need to go now because I should stop vibrating with excitement and get to everything that needs to be done before I leave.
Oh and on a final note I won’t post here until I return so please check the blog specific to my volunteer time in Haiti if you are interested in more.
A two hour drive from Wote in the Makueni district of Kenya lies the village of Ngomano. The last 9 miles of the trip to the village center takes a four-wheel drive vehicle and nerves of steel. Not only are you sharing the single lane road with goats, sheep, cattle and people heading to get water, but what is used as a road is often deeply rutted and washed out. Hold on to your stomach for this bumpy ride.
Just before you arrive at the village center of Ngomano a small side road to the left takes you a hundred yards to The Clay International School. This school was developed by PEI Kenya as an innovative way to teach, and in order to create a sustainable community. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Clay International School, CoOp, Education, Fair Trade, Kenya, Makueni, Ngomano, PEI Kenya, Sustainability, Water, Wote
In response to the Haitian earthquake I have been working on making plans to get down on the ground to volunteer with Amurt. While waiting for those plans to solidify, I woke up this morning to news that a massive 8.8 earthquake hit Chile. I still plan to head to Haiti to help out, but now my prayers and love are being sent to both places. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Catastrophe, Chaos, Chile, Compassion, Earthquake, Haiti, Natural Disaster, Volunteer
What’s behind DEM Collective? What’s the scoop?
This women-owned clothing store in Gothenburg, Sweden is definitely more than meets the eye. While their hot style of simple t-shirts and beautiful dark blue jeans may be appealing, it is the business practices which caught my attention and ultimately earned this business of being worthy of Exposé! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Clothing, DEM Collective, Expose, Fair Trade, Fashion, Göteborg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Spending time in the Maasai Mara is amazing. You find yourself surrounded by lions, giraffe, zebra, and vast open stretches of land in a way not possible in the United States.
Despite the remote nature of this beautiful place, the Maasai people have made contact with the rest of the technological world. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Africa, Kenya, Maasai, Maasai Mara, Masai, Masai Mara, Technology, Tribal life
I can say whatever I want, for now, without fear because I am not famous and hold little sway over public opinion. It is true that you all are reading this, and you matter, but since my readership is not yet at the level of Huffington Post, Oprah, or BigGovernment.com It is highly unlikely that I will be sued for libel. Read the rest of this entry »
What is green?
We all see initiatives and products advertised as being green or sustainable. Whether this is done as a component of corporate strategy or arises from a true belief of inherent ‘goodness’ most of the time on the scale of true worldwide sustainability, they are not without some impact.
My answer is that there is no black and white definition.
Within communities, corporations, small businesses, governments, and families there are different degrees of progress. When a corporation is announcing a greening strategy or movement, good for them. They have made progress. But by no means are they now officially GREEN with nothing left to do.
Think of this situation like being in a dim room. In a room that the occupants are used to they can see and because that is what they know, they accept it as being good, normal or right. There is no questioning whether or not the light can get brighter. They think it’s as bright as it can be perhaps, or they might not even question that more is possible.
If additional lights were added to the room it would be obvious to the occupants that at first the room was dark and now there is more light. Who is to say that it can’t get brighter still? Why settle for what we have if we can have and create a better world and society for ourselves?
It’s obvious when you see a green product. It’s obvious when you see a sustainable community. I think the question that we need to ask is can it get brighter? Can it get greener? And I believe it can.
Tags: Advertising, Green, Light, Marketing, Sustainable
So I am creating a new blog to talk about the process of purging the pantry. There is a need to get through all the food that is in there. I’m not even sure how it ended up being so much in the first place. Well I guess I do know… I mean, so I’m a foodie. I love to eat. I love to try new things. I love to have different varieties of the same thing around for the subtle difference in flavor and also because what if I am craving green olives flavored with garlic and lemon and I only have pitted kalamata?! It would be a crisis. Or would it?
Tags: sustainable consumption
I’m referring not to the haunting of the hills but the abandonment of villages.
Empty buildings. Why? They have the food they need. The homes are beautiful. Why would they leave? I expect that these typically family-centric communities of 5+ houses become nonviable as the younger generation moves away and the older one dies. Driving around, we passed two of these housing clusters that were empty and another that was at half its potential occupancy.
Another challenge evident exists in housing prices. According to one local, after the release of the book Under the Tuscan Sun and then the movie, prices of Tuscan villas shot sky high. It makes me wonder if those detritus filled decaying homes might be bought and inhabited if the locals weren’t priced out. I wonder if this same effect happened after the release of the book Eat, Pray, Love in the countries it referred to.
Tags: Alive, Community, Italy, Local Living Economies, Sustainable, Tourism, Under the Tuscan Sun