Reading List: "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (Barbara Kingsolver, 2007)

Continuing with my habit of reading any book that consists of an environmentally-themed personal challenge, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, fell right into that category. Kingsolver (most notably the author of The Poisonwood Bible) sets out with her family to eat only either what they can grow themselves or what was created locally (150 miles seems to be their “local radius”) for one year. Unlike the couple in Plenty (known as the “100-mile dieters”) Kingsolver and clan have a Kentucky farmhouse and enough knowledge of animal husbandry and agriculture to support it. (They also seem to handle issues with each other much better than the Plenty couple did.) Their admirable quest is made even more interesting by their commitment to heirloom varieties. Anyone can throw a handful of agro-conglomerate seeds in the ground and tend what grows, but it takes real patience to hunt down and nurture varieties that are all but extinct and unknown to the average American. (Most notably, instead of raising Broad-Breasted White Turkeys [which is what over 99% of all American turkey meat is] and instead raise Bourbon Reds, an heirloom variety. They must try to re-awaken the mating instinct that has essentially been bred out of the bird due to artificial insemination.)

While she insists that their lives were more than planting, hoeing, weeding, watering, picking and canning, the reader is left somewhat in doubt. (There are just not enough hours in the day to hold down a full time job and support a farm this size.) But for the average American with a small corner of land or room for a few containers for gardening, it is an otherwise inspiring tale of truly creating your own food supply.

Simpler or Too Fast?

So I got this new little toy for my computer… A wireless USB connection card that allows me to be online wherever I want (provided there’s a cell phone signal in the area). After spending the last 10 years dialing up whenever I wanted to be online at home or having to stop at public libraries while driving cross country to check my email, this is a radical change for me. I’ve resisted upgrading for years in order to save money ($20 for a phone line sure beats whatever the going rate for DSL and wireless networks are—over that 10 year period, I’ve easily saved thousands of dollars) but now it’s time to enter the 21st century. I’m a little saddened that I will lose that time that I would spend waiting for websites to load that I would usually get up and move around the apartment, multi-tasking as I waited. Will I fill that time that I don’t need to wait anymore with something productive? Or will I just waste more time online looking for things I don’t really need or want? Will the fact that I got impatient that it took 5 minutes for a page to load before be supplanted by getting upset if a page doesn’t now load in 30 seconds? Will this new technology really make my life simpler or make it go too fast?

Farmers Markets, Food Waste and Getting the Garden Growin'

For a while now, I've been planning on finally 'walking the walk' and getting myself to a farmer's market in the area. Of course, all the procrastinating was unnecessary since there is one right in my town, not 2 miles from my house. Every Saturday morning (rain or shine!) local vendors set out their pop up tents and display their horticultural wares. Some are organic, some merely boast they are pesticide-free, but all are merchants that are hands on participants in their products' creation. (Take that Ralph's produce department!) Okay, so I have some work to do to learn more about where my food comes from, but the farmer's market is the right step in the right direction. After perusing for a bit, I settled on a basket of strawberries (lots of fresh smoothies this week), a basket of grape tomatoes (good in Mexican dishes), and a couple organic pears (which I don't know why I don't eat more of, they are one of my favorite fruits). My fear with the quantities they sell is that I will end up tossing most of what I buy because I'm just one person that doesn't eat it fast enough before it goes south. (The tomatoes are the only thing left, but they're starting to get pretty squishy) So I'm trying to plan out meals before I select a particular produce for some variety. (Strawberry smoothies are great, but 3 days in a row seems to be the maximum amount of time I can stand them). I pride myself on not needing a garbage disposal, mostly because I am very conscious of how much food I waste, and whatever food that starts that detour south before I can eat it goes directly to the worm bin. With any luck this year's garden will start to take root shortly: Pea plants and sunflowers have started to sprout, a few other seedlings have begun germinating (oh why don't I label them better!) and once the worm castings are spread out on the new plants, mystery plants will also start cropping up as well. It is the most wonderful time of year. :)

For a farmers' market near you: click here for the searchable site.

2009 Resolutions: Give a Little Bit

After my trip to Ye Olde Tax Preparer this year, I was stunned to see how little I made in charitable contributions last year. And in this “ECONOMIC CLIMATE” what’s going to suffer most are the organizations that rely on contributions to survive. So this year, I’m going to challenge myself to make at least one donation a month, for 12 months to a cause near and dear to my heart. January I’ve already written about my fated donation to the team behind Gregg’s documentary, but February I think I’m going to select my local YMCA. I’ve been pretty much a lifelong member of one Y or another (back when mom threw me into swim lessons at 6 months of age), and I have seen first hand what a membership can for a person. Bally’s or 24 Hour Fitness may be the place to be if you’re looking to turn your workout into a social event, but the Y is the place to be if you want your membership dollars to directly benefit your community.

Reading List: "Confessions of An Eco-Sinner" & "Where Am I Wearing"

While being waylaid with a chest infection, I’ve had plenty of time to sack out on the couch and catch up on some light reading. Well, and with the absence of any fluffy tomes on my reading list, instead I picked a couple of “where my stuff is from” books. Both “Where Am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People That Make Our Clothes” (Kelsey Timmerman, 2008) and “Confessions of an Eco-Sinner: Tracking Down the Sources of My Stuff” (Fred Pearce, 2008) give the reader an insight into where and how everyday items are created. Both books covered “sweatshop” conditions but both challenged the notion that “sweatshop” is always a bad concept. Timmerman traveled to China, Bangladesh, and Honduras to uncover how his favorite items of clothing were made. What I liked most about his book was the photographs and stories he included about the real workers. And while the conditions that these workers are exposed to are what we consider low pay, long hours and toxic working conditions, he debates that if there was a boycott on the items that they make, these people would have even less than they have now.

Pearce’s book expands the search from clothes to other consumer goods such as coffee, computers, where his trash goes and even where his wedding ring came from. His book also opened my eyes to things I never knew existed (did you know there is a gold mine in South Africa that has supplied more gold to the planet than anywhere else on earth and that at any time there are 60,000 men working underground?) but also changed my mind on conventional thinking: (they have noted that it takes less energy to make virgin paper from trees than it takes to recycle old paper into new, that if everyone on the planet emitted as much carbon as the average Chinese person, there would be no climate crisis, that around polluted sewage drains there seem to be a higher abundance of thriving wildlife as compared to clean areas, and that if current population rates continue, the only population crisis will be that there are not ENOUGH people to support the human race.)

Both books are good examples on why we should never stop learning about where our “stuff” comes from and where it goes to once we’re done with it.

Doc Review: FLOW: For Love of Water

FLOW is a riveting documentary that covers all aspects of the global water crisis—from chemical pollution that is causing fish and frogs to spontaneously change sexes, to the corporate take over of water supplies, to large scale dams redirecting the natural flow of rivers for greed of the rich, to lack of access to clean and safe drinking water in the world’s poorest communities (where contaminated water kills more people than war or AIDS). “Water=money=power” is evidenced by the fact that only 3 major corporations (Suez, Vivendi and Thames Water) control not only the global water supply, but also created and control the World Water Council, an organization that has taken upon itself to be voice of authority on global water supply. We as Americans rarely think about where our water comes from and where it goes to, but in less than 10 years many American aquifers are in serious danger of being completely drained. Could you imagine having to wait in line for hours with a bucket for the mere possibility of clean water? It may be a reality if drastic changes are not made to our consumption habits. Another staggering statistic: Nestle owns SEVENTY percent of the bottled water brands (such names as Poland Spring, Ozarka, Deerfield Park, and Arrowhead) and supplies these brands by setting up in local communities, extracting the water from the ground and then selling back to consumers. I hope this documentary widens the discussion of who really owns water and how we all need to change our habits to keep it clean and plentiful.
Sign the petition for “the right for water”.

Sometimes the world works in very mysterious ways. During my new conscious habit of being more responsible for my actions, I had a rather prophetic experience. After discovering that a PayPal donation I had tried to make 2 years ago did not go through (I don’t check the account very often and when I signed on recently, I noticed the money back in my account and a “declined” letter waiting for me… dated 2006) I was disheartened, because I had no idea that this happened. I could have just walked away, taken that money and moved on with my life. But instead, this week, I went about making it right. I resent the donation directly to my friends at Greenie Films (creators of A Finished Life, the documentary about my late friend Gregg) with a note of humble apology and fessing up to what had happened. Their response was a pleasant coincidence: the amount I sent was needed exactly at that time to pay for the dub of the copy of the film that will shown on HERE TV shortly. Sometimes the world works in mysterious ways, and I am beginning to truly believe the power of intuition.

The Accountability of Simplicity

Oops. Okay, I’m ready to admit it. I did it. Picked up a wedding present for a friend this weekend (pushing that Emily Post rule about having 1 year after the wedding to come through with the gift or face social rudeness) and promptly proceeded to puncture a hole and scrape the side of the leather ottoman I had just purchased, not 15 minutes before. Sigh. So I ran through the options, #1- I mean it’s not really that bad, right, giving a wedding present that’s slightly damaged? Um, yes it is. Okay how about #2-head back to Tarjay and say that I didn’t notice that it was damaged when I bought it. This seemed like the way to go, but after sleeping on the decision, I remembered something I had written about in my book, which is that returning things that are damaged or that you have bought just to take parts out of is stealing, plain and simple.
So now the ottoman sits in my living room, and I convince myself that it is a nice addition to the space, damage and all. It serves as a reminder to be more accountable for my actions. I’ve also decided that I need to fill it up with a comparable amount of “stuff” to get rid of to justify its arrival. I’m also going to try to save the comparable amount of money spent, since now I still have to get another wedding present!

"A New Era of Responsibility"

I like the sound of those words. I know there’s all this backlash that people think Obama is god, even when he says the same words as Bush, but I think it all comes down to who you believe more. Or who has not made a fool of the country he claims to love time and time again. I hope everyone takes these words to heart, and begins their own personal quest for responsibility. Owning up to our mistakes, accepting what has come to pass and being accountable for our actions. It’s going to be a long slog through the mire, but I think the only way Americans can make their way through this is to scale back, take control of their own lives and SIMPLIFY!

To quote Nina Simone:

It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good.

I hope everyone is feeling pretty good today.

A Day of Service: A Simplist's Contribution

So I headed out last Saturday morning for my few hours of volunteering—I had opted for a joint venture between WeChangeLA and Tree People helping prune fruit trees that would be donated to non-profits such as schools or churches to distribute amongst their members. A little trepidation as I roused myself from sleep this morning (as there is anytime you try something new, alone) but a short bike ride to the park where the event was held and I was ready to get to work. We all seemed daunted by the large number of trees waiting for us in the compound, (it looked like a challenge out of The Amazing Race...)but the 15 or so volunteers that showed up made quick work of it (so much so that while we were budgeted for 4 hours of work, we finished it in 2). It turned out to be a wonderful idea, reacquainting me with Tree People (which I had been a member of many years ago but let it lapse after moving away), plus introducing me to the newly formed We Change LA (so new they don’t even have their own website, oh the humanity!) While this 2 hours of pruning might not change the world, it showed me that this kind of service—something so simple and not very time-consuming, can fit into even a very hectic schedule.

Call to Service

So this weekend, our President-elect has issued a call to arms to the American people…5 hours of community service on Monday (for those with the day off—I however will be toiling at the TV Guide Network). So in lieu of having a day off, I’ll use this weekend to do my 5 hours of service. The real task now comes at selecting something last minute that is both worthy of 5 hours of service and "accomplish-able". First stop: checking out USAService.org for a listing of projects in my area.

I'm back... finally.

Greetings and salutations… it has been far too long since my last post, and I am terribly sorry for that. I also abandoned my 12 for 2008 resolutions started last January midway through the year and well that’s just unfortunate. But it’s a new year, and a new you…er, me… and a new economy. In just 5 days the Almighty Obama will take office and fix everything…right? Well just in case, I’m going to try to use this year to focus on how to save money and be green at the same time. I’ve always been very conscious of both, but it’s time to dig deeper and see how green and how frugal I can be. It’s time to cut those bills in half! It’s time to kick it into high gear, people!

It figures when I can get from Navajo, AZ to Groom, TX on one tank, gas finally goes below $2 a gallon again.

Okay I’ve regained my simplistic composure over here, granted I’m still spending money like I have it to spend, but I also am a lot more focused on being able to find alternative solutions based on using items that I already own as well as creative holiday gifts (didn’t you know Christmas season started yesterday). I’m also working on clearing out the back of the freezer by finally thawing out all those old items and converting them to edible dinner—with the help of random late season peppers that are growing (no idea what kind they are but don’t look a gift pepper in the mouth). And also finally rounded up all the haz mat items in the house for the yearly trek to the recycling center. I’m really lucky to live in a community that has its own (pretty much) ‘no questions asked’ hazardous materials center that’s open 3 days a week, and while I try my best to avoid purchasing anything that may eventually become hazardous waste, sometimes it’s unavoidable—burned out light bulbs that came with the apartment, dead AA batteries, old and failing electronics, expired medications. At least I could take some pride in watching my neighbors bring in clearly-dug-out-of -the-ground car batteries.

More lapsing...

. I’ve been a lapsed simplist lately. I know I should know better, and what’s even worse is that I have the time to devote to making conscious decisions. Not sure why I’ve decided to take the easy way out on numerous occasions. I figured after I stopped working 7 days a week, I’d be better able to focus my attention on making better decisions. But alas no. Instead of asking a friend if I could borrow (have) an old phone that they weren’t using or heading to Goodwill to see if they had a used one I could purchase, I headed to Target and thought a $5 cheap plastic phone was a better idea. Instead of taking time to look up the cat’s vaccination schedule and speaking up at the vet, I let her go ahead and give him his vaccinations at least 6 months earlier than needed and at full cost (remembering afterward that PetCo does them for considerably less.) I brought new foam cushions into the house to finish up the couch, forgetting the effect that the off-gassing fumes would have on me for months and months into the future. And on and on, the list goes. So starting here and now today, I’m going to refocus my attention. I have the time, there’s just no excuse for why I am not more mindful of my actions, especially in these troubled economic times.

Link of the Day: Junk Mail Gems

We’re all about creative reuse here at the Daily Dose, and yesterday I came across this site: Junk Mail Gems which “turns trash into treasure”. Now the best way to get rid of junk mail is to cut it off at the source by opting out of marketing mail and removing your address from their system…BUT, even with those tricks, there’s always going to be some junk mail that slips through. And what Gretchen from Minnesota has done here has created some great examples of upcycling (recycling a material to make something of higher quality than the original product): pins, magnets, wallets and jewelry created using recycled materials, and each piece is handmade and unique. Even nicer is the fact that she gives you hints on how the items are made and provides links and ideas on how you can recycle your own junk mail.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Week

So it apparently is “Lights Out” night while watching Game 4 of the ALCS… So I’m sitting over here in the dark waiting for the Red Sox to come back from a 3 run deficit. It’s gonna be a long 9 innings if they can’t come back and I have to sit here in the dark. I wonder how many people are actually also sitting watching in the dark as well… the website already has 105,000 registered participants (all probably excited about the prospect of winning a new TV that uses less energy too.)

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Week

This might all fall into the “every little bit helps” file. Caught a playoff game in Anaheim last week and noticed that the beer cups are now made from corn and considerably larger (more beer in the cup means less trips to the beer line… uh, and less cups!)

'Take Me Out To The Ballgame' Week

To celebrate the baseball playoff season, I thought I’d round up a few attempts by the national pastime to “green up” their sport.
First, I caught this bright idea from the perfectly coifed & chiseled Anderson Cooper during the ALDS game 4 between the Red Sox and the Angels: As part of his “Planet in Peril” series he is trying to rally the viewers to turn their lights off during game 4 of the ALCS. But be sure to leave your TV on. Maybe someone mentioned the irony of this request, because doing a Google search, I can’t find anything about it online.

We're Back

Well the ‘Daily Dose’ has been a little dark for the past few months what with our office’s mandatory ‘take the summer off’ policy, followed immediately by ‘get back to work to pay off those summer bills’. But we’re back up and running now and hopefully back on a regular posting schedule.

I’d be remiss if I let this weekend’s sad news go by without a mention. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have been a Paul Newman super-fan for many many years and the sad news this weekend that he had lost his battle with lung cancer is still touching my soul tonight. More than just celebrity ‘hero-worship’ Paul was a man who truly represented what I’m trying to extol here on the blog, in my book and with my daily actions. He was someone who did not just talk the talk. He put his money, his time and his reputation on the line for helpless children who are suffering from disease. He did it all with dignity and class. He did not live in a glass tower and look down those he was trying to help—he was there, in the trenches. He was a truly passionate individual that took a hobby for driving fast and turned it into a second career that delighted him until his final days. He was a truly brilliant actor—so good that I don’t think people truly realized his talents, thinking that maybe he was truly that roguish cad from Hud, or that sly trickster from The Sting. In fact, he is probably a little of each of the characters he played, but none is a complete picture of the man.

The world is a little sadder now that he is gone, but I hope that his legacy lives on. Thanks for the memories, pal.

(LA Times posted the official obituary here)

A little R n' R

So the blogger is off galavanting across the country for a few weeks this summer—probably not the most cost effective move when gas is averaging over $4 a gallon, but sometimes you just can't let life stop you from livin'. So I am off first for my first trip to the Pacific Northwest: San Fran, Portland and Seattle, then down to Utah and hopefully the midwest will dry out by the beginning of July so I can make my way across the plains to the east coast. I'll try to come up with some simplist observations while I'm on the road, but for now, please enjoy the musings of the Los Angeles Roaming Gnome instead. He's good comedy, and always seems to bring a smile to whomever he meets :)

Happy summer on and all, stay cool!

Mid June updates!

So we’ve hit mid-June here in LA, and remarkably the weather has been fairly mild so far (hottest it’s gotten is about 90º but it cools down at night so it’s bearable). Been managing to ride my bike everywhere lately since I’m working at Disney this week, a straight shot down Buena Vista. Gotta somehow make up for the fact that I’ve got about 7000 miles worth of gas to buy in the next two months on the great American road trip, during the worst possible time…ever. My drinkin’ and swearin’ challenge this month is going pretty well—I have not had a diet coke since May and I’ve only had 4 beers total in 16 days. Swearing, well that’s another matter entirely. I catch myself every so often and slap myself on the wrist, but sometimes it’s just the only way to express oneself when navigating southern California freeways. Still got half a month to make up for it though.

Also sad to be leaving town, just as all my crops started coming up. Here is the very first jumbo cherry tomato of the year…the mini-cucumbers are coming in but won’t reach maturity until I leave town. Here’s hoping the sprinklers keep them all hydrated until I get back!

12 Resolutions June: Vice-free for 30 Days

So in preparation for my upcoming job at the end of June working in Provo, Utah where the producers have requested that while staying on the campus of Brigham Young University we refrain from swearing, drinking alcohol, and smoking, I’ve decided to issue my own personal challenge to see if I can give up a few of my own personal vices for the whole month. The smoking ban is of course the easiest one for me, as I’d rather do pretty much anything rather than smoke. The swearing and the drinking might be a little tougher (hey, I’m a WASP, what can I say?) I’ll throw in a ban on Diet Coke too to keep me right with the Mormons.

Water Month: The LifeStraw

Came across this story on my favorite mental_floss: about the LifeStraw, an amazingly simple idea that truly could change the world. Basically it’s a straw that contains a filter that removes diseases and bacteria from water as it’s being used (it doesn’t filter out Giardia yet, but they’re working on it) Cost per straw? $3, which is more than most of the people who truly need the straw can afford. Here's hoping my economic stimulus check comes through soon so we can redirect those funds to get some of these devices out where they really need them. How wonderful is it that a simple little device could make such a difference?

12 Resolutions May: That is not a sign of a healthy lawn.

We’ve been doing our own water conservation here at the Burbank bungalow—seems the reason our front lawn has turned to dried hay was my neighbor deciding the sprinkler timer needed to be unplugged without realizing what it was or without telling anyone that she had done so. So, while we’ve conserved some water (and her electric bill—[so she claims]) we’ve got a dead and crispy lawn that probably isn’t coming back this year. Finally realizing that the sprinklers weren’t on at all does have an added water conservation benefit: now I’m in charge, for the time being, of watering the lawn. The timer can’t decide to take the day off because it’s raining like I can (which believe it or not, it’s actually raining today. In May. In L.A. OMG, it actually just THUNDERED as I typed that!). It also called to light the fact that we were missing a sprinkler head and had created essentially a geyser that bypassed even the corner of the lawn and drained directly into the street. I was also able to redirect the sprinkler heads so they’re pointing We’ve got a little dribbling problem at one of the sprinkler turn-on valves, but it’s a work in progress people.

May Resolution: better late than never

I’ve been a little MIA in the blogosphere lately—too much work, too much heat and just not enough energy to do the little things that aren’t essential to day-to-day living. Here it is 3/4 through the month of May and I haven’t even had the wherewithal to come up with a monthly challenge. (Or possibly recap my April successes and failures). Temperature reads 87º here today, but feels much, much warmer in my kiln…er, apartment. But we’ve got a few weeks left on the month, so I probably can come up with a challenge that I might have even been observing all along. May apparently is some sort of water conservation month here in California (I think every month should be water conservation month, but we’ll go with it…) I’m a thirsty gal (I usually drink at least a gallon of water a day) so I know the importance of making every drop count. I’m usually pretty good about the conservation: recycle the gray water for non-edible plants, use the bucket in the shower to catch water to use for toilet flushing, water the crops early in the morning to prevent evaporation. This month’s challenge will be to find a way to cut back even more so, while still remaining hydrated.

TLC should always be organic.

I’ve always known the hardest times to stay simplified are: when there’s an emergency, when we’re in a rush, when we’re on vacation, any time we’re distracted, when we succumb to peer pressure, and when our beliefs contradict each other. This week I would probably add another situation to the list: when time is of the essence. With two very dear people in my life in the hospital this week, I want to support them but not at the expense of my beliefs. I don’t want to just grab a bunch of flowers from the supermarket to express my “get well” wishes. So instead, I stopped and thought for a little bit about what I would appreciate if I was laid up for awhile. The organic bouquet was the first thing that was a must (organicbouquet.com)

Next was to devise a pampering care package for my pal Marla, which was very cathartic to make because it made me think of all the wonderful things that she has done for me for so many years. It also feels good to make something that doesn’t betray my beliefs. Recipe for a natural and clear-conscience “get well soon” care package:
• Some nice Pomegranate white tea (lots of good anti-oxidants)
• Some Trader Joe’s lavender body oil (good for keeping skin moisturized)
• a few lavender sachets for under the pillow or in the clothes drawer (relaxing scent, without chemical fragrances)
• one of my infamous soothing eye pillows (relaxing & soothing; can never have enough of either)
• (shameless plug) a Simplicity Connection exclusive “simplify” tee (made in the sweatshop of my living room)
• a pink ribbon ball cap (donated by one Lesley Davis, paid for by donating much of her sassy blood & platelets)
• and my favorite item by far, the “Guess Who’s Kicking Cancer’s Ass?” mix CD. (Had to share the play list because I’m quite proud of it. ☺ (Clicking the graphic makes it larger, so it can actually be read!)

(P.S. Re: #22 on the CD: If you’ve never seen the Joss Stone/Melissa Etheridge Janis Joplin tribute from the Grammys 3 years ago, it’s an amazing representation of what kicking cancer’s ass can do: see it here on Youtube.)

Two days ‘til Earth Day! Two days ‘til Earth Day! While I always advocate for spending more time outdoors, the TV’s (FINALLY) got a whole slew of green-themed programming to fill up one’s Tivo queue for those rainy Sunday afternoons. This article from Multichannel.com gives a long list of upcoming environmental programs.

More wire hangers!

One of my favorite days of the year is here: Saturday April 19th is National Hanging Out Day! Now I’m pretty fortunate I live in a climate where it makes it very easy to embrace the practice of line drying, but even if I didn’t live in sunny So-Cal, I would still try my best to avoid using the clothes dryer. It takes a little more creativity, but it can be done. Retractable hotel style clothes lines can be purchased for under $10 and fold up drying racks for under $20. I usually hang hangers on any available door jamb. The sun isn’t cooperating very much today, but I think the breeze is enough to get three loads of laundry dried before nightfall.

7 Days 'til Earth Day

With Earth Day 2008 just a week away, I’m trying my darndest to come up with some new and exciting links for the occasion. First up: loving this Sierra Club re-imagining of the Rosie the Riveter poster and the links they’ve got on their “We Can Do It!” site.

Recently one of my best friends, a woman I have known and worked with for 10 years was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was heart-breaking news, but she is facing it with dignity and humor (her slogan is she’s going to “Kick cancer’s ass” and she’s blogging every little detail here: http://fivepokes.blogspot.com/)
Her announcement has got me thinking though, instead of “so many people have cancer” I start to think, why doesn’t everyone have cancer? It is a dirty and dangerous world we live in. Even if you try to be good, try to eat healthy, try to limit your exposure to toxins, there are just so many unknown variables that you can’t plan against. Here in California, we’ve got something called Prop. 65 or the Green Labeling Law: passed in the mid-80s, it requires that every building or product containing an chemical known to cause cancer must be labeled with a sign. I’ll admit when I first moved to California, it was a little intimidating passing those signs every day on my way into work…or into the grocery store… Today they’ve become so common that I barely notice them anymore. Every time you you’re your car with gasoline, you expose yourself to a carcinogen. Every time you purchase, use or come in contact with plywood, particle board or wood veneer, you expose yourself to a carcinogen. Livestock hormones in meat used for human consumption, prescription medications showing up in drinking water supplies, lead in children’s toys, the list goes on and on. When is the world going full realize that we are creating our own medical tragedies?

Today’s addition to the monthly packaging reduction goal: no more plastic utensils or paper plates at work. I head to the kitchen for some morning toast, not 10 feet from my office. I grab a paper plate and a plastic knife, both which will hit the trash can in less then 15 minutes. Worse yet, at that desk of mine, not 10 feet away, I have in my drawer, silverware and a heavy plastic dish that can easily be used as a plate. Since 95% of my meals lately are eaten at work, I can easily make a difference with the simple step of saying “no” to disposable cutlery and plates. (I’m also going to try to be better about composting my organic garbage… seems I only eat fruit now when I can find it in the work kitchen!)

12 Resolutions March Wrap/ April intro

Well March has come and gone in a blur… I guess I’m lucky my life is reasonably simplified or else I would be drowning in a mess of chores, projects and deadlines. Oh, wait. Even with a simplified life, spring has ambushed me with too much to do, and not nearly enough time to do it. My March goal of avoiding Chinese products was slightly successful, in that I bought next to nothing for the entire month (one perk of working 70 hours a week, too tired to shop). Hopefully it will continue to make me conscious of what I buy, when I do need to buy.

My April goal is also pretty ambitious… I wanted to try to reduce my packaging footprint—ambitious because everything we buy is packaged. Shrink wrapping, paperboard boxes, impossible to cut open plastic containers. All one-time use, all destined for the garbage bin once we’ve ripped open the product. I know that glass is heavier than plastic and therefore a product in a glass container needs more energy to transport than the same product in plastic, but the recycling opportunities for glass are so much greater than plastic. That glass jar also is a lot safer to reuse for leftovers and storage. I’m pretty good about making sure all my plastic packaging makes it into the recycling bin, but how much of it actually eventually gets recycled? My goal this month is: "glass and paper-okay, plastic-no way".

Spring has surely sprung here in L.A.—sprung forward to summer actually, as this weekend temps were in the mid-80's already. Air quality is still what I can only imagine as 95% pollen but hopefully my body will adjust soon and put an end to this 2 week-long allergy attack. Managed to get out for a good quick 2 hour hike in the hills this morning—so unusual to see the hills so green. I know that won't last much longer with more 85º days. Crops are coming up, well something's coming up. At first I believed it the seeds I planted—basil, pansies, cucumbers, lemon balm—but the seedlings all seem to look suspiciously the same in every pot (the hazards of making your own compost, invariably what you thought was dead last year is back after a winter hibernation in the worm bin.) And finally, we have what seems to be some sort of lover's serenade outside—each evening at around 11:30pm, a bird shows up and begins his call and answer—so loud and clear you'd think it was in the room with you. What is most unique is that this bird changes his call over and over, repeating each call only about 5 times before moving onto a completely new call. Ornithologists, assist!

Reading List: "Stirring It Up"

Just finished reading Gary Hirshberg’s new book “Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World”… Hirshberg is the founder and CE-Yo of the Stonyfield Farms Yogurt empire and long time fighter of the good fight in terms of organic farming, recycling and all-around ecological goodness.
Hirshberg is positive about our ability as a society (and specifically business owners) to turn things around and I think that’s an important trait for this type of book. Too much of the ecological reading of late is all doom and gloom without positive solutions to back it up. He presents other companies that are also making headway into making a difference (many of the usual suspects are recapped here) Clif Bars, Patagonia, Newman’s Own, and Timberland but a few others that one might not expect like WalMart, who have come a long way in their struggle to no longer be deemed the root of all evil. Overall, a pretty good quick read with positive themes and important details on why we should all take a little more interest in how companies do business in the age of climate change.

OCA Report on 1,4-dioxane

A difficult article to read today in the LA Times, but something that shouldn’t be ignored: The issue at hand is the Organic Consumers Association, an independent research group discovered that out of 100 “natural” products tested, 47 of them contained 1,4-dioxane, a compound that the EPA has declared a probable human carcinogen because it causes cancer in lab animals. The compound is not intentionally added to products like soaps and shampoos, but is “a byproduct of a process used to soften harsh detergents”. I got the feeling that it was written out of spite (the whole thing has the tone of “ha ha, look we busted all these so-called natural products.) What’s worse, the products listed in the article are all by reputable companies, companies that fight the good fight and that would have (or should have) known better than to let something like this happen. What’s even worse is that because these companies tout themselves as being so environmentally friendly, they will be scrutinized worse than a public official caught with his pants down.

Seventh Generation has already posted a response to the report on their site.

Recycle, Upcycle or No-cycle

Found this link from the good folks at Terracycle, bottlers of the finest worm tea that money can buy:

They have partnered with Clif Bar, Stonyfield Farms, Capri Sun, and Honest Kids to start a pilot grassroots recycling program for energy bar wrappers, yogurt cups, juice drink pouches, and plastic bottles. Each type of material is allocated so many spots for people to sign up to be delivered recycling boxes. (I tried to get in on the energy bar program, since I eat about 300 Clif Bars a year, but they had already filled their 500 member quota by the time I got there. Waiting list here I come.) As incentive, each item submitted for recycling earns .02 to .06 cents for the non-profit organization of your choice. I may track down someone on the list and offer up my collected wrappers, just to get them out of the house. The collected energy bar and juice pouch recyclables are actually "upcycled" into (fashionable?) bags, the yogurt cups are turned into small planter cups, and the 20oz plastic bottles are used by Terracycle to package their worm tea for sale. In fact, while they claim the program as "recycling" and keeping the waste out of landfills, it's actually only delaying the disposal. (Eventually that "graffiti painted flower pot" will have to be disposed of. And they also don't mention anything about what they do with the cups they receive that cannot be used. Direct to landfill then?) A good effort, but this program seems like it's merely something that they can trot out to children to make think recycling is a better idea than conservation.

Hrmph.

Oopsie. After judging Sara Bongiorni for tailoring her own China boycott to not include gifts bought by friends, I’m guilty of the same thing. Wanting lamps for our new office, I sent my friend out for them and she came back with two floor lamps and a few packs of CFL bulbs… all made in China. Alas, alack, March’s goal is going about as well as February’s.

March Resolution: Keeping track of where it all comes from

So I’m going to be a little retroactive with my China boycott and do a little check in with my (non-food) purchases for the last 2 months:
(FEBRUARY)
Bicycle rack for car: remarkably made in USA
Ikea pillow cases: Ethiopia (not very well made, but hard for even me to turn down at 50 cents each)
Thread (3 different brands): Mexico, USA, and Germany
Cell phone ear piece: China, naturally (there may be no electronics produced anywhere else)
Tin toy box with a handle: China, of course (anything with a cartoon character on it is definitely off the slow cargo container from China)
Northface backpack: Vietnam
Target rug: China, (I’m giving myself a little slack on this one, since it’s made of bamboo, and that’s an indigenous product of China…okay, who am I kidding, it’s a stretch.)
Gap Jeans: I had my hopes, but Made in Hong Kong still equals Made in China. No indication of where the fabric was made, but still hoping since the majority of denim is American made.
(MARCH BEGINS)
CVS brand Band-aids: no point of origin, distributed from Woonsocket, RI
4 packets of seeds: Colorado

12 Resolutions February Wrap/ March intro

February wrap up:
Well it’s very evident that I am a horrible vegetarian. I started the month off and only 2 days later, a slip. I probably slipped about 4 times before I got to the final week of the month, and there is where it all went off the rails as they say…it was just too easy not to think about what I was eating. (I think I finished the last day with a big bowl of Texas chili, but hey, when in Dallas. I'll have it known, I had the tuna when we ate at Morton's.) So I might revisit this goal later in the year to see if I can try to be better at it, but for now, a definite failure. But March is another day, isn’t it Scarlett?

So March’s goal is roughly based on Sara Bongiorni’s book “A Year Without ‘Made in China’.” It was her decision to try to survive a full year without any product purchased for her family bearing that ubiquitous ‘Made in China’ label—a fairly easy undertaking for me who doesn’t shop often and lives alone, but she felt overwhelmed by having to feel like she wasn’t depriving her two children (both under the age of 5). In fact, I disagree a bit with her methods: It is slightly cruel to spend a child’s life telling them that toys are great and wonderful and then all of a sudden change your mind and say “Nope, no more China toys,” cutting them off cold turkey. And then parade them up and down a toy store aisle showing them all the things they can no longer have. When her kid cries to her and asks her to have 2 more children and tell them when they’re born and not when older that China things are bad, even a four-year old gets it. Because nearly every toy sold in America is manufactured in China. Last year’s lead paint scare has probably done little to change the fact that toys are Chinese.

The other issue I have with her boycott is that she is boycotting products that are indigenously Chinese: she feels guilty that she overlooked that Mandarin oranges are Chinese, which seems silly to me—the point of the boycott was to show how China has taken over production of so many products that were originally produced in other places, as far as I can tell, Mandarin oranges are exclusively Chinese.

The Bongiorno’s boycott has made them more thoughtful, more conscious of their shopping habits and that is exactly what I am going to do with my own attempt at a Chinese boycott this year. I’m going with a cold turkey boycott for the month of March, and hopefully continue with a “buy China when it is the only practical option” in the future. But I plan to keep my purchasing traits unaffected: the best way to stay free from China products or (other sweatshop goods) is to stay a conscious consumer: buy only what you need, buy from reputable companies, buy for durability, dual function and take care of it once you get it home!

No More Mylar Balloons...evuh!

I love my local recycling center here in Beautiful Downtown Burbank, so when they send out little flyers with my electric bill I am always sure to read them through and through. (That’s how we got our free energy-saving replacement torchiere lamp and our free worm bin!) This month’s insert alerted me to something I never even considered before: the fact that 20% of all my city’s power outages are due to Mylar balloons. When they escape into the air, if the metallic coating comes in contact with power lines, pop, pop, fizzle, fizzle, out go the lights. (It’s a miracle yesterday’s gale force winds + curb-side Valentine’s Day cottage industries didn’t shut the whole city down.) My pilot friends also attest to the danger of the balloons if they get sucked into plane engines or stuck to the windshield. So on second thought, how about a nice bouquet of organic daisies instead?

12 Resolutions January Wrap/ February Half-time Report: January

Well it’s been a busy few weeks, and already the shortest month is half over. First an update on my January goal, despite a few screw ups (credit card late fee, parking ticket) and a few uncharacteristic splurges (snowboarding weekend) I managed to cut my spending by not just the 25% I wanted to achieve, but a full 30%. All I can say is, that if I can pare down my meager spending habits that much in just one month, anyone can do it. (I guess bringing my lunch from home every day really does add up!)
As far as my February goal of becoming a vegetarian, I’ve been less, shall we say, successful. Day two and I was already ordering a Chinese chicken salad (at a Thai restaurant, nonetheless). A few days later, a bad day sent me right into the arms of my favorite meal ever (Lala's Argentinian Grill Ensalada Melrose, more chicken) and a few days later a moment of weakness on production and fried chicken strips were totally worth the lapse (in for a penny, in for a pound, I had myself a few pieces of 3-meat sub sandwich that day too.) But since then, I think I’ve been more dedicated to the goal. It’s been a struggle, I don’t usually eat that much meat, but I really enjoy the option of having meat if I so desire. That said, I’m gonna try my best to stick it out for the next 14 days and 10 hours (but who’s really counting). But no one should be surprised when they find me in the drive-thru of In-n-Out Burger at 12:01a March 1st.

An announcement today from the EPA, that starting September 1, 2008, car dealers will be required to list the fuel economy AND the average yearly fuel cost for new vehicles on the dealership stickers. Also taking effect are more realistic miles per gallon calculations, which use real world travel to gauge more accurately fuel efficiency. These new practices are designed to help remove "sticker shock" so you know what you're getting yourself into when you're shopping for a new ride.

12 Resolutions: January update / February Kickoff

End of my first month of resolutions… and I’m nervous to tally up the final number (probably have to wait a few days before the big reveal to allow all my bills to reconcile). I think I did a lot of little things that might add up: paying cash for gasoline saved bank fees every time (and the usual place is cheaper because they only accept cash or debit cards anyway). I implemented a new plan of power for my electronics, plugging them all into a power strip that I can shut off all day until I want to use it, eliminating “phantom loads”, where things like the TV and VCR continue to draw power even when they’re turned off. And paying cash for everything really makes you much more conscious of how much you spend. It’s really easy to throw down your credit card, but it’s a true test if you have to plan your purchases based on what you can afford with what’s in your wallet. I’m gearing up for month 2 of the 12 Resolutions, which is going to be an attempt at going vegetarian. It’s probably not an accident that I picked the shortest month of the year to give it a try, because it’s no secret I do enjoy a good In-n-Out Double Double…and ham sandwiches…and the occasional hot dog…and all things chicken. But the truth of the matter that meat for food production is environmentally intensive—it takes 12 times as much land to raise cattle than it does to grow wheat. It takes 3,500 gallons of water to grow a hamburger and livestock …uh “tailpipe” emissions are one of the leading causes of global warming. So I ask myself every once in a while, “What would it take for me to stop eating meat?” I don’t eat nearly as much as the average American, (who consumes 111 pounds of meat a year) but if I’m eating out, chances are I’m heading to the pollo column on the menu. So we’re gonna give it a try for 29 (damn you leap year!) days and see if we can manage it.

Dateline: Tuscon, Civano Kids Go Green!

This dispatch out of Tucson, my very own cousin’s residential community Civano has had their elementary school named the “Greenest Grade School in America” by All detergent! Now I’m not the biggest fan of liquid detergents, especially because of the fragrance issue. And their new product Small and Mighty will probably compound the problem (most people use way more than the recommended dose of detergent, which leads to over-perfuming of clothing, with the smaller bottle, extra-concentrated detergent will lead to even more fragrance). BUT…I do applaud their commitment to making an environmental difference (smaller bottles mean less weight for transporting, which means less oil used to transport). All’s contest to find the greenest grade school may just be a publicity stunt, but Civano won $50,000 for their school. What makes them the greenest? Civano collects and recycles rain water, composts anything they can, grows their own organic fruits and veggies, uses solar energy, the school is located within the community so kids can easily and safely walk to and from school, among other solutions. Congrats to cousin Aidan and all his classmates at Civano Elementary! (Photo borrowed from the Civano blog at civano.blogspot.com, courtesy of Simmons B. Bunton from January 2007... couldn't resist this beautiful pic of Civano to illustrate how beautiful it is!)

12 Resolutions Half-time Report: January

So we’re midway through the first month of my 12 Resolutions plan, and I thought to keep myself accountable, I would do a check in. My goal of cutting my spending by 25% seems to be going okay… I figured the best way to keep it a conscious reminder was to force myself to pay cash for everything. The mere act of having to schlep to the ATM every other day in order to withdraw money is enough to convince anyone stay home and read a library book. I do find myself putting off buying things that I know eventually will need to get (wedding presents, a full tank of gas) and that feels slightly like cheating. I’m very excited that I brought my flat tire back to where I purchased it 6 months ago since the fix ended up costing me nothing. I also have been digging through the freezer to eat those deeply buried leftovers. And I could have stayed home last weekend, but opted to go snowboarding with friends, an expense that wasn’t necessary, but just makes this challenge a little more difficult to achieve. I’ve got some tricky purchases to include on the back half of the month: a check up for my car, a parking ticket I shouldn’t put off, and that freezer’s getting pretty empty!

Move over SmartCar, Here comes Air Car!

I'm always indebted to the braniacs over at mental_floss for culling the best of the web into bite-sized pieces for me. One of this week's tasty tidbits is info on "The Air Car", a super small vehicle that runs on ...air, compressed air to be exact. US production of the MDI Air Car is a ways off, they'll begin manufacturing and distributing in Spain and more importantly India, where a mass-produced pollution-free vehicle could make drastic changes to the air quality. Click here for the overview at mental_floss.

Had to post this water conservation solution list courtesy of The Onion!

I think I've come to truly appreciate a smog-free day here in the San Fern Valley. After a torrential downpour this weekend (of the "Noah, get your boat" variety) the sun has emerged today and it is cool, crisp and clear. I see mountains I never knew existed. The light shades the hills like an Ansel Adams photo in full color. I stand outside and can actually see snow caps on the mountains only 10 miles away, and wonder if there will ever be a day when I will take a smog-free day for granted because they are no longer rare.

Happy New Year!: 12 Resolutions

Happy New Year! I had the thought that I would make a new resolution each month. Since we all seem to forget our resolutions after 2 to 3 weeks anyway, I figure a month with each resolution should suffice. (The true trick will be can I remember to instate a new resolution each month? Good news is, just thinking about a list of challenges, I’ve already come up with 9.) January I’m going to start with a goal to decrease spending by 25%. (I’ll base it on October’s budget, mainly because I’m 2 months behind in reconciling my receipts!) A lofty goal but after hearing so much of other people’s money troubles and the fact that I have a week of unemployment coming up and the writer’s strike starting to hit me where I live (well, where I work) I thought I would do a little preemptive scrimping and see if I could manage to get back down to a streamlined spending plan. NPR keeps dancing around the word “recession” and I know this strike will have a ripple effect through the industry even if it ends tomorrow. So far so good, 1:35p and I haven't spent any money yet!

'Tis the season...For a good book.

Holy mackerel, it’s the end of the year again… and what better way to celebrate for a big old dork like me, than to countdown the top 5 eco books (in my humble opinion) of the year.
#5: The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time, Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen. Lots of celebrity testimonials such as Will Ferrell and Cameron Diaz. A quick read with lots of simple “going green” tips for everyone.

#4: Get Satisfied! How 20 People Just Like You Found the Satisfaction of Enough, ed. Carol Holst. Okay, of course my pals at Simple Living America are getting a shout out, but the book is truly a great example of how simplifying your life can lead to happiness. I’m so proud of SLA for taking the book from concept to reality, in just a year! Yay team!

#3:
Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by Alisa Smith, J.B. Mackinnon. Couple Smith and Mackinnon decided to try eating only ingredients that were produced within a 100 mile radius of wherever they were for an entire year. While it was never an easy task for them, their journey was very intriguing to follow.

#2: This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future, John and Teresa Heinz Kerry. My favorite political ecology book of the year (Sorry Al…) The Kerry’s style was very accessible and gives more productive examples of ordinary citizens doing good in the face of climate catastrophes.

#1:
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, Bill McKibben. I’m not shy to admit that McKibben is one of my all time favorite authors and heroes, so when he releases a new book, I’m a little biased. But bias notwithstanding, he gave us all something to think about this year with his thoughts on how to reevaluate how we spend money as a society and return to localized economies.

Post-ho ho round up

Just back from good times with the east coast peeps, and another fine festivus for all involved. Got some good eco and simplistic gifts this year:
• a bunch of shopping bags so I really never need to worry about choosing between paper or plastic again.
• Gift cards to my favorite place in the world Trader Joe's (my peeps know how much I love the practicality of groceries!)
• Some great comfy yoga pants by Green Apple Active made from bamboo fabric.
• A pair of L.L. Bean Wicked Good shearling clogs that will last forever because of the Bean's great life-time guarantee policy.

I don't need much but even the simplest simplist enjoys some presents once in a while, especially when they show how much you know and care about the person.

'Tis the season...to be frazzled.

Phew! Finally coming up for air after a hectic couple of weeks—working 25 of the last 27 days and feeling overwhelmed—"how on earth am I going to get everything I need to get done?!?!" After making list after list, day after day and not seeming like I was accomplishing much of anything I finally took a step back and put my simplicity skills to work. I went down my list and asked "Does this absolutely need to be done? And if it doesn't get done, what will the ramifications be?" And believe it or not, a type of peace descended. When you realize that very little truly needs to be done. Remarkably I was able to accomplish more when I stepped back like this. Feel almost like the I can enjoy the season more now that I'm not so crazed. So a happy and peaceful holiday to all!

Tis the Season

I refuse to admit that Christmas is coming until at least December 1st. Those retailers who start airing holiday commercials November 1st will never get my business (this year Wal*Mart got a special e-mail message expressing my disgust). And I force my coworker who insists on starting the carols in mid-September to keep the headphones on at all times. I think 25 days of holiday cheer is plenty of good tidings for anyone to handle. I will admit I was not as strong on Black Friday aka “Buy Nothing Day” to those in the know and went out and had my oil changed, bought a couple subway tickets and some fabric to make new kitchen curtains. I’ll try harder next year I promise. But back to the holiday at hand, I’ve fully decorated here, lights strung and card clothesline ready for cards to come filtering in through the season. My favorite decoration is a very simple one, created long before I was the hardened super-simplist that I am today. Constructed back in the go-go 90’s from a page-a-day Earth Day calendar, I cut small Christmas tree shapes out of the pictures and strung them together with string. A very simple idea but each year it brings a smile to my face when I pull it out of the box to hang up. I like to remember the ‘seeds of my simplicity’ and know that anything I could buy in a store wouldn’t make me feel as warm as this simple holiday reminder.

Fresh as a Daisy, even in November

Cleaning can be a real pain in the backside, and I am one who puts it off until there are spider webs criss crossing my ceiling, dust kitties rivaling the size of my actual cat, and dishes forming a passable replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Finally, I decided to birthday treat myself with a full house cleaning and came across Cool Earth Cleaning, a local company that uses non-toxic cleaners to provide their services. In just 2 hours, Charlie cleaned my 1 bedroom apartment from top to bottom—it felt fresher the moment I walked in. As someone who is is especially sensitive to fragrances and chemicals, it felt great to have the feeling of freshness without the overwhelming smells of toxic cleaners.

A few extra curves can be good for the environment.

Invariably, when I leave town for a few weeks, I come back and little things have changed in ways that I never expected. (One time I returned to find my beloved Classic Rock radio station replaced with one of those iPod shuffle formats; I'm still mourning the loss.) This year when I got back I discovered the new "curvy" plastic bottles for bottled water and soda which reportedly use 30% less plastic than the usual 20 oz bottle. A great way to use fewer materials but it won't do much to curb the billions of bottles that people go through already. Also not sure that Arrowhead's arrow pointing to the cap and noting that is is "100% recyclable" is accurate. As far as I know, caps are still not able to be recycled at this time.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween's one of my favorite holidays, especially because it gives everyone a chance to be creative—the party I go to every year is always a great place to see who can come up with the most original idea. Jason Smith usually takes the cake every year (seen here in this year's amazing handmade from foam core Iron Giant costume). This year I came across this super cool (and super recycled) costume from Evil Mad Scientist using an old umbrella to make a bat costume. It made me think, why hasn't someone thought of this before! My only problem now is I hacked up both of my umbrellas to create it, and now I have none! But totally worth it for the rave reviews I received. Pictures don't do bat girl justice...

Things that should scare the crap out of you: Tuesday Edition

I had no idea that the Southeastern US was in the midst of one the worst droughts in 100 years—apparently the situation is so dire that several communities are in danger of completely depleting their water supply reservoirs within the next few months. One of those locations would be the charming hamlet of Atlanta, a city of merely 4 million people. Imagine, turning on the tap and nothing coming out. Many believe that future wars will be fought over potable water (you know, if other stuff doesn't wipe us out first) and this event hopefully will be the canary in the coal mine that wakes people up to serious water conservation.

Zen and the Art of Amtrak: Part 3

When Amtrak is doing what it should, it’s a wonderful experience. I mean it! Turns out the westward trip from Chicago to Los Angeles wasn’t just on time, but we ended up being 45 minutes early arriving into Union Station. Perfect way to end my trip.

I find myself just staring out at the landscape most of the time on the trip. After about an hour, I catch myself and think, shouldn’t I be doing something productive? But there is definitely something peaceful about watching the country roll by at a leisurely pace. Even the…let’s call them, ‘less fortunate areas’ (only because, who wants train tracks 6 feet from their back porch?)…were peaceful to watch. It was also interesting to watch the progression of each environment come and go. The wide open deserts of south eastern California, the painted desert of Arizona, the red clays of Albuquerque, the greens and yellows of the low lands of Colorado, the farms and prairies of Kansas, Iowa and Illinois, the steel paradise of Chicago, the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. Each is so unique that now I could probably tell you where I was just by looking at a picture. How am I supposed to get any work done with that rolling by right outside my window?

Zen and the Art of Amtrak: Part 2

When taking the rails, the first rule of Zen and the Art of Amtrak is foremost: “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” If you’re brave enough to attempt the cross country rail trek, you must be willing to throw your schedule out the window. Do not schedule anything for 24 hours after your arrival in either direction. Trust me. If you give yourself that 24 hour buffer zone, your trip will be that much more relaxed, so that the odd derailment, mechanical failure, 2 hours waiting for goddamn freight trains to pass you in the middle of the night (more on those later) will seem like nothing but small trifle on the great adventure that is your Amtrak journey. Okay, so that’s overstating it just a tad. Even the Dalai Lama would probably be swearing like a longshoreman some of these bumps in the road. It’s just important to know that no one should ever take the train to rely on the schedule that Amtrak has set. They are so notorious off time that I can’t believe they haven’t built in at least one secret hour onto all scheduled routes. So far all of my trips this “adventure” have been at least a half hour late, and the lateness goes up exponentially, the longer the trip. Just for laughs, I thought I would play the home game with the handy time schedule provided in my Superliner Roomlette (quite nice for myself, I think that if I had to share this with another person, even one of my nearest and dearest, it might not be so Zen). The time schedule is nice because not only does it give you the time you’re supposed to arrive at the next station, but it gives you the miles between stations so when the train is moving at a speed that you could walk faster than, you can weep extra hard at thinking how much further you have to go.
Our kickass conductor Bree (I can call her that now, since boarding she’s already threatened to throw 2 people off the train, one for smoking the other for opening a door while we were stopped) is determined to get this bucket of bolts back on schedule which makes playing the home game that much more entertaining.Here's a view from the front, bug guts and all. And an early morning glimpse of La Junta, CO site of the train clearing detour from the west to east version of my trip back in September.

Zen and the Art of Amtrak: Part 1

(Here's a series of dispatches written while criss-crossing the country via rail but unfortunately not posted until now, because well, Amtrak is still working on that wifi situation.)

Zen and the Art of Amtrak: Part 1

I’m a little like a battered wife with my relationship with Amtrak: I tend to forget all the bad things they’ve put me through and come running back for more of the same. At least I’m not surprised anymore by it. But I’m still prone to defend them to anyone who questions my sanity for being a repeat train cross country traveler. Case in point: after a derailment (or “putting the train on the ground” in railroad lingo) interrupted my trip from west to east, causing a 4 hour wait for a bus to show up and drive us around it, resulting in a nine hour late arrival to Chicago, which caused everyone to miss their connecting trains and thus forced us all to spend an extra 22 hours in the Windy City…even after all that, did I say, “Hmm maybe we should switch back to planes?” Nope. And this morning, after arriving in Chicago another hour and 45 minutes late did I say, “hmmm, really is it just my train travel that’s cursed, that would be pretty odd…” Nope. Back on the train for another dose of sado-masochism. This evening’s adventure came in the form of some sort of “mechanical difficulty” less than 150 miles out of Chicago (that’s 2050 miles AWAY from our final destination for those keeping score at home) where apparently something started sparking (I could hear it from where I sit, sounded just like when someone doesn’t close the between train car doors and it bang bang bangs until someone gets fed up enough to close it tight) and then apparently flames shot out to the side of the train. Damn, I miss all the good stuff. God love this crew (at least so far… at 150 miles, even the fact that they’re just giving us information about what’s going on is still leaps and bounds ahead of any other crew I’ve dealt with so far on this “adventure”) So we sat, on the tracks, in the middle of an Illinois corn field while the crew stood outside and assessed the sitch. My vantage point is approximately 3-4 cars back from the engine so I could hear them talking about the problem but didn’t want to listen too closely because I didn’t want to hear those dreaded words about turning back to Chicago. Or riding to Kansas City without power. But once again, god love this crew, they had us up and running in probably just a half hour. I may have to hold my breath the rest of the trip so I don’t jinx it.
I think this is the offending cable that caused the stoppage. It will furthermore be housed in an unused roomette near the bathrooms.

Get on the Train, Y'all

So I've been getting a lot of crap lately about my upcoming cross country trek via the hobo method of choice: Amtrak. I'm not sure what the problem is for most of my critics, my travel plans don't affect them one way or the other, I'm arriving everywhere I need to be when I need to be there, so what's the big deal? I'm personally excited about the adventure, and I think the fact the people think I'm a little bit crazy for doing it just makes me want to do it more. I haven't checked out the ecological impact as compared with flying, but I believe pollution at ground level is slightly less damaging than burning kerosene right next to the ozone layer. I'm excited about being on my own for a while with nothing to do but focus my attention on writing. We'll see how it goes.

Time Out for an Art Break

Wandering through mental_floss again, I came across this post for a gallery showing which remarkably is less than a block away from my current working situation. I'm kicking myself now that I let time expire while being so close to the exhibition, especially after catching an article about the installation in Utne this month. The Paul Kopeikin Gallery sponsored a showing of artist Chris Jordan's new installment "Running the Numbers". Awesome... I mean, to borrow the classic adage, I don't know art, but I know what I like, and these works are amazing. Each piece from a distance is it's own work of art, but lean closer to see the intricate details- row upon row of children's building blocks which are actually there to represent the 9 million children without health insurance. Or line after line equaling 65,000 cigarettes, the number of American teenagers under age eighteen who become addicted to cigarettes every month. Or 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number of cell phones retired in the US every day. Each piece he has constructed from close up photographs and digitally replicated to create a visual puzzle that makes you look closer and think deeper. (The photo here is a partial zoom for the work "Cell Phones", click the photo for sharper detail)

I ♥ The Metro!

Well it's time for the big tally: My goal for Memorial Day to Labor Day was to ride 1,000 miles on my bike—I gave myself a few extra days on the back end since this weekend was hotter than Hades (108º in my neck of the woods). Though I knew I was going to fall short of my goal, the grand total of 668.46 miles was still pretty impressive, oui? Best of all this goal has opened my eyes to all the possibilities for getting myself from point A to point B here in Los Angeles. I'm a public transit addict now!

Garden Burgers for everyone!

A good pal sent me this link (more so because he's of the "South Park" mentality but knows I'm a treehuggin' hippie, so this is where our world's collide) and while even I was squeamish after 10 seconds, the message is pretty powerful. This video was created for Live Earth, and while the images might be difficult to look at, the message is crucial. For the daring, (warning the video is pretty graphic) the full video is here. For the rest, here's the summary: FARMED ANIMALS PRODUCE MORE GREENHOUSE GASES THAN ALL THE CARS AND TRUCKS IN THE WORLD COMBINED. Wow. That's a big one. And if everyone ate one less meat meal a week, there would be a drastic reduction in gas output.

Book Review: "This Moment on Earth"

Just finished John & Tereza Kerry's latest book "This Moment on Earth" and was pleasantly surprised. When researching global warming and other environmental crises, it gets kind of depressing after reading the umpteenth statistic on melting glaciers or rising sea levels or dying polar bears. It's enough to just throw your hands up and say, "what's the point?" The Kerry's book instead is very accessible, filled with productive examples of people who are making a change in their communities. The gloomy statistics are there, but they don't beat the reader over the head with them. I'm also thankful for them introducing me to this great quote based on an African adage: "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is today." That one sentiment sums up the tone of the book perfectly. :)

Back on the Bus Y'all

So Labor Day is fast approaching, and truth be told, I will fall short of my 1,000 miles by bike between Memorial Day & Labor Day... final numbers are still out—I do have 6 days left to try and catch up. I knew it was an ambitious goal to set, and though there were a few weeks I could have ridden more, I am most excited about the fact that I've mapped out a bike/subway/bus route to my latest day job. I am most excited about how easy it is, and the fact that at peak hours, it really is fast than driving!

Power Flexing

Had to comment on these new provocative billboards we've got up here in Los Angeles, courtesy of Flex Your Power, the California statewide marketing campaign for energy conservation. The tagline says it all: "Global Warming isn't just a fact. It is a choice." I couldn't have said it better myself. The ads play at parents: what kind of legacy will you be leaving your children in terms of the environment? Drought? Floods? Extreme heat or cold? Commercials can be watched here.

Staying Simple in Times of Banana-Sandwich-Craziness

Ah yes, I am back finally...been a busy couple weeks with the cat accident and finishing up the big show. Now I'm back and ready to rumble. These are one the most difficult times to remain true to one's beliefs of simplicity. When there's no time to think about getting your plastic dishes to eat your lunch on, when it's just easier to throw the aluminum can in the trash, when it's just easier to print on white paper just to get the job done quickly, when sleep has to take precedence over eating healthy and getting enough exercise. It is most important to remain mindful in these times but also to not beat ones' self up too much. If you're simple year-round, a few days of slipping here and there, won't undo all the good we've done all along.

It's been a pretty random and traumatic week here both personally and nationally—adventure kitty got attacked by a big dog on Monday, necessitating many stitches and the entire country is dealing with watching the recovery of the freeway bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Both incidents in their own way probably could have been prevented, but in the grand scheme, pointing the finger of blame after the fact probably won't help with coping with the trauma. It's always a struggle for me to face up to reality, I'm much more content to stick my head in the sand and ignore it until it stabilizes. I think a simple lifestyle requires finding that balance between being informed (NPR) and not being a blatant voyeur (Fox News). So that's this week's simple challenge.