Monday, June 15, 2009

One Room School House of Sustainability

Each semester a new class begins and offers an array of students with varied backgrounds and different levels of environmental savviness. My goal is to offer challenging topics while not overwhelming newcomers to the field. The one room school house is my favorite analogy; it is a place where everyone helps everyone else. The wise teach the new. The young eyes bring fresh perspectives. It becomes a community of sustainability. 

Everyone is still learning. Everyone. That includes world leaders, CEOs, professors, and me. Nobody was born knowing this material and no one knows it all. Trust me. Sustainability is like a door into another world. Some people walked through their doors years ago, some days ago. Some were pushed like I was. Nevertheless, eventually we all will find our door and follow the path that is right for each of us. 

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Brand on Your Radar

Be personally optimistic and globally pessimistic... Stuart Brand

Before the Wikipedia, The Internet, Apple's Hypercard or even the J. Peterman catalog...there was The Whole Earth Catalog.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Learning Composting

I teach myself as I teach others. I have had very little experience with composting table scraps. I found this used compost barrel for $25 and considered it an expense no worse than a textbook. I am still making my first load of dirt and not sure I'm doing it entirely right. It has attracted gnats. I mistakenly included my eggs shells and that may be the problem. My gardening consultant now tells me the round style compost makers of wire that sit on the ground are better and easier. Turning this handle every day SEEMED like a good idea at the time but summer vacation plans have prevented me from turning it properly everyday. I'm not giving up. Yet. But I'm not persevering forward anymore. I stopped saving food scraps until I figure it out. I'm learning too. I would probably sell it for $20 in a heartbeat.