Interested in Living a More Sustainable Life? Consider becoming a member of The Growing Green Co-op! Member benefits include participation in a state-wide delivery of sustainable goods - biofuels, local produce, organic bulk foods, raw food to go boxes, toxic free house cleaning products, organic linens, eco-friendly body care lines and other "green" products/services will be delivered to co-op members state-wide starting this July that will grow our local economy.
7.5.07 Thanks to all our friends that helped kick off our cross country tour! We are GREEN PIONEERS defining the new frontier for future generations. Our westward journey is a quest to share the stories of other pioneers in other parts of the country who are leaders of this movement in their own communities. We intend to provide a sense of hope and define more clearly a sense of direction. By listening to the experiences and opinions of our fellow Americans we will gain a broader scope of the issues while spreading the urgent message about climate change. The process of inquiry itself presents an opportunity to think outside the realm of one's own experience and this is an essential component to the crisis we face. In asking questions the anwers will be revealed.
Home Sweet Home
8.9.07 CONNECTICUT
Heading home to Connecticut! Counting down the hours until we are in our own beds! We feel that we have been divinely protected on our journey as we have encountered several potentially disastrous encounters yet have remain unscathed only our minds have expanded. It's always nice to come home no matter where you call "home". In a few days we head up to the New England Organic Association (NOFA) Annual Conference at Hampshire College featuring Bill McKibben as the keynote speaker on Friday the 10th.
Interesting Points from Bill's Keynote Address:
Localvores (folks who eat locally) are increasing in numbers.demand for farmers markets are growing (faster than Walmart!). All of Americans and humans in all of global history have eaten locally except for the past 50 years of industrial agriculture, which has turned out to be a "bizarre disaster". Only now are we beginning to see the outrageous costs to us on all levels. This move towards industrial agriculture has created unbelievable damage as well as generations of "puffy people" suffering from diabetes and obesity.
"Our movement is gaining momentum" Wendell Barry
The local, real food movement is also spreading to other areas such as renewable energy and new modes of currency. Considering that the glaciers at Glacier National Park will be melted within the next 30 years, we better get a move on it! We have think globally and act neighborly. This is the first generation that doesn't need their neighbors for anything. We have to grow our communities and begin resuming a sense of normalcy. As Bill eloquently stated, "community as the place where one takes a stand make the community politically powerful using modern technology to be able to access the numbers of people across the country..( and remember).if you are going to have a movement, it needs to keep moving! The other side is getting scared: signs that our efforts our working!"
(Posted 8/18/2007 by admin)
THE TOP TEN "Green" PICKS
The Environmental PI - "GREEN" MISSION POSSIBLE! *Detectives... for a sustainable future*
Revealing our discoveries and reporting back to you "green" businesses across the USA
Our top ten were hard to choose so we picked out top favs from different categories to make it easier - our complete list will be posted soon on www.43places.com
1. alchemyjuicebar, hartford, CT Of course number one, because it is our home sweet home! sure is nice to have all our creature comforts at our finger tips! Realized how green we are compared to the rest of the country! pretty green!
2. cafe gratitude, san francisco, CA Wow! This place, for us, was like home and the staff was friendly and welcoming and the food fantastic! There are four locations in the san fran area and one coming to LA - you have to make a point to visit one of their locations!
3. sierra hot springs, CA Another home away from home for us! A sweet place to relax and just be. Our first night camping under the stars, organic food, hot springs - what more could one want? not far from burning man for those of you headed out that way...
4. body of santa fe, NM We loved this place! Organic cafe, eco boutique with an awesome selection of organic clothes, "green" yoga studio and spa - an upscale "classy" version of our world! Made us want to move to NM!
5. wednesday farmers market (& beaches) at half moon bay, CA We got this great farmers market tip from friends at oasis natural foods in the same town - the entire town was incredibly inviting...this market was a favorite (even in its beginning phase as this was their 1st or 2nd one) because of the incredible variety of foods (local, organic cheeses, flowers, produce, organic baked goods, meats, tool sharpening....) and the energy of the folks behind it all - simply fabulous, not to mention the beaches...
6. people's food co-op, la crosse, WI This was a close one because there were so many great co-ops that literally saved us from the depths of despair (and hunger!). Co-ops are great just by the fact that they are so "green" simply by nature of what they are! LOVE IT! and to see a truly successful, thriving co-op is a great feeling. This one was HUGE - an upstairs, upscale dining area, workshop area and a huge selection of items, great deli and selection of local stuff with a farmers market across the street that we hit on the way out!
7. green acres market, kansas city, MO The neat thing about this place is that we were pleasantly surprised to find such a beautiful and incredibly stocked store in the middle of what we thought to be NOWHERE! Saved again! A retail store run with the feeling of a co-op with delightfully helpful staff! A great pit stop for dinner between the Smokies and the Rockies! We were able to get B20 not far from there too!
8. the nest, asheville, NC Stumbled in on their GRAND OPENING Day! What a great find! A mother daughter run organic boutique - who had clearly done tons of research on finding environmentally friendly, "green" products - everything from flooring, bedding, housewares (things like bamboo wooden spoons) to all realms of baby items (clothes, toys...Cordie took home an all organic baby doll). Expanding to offer workshops, classes and talks. A great addition to their already "green" consumer community.
9. asheville biodiesel station, NC Whoo Hoo! B100! Quite the find! Filled the tank and spread it until we hit Kansas City!
10. razan's organic kitchen, berkeley, CA Last but not least! Satisfying for the entire family and great for the budget. Good food (basic rice and bean burrito adaptations) in a conscious environment. Small and cozy but worth the trip!
Bonus: mission cliffs rock climbing - san francisco great workout, great fun!
(Posted 8/14/2007 by admin)
Our Cross Country Eco- Tour has begun!
7.6.07
Passed through FLOYD, VA *HOME OF BLUE MOUNTAIN ORGANICS AND GREEN LABEL T-SHIRTS* (both found at Alchemy!) Neat to know where our friends are!
We are in Hot Springs, NC with plans to visit Asheville tomorrow and gather with other "green" patriots in this part of the country for the LIVE EARTH 07 Concert! We are just starting to get into the groove of things - emerging from the mountains of West Virginia and Viginia - and aligning ourselves with our cause to inspire and be inspired to create a "greener" planet. We have been delightfully overwhelmed with the vibrant greenery surrounding us as we traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway - scenery not bombarded with the harsh visuals of road way signage that we are so accustomed to in our part of the country. How refreshingly beautiful - even more inspiring is that many others still travel these roads in search of these same undisturbed sights.
We were also thrilled to see real clouds in the Shenandoah National Forest without traces of contrails filling the sky (more on that later). We have been feeling quite "green" with our stays at the National Park Campgrounds - reasonable both in price and accomodations. We are discussing amidst ourselves exactly what makes this a "green" trip for us, a family of eight, traveling quite comfortably in our Airstream pulled by our (bio)diesel Excursion.
Our attempt to run on biodiesel for the majority of the trip is an obvious one - we stretched our tank running on B50 into VA and plan to get some biodiesel back in our tank here in Asheville and all the way to San Francisco if we can. We are tracking stations to fuel up on biodiesel.org.
The other simple, yet challenging aspect of being such a large group of travelers is keeping the basic comforts of life we expect, such as food and water, to be available whenever we desire them. Owning our own juice bar cafe and having the best food on the planet (all organic) at our disposal is a big hurdle to manage while on the road. The modern conveniences of life in this country have created expectations in all of us in one way or another to have things at our disposal quickly and when we want them.
Take water, for instance. We expect to have clean water available to us basically whenever we want it. People in other parts of the world are not privy to this luxury. They may have to walk for miles just to get a small amount of water for them and their family.
During our trip and in our daily lives we are committed to not purchasing single use plastic water bottles. This means that we have to find a good source of water to fill our klean kanteens and glass jugs wherever we can. Today we filled them with hot water from the mineral springs.
Experiences like these help us to put things in perspective and at times are a little out of our comfort zone. Telling a four year old that we have very little water left doesn't always go over so well. Our eight year old, Kierah, is not liking the taste of the water in all the different places and is reminiscing over our unlimited filtered water dispenser back home.
The same goes for food. As a family, we are committed to eating only organic and local foods. The kids are excited at the prospect of finding an organic restaurant in Asheville tomorrow so that we can have our first dining out experience on our trip. We immensely value and appreciate such places and are happy to support like minded sustainable businesses! We also plan to stop at the local co-op and farmer's market to pick up some staples and local produce. We don't plan to find such places again until we reach Denver, Colorado - several days away.
Times like these eradicate many of the behaviors present when we aren't so aware the preciousness of such basics of life. Unimportant details such as whose cup is whose and what we are having for dinner fade into the distance as the reality of our limited resources for such things as toilet paper and a drink of water take precedence. In this way we are able to regain a sense of appreciation for all that we do have available and not take it for granted.
(Posted 7/7/2007 by admin)
Mountain Top Removal
"There's not a coal-fired plant in America that's clean. They're all dirty,"
- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to the Associated Press after a Renewable Energy Conference in Nevada
We are now in West Virginia tracking down mountains that have been topped off to feed the coal mining industry and our nation's excessive demand for energy. Interesting to discover how remotely hidden these mountains are buried amidst the bounty of majestic peaks that surround them. It is hard to be able to grasp the realities of the situation when there is still so much pristine beauty surrounding these "isolated" areas. It is even harder for the communities dependent upon this kind of industry for their survival to acknowledge that in reality it is not only destroying the earth but their own communities and the people that live in them as well. They are entrenched with the belief that they are dependent on coal for their survival.
Our destination to see for ourselves the mass destruction of mountain peaks was the town of Sun Dial. Deep in coal country, there is an elementary school within feet of a very large coal processing plant. We stood on the grounds of Marsh Fork Elementary and took the pictures shown here. Surrounded in the lush woods with a nearby brook and trickling waterfall in between is this school and adjacent coal mine. Clearly the school is an important cornerstone of this community which extends to many counties. The coal plant that came later is causing severe health issues from the dust and runoff that have been reported in the majority of the students at the school. After seeing footage of this particular spot we wanted to see it for ourselves.
Due to the holiday we were unable to meet with any of the local folks in person but we have intentions of conducting interviews with them in the future. It was surprising to discover that many of the locals, including park rangers, had not seen An Inconvenient Truth and were not particularly knowledgeable or informed about global warming. It was our assumption that where coal mining is active people were all organized to put an end to this outdated and polluting form of energy. Instead, we spoke to some folks that felt that the very sustenance of their towns depend soley on coal for their survival. "If you take the coal away from this area it will fall apart. Generations of people from this town have given their lives to the production of coal and don't know anything else." These heroes, the hard working coal miners who face death daily, are not the object of our protest - rather the lie that has been told to them for generations. Information is power to all people, but a new economy also has to be rebuilt. An economy of new, renewable and clean energy sources.
Reluctance to talk about the issues. Fear skims the surface. The GREEN PIONEERS in this part of the country need our help! To help and get the facts click here!
Upate 8.20.07 from mountain top removal email
What you may not know is that one man has fought this destructive form of mining by refusing to give up his land to mining companies - land that has been in his family for over 220 years. This month, Larry Gibson of Kayford Mountain in West Virginia is telling his story to CNN. The premiere of a new chapter of CNN Heroes series, "Larry Gibson: Defending the Planet" has already aired several times. Check it out at http://action.earthjustice.org/ct/spLhoNd1cY0P/
(Posted 7/7/2007 by admin)
FAMILY PHOTOS
(Posted 7/15/2007 by admin)
Asheville, NC
7.9.07 *HOME OF TREE HUGGIN TREATS* (yummy vegan candy bars found at Alchemy!www.treehuggtreats.com)
Sometimes it is hard for those of us who tend to be up on environmental issues to keep moving to the next level, especially if we feel like we have already made big sacrifices. Or, we may feel paralyzed and convince ourselves that only the BIG things are what count, thus overlooking the smaller details in the mix. The town of Asheville is a good example of this.
Asheville is a small town in North Carolina surrounded by both mountains and factories. It is the neighboring factories and their location in a valley that places them third for the worst air pollution in the country right behind LA. One would never know this as on onlooker. They have four organic grocery stores, a large biking community with bike racks around the city, sustainable restaurants, an organic 'home" store featuring organic beddings, flooring, house wares and kids stuff that just opened, 5 yoga studios and biodiesel stations. Asheville is on the ball and a cutting edge consumer haven!
Asheville is also filled with a large percentage of environmentally aware AND active individuals making big impacts that are being recognized on national levels. But many we spoke with didn't even know that their town had renewable energy options available - even though there were alternative energy booths displayed at the LIVE EARTH event we attended. However, many folks knew that others were working on issues, such as air pollution, and others knew that the local corn and tomato crops were GMO sourced.
Many of the folks that live in Asheville have lifestyles that are "green" well beyond what folks in other areas are doing. They ride their bikes as means of transportation in a city that is biker friendly. They sell and buy organic products. They use reusable water bottles without even thinking about it. Yet many do not consider themselves "green" because they are not really putting much effort into really being "green". They live in an environment that naturally supports them in making the choices they do without thinking. If our entire nation had this base line to work from we would be off to a good start.
Interestingly enough, issues of integrity come up for the people in Asheville when defining themselves as "green". Perhaps because they know they could be doing more past their comfort zones? Going the extra mile to accomplish the smaller things that might take some extra effort such as using recycled paper products for household or business use? What surprised us was how such a naturally green city had many, and in some case, even greater challenges to overcome, equally comparable to other cities across the country who were not so "green". We are finding the individual person to person inquiry process important to discover what lies below the obvious surface.
By thinking about the range of activism we each make as individuals and as a country we can begin making the significant change that is necessary. There are heroic stories every day of people, cities and states moving beyond their comfort zones. The more the merrier!
(Posted 8/14/2007 by admin)
LIVE EARTH after thoughts
7.08.07
Levels of activism emerging... from the single person who may have little understanding of the larger picture that global warming encompasses but is following the trends that are surfacing to be more green - to the more hard core folks who are striving for a zero carbon footprint; perhaps even to the point where they make many sacrifices in the area of our modern conveniences. We say it is all good! Climate Change is reaching a tipping point, despite the propoganda of the Bush Aministration, Exxon-Mobil and the FOX network. All the actions, whether big or small, by the billions of people across the globe spurred into radical activism on a daily basis, consciously using every dollar they spend, suporting only sustainable products and services, ARE going to have an impact.
Our family definitely tends to lean more to the hard core end of the spectrum in many areas with global warming the forefront of our conversations. What it really comes down to is not comparing who is doing what to whom - just do something! We need to honestly evaluate our individual comfort zones and continue to gently push past them little by little. We cannot settle. In this way - we are defining and opening the new frontiers for future generations!
"We've got to bring corporate America to its knees" -Harry Belafonte
(Posted 7/11/2007 by admin)
Why the Smokies are so "smoky"
Part of the motivation behind our trip was to document the impacts of climate change on our countries national parks. One of the most visited parks in our eastern region is The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
A warmer, drier climate in this region would force the plants and animals at lower elevations to move up the mountainsides causing the species at the higher elevations to become extinct. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects 66 species of mammals, over 200 species of birds and more than 75 types of reptiles and amphibians. Some of the species at stake with the warming climate are the yellow birch and the American mountain ash trees, the veery bird and the northern flying squirrel. Human caused pollution is the obvious cause of negatively impacting this intact ecosystem.
Today the Great Smoky Mountains face a different kind of smoke than in decades past. The blue mist clouds that the park was named for are now seen as a uniform whitish haze that impairs visibility. Natural unpolluted conditions decades ago gave an average visibility of 113 miles compared to the 33 mile average today. On bad haze days visibility can be reduced to under a mile. Concentrated man-made pollution has seriously degraded visibility in the last 60 years: 40% in winter and 80% during the summer.
Another result of pollution in all the mountains we visited was the loss of trees due to the high sulfur content that come primarily from the surrounding factories. This pollution blows in on the higher air currents and literally wipes out acres of trees stripping them bare. Urban pollution is trapped amidst the mountains including ground level ozone that is threatening to plants and people.
At first we thought the damage was caused from forest fires. Insects, perhaps from the changing climate, are also affecting the trees. Vast areas of the forests are left with tree skeletons standing as reminders of what was.
The Great Smoky Mountains by Malaika King
The Smokies got their name by the Cherokees who described them as Shaconage which means blue like smoke. The Cherokee settled in the Smokies for while until the Europeans came and took their land. Now the Cherokee live in the low lands next to the park.
(Posted 7/15/2007 by admin)
ROCKS
the time has come to reconnect with earth wisdom - to feel our feet on her sacred ground to be conscious of our every footstep - our every action
to end the habitual oblivion - encouraged and tolerated intentionally manifested - and perpetually maintained
self destruction governed by greed - and ignorance and more greed spiraling downward to our self-created extinction
instead let's revere in earth's green wisdom - letting its roots find footholds in the cracks of our concrete foundations of illusion- and burst forth with her rainbow Spring
(Posted 8/14/2007 by admin)
From the Smokies to the Rockies
The stretch from Tennessee to Colorado was a long run with a pleasant break in Kansas City, MO for biodiesel and organic food. We found a great organic market called "Green Acres" where we were able to have dinner and stock up on food. All along the way, the number of factories, industrial activity and coal fired electric powerplants attracted our attention as well as the endless miles of train cars filled with coal rapidly moving alongside the roadways. We wondered where the coal was coming from and where it was going....we saw one such destination just outside of Denver. High tension powerlines like telltale pointers directed our eyes to the largest coal-burning facility that we'd ever seen. The powerlines left the powerplant and raced with their environmentally destructive cargo toward the vast number of thirsty consumers gathered in Denver, Boulder, Estes Park and the surrounding areas of the Rocky Mountain National Park. The grim reality of so many good green intending people living in this area without a shred of knowledge regarding the source of the power that runs their cities was chilling. Our campground owner, a coal mining engineer himself, stated that coal mining was the very best way to produce electricity today.
(Posted 7/15/2007 by admin)
High up in the Rockies
7.11.07
We arrived in Boulder, Colorado and were greeted by our first views of the Rocky Mountains. The towering, jutting, crags of bare granite, most devoid of any sustenance for vegetation were a sight to behold. The sheer mass and height of this mountain range was humbling, and the power exuded by these rocks is magnificent to witness.
The kids earned their junior badges at Rocky Mountain National Park (a great "junior rangers" program for all kids - esp. homeschoolers - www.nps.gov - that offers both an online and hands on interactive programs at the parks). We were also delightfully entertained by a special "green" performance by ECO-TONES duo in the park auditorium that was both entertaining and informative-www.sferesandwhite.com. We hope to have them visit us in Hartford this fall when they are passing through.
Like Asheville, Boulder appears to be a fairly "green" city with many awesome options for those of us striving to be conscious consumers. You can buy organic food, recycled clothing, eco-friendly shoes and more. An extreme biker town that features cruise nights on bicycles throughout the town - groups of hundreds of partyers on bicycles, hollering, whooping and generally carrying on and having a great time led by boom-box mounted bikers.
We questioned folks in and around Estes Park and in Boulder about the coal we had seen while driving in and whether or not renewable energy options were available and few understood what we were talking about. Many spoke about a move towards wind power in the southwest part of the state. We were told that the air quality issues created by pollution blew in from Denver. However, we were surprised to discover that 81% of Denver runs on coal. Many of the locals seemed surprised too. No one we spoke to with the exception of one person could confirm the miles of coal cars we saw driving into the city. We were told that the Colorado University which defines Boulder as a college town recently switched from gas to coal generated electricity for cost reasons. One would think that "higher education" institutions would understand both the long and short range cost of coal and be actively involved in the education and promotion of alternative fuel and power sources. Given the massive movements on campuses across the country, it is suprising that such an alternative place would not have a campus to reflect the activism happening across the country.
GO RENEWABLE BOULDER & ASHEVILLE! We need a nationwide shift to renewable energy options! Too many of the people everywhere we go do not even know what they are and whether or not they are available in their state, even when they have active organizations trying to spread the word!
Leaving Colorado for New Mexico Thoughts while the kids are all asleep and we make time on the highway for New Mexico, reflecting on our time in Boulder...
Promoting a number of green initiatives is more effective than excelling in just one from a net gain perspective. For example, although offering an all organic menu is the ideal for a restaurant application, if the business does not actively conserve power usage, support "clean power" suppliers, use all recycled and compostable paper products, recycle glass plastic and paper, promote environmentalism and engage dialogue with their clientele or many others, then the spectrum is incomplete.
A few fanatical fringe folks doing good things is not enough to shift the planet. As a matter of fact, this only continues the idea that this type of activity is fringe in itself - not for the every day American. A state or city running on B20 is more effective than a few individuals running on B100. It is time for radical (but commonplace) action - even beyond actions of entire nations to planetary actions that involve people everywhere. Just like the exploited sexiness of the ripping of hemlines during wartime in order to conserve fabric, our current environmental movement needs to be unraveled and rewoven. It is time to weave a new fabric.
We awoke the next morning to a new scenery after hours of driving in the dark. Everything in New Mexico blends. The visual scenery is so refreshing in that all the buildings are constructed of a soothing adobe earth color and are built low to the ground. Even McDonalds, Wal-Mart and Walgreens, not allowed to display their typical marketing colors, become muted by the incredible backdrop of mountain range and minimal palette. Some folks seemed quite friendly - others seem to be put off by the influx of tourists that sustain their economy. Others are just downright unfriendly.
Taos EARTHSHIPS - An incredible demonstration of sustainable living! A community of off the grid homes that are not only totally sustainable but gorgeous as well. Check out their website for a complete description of what they are up to at www.earthships.com.
Ojo Caliente Hot Springs - beautiful, healthy and rejuvenating!
Santa Fe The "greenest" and most beautiful city we have visited so far. Locals seem to think aspects of the tourist town aren't so eco-friendly. The cost of living is extremely high in Santa Fe and rents are outrageous. Yet, we were impressed with the level of awareness of the "issues" pertaining to the environment and climate change. Even though the city faces issues such as water shortages (The Rio Grande is dry 9 months of the year) and recycling limitations (they have to pay to send their recycling to Albuquerque) folks seem to be actively aware an working to create change. The campground we stayed at was the first one throughout our trip that actually had a recycling area! All campgrounds in this country should have MANDATORY recycling programs. Tons of cans and bottles litter sites across America. One would think that those trying to connect with Mother Nature would make that parallel. The other refreshing thing that we all enjoyed in Santa Fe was the lack of obnoxious bill boards with blaring mind messing messages. Our favorite spot was BODY of Santa Fe - somewhat of a home away from home for us. BODY features an organic cafe often accompanied with live music, a fantastic eco-boutique with a wide range of earth friendly clothing, a beautiful "green" yoga studio with adjoining kids space (that the kids loved) and a luxurious healing spa with all kinds of treatments.
We also came across some other great finds such as the Saturday farmers market. Many farmers grow organically and work within the water constraints in the region. The growing season is short and diversity is limited but the community desire for organic products is tremendously suported. The town houses a Wild Oats, Whole Foods and Trader Joes on the same corner as well as a local food coop. Other finds were Emerald Earth, a new age eco-boutique right next to Tara's Organic Ice Cream and Cloud Cliff Organic Bakery. We were also told that Santa Fe is also home to the nation's only flex-fuel station offering B20, E10 and E85 (biodiesel and ethanol blends). We also came to town the same weekend as the International FolkArt Fest that featured handcraft artisans from around the world. Leaving Santa Fe was hard to do but we made a stop in Albuquerque at the La Montanita (one of four food coops in the area, including Santa Fe - pretty amazing!) and saw our first bill boards entering the city.
(Posted 7/15/2007 by admin)
Sedona
7.16.07
We cut our tour through Arizona a bit shorter to spend more time in the parks. We were thrilled to see the same monochrome scenery as in New Mexico - even the McDonalds M insigna was "green" in Sedona! Stopped in a new "green" store in town that sells local jewelry and earth friendly photographic prints. Like many "green" towns - this one thrives (and survives) on tourism - a town of 13,000 with more than 300,000 visitors per year. Enjoyed great food at Bliss Caf and D'Lish (again reminders of home!). We stocked up on organic food at the New Frontier Market for our adventure the next few days while on the trails in all the nearby National Parks we can get to starting with the Grand Canyon tomorrow.
Sedona was beautiful and we were fortunate enough to spend time with our good friend from Connecticut, Cynthia and her husband Barry who run their essential oil business (www.wisdomofthearth.com) on sacred Hopi land on the outskirts of Sedona. Connecting with like minded others who are listening to the earth and heeding her call is also refreshing. Reminders of the critical nature of the issue our species currently has at hand always invoke a sense of urgency. Yet it is comforting to know that there are others in different parts of the world that are in the same mindset with similar intentions. We are embarking on this journey with the intention of listening to the messages of the people and the land. We hope to return grounded with a sense of knowing a truth that we can share with others. We continue onward with an open mind.
(Posted 7/17/2007 by admin)
The Grand Canyon
7.15.07
We left the beauty of the Grand Canyon and began our trek through the dusty dry scrub desert. Abandoned vehicles littered much of the wayside between vast landscapes, obviously costing too much to remove to recycling yards. A wide array of mechanical relics of the past 4 decades, resisting the usual rusting deterioration that all face in the Northeastern climate, sank slowly onto the shifting sands amid the plentiful blue-green of the desert sage.
Toward the nearby Navajo Reservation leading us into Utah, we were delighted to be able to meet the original peoples of the region yet saddened by the evidence of their poverty, limited resources (including water) and dependence on modern American culture rather than their traditional relationship with the earth. There does not appear to be a strong, self-contained tribal economic base and the people of these lands have little choice but to work in nearby mines and coal factories or run small roadside jewelry and pottery stands, extracting spare change from travelers to and from Vegas. Some of the pieces we purchased were unbelievably beautiful and the hard work of the artists was evident. Is it fair to think that the native tribes should maintain the sustainability of their ancestors when their culture and people have been forced to deal with impossible circumstances and unbelievable disrespect? The father of one woman we spoke to was a tribal shaman who 40 years ago saw a changing climate in the future.
Coal is the electricity production mode of choice in this part of the country. Its choking emissions are obvious in the vistas of faraway mountains, severely reduced by the white haze. One of the largest and dirtiest coal plants (until they were forced to clean it up ten years ago) lies right on the border of the reservation. Just a bit further leads to the city of Paige established in 1957. The town seems to be solely built around the nearby coal plant and the huge hydro dam on the Colorado River. The dam created Lake Powell which is a huge reservoir of water in the middle of the desert. It is so large that it is able to supply water for Las Vegas as well as provide a resort marina along with a luscious green golf course in the middle of the desert. When these mammoth operations are through polluting and using the water of the once great Colorado River, the trickle that remains runs through the water starved Navajo Reservation. The river is then collected in Lake Mead, another large reservoir outside of Las Vegas serving as another marina playground to the wealthy. After the recent seven year drought the water levels of Lake Powell two years ago hit an all time low of 160 feet causing a permanent calcium ring deposit on the rock face of the lake. They have since risen sixty feet, signaling the apparent end of the drought. If the water had reduced 60 feet more to a total of 220 feet, the massive hydro-electric dam that cost taxpayers billions of dollars to build would be rendered useless.
At the Escalente Grand Staircase Visitor Center near Lake Powell we actively engaged in a discussion about climate change with two federal employees, one with a background in anthropology. We were surprised to discover their blatant denial concerning unusual global warming trends, claiming that all current activity is simply cyclical in nature - stating that there has been "only one degree change since 1899!". We all agreed that the warming of our planet is a product of human activity and cities like Las Vegas (which in their eyes seemed to be an unrelenting problem) need to be "greened" in an effort to slow things down. Glamorously framed portraits of Bush and Cheney gleamed on the wall above their desks as they vehemently stated that ocean floor geological core samples data contrasted sharply with the ice core samples that Gore used in The Inconvenient Truth. An interesting perspective to hear - our first reaction was to ask the funding source of the geological samples, and we were not surprised to hear that it was the federal government. The truth continues to be growingly inconvenient.
(Posted 7/29/2007 by admin)
The Unexpected
7.22.07
Lots has happened since our last journal entry - We left the papaya colored vistas of Bryce Canyon and decided to take it easy and skip Zion and head to California. The drive through Utah became a bit monotonous and because John had not been feeling well for a few days I wanted to give him a break. We decided that I could take a turn at driving while the roads were straight but we quickly found ourselves in canyon land with sharp curves, towering walls and deep ravines. We passed forest fires that had been billowing smoke for days and John took video footage as I stayed intensely focused at the wheel. Driving with a 30 foot trailer behind you gets a bit nerve wracking when 18 wheelers fly pass you. A tunnel of air is created that causes the back end to wiggle. We did not notice the wind warning signs as we rolled through the canyons and I felt a sense of relief as we began to leave them behind.
We were passing over a small yet narrow bridge when a double 18 wheeler thundered by at 85 mph and sent us wavering side to side. Within seconds I lost control of the car and the trailer as it violently fishtailed. In a jackknifed position we slammed into the center divider totaling both our Ford Excursion and Airstream trailer. We were blessed with no serious injuries and several roadside angels - experienced folks immediately pulled over to help at the site of the accident (2 nurses, a husband and wife team that drove our family to the hospital and a local EMT person). If it had not been for the bulk and strength of our vehicle we most likely would not have such good news to report. We headed for the hospital where John received about 10 staples in his head that had been split open when he broke the windshield and we tried to recover from the shocking experience.
The worst part was that we were stuck in a small town that was basically a gambling town consisting of four casinos with no transportation options for a family of eight. The sheriff, his sergeant and our towing service were kind enough to drive us to the next big town 22 miles away where we stayed the night in a hotel. We were again fortunate enough to be able to rent the last available vehicle big enough to hold 8 people ( a flex fuel GMC Yukon Denali) with the last available UHAUL to fill with all of our belongings scattered in the trailer and the truck the next day. This brought us into Las Vegas.. the last place we wanted to be. Before the accident I was avidly trying to find a way to avoid going through Las Vegas on our way to California.
Las Vegas is the fast growing city in the United States with a population of 2 million people. 6,000 people a month move to this "oasis" in the middle of the desert and over 42 million people a year visit the absurdity. Huge power lines pull you towards the smog laden town from the highway. You can see the haze on the horizon as you pass by coal plants working hard to generate the energy demand as well as the invading pollution. Las Vegas epitomizes what America represents in the world - extreme excess and illusions of grandeur. Driving down the boulevard your vision is bombarded with all colors of neon screaming to get your attention. Vegas represents the utmost extreme in a every way - from lights to gambling and everything in between. This is exactly what drives people to Vegas - a guilt-free environment that encourages you to be "bad". But what exactly is the cost of a city like Vegas and a country like the United States to the rest of the world? The United States has 4-5% of the population yet uses 25% of the world's resources. How can we continue to justify these behaviors during such critical times? Imagine a "green" Vegas - truly a town of "treasure" where the vortex there is truly able to define the new world order.
(Posted 7/29/2007 by admin)
Yosemite
7.26.07 We moved from the grandeur of the Giant Sequoia onward to the majestic mountains of Yosemite - the revered rock climbing capital of the world. The place was a buzz with people EVERYWHERE - and we were told that this wasn't even the busy season. The park is huge and hard to get around by car (a perfect design really!). On our way out we found a somewhat secluded spot to enjoy the incredible beauty of such an amazing place before moving onward. The pictures speak for themselves.
(Posted 8/21/2007 by admin)
Finally in California!
7.26.07
We stopped at the first farm stand we saw and loaded up with grapes and berries and more. Another one right before the Sierra Nevada & Kings Canyon National Forest provided us with locally jarred olives, almonds and a case of organic oranges for only $10. Soon we were surrounded by the majestic towering presence of the largest trees in the world. The windy roads displayed their persistent survival in every direction as we excitedly spotted these huge giants. The only way these trees die is by falling over. Some have been alive for over 2,000 years. In speaking to a ranger we discovered however, that the changing climate can negatively impact these trees in the near future as they are dependent on snow to reproduce. Increasing temperatures could force the trees (which are obviously unmoveable) to higher terrains. The effect of the climate changing on the various species of plants and animals and their dependence on their particular eco system are often overlooked by most people.
(Posted 7/29/2007 by admin)
TREES
The Sacred Lungs of Mother Earth working double time detoxing our planet.
(Posted 8/20/2007 by admin)
From Sea to Shining to Sea
7.27.07 Weaving our way around San Francisco in an attempt to resolve our dilemma of finding a way to get home. We spent a day in San Francisco trying to find organic food to eat with surprisingly little success. Everything is so spread out in so many different directions that it is challenging to get around. The organic cuisine here oozed gourmet and most of the places we found were open for dinner only or out of business. The great thing about San Francisco (in addition to their commitment to recycling) is the public transit system -even so it felt a bit stressful for a family of eight trying to figure their way around the city- yet it is a big city that is able to offer real tangible solutions to mass transit of large numbers of people. Most of the folks we talked to seemed to be pretty aware of environmental concerns both locally and globally. We were able to hook up with folks at Forest Ethics to talk with them about the successful protest they had at Crate and Barrel featuring Candace the Caribou from Canada. For more information about the great work Forest Ethics is doing and get involved check them out at www.forestethics.org.
We spent time in Half Moon Bay where we found a replacement diesel Ford Excursion and a utility trailer to pack all our belongings. It looks like we are tenting on the way back home. We felt a sense of comfort and community in the small town where we found a new eclectic book store that recently opened called Ink Spell Books that is decorated and stocked with both new and used items including reused plastic bags. The local health food store, Oasis Natural Foods, "saved" us by providing us with food we could actually eat and were interested in our klean kanteens that they happily filled. They told us about a new farmer's market that was actually on the Wednesday we were there as well! We spoke to the owner extensively about the impact of tourism on the town and how small towns are being succumbed by the push towards a tourism economy and in doing so they are failing to look at the long term issues of sustainability. There seemed to be an overall awareness in the small town of moving towards a greater good yet some big wigs with influence seem to be holding onto the prehistoric quick money approach.
We made our way to the farmers market by the seashore. It was the cutest little farmers market you ever did see! I think my favorite! The variety and quality was astounding with almost everything organic, including baked goods! It really provided a much needed burst of enthusiasm. We rejoiced being able to find such a display of food that we could eat and such a friendly community of folks -local organic cheese, meats, pastries, blueberries, blackberries, greens and beautiful flowers gifted to us by Linda Arietta of Country Essences of Watsonville, CA and even a place to sharpen your tools. We froze the bushels of berries and made smoothies until they were gone.
(Posted 7/29/2007 by admin)
San Francisco
7.28.07
We headed into Berkeley with our new vehicle set up - a like-new 2005 diesel Ford Excursion and utility trailer to pack in all our gear and get us home. Berkeley really is the leader of cutting edge thought since the Vietnam War to the present. Handicap access, no smoking in public places and most recently the wide acceptance of hybrid vehicles "extreme leftist" ideas are birthed in Berkeley that eventually change the nation. An awesome example of how a small group of concerned individuals can and will shape the direction of our country.
Walking along Main Street, we stumbled upon a recently assembled gallery displaying many cutting-edge green exhibits featuring sustainable ideas: living roofs, biodiesel, recycling, biodegradability and water purification/filtration. They are hoping to have it be a traveling exhibit to inspire and inform. We would love to see something like that travel across the entire country. So many places we visited such concepts were foreign and misconceived. At times it felt like we were speaking a different language. It is always a good feeling when you find yourself somewhere where others speak the same language as you. Berkeley is one of those places.
We had a great lunch at Razan's Organic Kitchen a small yet quaint place with great abundant food and friendly staff. We rated this place in our top ten so if you are ever in the area you have to check it out! A "green" business all around.
We made a point to make it to Mission Cliffs Rock Climbing Gym that features a 65 foot climbing wall in a cool cave like structure. Adjoining spaces feature yoga and weights and a pro-shop that carries Prana and Patagonia "green" wear for the rugged as well as the fashionable. We were equally excited to discover that Cafe Gratitude, a mind blowing mostly raw food cafe & bar, was just one block away! How perfect! The combination allowed for a workout to first exhaust the kids, then eat the most beautiful and all around best food on the planet. Both of these places hit our top ten as well (three in one day!)
At the rock gym John learned how to tie up the belay without carabiners, using a special double parallel knot, and the kids climbed. Cordie, at 4 years of age, made it half way up the 65 foot walls twice. At Cafe Gratitude we sipped on smoothies with names such as, "I am Eternally Youthful", "I am Rich" and "I am Cool". The affirmations were a perfect tie in to our family "theme" for the trip. The staff at Cafe Gratitude are just as upbeat, dynamic and welcoming as the items on the menu. The cafe is the epitome of "green" in the restaurant world - fine dining with a gourmet flare that is not only running a successful business, but doing good in the world at the same time. This is the challenge of our times to actually make money and do good in the world. The past century has enabled many a selfish millionaire who has achieved their wealth by raping the world and poisoning the people. The new world paradigm is about making money while benefiting the world and the people who live here at the same time.
(Posted 8/11/2007 by admin)
Sierra Hot Springs
7.30.07 Spent our first night camping under the stars at Sierra Hot Springs a few hours outside San Francisco. This home away from home is located right in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the Nevada border. The detour from our original plan was perfect! It gave us an opportunity to relax and lay back a bit. We enjoyed a lovingly prepared organic meal, soaked in the healing hot springs and hung out with lots of other great folks in the big house featuring a community kitchen and living space. The kids felt at ease running around the entire grounds, swinging on the big swing in the front yard and buying organic sodas and treats from their little store. It was hard for us to leave! We pulled ourselves away as folks lazily lounged on the big front porch listening to a special folk performance and drove down the dirt road leaving a dust trail behind us.
Traveling through Nevada towards Yellowstone as fast as we could, we found it difficult to imagine raising children in a state inundated with casino gambling and sex. One finds slot machines, hard liquor and pornography along with the traditional cigarettes and junk food in all the gas stations across the state.
(Posted 8/11/2007 by admin)
Yellowstone
7.30.07 Due to time constraints we skipped much of the upper part of the country including Glacier National Park and headed right to Yellowstone. We planned subsequent trips across the top of the United States as we drove. Yellowstone, the country's first national park established in 1872 and the oldest national park in the world, is about the size of our home state Connecticut. It's pristine, untouched environment is spectacular. We were only able to visit the lower half of the park that is home to Old Faithful among other geysers and the gorgeous Yellowstone Lake the largest high altitude lake in America that spanned for miles beyond the eyes' reach. We were astounded by the enormous body of water. This part of the country is truly spectacular. We plan to return soon and explore the top part, including Mammoth Hot Springs as well as Glacier National Park before the remaining glaciers melt (expected to happen in the next thirty years).
(Posted 8/14/2007 by admin)
Wyoming
8.1.07 WYOMING As we left Yellowstone and headed east through Wyoming we expected to see many coal factories along our route. We had heard that Wyoming was the largest producer of coal in the U.S., supporting many of the surrounding states' electricity needs. Instead we found ourselves passing through a high altitude lush stretch of land featuring deep canyons, untouched forests and crystal clear rushing streams and creeks. Occasional western towns with saloons and stud shops, rodeos, and stunning log cabin homes nestled into canyon walls with towering red-glowing backdrops spotted the landscape. We took a lucky spontaneous detour to the world's largest hot springs in Thermapolis, Wyoming, where they offer free soaking and showering to all for healing at the Hot Springs State Park. The hot springs are an off shoot from Yellowstone and were originally inhabited by the Sheep Eaters, then the Shoshone tribal nation. We were surprised to not see mention of this at any of the visitor centers at Yellowstone.
We fell in love with the both the energy and beauty of this sacred land. The particular area of North Wyoming that we were traveling through was an old canyon, red high cliffs and evergreens with beautiful lush greenness surrounding the river running at the bottom. The route was once a well traveled trail by many tribal nations.
Leaving the Big Horn National Forest our eyes relaxed upon rolling green hills and gigantic treeless mounds of grassy terrain. Again we are reminded of the vastness of our country and how easy it is to be lulled into a sense of security in Mother Earth's ability to heal herself of any human harm simply because of her sheer size. It is this invincible presence that gives us the illusion that we can do anything to our mother, the planet, and she will recover. Yet, we are already seeing the patterns of massive destruction and irreplaceable losses simply from our lifestyles of the last 100 years worldwide. Evening approached and we drove onward towards signs of our first fully lit coal factory with three huge stacks belching carbon into the night sky near Gillette, Wyoming with more to follow.
