This week I finished: The Alternative: How to Build a Just Economy, by Nick Romeo: I had heard about Mondragon, the cooperative in Spain, a while ago. I told a friend who recently moved to Barcelona about it. She found Nick Romeo’s New Yorker article on it, which led me to look at his other articles, which led me to his book. The book compiles a lot of those articles.[…] Keep reading →

Last week I announced Emily Wang’s Own Workshop on Sustainable Building 9/14. Today I attended it and learned more than I expected to, which happens when you get your hands dirty from digging into clay. Here’s Emily in the structure we helped build, a chicken coop at none other than Drew Gardens, where I hold my twice-annual cooking workshops in the Bronx. If you read Emily’s blog, which I recommend,[…] Keep reading →

When I say I spend less time cooking than I used to now that I eat mostly from fresh fruits and vegetables, and legumes and grains from bulk, people generally say they don’t have time to cook. It’s as if they didn’t hear that I’m spending less time than I used to, therefore likely less time than they do. They just hear what they expected to. The average American spends[…] Keep reading →

I started a new project volunteering in my community that is also a big life change I wouldn’t believe I’m doing except that I am. In a sense I started the project over four years ago and it’s only seeing the light of day now. Sorry I’m writing little about and the episode is long, but for now I wanted only those interested to learn in so you have to[…] Keep reading →

People are asking a lot: will artificial intelligence help or hurt us more. In nearly every answer I hear, the person starts thinking of ways they can use AI to help them achieve their goals. They sometimes temper the desirable results they come up with concerns that it may take away jobs. But the biggest problems in the world aren’t lack of jobs. The biggest problems are caused by humans—things[…] Keep reading →

People tell me over and over, “You’re a single man. You can make unilateral decisions so it’s easier for you to live more sustainably. If you had a wife or kids, you’d see you couldn’t do what you do.” Yet people in marriages, with kids, or both who succeed at their dreams often tell me their spouses were their greatest sources of support and their kids motivated them. Most recently,[…] Keep reading →

I keep coming back to three images that illustrate our time. I’ll add more if new ones arise. The first is someone sitting on a beautiful beach scrolling on their phone through images of other beautiful beaches, wishing they were there instead. (Only the beaches are covered in litter too). The second is someone riding a Citibike through traffic, one hand on the handlebar, then other holding a disposable cup[…] Keep reading →

This week I finished: An Iron Wind: Europe Under Hitler, by Peter Fritzsche: This book recounted life during 1939-45, mostly in Paris, Warsaw, and Switzerland. I got it because I’m interested in learning how people and cultures rationalize and justify acting against their values. The book delivered, though people’s internal psychology wasn’t its main point. Still, it talked about how citizens of occupied countries knew what the Nazis were doing[…] Keep reading →

UPDATE: Emily posted about the workshop. Check out A Smashing Week Building with Cob in NYC. Lots of pictures, descriptions of cob building, and matching my appreciation for Drew Gardens. I attended, though don’t appear in the pictures since I rode my bike there and knew I would ride back, about 90 minutes each way. The post referred to me, but not by name. See if you catch the reference.[…] Keep reading →