I was curious so decided to list all the foods I’ve eaten since returning home from staying with my mom and stepfather for the beginning of the pandemic. I think the following lists everything. Some people say my diet lacks variety since I talk about my famous no-packaging vegetable stews so much, but I don’t think I’ve had the same one twice and they differ so much between them. Legumes[…] Keep reading →

Context An attendee at my webinar on Initiative to Booth, the University of Chicago Business School, Eric Zoerb, followed up that he wanted to start a business on sustainability. Like many, he was looking for efficiency. Most of my life I considered efficiency the top strategy. It felt right. Nature doesn’t react to feelings, though, so no amount of feeling it will work will make something work. If you make[…] Keep reading →

I’ve written and recorded about my wonderful and challenging experiences with the Spartan Race and its founder Joe De Sena. He hosted me on his podcast, Spartan Up! I’ve found him and the community inspirational. I found his reflections in the video below before and after our conversation thoughtful and yet more inspirational. Where many people see the work and discomfort in personal challenge and push back, Joe sees opportunity[…] Keep reading →

People with causes often share facts to influence others. Sometimes the facts work, sometimes they annoy the other person, even when that person could use the fact. I figured out why, or at least one reason. When people feel powerless information makes them feel ashamed, frustrated, and the like. Since they feel they can’t do anything, they see the information as highlighting the problem and makes them feel bad. They’ll[…] Keep reading →

Most of the pollution in a product happens upstream of what you buy or use. Anything single-use wastes resources before you handle it. Recycling barely reduces a thing’s waste relative to not using it. Likewise, once something is made, especially plastic, it will exist for a long time. Future generations will have to deal with it. The more you reduce, the more you realize you don’t need things. Why do[…] Keep reading →

When I see or hear the terms “net zero” and “closed loop” the context is nearly always a polluting company or person trying to justify pollution as not pollution. The terms describe creative accounting applied to pollution, where instead of people losing money, our environment loses the ability to sustain life and human society. I’ve linked to Decoupling Debunked before. It describes the terms’ deception and I recommend it. In[…] Keep reading →

I recently reread Frederick Douglass’s What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, which he delivered on July 5, 1852—a celebrated condemnation of slavery by a man born a slave when it was legal in this country. You’ll do yourself a favor to read it if you haven’t recently. Here’s the passage where he turns the corner from praising the nation: I am not included within the pale of[…] Keep reading →