A reader sent me a link to this video by an astronaut, Ron Garan. He shares how seeing the earth from space changes astronaut’s views on life and humanity’s relationship with nature. I don’t think it achieves the goal he wants. People can interpret it differently, but I conclude that he is saying seeing the earth from space offers a special and unique view of life that enables someone who[…] Keep reading →

Want to know the reason I I wrote yesterday about how relying on solar power connects me to nature and makes me humble to it? Because we’re approaching the winter solstice. Despite a PhD in astrophysics that included helping build a satellite still taking data in orbit, I’m learning more about astronomy and many other parts of nature today. I’m not yet at the level of ancient Babylonians or Mayans,[…] Keep reading →

So-called Christmas trees have nothing to do with Jesus being born in Bethlehem and everything to do with pagan holidays, as I write about every year, for example in You Don’t Need a “Christmas” Tree—a pagan tradition. A reminder of the waste you can avoid, and other posts. We changed traditions to this needless one of cutting down trees and dumping them into landfills. We can change from it. Here[…] Keep reading →

“How long does it take to charge your battery?” asks nearly everyone who sees me charging my solar panels, such as the guy in this picture: After a few times answering what they asked, I realized people have no idea what the numbers mean. If I tell them in full sunlight the battery charges in four hours, they don’t know what the battery can then charge. I didn’t know before[…] Keep reading →

A major point of my book Sustainability Simplified is that a culture being unsustainable means it is running out of something so must There is a name for taking from another culture. It’s imperialism. Taking their land is colonialism. You can oppose imperialism and colonialism all you want, if you live unsustainably, you’re driving them both. You can blame governments or rulers for driving them, but they do it because[…] Keep reading →

My phone is going crazy again this morning. The Times put the story on me on the front of the Metro section today. I wonder if the Times felt its readers could use some news they felt would brighten their days. showing a brighter future. The story behind the story Here’s what I’ve shared with people about the piece, if you don’t mind my copying an email I sent to[…] Keep reading →

Here’s a typical response on a forum to Tuesday’s profile in the New York Times of me from someone who I think would describe themselves as environmentalist: I enjoyed the article, and your blog post. You are part of the tiny % of the comfortable class who voluntarily simplify. Of course there are 8 billion, most of whom live in INvoluntary simplicity, and are trying to increase their throughput. In[…] Keep reading →

The paperback has been up about a day, and the reviews are coming in. It’s not Malcolm Gladwell level numbers yet, but a couple dozen reviews and all 5 stars so far. Making the book available feels great, as do the reviews so far. I wrote this book to help my mission, which is big, so putting the book up for sale is just the start. As much time and[…] Keep reading →

I’ve been remarking lately that every message I’ve heard on our environmental problems says that acting more sustainably means making my life worse for little chance of gain. I ask people if they know of counterexamples. If you do, please tell me, because no one has so far. Context Even ardent environmentalists suggest living more sustainably means giving up things I value for the possible benefit of someone else somewhere[…] Keep reading →