LATEST BLOG POSTS

Here are my notes that I read from for this post: My greatest triumphs, my greatest shames. When I share personal stuff people always write how they like it. I think it’s less important than learning the joys of stewardship and recognizing that flying any time you want or having blueberries 12 months a year doesn’t improve your life, but it may help people understand where I’m coming from and[…] Keep reading →

I prefer blackboards to whiteboards, which are plastic and chintzy, their markers plastic and chemically. Blackboards, on the other hand, are made of rock. Chalk is made of chalk. They’re from the Earth. But my big issue is that markers are nearly always out of ink, which I find out too late, by using them. With chalk, you can tell by looking, as this bar chart I made shows: Try[…] Keep reading →

I spoke at Google on starting a podcast, specifically on the environment. I wish I could bring you the whole thing, but here are a few unretouched clips. The audience was very receptive, stayed late, and asked lots of questions. I hope to bring you future stories of them starting podcasts from this event. (EDIT: I posted the audio of the full event on the podcast, episode 263.) and and[…] Keep reading →

Tia has been active on the environment for a long time, working with government, non profits, as an individual, and since birth deeply connected with federal and state government. And of course Earth Day from the start. We covered topics including planned obsolescence, politics, carbon taxes and accounting, Vince Lombardi, Brent Suter from the Milwaukee Brewers, Oprah Winfrey, and individual action. Many people, when considering acting on their environmental values,[…] Keep reading →

How obesity spreads You probably heard about a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study, The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network Over 32 Years, implying that Obesity can spread from person to person, much like a virus, according to researchers. When one person gains weight, close friends tend to gain weight too as the New York Times stated in, Obesity spreads to friends, study concludes. It continued:[…] Keep reading →

People fear social media. They see what it does to relationships and communities. Next time you see people say something on social media self-righteous, mean, condemning, etc about someone you know or at least know of, ask if the people are gossiping — except instead of over the backyard fence in private, to the world in public, which responds in kind. All cultures gossip, I hear. Evolutionary psychology tells us[…] Keep reading →

Here are my notes that I read from for this episode. New comment from reading Countdown by Alan Weisman Overpopulation is major issue. Challenges are culture, religion, lack of education, lack of birth control He presented research results of demand for birth control by women — about 250 million. Figure about a guy for each: 500 million I figure low because many don’t know it exists or are swayed by[…] Keep reading →

Readers and listeners have commented on my writing and posting lately about population and birth rates. Why do I talk about them? Isn’t America below replacement level? I recently finished reading Countdown by Alan Weisman, which I recommend. I read passages and commented on them in episode 248: Countdown, a book I recommend by Alan Weisman. It looked at population around the world, illustrating and describing research finding that we’ve[…] Keep reading →

I’ve rowed enough on my erg to get decent times on the standard measure for rowing—the 2k. My best time is 7:43, which I consider good for lightweight 48-year-old guy. I’m considering competing the U.S. indoor rowing competition—not to win, but for the experience, figuring I might do okay. I looked up how lightweight men’s performances last year. My category: lightweight men 40-49 years In my category, I would have[…] Keep reading →