As sentient beings, we feel the planet. Earth’s problems and joys are felt as our own. When we tune out these feelings we end up silencing our body’s natural cues. The behaviors that hurt our bodies also hurt the body of our planet, and the behaviors that are good for us are also good for the planet. Global sustainability correlates to personal sustainability, which makes our connection a mutually beneficial relationship.
Networking with authenticity
Systems in nature network all the time. They are constantly exchanging information and energy, in mutually-beneficial ways.
read moreThe urgent need for Active Patience
I was offered the honor of a lifetime when Naropa University (where I received my Master’s degree) asked me to be the graduate speaker at my commencement in May 2014. I used this opportunity to speak about my deepest passions and yearnings. I talk about our role as humans on this planet, and the lessons that arise from the core of our beings when we let ourselves rest. I had a lot of fun crafting and delivering this gift, and I hope you enjoy receiving it as much as I enjoyed presenting it! Note: If you aren’t affiliated with...
read moreAnother kind of love story…
…And another way to talk about sustainability. This is a story about a world where there is hope for the future, and a world where people feel empowered to take action for the sake of their individual and collective health. Let us together be a part of creating a better home.
read moreHow to be who you are
If I were to describe to you what I’ve learned in my Environmental Leadership Master’s degree, I’d most likely tailor it specifically in a way you’re likely to understand, connect, and converse about it. You see, I want to have meaningful conversations with you about the health of the emotional self, the body of culture, and our home planet. Environmental Leadership is about taking a whole-systems view of the world, the interrelationships between people, and transforming the inner awareness. I might tell you about...
read moreBoost your sustainability by diversifying your bottom line
There are many ways to measure success. Businesses look to their finances and profits, nonprofits look to their relationships and societal impact, and environmentalists look to their ecological footprint. But a deeper look reveals something much more soft to measure. In our hybridized world, a singular and narrow bottom line is no longer enough. Customers now look to their business partners to have a positive social and environmental impact, and donors and foundations want to ensure their dollars are well spent with fiscally-responsible...
read moreAll the time in the world
Time is a flowy, circular, and rather paradoxical concept. Relative to region, culture, age, sense of spirituality, belief, and even altitude, time can feel different for everybody. I have experienced many diverse quickenings and hinderings at different moments in my life, depending on inner and outer circumstances. Some have been expansive, some universal, and some uncomfortably constrictive. Elizabeth Gilbert captures this notion of time eloquently in her new novel, The Signature of All Things (Viking, 2013): “…there was such a...
read moreKeeping materials “in the loop”
There is no such thing as waste. In earth’s system, everything is food for something else. And yet, our modern human systems often misalign with this law of nature. Our waste sits in landfills that cannot process it, while most of what we throw away is still valuable material. Many wisdom traditions and native cultures live in harmony with the planet, and some smart businesses are waking up to this truth. It’s called up-cycling, and it is the practice of using waste as valuable food for creation and manufacturing. Instead of...
read moreGravity: A reminder of Gaia
Humans in space is a delicate topic. I was hesitant, resistant even, to go see the new critically-acclaimed film, Gravity. My tentativeness was for the potential of a filmmaker to be irresponsible or misguided with my emotions around what I perceived to be a sensitive matter. But, ultimately, I trust the judgment of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and conceded to go watch the movie with my sweetheart. When the first astronauts reached space, they looked back on their home planet with a sense of benevolence and wonder, seeing the...
read moreLife likes life: Articulating the ethic of sustainability
Sustainability is a beloved word often used by earth lovers and green-washers alike. This term embodies many definitions and identities from ecology to sociology, marketing to spirituality, science to design. It typically balances the three areas of ecology/environment, economy/employment, equity/equality. The many ways of understanding sustainability speaks to the fact of its relevancy in our time. Sustainability connects us to the fact of our interconnectedness, our place in the universe, and the truth of our aliveness. The concept of...
read morePrevention: Why hospitals should focus on the environment
Pop quiz: When is the best time to schedule a healing? a). When feeling sick b). When feeling stressed c). When feeling awesome d). None of the above e). All of the above I arrived to my most recent acupuncture appointment feeling awesome. I’ve been working with my healer for months, and we had gotten my body into balance to a point where time had passed and I didn’t feel dependant on our sessions. I felt great, free of needing an appointment. I almost cancelled my next scheduled date, because I figured, “I’m not sick, so I may as well...
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