My husband and I were out walking our dogs with our friend Edie the other morning and passed a small table with a sign on it:

“DUDE! You do not realize how awesome this free table is. Owned previously by A. Jolie and B. Pitt. Can be seen in the background of Mr. & Mrs. Smith as well as Lara Croft: Tombraider. THIS TABLE IS AN UNPLEDGED SUPERDELEGATE! Take it now, you won’t regret it.”

I took it. I couldn’t resist the note. Without the note, I most certainly would have left the table on the sidewalk. I think Edie really wanted the table too, but I grabbed it and we hauled it back. We really wanted to grab the person who wrote the note. That unpledged superdelegate part is brilliant. I love great copy-writing and this person has the knack. Problem was, the table wasn’t in front of a particular place, so hard to tell where it came from. The mystery copywriter will remain just that, a mystery.

But this whole episode reminded my of something I read lately, an article about recycling junk. It’s surprising to me how many junk recyclers are in business around here and the kind of “junk” they recycle. Toilets and cubicles, yes, but koi? IReuse found a home for the koi at a school. The New York Times has an article in the home section about people remodeling their almost-new kitchens (they want the latest styles or whatever) and the companies that recycle those kitchens (to the tune of about $25,000 but it’s still recycling.) There are so many ways to get rid of stuff, there’s just no excuse for throwing something out that someone else might want. But don’t forget about the old fashioned way — sticking something out on the sidewalk. I suggest adding a really clever note. In fact, I have a play structure I’m trying to get rid of. Maybe I’ll give it a shot. Mystery writer, if you’re out there, feel free to give me a hand.

Environment

Henry Miller spent 20 years of his life in Big Sur and although he didn’t die here, his ashes were scattered here after his death in 1980. What a final resting spot. My husband and I honeymooned here 10 years ago and have come back many times since, including this last weekend. I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of Big Sur, no matter the season or weather. Whether shrouded in fog or sparkling in the sunshine, it is a glorious place. Each time we come, we discover something new. This time, we stopped at Limekiln State Park and took a magical hike through the towering Coastal Redwoods alongside creeks dotted with waterfalls. While there are so many reasons to find fault with the government, I’m grateful we spend money on maintaining these little gems that are tucked away throughout the State.

Over our anniversary dinner, I asked my husband what he wanted to do differently during the next ten years. He cringed, thinking this would lead to a talk. Mind you, he loves to talk, but hates it when we talk. He was much more interested in savoring his dinner. But once we got beyond that, we quickly agreed that one thing we really want is to make the environment an even bigger focus in our lives, from the choices we make at the grocery store, to the causes we support, to the way we use resources in and outside our home.

For me, a key part of the picture is finding a way to get my kids more engaged in the process. After all, how can we expect them to clean up after our generation (and let’s face it, that’s the reality), if they don’t appreciate the magnitude of the problem and the role we each have in solving it? I’ve gotten some inspiration from a program that was initiated last year at the Peninsula School in Menlo Park. It’s called the Peninsula Cool School Campaign, and the impetus for it came out of a leadership program sponsored by Acterra, a grassroots organization devoted to finding local solutions to help the environment. The program is designed to get families to commit to making at least one change a month towards saving the environment. One change a month. Surely we can do that.

More about the Cool Campaign in a follow up post.

big sur, Blog Action Day, cool school campaign, Environment, henry miller, limekiln state park, peninsula school

I’ve always loved the Habitat for Humanity model. Volunteers working side by side with future homeowners who are providing sweat equity. Comunidad para Baja, one of my pet organizations, uses the same approach. If they install a septic system in a tribal community, for example, the Nativos are the ones doing the heavy lifting and getting the system up and running. When you have more skin in the game, you’re likely to care more about the resource, whether it’s a house, a bathroom or a schoolroom.

SOLARTHON 2007, happening this Saturday, October 6, is a green take on this idea. Conceived of and organized by local non-profit organization GRID Alternatives, a group of corporate participants & volunteers will be installing solar electric systems for eight low-income families in East Oakland. In fact, the systems will be installed at Habitat for Humanity’s new Edes Avenue development. Corporate participants include PG&E, Google, WaMu, Solar City and others. By putting a spotlight on this effort, I hope they’ll raise some money for a good cause and raise awareness about the good work that organizations like GRID Alternatives are doing around renewable energy. The forecast for Saturday calls for a sunny day. That’s only fitting.

Community, Comunidad Para Baja, Environment, giving, Habitat for Humanity, SOLARTHON 2007