Check out this great article on sharing within our local communities.
Transacting through barter, gifting, time banks, and other creative means will instantly open up potential for strong, localized, and sustainable economies. We have a wealth of valuable people, skills, goods, time, and potential in our communities!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Why I Ride My Bike
Let’s dust off our bikes put our wheels to the ground. Let’s take to the streets, lets make our hearts pound! <3
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Use Less Plastic!
Every piece of plastic ever made still exists today, and much of this plastic has traveled from our hands to our oceans. The most important thing you can do is use less plastic. Join the Blue movement and sign the plastic pledge at SaveMyOceans.com
Use Less Plastic from TakePart on Vimeo.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Toilet Paper, t.p., tea --> pee
Over the course of finals week, and after countless pots of tea to get me through some rough nights of grueling paper writing/editing...
... I've come to strongly resent toilet paper.
The fact is, countless virgin trees are destroyed for the necessary pulp and large amounts of chemicals are used to turn the wood pulp into the soft, fluffy, white tissues we like to use in the united states.
Regardless of the fact that I buy 100% post consumer recycled t.p. -- those darn packages of t.p. are wrapped with plastic packaging, require petroleum fuel to produce the materials, and a lot more fuel is burned getting them to their destination. There's really no way to get around it.
Other environmentally sound options? Bidet...Cloth....drip dry? (eww!)
I suppose I could start integrating cloth into my daily bathroom habits... like for number 1, and save the precious t.p. stock for the more important bathroom trips.
This hasn't been the first time I've been seriously considering other alternatives to t.p. -- however the reoccurring problem with this is that I currently a) don't have extra cloth scraps to donate to the cause, and b) i'm broke as a motherfucker -- meaning I cannot afford excessive laundry use. Quarters are a precious precious commodity.. and yes, I hoard them.
So, t.p., for now -- i'm stuck with you. But sometime in the near future, I'll get you out of my life!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sense of Community
By strengthening my ties with the people around me, allowing myself to connect and reconnect with new and old friends -- I'll be building and supporting my own sense of community.
What does this mean to me? And how will my individual actions help support my community?
What does this mean to me? And how will my individual actions help support my community?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A Good Scientist
"A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is"
-- Lao Tzu, father of Taoist philosophy.
In pursuit of my masters in a hard science, I need to continually reflect on this in order to retain the essence of being a good scientist. Being surrounded by ego's and constant competition -- I will not let myself be sucked in.
It's necessary to strive towards excellence without losing sight of the why.
-- Lao Tzu, father of Taoist philosophy.
In pursuit of my masters in a hard science, I need to continually reflect on this in order to retain the essence of being a good scientist. Being surrounded by ego's and constant competition -- I will not let myself be sucked in.
It's necessary to strive towards excellence without losing sight of the why.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Feels like Peanutbutter
I'm getting spread WAYYYY to thin. Which is definitely the story of my life every semester. I assume too many responsibilities, sometimes because i feel obligated to -- like if I don't do it, it won't get done. And other times, it's because I genuinely want to. But the fact of the matter is, at the end of the day -- I end up running myself into a ditch.
Exactly what i'm feeling at this moment? Like a chicken running around with it's head cut off. What's the point if I'm just going to die in the end anyway?
I'm overwhelmed... where's my jelly!
Exactly what i'm feeling at this moment? Like a chicken running around with it's head cut off. What's the point if I'm just going to die in the end anyway?
I'm overwhelmed... where's my jelly!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tiff's DEEeeeeliccious Hummus Recipe
Actually, this is a pretty generic hummus recipe. Really easy to make -- and now you'll never have to buy over-processed-chocked-full-of-chemicals-sitting-in-a-plastic-container-for-god-knows-how-long hummus.
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, 6 Tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus other seasoning** of your choice.
Materials: 2 bowls, food processor or blender, spoon or small rubber spatula
1) mix lemon juice + water in 1st bowl.
2) mix tahini + olive oil in the 2nd bowl.
3) drain the can of chickpeas and add to the food processor/blender. Add the garlic, salt & pepper and other seasonings** and blend for 15+ seconds until chopped. Scrape down with spoon or spatula and slowly add the lemon/water while blending. Scrape down and slowly add the oil/tahini mix and continue blending until the texture is smooth and creamy, scraping down bowl as needed.
4) Transfer into one of the bowls you started with or container, garnish with some pretty herbs and boom, hummus. Serve with pita bread/chips. or you could just shovel mouthfuls into your mouth -- whatever you like. I'm not going to judge how you eat hummus.
** I like adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick. Also i've made hummus with fresh olives/sun dried tomatoes/artichoke hearts/avocado too. YUUMMM!
p.s. organic/local ingredients make the hummus taste extra delicious. It's been proven.
If you have all the ingredients -- it pretty much just takes 5 minutes to make.
Friend asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd post it here as well!
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, 6 Tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus other seasoning** of your choice.
Materials: 2 bowls, food processor or blender, spoon or small rubber spatula
1) mix lemon juice + water in 1st bowl.
2) mix tahini + olive oil in the 2nd bowl.
3) drain the can of chickpeas and add to the food processor/blender. Add the garlic, salt & pepper and other seasonings** and blend for 15+ seconds until chopped. Scrape down with spoon or spatula and slowly add the lemon/water while blending. Scrape down and slowly add the oil/tahini mix and continue blending until the texture is smooth and creamy, scraping down bowl as needed.
4) Transfer into one of the bowls you started with or container, garnish with some pretty herbs and boom, hummus. Serve with pita bread/chips. or you could just shovel mouthfuls into your mouth -- whatever you like. I'm not going to judge how you eat hummus.
** I like adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick. Also i've made hummus with fresh olives/sun dried tomatoes/artichoke hearts/avocado too. YUUMMM!
p.s. organic/local ingredients make the hummus taste extra delicious. It's been proven.
If you have all the ingredients -- it pretty much just takes 5 minutes to make.
Friend asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd post it here as well!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Needs Motivation Please!
The third week into a new semester, and I'm ready for summer now..
In lieu of preparing to throw myself back into the swing of research, writing, studying, community activism, environmental advocacy, networking, and connecting & reconnecting with friends. I feel like there's no way to 'prepare' for it. I'm either ready or I'm not, I'll do it or I won't.
I'm trying to build up the motivation of breaking out of my anti-social habits of getting trapped and consumed by my dungeon-esque apartment. I admit, in the past -- if I didn't respond to one of your phone calls or text messages -- 70% of the time it was most likely due to the fact that i was in my pj's curled up in my bed with my laptop and dog. I had no desire to see people, talk to people, or go outside for a while. Depressing much?
In lieu of preparing to throw myself back into the swing of research, writing, studying, community activism, environmental advocacy, networking, and connecting & reconnecting with friends. I feel like there's no way to 'prepare' for it. I'm either ready or I'm not, I'll do it or I won't.
I'm trying to build up the motivation of breaking out of my anti-social habits of getting trapped and consumed by my dungeon-esque apartment. I admit, in the past -- if I didn't respond to one of your phone calls or text messages -- 70% of the time it was most likely due to the fact that i was in my pj's curled up in my bed with my laptop and dog. I had no desire to see people, talk to people, or go outside for a while. Depressing much?
Friday, February 5, 2010
to find one's self.
I had an interesting and very unexpected conversation with a friend of mine last night, in which he shared with me a part of his past. I absolutely love conversations where I get to learn more about my friends, and to discover what made them who they are today.
A little background. This person that shared his story with me last night -- is super charismatic, fun loving, super friendly & can pretty much carry on a conversation with just about anyone.
On a side note, I admit that I envy those types of personalities quite often. The extroverted types that have no trouble forming bonds wherever they go. I feel like i often have to struggle/work for the ones I have. Not that I think I can't connect with people... but it takes more effort to form those threads of connection for a personality type like mine vs. super extroverted types (i think). I also suppose that on my end, I feel like it takes more for me to 'feel' a connection with someone than just a couple of conversations will get me. It takes a certain level of trust.
Anyway, so back to my friend's story. He had a unique childhood growing up, being displaced and moved from state to state, city to city consistently every 1 - 1.5 years of his life all throughout elementary school. He was able to pick up making friends quickly, had to make himself very likable and eventually got great a making a lot of new friends wherever he went. But also, knowing that in another year -- he would lose all of them.
He expressed that it just became easier and easier to make friends as he went a long, but harder to lose them. Considering in the late 80's and early 90's -- cells phones and the internet wasn't exactly a prevalent source of communication.
I started to ask him if he found himself putting up barriers -- not allowing himself to become close to the friends he made. But he immediately stopped me mid sentence, at "did you end up finding yourself ---"
And that was the key.
He ended up finding himself.
He found himself out in the wilderness, discovering new ways to do things. Art. Creating. Building. Discovering. Figuring out how things work. Camping. Hiking. Mountain biking. Rock climbing. Everything a kid could do with the backwoods in Kentucky, he did it. He had great role models around, uncles who were outdoors-men who had great life experience and things to share with him. He was happy, and he is happy. His safe place is the world around him.
Now, it's my turn.
A little background. This person that shared his story with me last night -- is super charismatic, fun loving, super friendly & can pretty much carry on a conversation with just about anyone.
On a side note, I admit that I envy those types of personalities quite often. The extroverted types that have no trouble forming bonds wherever they go. I feel like i often have to struggle/work for the ones I have. Not that I think I can't connect with people... but it takes more effort to form those threads of connection for a personality type like mine vs. super extroverted types (i think). I also suppose that on my end, I feel like it takes more for me to 'feel' a connection with someone than just a couple of conversations will get me. It takes a certain level of trust.
Anyway, so back to my friend's story. He had a unique childhood growing up, being displaced and moved from state to state, city to city consistently every 1 - 1.5 years of his life all throughout elementary school. He was able to pick up making friends quickly, had to make himself very likable and eventually got great a making a lot of new friends wherever he went. But also, knowing that in another year -- he would lose all of them.
He expressed that it just became easier and easier to make friends as he went a long, but harder to lose them. Considering in the late 80's and early 90's -- cells phones and the internet wasn't exactly a prevalent source of communication.
I started to ask him if he found himself putting up barriers -- not allowing himself to become close to the friends he made. But he immediately stopped me mid sentence, at "did you end up finding yourself ---"
And that was the key.
He ended up finding himself.
He found himself out in the wilderness, discovering new ways to do things. Art. Creating. Building. Discovering. Figuring out how things work. Camping. Hiking. Mountain biking. Rock climbing. Everything a kid could do with the backwoods in Kentucky, he did it. He had great role models around, uncles who were outdoors-men who had great life experience and things to share with him. He was happy, and he is happy. His safe place is the world around him.
Now, it's my turn.
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