By Kahlil Gibran, from The Prophet –

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Happy Mother’s Day. Tao

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Over several years, I’ve been taking big, bold, practical and fun steps out of the death-grip of a consumerist-dependent lifestyle. It feels good and I will not try to tell you why (today), I’ll ask you just to trust me that it does. It has something to do with giving away what you don’t need, wanting what you already have, breaking the ties of conformity that bind us, being creative, being smart and having fun. That’s where SWAPPING comes in.

Thrift-shopping, vintage shops, yard sales and Craig’s List sustain me in most of what I want and need, whether it’s fashion, furniture or recreational supplies. I save a lot of money and always seem to find what I need - always - and am satisfied I’m not dipping into our resource reserves. (And it IS fun - just last month, I reconnected with an old friend when I bought his used bicycle rack on Craig’s list!)

But then there are the books. I know I’m not alone - many people share my bookaholicism. So, I visit used book stores a lot, but get impatient waiting for newly released reads. In fact, I’m perfectly happy to let that oscar-winning film get to dvd, but a book just can’t seem to wait - and Amazon knows it - which my credit card will reveal.

SwapTree is my 12-step program - but in 4 steps or less. At SwapTree.com, you can trade books, cds, dvds and video games easily and for free. Your only cost is shipping your items but wait - keep reading - they make is super-easy because they calculate and send a postage label online - you simple print it out. Even better, when using the media mail service rates, you can usually ship for under $2.50.

How does all this work? You list by UPC code what you have and what you want and you receive a list of everything available that you can trade. This saves you time searching for available items. A book junkie like me also loves to read comments and join discussion groups about certain books and topics, so I get my fix and then some. SwapTree will also provide you with latest staff picks and most wanted lists so you can keep up without having to read the NY Times Book Review each week. Ok, maybe I’ll still do that…

Swapping makes sense - less resources making less stuff, less stuff in landfills and sitting unused on shelves. I’m signing up today and I’ll report back soon.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

A lot of people are addressing a new “green” issue - the “why bother?” question that looms over our daily lives as we try to balance the status quo with needed changes, work with play, fear with faith. We don’t have much time. Change has to happen quickly or - well, big changes will be upon us quickly. Is Change something we learn to do or something that just happens? I say a lot of both.

Life is like a big jigsaw puzzle. We’ve dumped the pieces out “on the table” and at first, it feels overwhelming, even impossible to begin to put things in order. So we spend some time looking at and working with a few pieces and we’ve even fit a few small ones into place. But those few pieces aren’t enough - we have to keep going back to the pile. We are seeing a glimpse of something that is beautiful, even when there’s also something daunting about looking at all that is left in that pile. The work itself keeps us focused on the beauty - and we keep coming back for more. Some days we throw up our hands and walk out the door, but, we know we’ll be back.

We need to approach our efforts towards a more sustainable life just like this puzzle - knowing that we are working on something bigger and that the process itself is all we have. You know, something like “be here now”. It all starts by looking at and working on a few small pieces. Small, continuous work and actions matter because they lead to bigger actions, new ideas and perspective. More importantly, perhaps, is that they give us a feeling of participating in change - of living, if just slightly, outside ourselves. When this happens, we bring our innate qualities to the surface - of compassion, truth and wisdom - in other words, who we are, what we see and what we know. We are able to tap into our intuition, finding a balance between what we see outwardly and what we see outwardly - all tools to get the real work done.

Remember what we are capable of - and these wise words: “If we did all the things we were capable of doing, We would literally astound ourselves.”

— Thomas Alva Edison

by Jerry Stifelman, Carrboro, NC

It’s is a classic. Yet not a preppie, establishment classic. It’s an outside classic. A rebel classic. It works for Hell’s Angels, Outward Bound instructors, rock guitarist,s and earthy hipsters.

It can be called upon to be a handkerchief, a napkin, a hat, a headband, a hair tie, a pants tie, a dog leash, an SOS flag — or as an actual bandana.

Carry a bandana everywhere. You’ll never need to harm trees by using paper napkins. Great for bad hair days. You can also use it to disguise yourself or to protect your hands when sliding across a quickly rigged zip line. (All action heroes should carry a bandana.)

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Spring has Sprung. Although it will take months or years of continuous above-average rainfall for our emptied Rivers and reservoirs to recover fully, plentiful Spring rains and cool temps have healed much of North Carolina for now. Hopefully our water-saving efforts have become simple every day habits and we will continue to be stewards of our precious water supply by washing, watering, flushing less.

There are many other ways we can make our Summer activities as green as our plants.

Use your clothesline. Clothes dryers are the 2nd highest energy-sucking appliance (after the refrigerator) in most homes.

A/C is overrated. Break the addiction by using shades, awnings and fans. Spend more time outdoors and your body will acclimate to hot weather.

Health clubs are not so healthy for the earth. Walk, pedal, jog, or practice yoga outdoors in cool morning or evening hours instead.

Let your grass grow. Organic Landscape experts recommend 2.5″ in Spring and 3″ in Summer for more drought, weed and pest resistant lawns. Better yet, transition to less lawn and more natural landscaping, including moss, mulch and wildflowers.

Gotta mow? Use a pushmower and consider mowing as an art, not a clear-cutting process. Cut a path for walking or a circle for sitting and leave the rest.

Rain can clean your car. Put on a swimsuit, grab a sponge and a little biodegradable soap. Overall, a professional car wash uses less water than how most of of us use a garden hose. Look for a car wash that recycles water.

Bike and walk more, drive less.

Urban farming is easier than you think. Plant and grow.

Star gaze instead of movie star gaze.

Enjoy your local fruits and veggies and help decrease the high carbon cost of food transportation.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

We had a great time on this trip and we are also in the early stages of considering opportunities for relocating. For now, we love living in co-housing in Carrboro and will be here for the near future, enjoying and participating in this progressive town. Still, there’s something to be said for shaking things up, challenging yourself to grow in new opportunities. I’ve moved a lot and admit that relocating is a wonderful stimulus for me, pushing me into new action. So, we’re listening, watching and waiting.

Sweet Pond Eco Community is forming in Southeastern VT, about 6 miles from Brattleboro. Here, 9 environmentally friendly homes will be placed in an apple orchard, while the surrounding pastures, woods and pond will be protected - close to 100 acres of remarkable beauty and natural habitat. The construction plans will be Leed Gold certified and based on the E.F. Schumaker’s, Small is Beautiful.

Currently seeking members, a thoroughly informative website is in place at SweetPondEcoCommunity.com. We were given a tour of the property (along with lunch and engaging conversation!) with T and Zoe, a well-informed, creatively inspiring couple who set out to save land and invite neighbors to work together to create “a caring, supportive, friendly, and most importantly FUN home.” Their vision includes “a community that delights in life, values communal living and diversity, and leaves a legacy of wise stewardship for future generations.” Learn more about T.

Brattleboro itself also seems promising as an urban community, drawing people in, rather than pushing them out. The only way we can find a community-oriented sustainable way of living in America is to unite in downsizing and contract back into efficient city landscapes. Consider The Wherehouse in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem, NC, where a group found variations of life and work in an urban kind of utopia. Our cultural shift towards hoarding space and “privacy” has not brought the health or happiness that we expected. Of course, just like in yoga, contraction triggers the complementary energy of expansion and, in this case, balancing our hearts and minds and our way of life.

One thing both Jerry and I know, is that we will continue to seek a way to share a way of life, interests and resources with others, wherever we end up. Co-housing/space sharing is the way of a sustainable and hope-filled future - no matter where you put it.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Just how green was this trip and what is the bottom line of travel decision-making? Next time, I’ll arrange a shuttle from the airport rather than renting a car, but otherwise, I think I at least covered my carbon-emitting butt by offsetting the rest. For my future travel decisions, I am learning to look at 3 things:

1. Is this trip necessary/needed/reasonable? 2. What is the most sustainable way I can cover miles? 3. How can I further reduce my carbon footprint while traveling and still have fun?

While fun is subjective, I think we can all agree that the vacations where we lounge about poolside at the luxury hotel or resort is not necessarily what we’ll write home about. Adventure, thrills and new experiences are usually outside the boundaries of starched sheets and a suntan. While we all need a little R & R at times, life happens at the edge. What do you REALLY want to do/see/experience?

While a “necessary” trip could be about family, education or business, a “needed” trip could simply mean a way to balance your physical/mental/emotional health and well-being. A “reasonable” trip applies in both cases and could depend on where I want to go, for how long and what I do when I get there. Evaluate these things in your own way. I heard about one family who loved Hawaiian vacations, but found when they decreased the frequency to every other year, they were able to stay longer and appreciate it more. They also found they enjoyed the simplicity of vacationing at home during the off years.

Once you know where I need or want to go, explore your travel options. It’s tempting to hop on a plane that you’re convinced will be in the sky, with or without you - but remember, our consumer decisions absolutely drive market demand and airlines constantly re-evaluate flight loads and scheduling. Mile for mile, the effect of jet CO2 is over 2x that of autos. This is due to several factors, including heat trapping cloud formations (called radiative forcing).

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, trains are 18% more efficient per passenger mile than airplanes. In addition, it takes half the crude oil to generate a gallon of diesel fuel for trains than the same amount of jet fuel.

If traveling by car is possible, keep in mind that here is where size matters most. Although a car averaging 30mpg will always trump the flight (more so if carrying more people), personal SUVs and trucks can mess with that equation and make little environmental sense no matter how you look at it.

Once you’ve arrived, there are many ways you can balance your carbon output. Where you stay, what you eat/buy/consume, how you get around and what you do are variables you can work with consciously and creatively - you may be surprised at the enjoyable results.

For more on greening your getaway, go to Sierra Club Newsletter. Have an eco-travel experience? Let me know!

by Tao Oliveto, Brattleboro, VT

Brattleboro has a dominant number of thriving local businesses, many of which thoroughly but subtly display their green creds. Thrift and vintage places - my personal eye candy - were especially irresistible, and practical, as it turned out. I suddenly needed a nail clipper/file and I found both, hidden amongst hundreds of antique collectibles of every category at a store called “Twice Upon A Time”. Proving, once again, that they don’t make things like they used to. These stores can be full of surprises - I have managed to stay out of mainstream drugstores for years by using thrift/vintage for basics like this - low cost and no packaging is a bonus.

I went back several times to Boomerang - a vintage and vintage-inspired clothing and accessories shop owned and operated by Loretta, who replanted her creative roots from LA. Here I found some fun and stylish used clothing - some are cleverly marked by era - Jerry was drawn to the 50’s while I found out I’m a 60’s - 70’s kind of girl. Boomerang also supports Rise Up International, a group of artists, ideallists and social entrepreneurs using the fashion industry to empower children out of poverty. Rise Up International doesn’t mess around when it comes to giving - they donate all profits to support free education centers, drug rehabilitation and art vocational schools in India, Central America and China.

As happened in a few different cases, I was readily engaged in conversation by the locals and felt welcomed, even as I accepted my designated title as a “flatlander”.
A haven for art, music, alternative health and recreation, “Brat” - as I brazenly use the local term - has not seen the last of me!