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!