by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

It’s a time of Heroes - courageous, creative and determined And, man, do we need them. Fortunately, they are stepping up come all walks of life artists, musicians, designers, writers, photographers, athletes, small farmers, business owners, students, you’ll even find them in Hollywood. Every one of them moves and inspires me. Some of them bring tears to my eyes.

That was the case when reading the story of Chad Pregracke, one dedicated river keeper dude. About 10 years back, as a skateboarding college student broken-hearted about the state of his beloved Mississippi River, he dropped out of school to spend his days in a flat-bottomed boat dragging out trash. He didn’t have a master plan or hoards of people to join him. “It was just something I knew should be done and needed to be done and nobody was doing it.” (That gave me the first gulp). It can be that simple, yes?

After being discovered by roving reporters and curious eyes, Pregracke himself discovered a wealth of enthusiasm from friends and strangers, some longing for a chance to get involved. “You gotta create an opportunity for people to do something.” he said.

True to his word, he soon founded Living Lands and Waters, a non-profit with 12 employees. With a fleet of barges, he and his crew travel down 6 rivers, including the Missippi, Missouri, Ohio, Anacostia, Potamac and the Illinois as part of the annual event, X-Stream Cleanup. The latest and 4th annual expedition covered 31 sites, involving over 1,500 volunteers. To date, they have hauled in over 4 million tons of garbage, recycled much of it and stirred up interest in concerned communities along the way. Rivers get a shot at restoration as they remove numbers of tires, metal scraps and barrels still partially filled with toxic chemicals.

Corporate sponsorship has helped grow the group’s budget, allowing them to extend their efforts and influence into educational workshops and other local programs. Yet, when Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Chad dropped everything to be part of the relief efforts. Planning to stay 4 weeks, Chad and his crew stayed 10. To learn more and get involved, go to livinglandsandwater.org.

2008 UPDATE ON CHAD AND LL&W:

IN 2006, Chad and his crews executed 64 cleans ups and hosted the first Big River Workshop, on the Mississippi River.

In 2007, Chad and LL&W founded the Million Trees Project. With the help of communities collecting acorns, a nursery was established with the goal of planting a million trees within the following 5 - 10 years. Chad and National Geographic release, FROM THE BOTTOM UP, the story of the creation and evolution of his river passion and his non-profit organization.

Chad continues to write a weekly column in the Quad City Times in Iowa and has delivered over 300 presentations to corporate, public and student audiences worldwide.

The workshops expand to the Missouri and Illinois Rivers and the LL&W crew plants over 20,000 trees in a five-state area.

2005
LL&W keeps on doing what it does best until Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast.  Within days, LL&W cancels aall projects, doubles the crew size, unloads the barges of garbage and fills them up with building supplies.  The fleet and crew head to New Orleans to assist with the relief efforts.  Planning to stay for 4 weeks, the crew stays for nearly 10.

2006
LL&W continues to make an impact, hosting 64 community-based cleanups along seven of the nation’s largest rivers.  Working with over 30,000 volunteers to date, LL&W estimates total refuse collected to be over 3 million pounds!

LL&W’s Big River Workshops host their first excursions–taking 60 teachers on a 3 or 4-day voyage up the Mississippi River.

LL&W expands Adopt-A-River Mile program to include the Illinois River.

2007
Chad releases From the Bottom Up, with National Geographic–the story of the creation and evolution of LL&W, its successes and challenges.

LL&W launches its newest endeavor—The MillionTrees Project.  By starting its own nursery and soliciting the assistance from the community to collect acorns, this project aims to plant a million trees within the next 5 to 10 years.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

When I decided to head for NC, I lived in a small and borrowed motor home in the woods. I had recently left graduate school, embarking on one of those “to hell with it” journeys. Each day of those few months, I learned more about how freeing it was to want only what I needed and need only what I had. Even the confined space felt comforting. Ever since then, I have acknowledged and craved the kind of satisfaction of living simply and its welcome limits.

If small and simple living feels so good, where does our mega-sizing mentality come from? When considering the downscaling commitment of people like Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, who lives in a 100sq.foot dwelling, I am forced to acknowledge my return to excess (I live in 1050sq.feet). I even store “stuff” in additional attic space and own 3 bicycles! Huh? Perhaps it’s a virus that has spread through our culture unchecked and unchallenged…is it then passed down through generations as a misguided process of evolution? Or, is it simply a disconnect between our needs, wants and/or desires within a culture lacking in perspective? When it comes to living space, how much is enough?

Undeniably, our consciousness as a culture is rising. And, like most trends that run their course, our BIG habits are being challenged and re-evaluated. Alternative housing is attracting the interest of many, with mixed use developments like Greenbridge becoming popular and Co-housing, a community-based, eco-efficient form of housing, making smaller living both practical and fashionable.

Could small living actually be the big life? Is the “super-size” mentality becoming old and ugly news? Carpenter author and educator, Shay Salomon, seems to think so. She co-founded The Small House Society, whose mission is “to support the research, development, and use of smaller living spaces that foster sustainable living for individuals, families, and communities worldwide.” In her book, Little House on a Small Planet, she shows how saner, cozier homes provide an antidote to stress, build community and reduce our impact on the planet. Committed to both efficient design and use of natural resources, these people are selling much more than small homes. They are offering the luxury and value of a more simple life.

Unfortunately, there is no lack of the continued development of large homes for the affluent, but shift happens. Ask Gregory Paul Johnson, Founder and Director of Resources for Life (and another co-founder of The Small House Society). I love this guy - he may live small, but his life, career and interests are huge - check out his web site. He is a testimonial to just what can happen when you de-clutter, de-stress and detoxify your mind to make “space” for what matters.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

If you’re here, you know the many ways that you can save resources, create less trash and use less energy. You will also know that I am a fan of No Impact Man - and last week he offered a list of changes he made over the last year to green his life and the planet. Although he went back to using a refrigerator and washing machine, he found at least 42 green habits that are just too simple to ever give up. I can say I’ve joined him in all of them and yep, they are darn easy. And, as NIM has been reminding us, the best news is that all of it has made me happier and healthier in the process.

Below are a few more resource-saving ideas that I’ve discovered along the way. The best part is that it’s been a kind of thrill to figure out these things and realized how much of it is common- sense-simple. See what you think below

** You can now recycle your cds, dvds, jewel cases, cell phones, electronics, printer cartridges, and videos through Greendisk.com. I just sent in a whole box of dvds and videos for only the cost of a mailing label. They also provide recycling services to businesses with high volume.

** If you use a vacuum cleaner, try reusing the full bag by simply emptying the dust bunnies out the top (put your fingers in and pull). It works fine, is not as icky as it sounds, saves money and resources. Those bags are thick and durable and will go through many uses if you are willing to take this extra step.

** If you use cotton balls, remember to save the stuff that sometimes comes in the top of the vitamin supplement jars.

** When the ink runs out, don’t throw the entire pen away - save the cartridges. You can take them to most office supply stores and purchase or order refills. I collected about 25 in one year and was able to get replacements for most. Same thing for scotch tape! If your local store doesn’t carry refills - encourage them to do so.

** If you have a hole in your sock, try your hand at darning - I’ve rescued a few of my wool pairs. If that doesn’t work, cut off the foot part, make a few stitches to create a thumb space and you have half-gloves.

** Athletic shoes too worn to donate? Recycle them through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program or check in with your local powers that be for shoe collection events. Oh, and be sure to take out the laces - they are most likely still usable. There may be Check here for recycling programs for sports shoes.

** Save water by rinsing lightly, but NOT washing recylables until squeaky-clean. It’s on the record - the process handles a percentage of excess “contaminants” just fine.

** Use yogurt-style plastic tubs as planters for spring seedlings or house plants - just poke holes in the bottom.

** Rainy day? Put on rain gear - or a bikini - and wash your car - use a little bio-degradable soap and a rag and let the rain give it a good rinse.

** Clothing that is too worn for donation make great rags, gift wrap, reusable napkins and dishtowels - just get out the scissors.

** A plastic bag dryer is on of the few “gadgets” that is worth its weight in green - I’ve rinsed and reused plastic bags, that hold my vegetables, dozens and dozens of times because this simple design allows them to dry completely and quickly. It works for used plastic wrap or foil as well. Order one here.

I’m sure I’ve missed some things. Please send me your ideas! Thanks and happy greening.

Brian D. McLaren is an author, activist, speaker and pastor. His life, work and experience has convinced him that everything must change, mostly the way we live as consumers.

“Consumerism is the notion that the more we consume the better off we will be. As I explain in Everything Must Change, it’s the supreme idolatry of our times. It places my temporal wants at the center of my own little universe. As the dominant way of deriving meaning, it is responsible for countless neuroses fed by corporations whose shareholders insist on ever-increasing profits, and it is responsible for near runaway exploitation of this earth’s natural resources.”

In my experience, living more sustainably has been a kind of relief - an opportunity to slow down, to quiet the runaway ego and gain perspective on what I really want from life. Living smaller, slower and with less “convenience” has left me feeling more whole, healthy and in tune with life than ever.

Paul Hawken says living sustainably should be easy and natural - like “falling off a log.” No Impact Man says it’s harder if you have less money or live in a community that does not support a sustainable way of life. I think they are both right. Simplifying your life by driving, buying and wasting less is available to everyone. Everyday in my town, I see people who are willing to share space, share cars, ride bikes and have less. And they seem to do it while working less, nurturing relationships, pursuing goals and having fun. But it’s true that sustainable alternatives to necessary goods and services need to be made available to everyone in order for real change to happen quickly.

We can have a life that’s more authentic, happy, healthy and sustainable by forgetting about what we have and focusing on what we do. It’s not about the money or the sacrifice. But it is about changing our own habits and then supporting each other in doing what it takes to push our culture into a place where it is easy and natural to change.

“After ending one year or living without electricity and creating no trash, NIM says And so, I’ve decided that for myself, in choosing my path forward in my continued experience as No Impact Man, that my individual attempts at environmental living are not sufficient. As much as I’ve come to believe in the incredible power of a life lived in integrity with one’s values, and as much as I’ve seen evidence of the differences each of us can make with our life choices, I’d also like to think we have the power to make those same choices and benefits available to everyone. “

He’s talking activism, of course, making yourself heard. We’re getting greener and cleaner. We’re starting to talk to each other. Let’s take on the next step and get together about schools, communities and cities and groups being a force for change. Use your talents, use your passion and use your voice.

by Tao Oliveto

As you know from this blog, my commuting habits are a work in progress. I’ve been journeying from Prius to biodiesel, with a lot of bicycle and a little mass transit in between. I mostly live, play and work at home or within a radius of 5 miles, making it not much of a sacrifice to get around by bicycle and bus. The most regular driving I do is to get my dogs to the trail head. My biggest mileage involves a 45-mile roundtrip one day/week to work in another town. Ouch. I don’t enjoy this trip and it’s not just the eco-guilt - being in traffic is a tense and disconnected experience - something I didn’t notice so much when I was driving regularly.

If I’ve been this happy with my car-lite lifestyle, I often wonder what it would be like to go totally car-free? Chris Balish, journalist and nationally-known lecturer on the environment, sustainable development and green living, reveals all - including the true costs of owning a car, in his best-selling book,

“How To Live Well Without Owning A Car: Save Money, Breathe Easier, and Get more Mileage out of Life.”

This book covers every topic, question and driving alternative in detail and includes resources and testimonials from others living car-free in the U.S.. The new ideas on car-pooling, car-sharing and car-rental were especially interesting. For instance, bringing home heavy garden supplies like potting soil in the Spring, runs to the Farmers Market on Saturdays or weekend hiking are the obvious times to get your friends together in one vehicle. Renting a car on a weekend for projects or trips is not a crazy idea - especially if you are sharing the cost with others. Did you know that most taxis allow pets if they are in carriers?

What expanded my view beyond car-ownership more than anything was cost. I was shown that my car that I’m so proud to let sit idle (not idling) much of the time, is costing me an average of $700/month. What? Then I did the math - it’s true.

This book covers the driving habits for everyone in cities or suburbs, of every age and income level. I found it especially fun and interesting reading the lengthy chapter on dating without a car. Chris’s list of ideas for car-free dates alone is enough to nominate him most eligible bachelor, though, a visit to his website made my head spin. This guy lives it up and gives it up for the environment.

by Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

Some truths are hard to accept, making it easier to simply avoid them. We are unwilling to give up the notion that we can throw or flush something “away”, so our landfills, rivers and oceans keep filling up with sewage and trash. We enjoy fast food and other inexpensive meat and dairy from factory farms by avoiding the image of the abuse to the environment and the animals it comes from. We drive our cars because the CO2 it produces is, for the most part, invisible. (If our cars spewed black exhaust, I think we would all drive less.)

It gets even harder when it comes to the truth of our exploding population. Producing children is a biological response to nature. This makes it a perplexing problem - to have upset the planetary balance to the point where reproduction is unsustainable. Personally, I’ve felt little conflict over the issue, always knowing that I would not bear biological children due to overpopulation, the need for adoptive parents and the willingness to consider my life - both internally and externally - full and complete without it. (I did not adopt, but ended up, perhaps fatefully, with a stepson.)

Treehugger has previously posted on population issues, and is currently hosting an interesting debate regarding the issues, including why eco-activists still have children. The recent post that started the debate, by our own Changer, Sami Grover, is here. The comments started rolling in fast - they were up to 74 last time I checked.

So why do most aware eco-activists resist adoption alternatives and have their own children, despite the facts and a perilous future? It’s a question that has yet to be be answered as much as rationalized. I read with interest the cited article by eco-activist and mother - entitled most candidly, “I Threw My Fears To The Wind.” Even within this knowledgeable and sincerely motivated green group, it seems that there are some things better left unsaid.

(As previously cited, Chris Rapley, professor and head of Science Museum in England writes on population. Excerpt below. More from Rapley here.

“[B]y avoiding a fraction of the projected population increase, the emissions savings could be significant and would be at a cost, based on UN experience of reproductive health programmes, that would be as little as one-thousandth of the technological fixes. The reality is that while the footprint of each individual cannot be reduced to zero, the absence of an individual does do so.“)

By Tao Oliveto, Carrboro, NC

There’s smart people…and then there’s the knock-down, drag-out brilliant sort that come along once in a lifetime - and fortunately for the rest of us, David Suzuki’s timing is perfect. A full professor for 32 years and author of 43 books, he is still an internationally respected geneticist and professor emeritus with UBC’s Sustainable Development Research Institute. Among other numerous awards, he has received 20 honorary doctorates from Canada, The United States and Australia. First Nations people have honoured him with six names, formal adoption by two tribes, and made him an honorary member of the Dehcho First Nations.

Dr. Suzuki co-founded the The David Suzuki Foundation in 1990, a science-based Canadian environmental organization, focused on four program areas – oceans and sustainable fishing, climate change and clean energy, sustainability, and the Nature Challenge. Visit the website and sign up for the weekly newsletters. My favorite is Science Matters, where Dr. Suzuki examines how changes in science and technology can affect our lives and the world. Suzuki writes on the topics of the moment, including carbon offsets and biofuels. He also offers an educated, honest but hopeful perspective. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

“It means it’s time to dig deeper…We already have the public’s attention, but now we need to get serious about solutions. Large-scale changes [also] require corporate and government leadership. But here, too, individual action can have great power. Politicians and business leaders know the public is concerned, but they are slow to respond unless really pushed. If you really want to make a big difference in 2008 - push them. Push them hard. Change is underway. Real change is happening. Let our leaders know there’s nothing that can stop it.”

What came first - the music or the muse?

Since the sixties and perhaps earlier, music has been linked to revolution, counterculture, the dawning of a new age. Unlike Hollywood celebrities, musicians are also referred to as artists and you know what they say, Make Love Art. Not War. Todays musical artists are no less restless, enraged and willing to speak and sing out for Change.

Grist lists 15 Green Musicians of 2007 as: Pearl Jam, The Root, Sarah Harmer, Green Day, Jack Johnson, Thom Yorke, Willie Nelson, KT Turnstall, Guster, Perry Farrell, Sheryl Crow, Bare Naked Ladies, Cloud Cult, Bonnie Raitt, Moby. How and why? Go here. This list is only a short version of the many performers playing a new green tune. In fact, late in 2007, Peter Garrett, the former lead singer of rock group Midnight Oil, was named Australia’s environmental minister.

Live Earth spotlighted this voice for change and perhaps tipped other artists into a greener arena. When you live by using your voice, your gift and your passion, it’s only a matter of time before the [CFL] light bulb turns on.

Maybe all of us should give it a try - ?

Peace, Love and Rock ‘n Roll.