Building Alive, Designing to Thrive

...Not that you asked Because there are so many wonderful people and projects to celebrate, no one was able to share any thanks or wisdom at the big bang dinner- but in case you were wondering, here's mine :) In 2010, I suggested to Mark Biedron, co founder of The Willow School, that he could use my help in creating his vision, a building that would act like a tree. For the next four years, I served as consultant, coordinator, educator, construction manager, and site police woman to guide the Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Center towards its goal of Living Building Challenge certification. In 2013, Paul Hawken spoke at Living Future and said, "Are these (climate change) things happening to us, or for us? If to us, we are victims. If for us, they are a catalyst for change". I believe this project is another enzyme in the series of catalyzing events that spurs us forward. I believe my hill to climb has gotten just a little bit lower, and will continue to wear

January 20, 2017 People continue remarking how Historic today is. Historic seems like a big word, and yet- it's totally neutral. Barack Obama as the first African-American President, historic. Hitler's genocide on the Jewish and minority peoples of Europe- also historic. I believe it's historic for many reasons, but the most notable to me are: A man who lost the election got elected. By a difference of over 2 million votes!!! 1 of the least qualified people EVER to run has been elected to the most powerful position in the free world An open campaign of hatred, bigotry, assault, misogyny, sexism, and racism (to name a few) is what got that under-qualified candidate elected. And it has impassioned a sect of America we had swept under the carpet for many years. The American people are engaged. Perhaps our mistake was resting on the laurels of our successes and growth in justice and equality. But the election of Donald Trump proves how little progress we have reall