The Life & Times of EcoGirl

Get the Facts -- The U.S. Post Office Deficit Is Not From Its Operations!

2013-11-14T17:01:00.002-08:00

So we all know that the U.S. Post Office (USPO) is running at a deficit. Because of that, various major changes are being discussed to try to save it.

This leads to people having all sorts of opinions about the situation -- some of which are based on facts -- but others which are adamantly stated but factually wrong (sigh, my favorite combination!).

For instance, we commonly hear people demanding to know why our tax dollars are subsidizing the post office, and declaring that the USPO "is an expensive and bloated relic that should be replaced by competitive private business" (as someone posted on one of my threads).

Except both of these assertions just aren't true. We need to see the facts accurately in order to understand which changes are helpful and which ones are harmful. Through that, we can help keep the USPO as a key institution in our society, economy, and democracy.

So what are the key facts that I think we all need to know about the USPO today?

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Donating eco-food at the holidays

2012-12-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

© Photos by Patricia Dines, 2012

Seeing the food donation barrels come out for the holidays made me pause and remember to be grateful that I have enough to eat. Unfortunately, many people in this country do not – including the "working poor," who support so much of the structure of our community. Also impacted are their families, as well as many of our culture's elders, who are living out their golden years on limited incomes.

So I thought to myself that maybe this year I wanted to send some money to the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

But I hesitated, wondered why, and realized that it was because my money probably wouldn't be used to buy them organic food.

I rolled my eyes at myself. Really? I know that any food would be appreciated, and I'm glad for the work REFB does.

Still, I listened to my own heart too. Yes, I'm not personally excited to give people mainstream food that I know probably has toxics and a lot lower nutrients.

But then I realized – I can buy them organic food and put it into one of these bins! Well, duh! So I found the organic form of the packaged staples that REFB says folks need most (and got them at good sale prices) then put them in the barrel. Yay!

So that felt good. But still I wondered, “Is that the best I can do?”

Just then my calendar rolled up with a notice for the Ceres Community Project Annual Holiday Party, being held at their new Sebastopol building. Oooo, I love the work that this nonprofit does, so I was glad for the chance to get an update and look for ways that I can support their activities.

Discovering Eva: The etheric voice of singer Eva Cassidy

2012-12-16T11:58:00.004-08:00

Music has long been such a gift in my life, offering beauty, play, empathy, nourishment, and so much more. One of my personal pleasures is the feeling of singing, and I was even a DJ at my college radio station!

I won’t be discussing music much on this blog – that’s a whole ‘nother conversation. But I had to make sure you knew about the amazing etheric voice of Eva Cassidy.

When she passed away in 1996, at the too-young age of 33, she had a following in her native Washington DC. But it wasn’t until four years later that she was discovered more broadly, when a British DJ played her signature song "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow."

People’s overwhelming and positive response to that song rippled around the globe, making her an unexpected sensation, just because of the quality of her singing. Her songs have gone on to sell millions of copies and top the charts in various countries. Her friends say that she was actually quite shy, so they feel that perhaps it's OK that this outpouring happened after she passed.

I just recently discovered her, when I heard her version of "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow" on the radio, and (like so many other folks) was stopped in my tracks. Something amazing was going on there. I had to find out who she was!

Announcing my Ask EcoGirl Theme Pages!

2012-11-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

Because I've designed this blog to be a more informal space, I'm going to be mostly keeping it separate from my more formal print columns and articles. Therefore I won't be publishing a post for each print article I publish, including my Ask EcoGirl columns.

However, you can get easily notified of my print articles (which are mostly on eco-topics) by signing up for my low-volume Articles Announcement List at www.patriciadines.info/EList.html. (It's just 1 to 3 emails a month.) I also post these notices on my website's What's News page.

And, if you want to get email notices when I post new blogs, just enter your email in the box to the right.

>> In this post I want to let you know about another convenient way you can peruse my high-quality and inspiring print eco-columns and articles: My Ask EcoGirl Theme Pages!

Here, I've gathered my more formal pieces into topic groups, so that it's easier for you and others to find the articles that meet your specific needs, when you need them.

My pieces are written as always in a cheerful, accurate, and useful style – so that you can more quickly move into action and getting results, while having fun along the way. I believe that taking eco-action can feel inspiring and rewarding!

On my main Ask EcoGirl Themes Page, you will see links for these topic areas: Food and Agriculture, Jobs and Economy, Energy and Transportation, Toxics and Health, Healthy Home, Being an Eco-Smart Consumer, Eco-Citizenry, Effective Activism, Greening Your Holidays, and Shifting Our Thinking.

I'll continue to update each of these Themes pages as new articles of mine are published, so they will stay current.

I also invite you to look for ways to share these links with others in your personal or work worlds, as helpful resources for them. For instance, you might post the link to a specific theme on your Facebook page or website. Then people can access my quality print articles in that topic area on an ongoing basis.

I hope you find this helpful, and I welcome your feedback.

Thanks for your interest!

Blog content (c) Copyright Patricia Dines, 2012. All rights reserved. Links are encouraged! My content is also available for reprint, but please contact me for permission first. Thanks!

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The holidays bring Indigenous' warehouse clothing sale

2012-11-17T21:47:00.003-08:00

With the return of the winter holiday season comes one of my favorite events: the Indigenous' Annual Holiday Warehouse sale, which this year is on Dec. 6, 7, and 8.

And I post this only as a fan sharing a secret insider treat!

I love this company's long-term deep commitment to making clothes that are beautiful and high-quality while also being respectful of both the earth and the artisans that craft the items. The folks at Indigenous really have been pioneering that path, braving the challenges to show us what can be done.

Usually you can only get their clothes in stores or online. But once a year, for three days, they open the doors of their Santa Rosa offices and offer a wide range of samples and other extras for 60-70% off retail. (It's mostly women's clothing and accessories, but there are some nice selections for men.)

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GMO Strategy: Why are you calling the election officials?

2012-11-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

In my recent post What do we do now about GMOs?, I outlined what I think are the key beneficial actions that we can do now to protect ourselves and others from risky experimental "novel" GMO food and agricultural products.

In today's blog, I want to highlight an action that I do NOT think is a smart one to take. I'm open to hearing additional facts, but from what I see so far, it doesn't make any sense, and could even have negative impacts.

To me, when we call others to action, we have a responsibility to make sure that the action is fact-based and strategically smart.

I also think that right now we're in a particularly powerful moment regarding the GMO issue, because so many people have had their attention drawn to it because of our recent election's California Proposition 37 (GMO labeling).

But when we call on people to take ill-considered actions, or worse follow wild goose chases, it can harm not help our mission. For instance:

It can make our movement look incompetent and silly, undermining our credibility with people who know the facts, and compromising the quality work being done by competent people.
It can hurt our relationship with our allies, disrupting their ability to take action for our benefit, and even making them want to reduce or withdraw their support for our cause.
It can waste people's time and energy that could be better spent on actions that are much more likely to have a positive outcome.
It can dissipate people's enthusiasm so that they abandon taking action and retreat back into their individual lives.

Let's not waste this opportunity! Let's make sure the actions we do, and encourage others to do, make sense and are the best use of their time and enthusiasm.

The action I'm discussing here is the request that we phone California election officials and ask them to count all the votes. The advocates assert that this will benefit the outcome for Prop. 37. There's also an online petition making a similar request.

However, my assessment is that this will not help Prop. 37 and could hurt our larger mission. Therefore, I encourage people NOT to do or forward this action. Instead, I invite you to look at at my prior blog for smarter actions that we can all do.

OK, so let's look more at this situation.

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What do we do now about GMOs? (Part II)

2012-11-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, this conversation about what to do next about GMOs is really buzzing! In my prior post, I covered what I think are the key strategies and my favorite groups. Read that first!

Then in this post I've gathered some more good action ideas and resources. There are lots of things we can do, so just skim to see what's of interest to you!

What do we do now about GMOs?

2012-11-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

Even though California Prop. 37 (GMO labeling) didn't pass, one of the positive aspects of the campaign has been to alert more people to the real dangers and prevalence of experimental GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in our food.

So now I hear people wondering what they can do about GMOs. There are lots of options being discussed, with some more reasonable than others.

I've been writing and educating folks about GMOs for many years (since before most people even heard of them!), so I thought it'd be helpful for me to write out some of my key suggestions about how to approach this.

I encourage you to share this link with your friends and allies. And feel free to ask me further questions and/or share with me your ideas for constructive action in the comments below!
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Book Review: Exposed

2012-11-05T10:39:00.001-08:00

BOOK REVIEW:

Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What’s at Stake for American Power,

by Mark Schapiro, 2007, 216 pages

Mark Schapiro’s book, Exposed, offers a new take on the tale of toxics in our daily lives.

Sure, reading this book will help you better understand the ways that common everyday materials and products are harming the health of ourselves, our families, and our ecosystems.

But Schapiro also lets us know that Europe is taking a whole new level of action to prevent that harm — and is demonstrating that this is good for business and economic growth as well.

Book Review: Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House

2012-10-29T20:22:00.003-07:00

BOOK REVIEW:
Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House

by Carol Venolia and Kelly Lerner
280 pages

Green remodeling is a hot topic nowadays, but too often the focus is primarily on substituting new green products for conventional ones. But being green is much more than that!

To truly reduce our shared impact on the earth (and be smart about costs), we need to step back and explore how we can green the project not just the products.

That's why I was so delighted to find Natural Remodeling, which lays out a step-by-step process for "bringing your home into harmony with nature." The benefits of this approach, the authors say, include increased satisfaction, more opportunities to green economically, and a restored connection to the living world.

From the outset, it's clear something different is going on here. An early page describes why, contrary to common thinking, renovating a current home is usually more green than building a new green one, because it leverages the natural resources already used, existing community connections, and more.

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Reconnecting to photography in the digital age

2012-07-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

As long as I remember, I've had a camera and delighted in taking and sharing pictures of friends, nature scenes, and more. So I was heartbroken five years ago, when a repair person told me that my long-time favorite (Nikon) camera could not be resurrected. Nikon no longer had that category of camera any more, so I sighed and bought another brand. But I never liked the quality of its pictures much, so I felt like I'd just been hobbling with it for years.

Thus it was a true thrill for me a few months ago when I finally bought a digital point-and-shoot camera! I'd been wanting to buy a digital until we were past the high-priced first generation, but hadn't been sure what to buy. There were so many options. And how good was the quality? I'd been taking digital pics with my iPod Touch for about a year, and had gotten some decent shots, but it just whet my appetite for a better quality option.

My breakthrough in this process came when I found a wonderful salesperson at a local store (Best Buy) who walked me through my decision-making process, to figure out the best option for my needs and priorities. What a blessing! And finally a shiny new (Canon) camera was in my hands!

Since then, I confess I've been a little bit of a picture-taking demon. Giddy just to pull out my camera. Sometimes taking hundreds of pictures in a couple hours. Thrilled to share them with people. Bouncy inside like a little kid. And, wow, it's amazing the quality one can get nowadays in a reasonably-priced digital camera!

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Writing as a blood sport

2011-06-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

After the excitement of finally getting my blog setup and posting my introductory entries, I turned my attention back to the other tasks that I'd put aside.

Still, in the back of my mind I wondered what exactly my posts here would start to look like. I knew that I'd have a tendency to write pieces similar to what I already do in my articles, newsletters, and Facebook page. But I started this blog to create a new type of venue for myself. I wanted to explore NEW things! So what was that going to look like?

About my eco-writing approach

2011-06-09T03:45:00.001-07:00

As I look at how to introduce myself to new folks in this blog setting, I realize that I've never written out and shared the principles that guide my approach. I've actually given them some thought and refined them over the years, and I think they're pretty cool. I hope you do too!

When I started on my eco-writing path in 1992, I felt that too often my eco-passionate peers were (understandably) focused on ringing the alarm bell but didn't realize the feeling they were generating in their readers and listeners. Too often they talked in ways that were frightening, shaming, and blaming, which left people feeling depressed and discouraged, turning away folks who otherwise would want to understand and take action.

I felt that I could offer a different kind of style that was upbeat, inspiring, accurate, collaborative, and most importantly empowering. My premise is that most people aren't apathetic or cold-hearted, that they want to do the right thing, but they often just don't know what to do, and how to integrate actions into their otherwise busy lives. I felt that my natural writing style would be helpful in meeting those needs.

Thus these have become the principles I seek to embody in my writing, speaking, and community action:

How I got started on my eco-writing path

2011-06-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I never expected to be doing what I am now, writing about eco-issues and seeking to help nurture positive change in my culture. I'm as surprised as anyone! But I'm also thrilled that somehow, though the path has certainly been rocky, I've been able to carve out a way to contribute to a better world.

I say that my eco-writing path officially began in 1992. At that point, I'd been a professional writer and trainer for about 10 years, and had recently moved into a wonderful cottage in the country, nestled on the edge of a valley. Just breath-taking! But then one day, I had a horrifying headache, unlike any I had ever experienced. I looked out the window and saw a huge machine pumping toxic chemicals into the air, running back and forth along the apple trees, as the toxics drifted towards my porch. Eek!

The toxics made me sick, so I researched what they were, and found out that the impacts were indeed serious — for me, the local critters and eco-systems — even the farmers! But when I looked at how to stop it, I found out that there was little real recourse, that this was just normal and accepted. Really?!

Welcome to my new blog!

2011-06-09T02:47:00.000-07:00

Hi – My name is Patricia Dines, and I’ve been an eco-writer, educator, and activist for nearly 20 years. One of my key missions is to provide useful information that empowers constructive action for the earth. One way I do that is through my Ask EcoGirl project, which includes a monthly eco-advice column, “insanely useful” informational booklets, and a Facebook page for ongoing eco-information and tips.

So now I’ve decided to add a blog to EcoGirl’s activities, as a place for me to share more of what I find on my journey, including my experiences seeking to be green, working as a writer, and exploring ways that I seek to help steer our culture's away from disaster and towards our better selves. I’ll also pass along other people’s good tips and insights and invite readers to share their constructive thoughts as well.

So why do I say “adventures” in my blog subtitle? Certainly not because I’ll be doing dangerous feats of physical derring-do (oh my!). I include it because I think that we have a chance to participate in one of the greatest adventures human beings can have: being on the leading edge of culture change at a crucial time in the world’s history.