Here are 3 simple ways to help you build that connection:

1. Go out your front door.

This is as simple as it gets. Walk out your front door and look around. Pull up a chair and sit there for awhile. Read a book and drink an iced tea. Take it all in. When someone walks by, say hello. Know what happens around your neighborhood…who comes and goes, etc. See it all with fresh eyes and BE SEEN. If your neighbors see you out there regularly, they will be more likely to come out of hiding as well.

I’m challenging myself (and you too!) to spend 1/2 hour a day “out on the block”. Taking a walk, sitting at the park on the corner while the girls play, throwing down hoops, working in the yard. In addition to just being fun, it gets me out there in a place to truly know my surroundings.

2. Talk to people.

3. Do Nice Stuff.

4. Attend Events

Last weekend we attended an Arbor Day/Earth Day event and just by throwing down some hoops, I met 7 women from the community and had lovely conversations and made plans for future meet ups! Then, this weekend we went to check out the food carts in Prospect and talked with several other locals. It’s not hard to do…you just have to GO!

5. Plan a Community-Building Event

Or…go all out and throw a block party: With summer almost upon us, it’s the perfect time. This does take a bit more planning but is really fun! Crank up the music, throw some food on the grill, and bring out the lawn chairs. It will revolutionize your neighborhood. Sometimes you can even get a little funding from the city for things like this. It can’t hurt to ask

What have YOU done lately to engage your community? Let’s share ideas!

If you’ve read through my blog at all, you know that I’m a big fan of Shane Claiborne. Huge. His book, “Irresistible Revolution” was a major catalyst in our decision to sell our house, downsize, and spread the love. You can imagine my excitement when his second book came out. Oh yes. He’s back at it! This one is called “Jesus For President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals“. Here is a little amazon.com review snippet for ya:

Here is the must-read election-year book for Christian Americans. What should Christians do when allegiances to the state clash with personal faith? Haw and Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution) slice through politics as usual and well past the superficial layers of the culture wars with their lucid exploration of how Christians can and should relate to presidents and kings, empire and government. Their entertaining yet provocative tour of the Bible’s social and economic order makes even the most abstruse Levitical laws come alive for our era. They also provide a valuable political context for Christ’s life, reminding readers that Jesus did not preach the need to put God back into government—he urged his followers to live by a different set of rules altogether, to hold themselves apart as peculiar people. The compelling writing is enhanced by a lavish, eye-popping layout. The pages are a riot of textured callouts, colors, photos and fonts—the perfect packaging for a message that must compete in a world of sound bites. With this second book, Claiborne emerges as an affable, intelligent, humorous prophet of his generation, calling people out of business-as-usual in a corrupt world and back to the radically different social order of the biblical God.

You can read about the book tour here and read the main website here (the tour is over now…but they drove a veggie bus!). I haven’t read all of the book yet…but I am loving it so far. Even the formatting and layout is cool. I’ll be back to discuss my favorite parts Now go get yourself a great new book!

Ain’t No Reason
There ain’t no reasons things are this way
Its how they’ve always been and they intend to stay
I can’t explain why we live this way
We do it everyday
Preachers on the podiums speaking to saints
Prophets on the sidewalks begging for change
Old ladies laughing from the fire escape, cursing my name
I got a basket full of lemons and they all taste the same
A window and a pigeon with a broken wing
You can spend your whole life working for something
Just to have it taken away
People walk around pushing back their desks
Wearing pay checks like necklaces and bracelets
Talking ’bout nothing, not thinking about their
Every little heart beat, every little breath
People walk a tight rope on a razor’s edge
Carrying their hurt and hatred and weapons
It could be a bomb or a bullet or a pin
Or a thought or a word or a sentence.
There ain’t no reasons things are this way
Its how they’ve always been and they intend to stay
I don’t know why i say the things i say,
But i say them anyway.
But love will come set me free
Love will come set me free
I do believe
Love will come set me free
I know it will
Love will come set me free
Yes
Prison walls still standing tall
Some things never change at all
Keep on building prisons,
Gonna fill them all.
Keep on building bombs
Gonna drop them all
Working your fingers bare to the bone
Breaking your back, make you sell your soul
Like a lung is filled with coal, suffocating slow
The wind blows wild and i may move
But politicians lie and i’m not fooled
You don’t need no reason or a 3 piece suit
To argue the truth
The air in my skin and the world under my toes
Labor is stitched into the fabric of my toes
Chaos and commotion wherever i go
Love, i try to follow
But love will come set me free
Love will come set me free
I do believe
Love will come set me free
I know it will
Love will come set me free
Yes
There ain’t no reasons things are this way
Its how they’ve always been and they intend to stay
I can’t explain why we live this way;
We do it everyday.

I would also highly recommend watching the documentary by Aaron Russo called America: Freedom to Fascism. It’s an eye-opener. The entire movie is here on Google.

I just cannot wrap my brain around the fact that we as a nation throw away and waste so much food every day…and yet there are people who go to bed hungry. Why on earth would a restaurant or grocery store taint food it throws out for the sole purpose of keeping people from eating it? They threw it out…it’s trash in their eyes. Why not let someone else make use of it? I just don’t get it. I can understand why they would be upset if someone was taking food from their dumpster and making a mess around the area, but one of the generally known rules of dumpster diving is to leave the area cleaner than you found it.

I have never gotten food from a dumpster (although I have found other lovely household items like this!), but I am certainly not opposed to it…and have been quite fascinated by it for awhile. What a brilliant form of activism…the ultimate in anti-consumerism. Freegan.info describes the activism side of it like this:

“Freeganism is a total boycott of an economic system where the profit motive has eclipsed ethical considerations and where massively complex systems of productions ensure that all the products we buy will have detrimental impacts most of which we may never even consider. Thus, instead of avoiding the purchase of products from one bad company only to support another, we avoid buying anything to the greatest degree we are able.”

I think this might be why people are so opposed to letting their trash go to whoever wants it. Food, trash, possessions….they are all highly political. The choices you make about these things reflect your values. And when you get your food from a dumpster, it makes others uncomfortable…like you are judging them for NOT getting their food from the dumpster. They don’t understand it, so they fight against it. They can’t imagine themselves doing it, so in their mind…it’s wrong/weird for anyone to do it. There seems to be feeling of “if I have to work hard for this…then you do too!”.

In the book Evasion, the anonymous author brings up the absurdity of it all:

“There is the odd paradox — the casualness with which they will throw something into the dumpster, and the lengths they go to protect it once it’s there. How an innocent and harmless act — dumpster diving — will be confronted by greedy shopkeepers, store managers, and employees with scathing words, rage, and violence. “

What would Jesus say about dumpster diving? I think he would hold weekly dumpster diving parties. He would be right there inside the dumpster with everyone else…exclaiming words of joy when he finds a sealed box of bread or a bright shining apple. He would take the food and feed those in the neighborhood…and then go fight for better processes when it comes to food waste!

I think one of the biggest reasons for people throwing things away, wasting food, etc. is pure laziness. I am just as guilty as anyone else of this….although I am much more mindful about my choices now. Household items that you could Freecyle get put in the trash because you’re in a hurry. Restaurants throw out food because it takes too much work in their mind to partner with a food bank or homeless shelter. There needs to be a greater network of people who are willing to be the liason and fill the gap. How about a restaurant with only dumpstered food? A health inspector’s worst nightmare, I’m sure…but what a wonderful thing for a community. And Jesus would be the general manager

More resources:
Everything you ever wanted to know about “freegans” and dumpster diving at Freegan.info
A friend of mine on MySpace documents her loot here.
How to Dumpster Dive

Photo credit: Flickr/toddmundt

The article that jumped out and called to me was “Buying into the Green Movement”. I laughed out loud as I read the introductory paragraph:

“Here’s one popular vision for saving the planet: Roll out from under the sumptuous hemp-fiber sheets on your bed in the morning and pull ona pair of $245 organic cotton Levi’s and an Armani biodegradable knit shirt.

Stroll from the bedroom in your eco-McMansion, with it’s photovoltaic solar panels, into the kitchen remodeled with reclaimed lumber. Enter the 3-car garage lighted by energy-sipping fluorescent bulbs and slip behind the wheel of your $104,000 Lexus Hybrid.

Drive to the airport, where you settle in for an 8,000 mile flight–careful to buy carbon offsets beforehand–and spend a week driving golf balls made from compacted fish food at an eco-resort in the Maldives.”

The article goes on to say that even though there are so many eco-friendly products for you to buy…buying them does NOT necessarily make the earth more happy. You are still consuming. When you consume, those resources have to come from somewhere. Is it more earth-friendly to keep your non-organic, yet still comfortable cotton sheets until they wear out, or to buy brand new organic cotton sheets? When you buy the new sheets, cotton needs to be harvested and shipped to a manufacturer. The manufacturer makes the sheets which requires electricity, water, and numberless other items. Then the sheets are shipped in (most likely) a gas-guzzling semi (oh wait…maybe it’s a biodiesel semi ).

Basically, what they are saying is that the “green consumerism movement” is not so green after all. When you buy a lot of new things to be more “green”…you could be adding to the problem. However, in my opinion, there is an exception when you are buying something that is health related AND it’s more green. For example…should I just continue using my Nalgene bottles when there is evidence that they aren’t good for your body? No…you should run as fast as you can and buy some stainless steel water bottles. Or, should I just continue to use up my nasty chemical cleaners or use natural cleaners right away? My choice would be to get rid of them immediately (or donate them to someone or some place who hasn’t seen the eco-light yet ) Should you throw out all of your old clothes and only buy organic, natural fiber clothing? Probably not. Everyone will have a different opinion on what is right for them…just be mindful of your own choices.

Back to the article:

Paul Hawken, an author and longtime environmental activist, said the current boom in earth-friendly products offers a false promise. “Green consumerism is an oxymoronic phrase,” he said. He blamed the news media and marketers for turning environmentalism into fashion and distracting from serious issues.

“We turn toward the consumption part because that’s where the money is,” Mr. Hawken said. “We tend not to look at the ‘less’ part. So you get these anomalies like 10,000-foot ‘green’ homes being built by a hedge fund manager in Aspen. Or ‘green’ fashion shows. Fashion is the deliberate inculcation of obsolescence.”

He added: “The fruit at Whole Foods in winter, flown in from Chile on a 747 — it’s a complete joke. The idea that we should have raspberries in January, it doesn’t matter if they’re organic. It’s diabolically stupid.”

Basically, you just want to use common sense. Make the right choice for yourself and your family, but don’t do it just to be trendy. Just because it says it’s “eco-friendly” on the package doesn’t mean it meets your own personal standards. Just because it’s at your local coop doesn’t mean the food didn’t come from overseas. Be diligent in educating yourself about what exactly you are purchasing. Where did it come from? Who made it? Why do I need this?

When it comes to celebrities touting green lifestyles, etc…I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. It’s a given that there are many companies and individuals who will use the green movement to make money (greenwashing), get their name out there, etc. And there are a lot of people who will say how those people aren’t “green enough” or they have other motives. I say…who cares?! Whether they have pure motives or not, they are still spreading the word about living greener and lighter on the earth. Even if one person is inspired to make a change in their lifestyle, all of those little changes will add up to big change.

A perfect example of this is the Live Earth event that happened on 07/07/07. If you haven’t heard about it…this event was a worldwide concert spotlighting green living and fighting global warming. Yes, there were celebrities. Yes, they will probably sell more albums because they performed at Live Earth. BUT…think of all of the concert-goers who heard the message of living greener who may have never even thought about it before! Just for that single fact, it was a wonderful event.

How green are you? Are you light green? Dark green? Sage green? Who cares. That’s silly It’s not a change that you make overnight…you make little changes, one at a time. Let’s not judge anyone on how green they are compared to anyone else. Let’s just make our own changes and encourage others in their journey as well.

Summer is the perfect time to eat outside and create community. I love eating with friends…and eating OUTSIDE with friends is even better. However, summertime is notorious for creating mounds and mounds of party trash. My friend, Rebecca, is throwing a “Stop Global Warming” Party this month. What a great way to create awareness and have fun! I encourage all of you to throw your own “Earth Party”! Here are a few things you could incorporate:

• Encourage party-goers to ride their bikes, walk, or carpool.
• Have everyone bring their own non-disposable plates, cups (or water bottles) and utensils.
• Have speakers from local environmental groups (Rebecca has the Sierra Club Student Coalition coming to hers)
• Make it a vegetarian potluck…meat production is a huge problem for the environment!
• Serve organic, raw fruits and veggies
• Have a tree planting ceremony
• Send invites by email to avoid paper trash

Have a great time at your Earth Parties…I’d love to hear how they go!

Radius Toothbrush
I recently bought a Radius toothbrush with a replaceable head. It’s not only super comfy to brush with and easy to hold, it’s earth-friendly! I love the handle. I also like that they are a company that thinks about environmental issues.

Bag Lady
I was recently in Best Buy and as I was checking out, the cashier put one ONE TINY item into a big plastic bag. I immediately said “Oh…I’ll just carry that without the bag…thanks!”. We completed the transaction and left the store. Matt turned to me after we left and said, “she just threw that bag in the trash!”. Hmmmmmm. I have seen this happen more than one time, not just in Best Buy. Maybe they have a policy that says bags can only be pulled out for use one time?  It’s a little maddening. Perhaps I should have said “no thanks, you can save that for the next customer”. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

Earth-Friendly
There was recently an article in the Des Moines register that talked about how you could throw a more earth-friendly party. They recommended using recycled paper plates and biodegradable plastic utensils. While this is a BETTER option…why use disposables at all? Summer is party-time…a great way to make a difference is to avoid all of the disposable party goods. Your trash can will thank you for it.

GREEN!
There has been such a HUGE focus on “green” this and “green” that in the media. While it can get a little overwhelming sometimes, I do think it’s a good thing. Even though it’s turning “trendy”…it’s increasing awareness, and that can only be a good thing. So the next time you get sick of hearing about Wal-Mart being “green”…just think about all of the minds being opening…even if it’s just a little bit.

Wheeeee! Have a great weekend!

Hello friends!
I’ve been gone a long time…but I’m back with a really exciting announcement! Matt, Bella, and I are going on tour! We have recently purchased an RV that will run on straight vegetable oil, and we are going to travel around the U.S. for the next year.

Wait a minute! Did you say veggie oil?! Yes. FREE waste vegetable oil…the same kind that your eggroll was fried in for lunch. Pumped straight from behind your local Thai/Chinese/Fast Food restaurant into our tank (filtered of course). I am writing this post from Springfield, MO, home of Golden Fuel Systems. Golden Fuel Systems converts any diesel engine to run on veggie oil…and we are so excited to be a part of this alternative fuel movement.

BUT…I NEED YOUR HELP! We have a rough route mapped out…but we want to base our travels on YOU! I would love to come and meet you face to face…and also have you assist us in finding green/sustainable/alternative fairs, coops, and other educational opportunities in your local areas. We are going to be looking for companies/organizations to sponsor our educational tour as well.

While we are on the road, we will still need to make some money to live. I am going to be scheduling photo shoots in each area that we stop in. For those of you that could assist in getting the word out in your town…I will give you a significant discount on your own photos. You can see some of my portrait sessions here. I will also be available to help you simplify, downsize, and/or decorate your homes! Matt will assist by doing any handiwork/painting around your house.

If you are interested in adding your town to our tour…please contact me immediately and we’ll start talking details! We are planning to leave in late August/early September.

We just launched our new website today with many more details of what I have just shared… and we will be detailing the entire journey on that site. Check it out here: http://www.livelightlytour.com

Wheeeeeee! We are so excited to hit the road!

Greetings from the middle of Nebraska! We are at camp this week, and I am without a consistent Internet connection. I wanted to quickly post this reminder about Low Impact Week, which begins on June 1 and runs through June 7. Here are a few specific tips from Crunchy Chicken to get you started…please check her site out for more information.

For those of you who want to be more “green”, but don’t know where to begin, this “challenge” is a great starting point. You can do ANYTHING for one week, right? Just choose one item from each category (on her site) to start…and hopefully after that, some of these habits will remain for longer. Be sure to report your progress here (and on your blog of course!).

You can also check out Greenpa’s Planet Party (yes, Greenpa is the guy who doesn’t have a fridge!) and the ladies at Simple Living and Casaubon’s Book are hosting Lowering 93%. It’s so encouraging to see this grassroots movement taking place…everyone’s little actions add up to BIG CHANGE!

I’ll be starting to blog more again after June 5…see you then!