Leah Mayor, Ph.D. is our No Impact Week Workshop Facilitator. An educator and educational designer for sustainability initiatives in K-12 schools, Leah specializes in leadership and team development through project-based learning. She received her doctorate from Cornell University in Adult Education and Anthropology focusing on transformative learning theory and study abroad. She has worked extensively internationally and nationally on sustainable community initiatives in Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, and Indonesia and currently runs a national educational leadership training on sustainability. She is passionate about the role of teaching and learning in social change.
Chris Allan is a consultant on international environmental and development programming and fundraising. He has twenty five years experience in community development and environmental protection with the Environmental Health Fund, Global Greengrants Fund, Catholic Relief Services and the US Peace Corps. Ten of those years were in East and Southern Africa, and the remainder in the United States. He has a Masters Degree in Social Change and Development from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, and a Bachelors Degree in Biology and African Studies from Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
Did you ever think of plastic grocery bags as the main component in art making?
I tutor students in creating with recycled cast-offs, watching them become enthusiastic green artists, using plastic grocery bags and other recyclables to make delightful sculpture.
I challenge kids to discover the world of form and design through direct contact with nature. Together we become a band of explorers, discoverers, and detectives. As they learn about the environment and biodiversity they create what they would like to protect: hermit crab, otter, sea horse, egret, starfish and much more, all made with recycled plastic bags,newspaper and cereal box cardboard.
We experiment with whatever materials are collected and donated to our art center,utilizing items that would otherwise end up in landfills.
We find ways to use things that are safe and free but which our culture discards.
This post was submitted by Donna Iona Drozda.
We moved from our 4 bedroom home to a 550 sq. foot condo walking distance from work.
We sold our 1996 4 cylinder car and bought a Honda Civic hybrid.
We became vegan after watching the movie “Meat the Truth”. We have both lost weight and feel great.
We disabled our 10 mpg motorhome and permanently parked it and use it as a cottage 15 miles from town. This is saving us lots of money in insurance and gasoline.
We are avoiding plastic where possible in packaging and purchases. This is difficult.
We eat local organic when available.
We shop at the farmers market.
We shop for clothes at second hand shops first and buy new only if we can’t find what we want second hand. This does not include underwear.
We plan to only buy fabrics that will compost. Organic cotton still uses lots of water so hemp is the first choice.
We carefully buy shampoo, laundry detergent and cleaning products that do not contain phosphates or petrochemical products.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7530701744597358451#
We travel more by train and less by plane. Trains are much nicer than airports and planes but don’t go everywhere we need to go.
This has improved our marriage and our quality of life. It is fun to be a team and work towards a goal of leaving a good space for the children of the planet to grow and thrive. It has also been good for our finances and we have made very good like minded friends.
This post was submitted by Erin and Bill.
My partner and I ride our bikes to work or walk, and never use our car for trips less than 5 miles. We purchased a second hand child carrier to attach to the bikes for grocery shopping. We use a reusable bag or an old large Rubbermaid container for our groceries so as not to accumulate plastic bags. We have eliminated paper towels and napkins and tissues, use stainless steel water bottles and reusable sandwich covers for taking lunches to work and school. We are a vegetarian family who has NEVER purchased bottled water, wear our clothes at least twice (if not 3 x) before laundering with phosphate free soap. We use baking soda for teeth brushing and cleaning toilets and scrubbing sinks. We patronize our local farmer’s markets when in season.
We both work for the village at our local library. I am a children’s librarian and my partner the head of the IT department. He has reduced the library’s use of electricity and uses second hand equipment instead of purchasing new. I try to educate families on the importance of respecting our planet and through storytimes and family programming try to educate families about our impact on the earth and how to conserve her precious resources.
I have made a commitment to purchase nothing new this year and am utilizing our local thrift shops when necessary. As a family we are constantly trying to find new ways to lessen our impact. Thank you for your dedication to this cause. People are paying attention.
This post was submitted by Danusia Hnatkiewicz Norris.
I am 31 years old and have never nor ever aspire to drive a vehicle, I have no intention of ever obtaining a drivers license. I use my own two legs, like a natural human.
This post was submitted by Rebecca.
The polar caps are melting away and the decrease in the albedo effect could be compensated for by governments and individuals by inverting the tarmac/asphalt colouring system. Thus, instead of using black top layers and white carriageway markings as is presently done, an opposite white-black application would increase the albedo effect the world over with a high average output of reflected rays which would not only compensate for the loss caused by the melting polar caps but also, generally, by making up for carbon emission increases into the atmosphere.
This post was submitted by Victor Cauchi.
reading many tips but have two I haven’t seen yet.
Use the local shoe repair man to refurbish shoes rather than buying new. The shoes look new again with far fewer materials, and employ the local person.
Also, I don’t allow my neutered dog to stay out in the yard barking, thereby not discouraging people from opening their windows for cool night air in the summer.
This post was submitted by Christopher.
buying brand new cloth diapers is not bad; but how about buying second hand cloth diapers? after use, from your baby or someone else’s, these diapers are ‘used’ - with a good wash (in a washing machine, with hot water!), they come out perfectly clean and sanitary.
This post was submitted by Anne.
I have started the first green newspaper in South Africa - featuring great examples of folk living and working greener with tips, solutions, inspiration and motivation for change. Have just joined your initiative and our family will do the no carbon week as soon as I’ve figured out how. Thank you for your great work - I would love to blog about my week, but suppose we’ll need a solar charger for a laptop or how else do I get the news out? We still use filthy coal fired electricity in our country…
greenings
Elma
This post was submitted by Elma.