DIY

A few flags are still strung up on porches a month after Fourth of July. Patriotism surged more deeply in my chest, however, when standing on foreign soil. The sense of otherness surrounding me reaffirmed my natal identity that I had, ironically, chucked aside to integrate into another culture. It was not until I was […]

For me, summer is about fresh food, warm sun, and wholesome fun. Savoring the garden harvest and frolicking in sunshine are enjoyable in themselves, but having a good time doesn’t always coincide so nicely with our environmental values. Toys ‘R’ Us is a big box of plastic-molded and battery-operated diversion. Big-boy toys gulp diesel. Eyes […]

You’re not the only creature out there frolicking under the summer sun. If you did any backyard gardening in June, you probably got up and close to the creepy-crawlies in our soil. It seemed to have rained all of June in Iowa, forming nice little breeding ponds for mosquitoes and quite a buzz around the […]

After last week’s skin cancer scare, I still want to encourage you to go play in the sunshine this summer. Forget about superficial goals like getting tan. Sunlight has profound health effects, like being happy and strong! Embrace the rays because they will help you combat serious Ds: Depression and Vitamin D Deficiency. Depression Poets […]

I recently attended a summer festival that had the most incredible “Green Team” helping to clean up the festival. The group is called the Eco Defenders. I was amazed to learn that through the volunteer group’s careful sorting of waste throughout the day of the festival, they were able to convert over 5000+ people’s worth […]