I walk to work nearly every day all year round. This time of year the cardinals, robins, and chickadees are singing out from the maples, oaks, locust, and Norway spruce trees. The witch hazel are budding, their yellow leaflets jumping, daffodils, snowdrops, and crocuses emerging. I notice the footprints in the soft ground between the Coal Research Building and University Drive. 

Sometimes when my son and I go out to eat, we don't finish everything. So we want to take things home. A couple of weeks ago, we asked for a to-go container. What did they bring? Styrofoam. What to do? I don't want to waste food of course...especially food that's low on the food chain, vegan in fact. But I don't want to perpetuate bad plastics. So I took the food with us and when we got home, I put some reusable durable plastic containers in the car with my canvas bags. These plastic containers, of course, are still a part of the problem. But I've had them for years, don't cook in them or reheat them. The next step is to purchase more glass containers. When I do that, I'll post the pictures and my set-up. Better get on that.

Women who are empowered to control their own destinies will help us create a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. 

The industrial farming paradigm was started in the US in the 1950’s with good intentions, but the promised increases in yield efficiency and effectiveness of weed and pest control by chemicals has actually harmed our air, water and soil while decreasing food security and nutritition. I led a discussion of the documentary “Sustainable” in a Litersture Review class this week and highly recommend it... please view and share with your friends!

https://sustainablefoodfilm.com/

A sustainable community uses all of its' resources efficiently. For example, MSU's Methane digester used all of the waste products from the dining halls efficiently. It used the bio-fuel produced to power building on campus, and it used the digesters to enrich soil on agricultural land. It is sustainable that all the products were used and there were no adverse waste products.

Family planning includes access to contraceptives and sex education. Better family planning will ultimately make women less dependent and boost economics in the country. 

Pennsylvania has extensive biomass resources available for energy production from existing forest management activities, manufacturing byproducts and post-consumer materials. There is a high potential for carbon neutral energy while enhancing long-Term health and viability of our forests. 

To research this topic more, the Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools and Communities has a great web site:

http://www.pafuelsforschools.psu.edu/