Welcome to my blog. I often share personal stories that usually have something to do with product durability, packaging, food waste and similar topics.
LEED Certification is an admirable goal in designing a new building. Certified buildings are energy-efficient, incorporate water-saving features, and meet a vast array of requirements. But LEED is also supposed to consider the comfort of those who live and work in the building.
Read MoreI recently sent an email to my subscriber list in which I asked their opinion about whether I should drive my 2016 Nissan Leaf to the Sleeping Lady resort in Leavenworth, WA. The resort is located 105 miles from my house.
Read MoreSpotted on the road: a Coca-Cola truck emblazoned with an image of the product in a glass bottle, and these words: “Enjoy the Coke, recycle the bottle.” But what happens to these bottles when someone turns them in?
Read MoreWhen I returned home from Indie Author Night last night, my husband said, “They should have broken in into two nights like the debates.” He had a point. I was one of 22 authors at the event.
Read MoreI bought vegan dental floss recently. Don’t laugh, that’s what it says on the package. You might be thinking that dental floss doesn’t usually have animal products in it, so what’s the deal with vegan floss?
Read MoreIt’s Thursday morning and I’m on the bus heading to a business meeting. I’m making good on the promise I made to take public transit more frequently. My backpack is stuffed with everything I’ll need for a busy day traveling around Puget Sound by bus, ferry, and on foot.
Read MoreYou probably own clothing with a tag that reads, “wash before wearing.” There’s a good reason for this. Many finishes that wick moisture, repel water, or make the clothing last longer cause irritation or allergic reactions or, even more worrisome, contain toxic chemicals linked to serious health problems.
Read MoreI recently returned from a week in Hawaii, where I traveled to the Big Island to compete in the Lavaman Olympic distance triathlon. I posted a race report on Facebook, but that's not what I want to discuss. I want to talk about Hawaii's approach to environmentally friendly products and packaging.
Read MoreDid you know that the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are going to feature surfing as one of the sports?
I learned this fact by talking with another member of The Riveter, the co-working space where I have a desk. He also told me something interesting about the medals for the 2020 Olympic Games.
Read MoreAs 2018 winds down, you may be thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Personally, I don’t believe in them. As I said in a talk that I gave at a Toastmasters meeting in January 2018, I prefer to commit to SMART goals: goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Read MoreIt amazes me that many educated people do not know the difference between silicon and silicone. I received an email that described a new type of windshield wiper blade supposedly made from silicon. I knew that couldn’t be right. The very idea made me think of fingernails on a chalkboard!
Read MoreDo you know what ASBC stands for? If you answered American Society of Brewing Chemists, you’re right. That organization appears in eight of the ten first-page Google search results for “ASBC.” The chemists, or the folks they hired to design their website, seem to be on top of search engine optimization.
Read MoreI like peanut butter. It’s delicious on toast and makes for a healthy snack. I often buy the varieties that contain only peanuts and salt to avoid added sugars. The labels say, “oil separation is natural.”
Curious about how this relates to donuts and forests? Read on.
Read MoreI went grocery shopping at PCC Market (a Seattle-based co-op grocery chain) this morning and noticed blue plastic bags in the produce section. A closer look at the bags informed me that they are made from “100% Post Industrial Recycled Resin.” These were different than the green bags I saw on a previous visit.
Read MoreFor a materials geek like me, the best part of the GoGreen conference in Seattle on April 4 was walking around the exhibit hall and talking to the people working the booths. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed hearing from local mayors about what their cities are doing. I’m encouraged by brands, from family-owned businesses to large corporations, that are taking a stand on politically-charged positions. When it comes to the role of materials in environmental sustainability, though, the exhibit hall was the place to be.
Read More“Value investing” has taken on a new meaning recently, one unrelated to the traditional distinction between value and growth stocks. The global investment firm BlackRock has made headlines this year with some dramatic statements. Its most recent announcement on March 2 spoke out against companies that make and distribute guns and firearms.
Read MoreI’m on the email list for Friends of the Earth, which means that I receive frequent messages imploring me to donate money to save national parks, protect bees, and fight the fossil fuel and mining industries. One recent email mentioned the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska, appreciating Friends of the Earth members for their role in flooding the EPA with comments opposing the project.
Read MoreI recently finished reading GreenBiz’s 2018 State of Green Business Report, where GreenBiz Group Chairman and Executive Director Joel Makower declared “two degrees and the SDGs” as the new manta for sustainable business.
Read More“We’re committed to helping create solutions to these challenges [population growth, climate change, food insecurity] while helping to take care of our planet, our people, and the communities where we live and work.” Any guesses which company wrote these words? Read on to find out.
Read MoreDid you know that there is a machine in Seattle that can print solar cells, using a method that is much like printing newspaper? A long roll of plastic sheeting passes through the machine, which deposits silver-laden conductive ink to form electrodes, heats the ink to cure it, and then applies the active layer that converts energy from the sun into electricity. This technology, an exciting application for printed electronics, may very well pave the way toward affordable solar cells.
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