This is the computer I used in 6th Grade. It is good for stacking things on.

So I’m adjusting my life accordingly… but not blogging. There’s a lot going on here, and I lose track of the days. Henceforth, Mondays are Blog Post days. Oh look, it’s Monday!

Alright guys, I’m currently cleaning out the house I grew up in (also booking gigs, writing music, dealing with estate business, teaching myself to live an organic lifestyle, so the blog… right, the blog). The house is full of beautiful relics circa 1972 – 2000. After a few hours of going through things, I risk forgetting what decade I live in. Earlier last week, I almost stepped outside of the house in a Cosby Sweater and a beret because I’d lost perspective.

So, there is a lot of stuff. And lo, it is old and quite dust ridden. I think I accidentally drank some green tea this morning that was vintage 2000… whatever, I’m fine. *twitch* I want to focus on a particular group of items: Electronics That are Too Old for the Internet.  Yes, those 50lb monitors and bulky desktops that sit out in your garage dreaming of the day when they can remind you how friggin AWESOME Windows 95 is. And were you to hook them up to wifi… well, you can’t. That’s fine. There would likely be an explosion.

A small sampling of the items I have thus far collected: 3 computers, 3 CD players, 2 TVs (not the type advisable for hanging on walls), 2 VCRS, 2 cell phones, 2 stereos and a tangled nest of mysterious chargers. Obviously, I can’t dump all of this stuff in the alley out back. What to do… what to do… I gazed briefly at a phone book from 2007. But wait, I live in 2012! I can actually use MY PHONE to Google the words “electronic” and “recycle” and “Phoenix”.  Behold the fruits of my labor: http://www.phoenixelectronicsrecycling.com

Guess where I’m going this week? Besides Carly’s Bistro where I’m playing from 10pm to 1am. That’s right. Phoenix Electronics Recycling.

How My Caffeine Addiction was Ruining the Earth, Part 1

When I decided to start the “Folk Sustainability Project” back in January, I had no idea what was ahead of me.

Just a few days later, mom’s condition took a turn for the worse and I was a mess. I didn’t give a damn about how often I went to Starbucks. All that mattered was that there was coffee, horrible-tasting-but-highly-caffeinated coffee, and it was going into my body so I could continue to function on 4 hours of sleep. COFFEE. Nevertheless, in a moment of clarity (likely after some sleep), I bought a tumbler at Target and started getting it filled at local Phoenix coffee joints instead of Starbucks. That little adjustment alone required a surprising amount of effort. I had to find an eco-friendly tumbler, I had to remember to have it with me if I was planning to caffeinate on the go, and I had to plan where to get coffee rather than just stopping wherever whenever. But the change was made! I no longer create coffee cup trash, and my caffeine problem supports local businesses. But I haven’t even gotten into Fair Trade issues yet. Next time. Baby steps.

Does not contain Starbucks Coffee.

So new habits take substantial effort to build. And the old ones can be a bitch to break. We know this. After two months of what I can only begin to call EPIC change, I am now prepared to make the major lifestyle shift to learn how to live sustainably. The tumbler is just the beginning. I’m going ALL IN. I get that it’s going to be a challenge. I’ll probably whine. But at the same time, I’m watching gas prices rise, I’m seeing the amount of trash I make daily, how the sky is a lovely shade of brownish blue (great sunsets!)… just remind me to read that over when I’m struggling over something ridiculous, like a solar-powered amp. I haven’t quite decided where to draw the line yet. In conclusion…

PROBLEM: Impulse coffee purchases that create waste and don’t support local business.
SOLUTION: Buy an on-the-go tumbler and frequent independent coffee shops.

Judy

I could not have asked for a more amazing woman for a mom.

What is Folk Sustainability?

A few days ago, I took a moment to step off the Struggle Bus, the imaginary vehicle I feel like I’ve been trapped on lately, and assessed the situation. There are many factors in life we can’t control, but we can always take initiative in creating some sense of movement and change. Here is a wee bitty toy sailboat I’m sending across a lake; let’s see where the wind will take it. Regardless of where it ends up, it will have created some ripples.

These days, the word “sustainability” often pertains to saving the environment. But there are layers of meaning in this little word, “sustain,” and it can be applied to every aspect of life. To sustain means to endure, to bear the weight, to nourish, to validate. It is my mantra upon waking these days, “I can sustain this. I will get through this.” And what is this? This is quitting a job to help a seriously ailing parent and all of the feelings involved (my horror with our broken healthcare system grows daily).  With all that’s going on, I figure it’d be extremely good for morale to focus some energy on creating and documenting some positive, personal change. And lo, Laura’s Folk Sustainability Project is born!

Google tells me the term “Folk Sustainability” doesn’t exist. Well, it does now. I added “folk” for a couple of reasons. Obviously, I’m a folk musician. As agents of change and keepers of the people’s music, I think every folk artist should look into a sustainable lifestyle. But “folk” is also another word for traditional and ordinary. Folky things are common knowledge. They are totally accessible to everyone. I’m no expert in sustainability, but with a little exploration, I’d like to think I can find my own way down the righteous path of Sustainability, both as a musician and as a citizen of this planet.

Three types of sustainability will be covered in the Folk Sustainability Project:

1)      Sustainable Lifestyle: Minimizing This Musician’s Ecological Footprint.
2)      Sustainable Music: Making Money in Today’s Changing Music Industry.
3)      Sustainable Social Activism: Standing Up. Speaking Out. Taking Action.

All three are deeply interrelated, but separate topics. No doubt I will be grappling with that issue in future entries. I’ll be learning as I go, and I welcome your suggestions and comments. I hope this project will be a source of great information, healing and strength for everyone, not just me.

And look at that, it’s Chinese New Year. What a perfect day to start.