Personal Change

Teacher's Story to Become Inspirational Film

batch — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:05:09 -0500

Shop class in high school may have just gotten a little more inspiring.

Engineer-turned-teacher Simon Hauger used a positive attitude and an unorthodox curriculum to instill personal change in his students, most of whom come from troubled backgrounds in the inner city.

Way to Go Green!

mcherkezian — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:50:06 -0500

Lynn Colwell has always been a saver and re-user, someone who repurposes empty containers and turns out the lights when leaving a room. When her kids were small, she would explain that doing these things helped the family save money. But these days, with her grandkids, she also talks about being good to the earth.

"They used to call me cheap," she says, with a laugh. "But now they call me green."

Man Uses Green Thumb to Brighten Up LA Neighborhood

batch — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:05:06 -0500

Brent Green has loved plants since he was a little boy, and now his passion is helping to transform his community in the Mid-City district of Los Angeles.

When he bought his first house six years ago, Green and his wife Cheryl decided to liven up their home on a barren and neglected lawn by adding lush flowers, plants and trees.

Neighbors were so impressed with the results that Green wanted to spread the inspiration.

A Prickly Pair

admin — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 10:01:00 -0500

If the cacti in Tucson, Arizona, could cheer, you'd hear "Yay for Patsy and Joe Frannea!" all over town. The couple brave nasty pricklers, lurking rattlesnakes and blazing desert heat to save the pointy plants from being bulldozed by developers.

The Franneas belong to Tucson Cactus Rescue, a group that sprang up in 1999 when concerned citizens realized that amid Tucson's housing boom, thousands of the native succulents—from the tiny two-inch pincushion to the basketball-sized, orange-blossomed barrel cactus—were being destroyed to make room for new homes.

A Family's Year-Long Green Living Experiment

batch — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:05:07 -0500

A few years ago, Colin Beavan found he was sick of hearing about environmental problems but not doing anything about it.

So, he decided on a plan: Beaven, along with his wife and two-year-old daughter, would spend one year trying to live in their New York City apartment while having as little environmental impact as possible.

The family introduced a number of changes into their life, from giving up driving to replacing their trash cans with compost bins. They consumed only locally grown, seasonal food and even stopped watching TV.

Garden Variety

jbloustein — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:19:41 -0500

It was love at first sight for my wife, Marilyn, and me when we found the perfect house in Colo—tall, two stories—with enough bedrooms for our four kids. Half an acre for them to play on.

Two blocks from the elementary school and a short walk from Grandma’s, all wrapped in a small-town central Iowa atmosphere perfect for raising a family.

“It’s just right for us,” I said.

Lovin' God's Green Earth

jbloustein — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:24:24 -0500

Did you hear? I got a new job this year, one I’m thrilled to pieces about.

It’s the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and they’ve made me their ambassador.

Don’t look so surprised! I know I don’t seem like much of a nature girl and, okay, I probably won’t be going hiking in my heels anytime soon. But the Smokies…they touch my soul. Let me tell you why.

All that I am comes from those mountains where I was born and raised.

Bug Busters

admin — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 10:42:00 -0500

This is a story about a man who loves two things in life—fishing and helping his fellow man. Recently, he got to do both.

This spring, the New Orleans Mosquito Control Board—an organization that has its hands full come springtime even in the best of years—faced an unprecedented challenge: thousands of New Orleans swimming pools half full of stagnant water left over from Hurricane Katrina.

Six of the Coolest, Greenest Work Perks

mcherkezian — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:51:53 -0500

Free bikes and beer for employees. Time off to rock climb or do yoga. Paid sabbaticals. Sustainable practices. It’s absurd to think anyone can find dream jobs with perks like that, right? Wrong, believe it or not.

Her Father's Daughter

admin — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:09:00 -0500

Most hikers looking to cover significant portions of the Appalachian Trail adopt a trail name for their journey. Massachusetts native Alyssa Rayman-Read chose Turtle. It was more than a cute alias. It was a reminder to slow down and take time to appreciate her connections to people, to nature, to the world around her.