Needed to spread mulch again this year, but first, in order not to use weed killers, I spent time weeding out the area and laying down cardboard. Mulch this weekend!

We are almost finished with the challenge, and I must say, I will miss it! I will still do all of the amazing outdoor activities and will continue to be very eco-conscious, but having this community to share it with has been very fun!:)

The assignment to research regenerative organic agriculture introduced me to Mad Agriculture, a Boulder, Colorado-based non-profit that helps farmers transition to more sustainable practices and to implement regenerative and organic practices on their land. I was particularly fascinated by their ancient and heritage grain revival guide, which helps "preserve local biodiversity and improve the nutritional value of crops." So much better than industrial scale farming.

Check out this great documentary: https://kissthegroundmovie.com/

Great article to help curb GHG at home: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/realestate/homeowne-climate-change-tips.html?action=click&pgtype=Interactive&state=default&module=styln-climate&variant=show&region=BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT&block=storyline_flex_guide_recirc

Got out this weekend on a long and beautiful bike ride this weekend with amazing vista views! So grateful for all of the beauty that nature blesses us with!:):)

The assignment here is to tell friends and family about the importance of public transportation, but I think all of us at ECP already know the widespread benefits transit brings to a community. Whether it's relieving road congestion, reducing air pollution, or improving community mobility, it's hard to beat having this resource available. I've always loved Trimet, our local transit system, and I am grateful that it has endured and grown here since 1969. I also love it when I see buses driving around town spreading messages of kindness and peace, a long tradition I try to capture whenever I see it pass by: (One image is from this year's Pride festivities, and another was from Thanksgiving 2017.)

What a pleasure it was today to stir our compost bin and see the dark, rich soil full of bugs. This is the way natured intended it!

We have So many cucumbers ready at the same time in our garden that I am going to try to make pickles this weekend! We also have over 20 butternut squash growing now, so we are planning a big batch of soup to freeze and enjoy over the winter! So exciting!:)

Turning the temps in our thermostat to 78 in the summer seems to be the sweet spot to manage to be comfortable and also reduce GHG emissions and pollution related to electricity use. When my kids say that it's too warm in the house, I send them out for about 10 mins outside in 90s temps. It's all in the perspective. ;)