An internal dance of joy leapt within me when I read the following line in Green Washed: Why We Can’t Buy Our Way to a Green Planet by Kendra Pierre-Louis: While we need to be more conscious about what and how much we choose to consume, that consciousness is a starting point, not an end point. This quote was the perfect finale for my presentation on a panel about environmentally conscious organizi

Of all the things to get me excited, who knew the prospect of talking about my trash on national television would be one of them? Early last month, a crew from the PBS Newshour came to the house to interview Sven and me about residential composting for a story they were producing about San Francisco’s journey toward zero waste. Sven wrote about the happening, its genesis, and more in a most

In early 2008, the following email was sent to the general listserv of the National Association of Professional Organizers’ San Francisco Bay Area chapter (NAPO-SFBA): I’ve been contacted by…Rebuilding Together, the national organization that does Habitat for Humanity type rebuilds and remodels of both private homes and non-profit organization’s facilities. I was a construction c

Organizing can be this way: You start with a desire to make something better and more efficient. You get started on that single task, but then you find that one thing leads to another, and suddenly you’re going on an unexpected journey around your home or office. Sound familiar? The interconnectedness of the seemingly disparate parts that make up workable and efficient systems is among the m

I was visiting my bank yesterday afternoon when a woman walked in to inquire about their services. She was talking to one of the tellers across a table covered with plates of heart-shaped cookies, bagels and cream cheese, and freshly cut fruit. This was Valentine’s Day at the bank. As she spread cream cheese on a bagel wedge, I heard her ask for clarification when she was told the bank offer

UPDATE: October 24, 2013 – More than 1 1/2 years have passed since this post was written. Circle Bank has since been purchased by a larger “community” bank, and the changes in tone, values, and services have left me very unsatisfied. As a result of their transition, I made a change, too: I liberated another space and took my business to a local credit union. Happy happy! There I was in