Yes, I am officially joining the blog movement…

For a long time I thought blogs were reserved for artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, or people who thought strangers might want online access to the details of their personal lives. Yet my growing interest in and research into environmental news and politics has made it quite clear that blogs can serve incredibly important civic purposes too. Over the past year I’ve read my fair share of environmental and political blogs, and learned quite a bit from the successes, failures, and advice of others. Therefore, I’m starting this blog because I think it’s time for me to share what I’ve learned and what I am constantly learning more about with those who might be interested.

This blog will have very little to do with the personal details of my life. Instead it’s a way of sharing ideas and opening the possibility of conversation to millions of people who I would otherwise never know existed. In this sense, I hope it can serve as a small bridge between different sustainability efforts, both locally in Northfield, MN and across the globe. I hope it serves as a way for people to connect with each other, build knowledge, and encourage action.

This summer, I’ll be interning at a small, non-profit organization called the Center for Sustainable Living in Northfield, MN. Thanks to the support of St. Olaf College and the Center’s unique take on experiential learning, I have the opportunity to spend the summer pursuing independent sustainability projects and further exploring my personal interests in environmental politics.

Broadly defined, the main purpose of my summer work will be to investigate how civic leaders can make it easier for everyday people to live happier, healthier, and more sustainable lives. Specifically I’ll spend time investigating and posting examples of public policies and community initiatives that do/do not make it easier for everyday people to behave well. I’ll share the experiences I have in the next few months working on elementary school composting programs, holding home energy efficiency workshops for local residents, researching the likelihood of and means for implementing a plastic bag tax in Northfield, spending unstructured time exploring the parks of Northfield and the natural lands of St. Olaf, and more.

I welcome any comments or stories people would like to share. I hope at least a few readers will find this useful!