A few weeks ago, my sister white-knuckled the steering wheel as we crossed the five-mile-long Richmond Bridge that soars above San Francisco Bay between Oakland and San Rafael. Commuters still wove across six lanes of traffic at nearly 9 p.m on Highway 101 in San Rafael. We pulled off the freeway, wound through palm-tree lined…
Want to downsize your plastic use, but not sure where to begin? Plastic wrap (also called cling wrap, clingfilm, or plastic film depending where you live) is a great place to start. Keep reading to learn why and how to say goodbye to plastic wrap by making a simple, eco-friendly alternative. Plastic Wrap May Contain…
Do you love having your mind blown? Me too. I learned the word iconoclast in college, and I loved the word instantly. It describes a person who attacks cherished beliefs and institutions. I was familiar with the concept. My dad wrote a column for a major newspaper for 26 years in which he delighted in…
I love brainstorming for solutions. That’s why I started this blog. I wanted to ponder answers to some of the questions I was asking myself after my first son was born, like how can my husband and I create a healthy, happy, sustainable family life? How can societies redesign communities for health and happiness? Four…
When I told my dad, a freelance writer for more than 30 years, that I was going to make a go at freelancing in 2009, he joked that I might try “something more remunerative, like looking for dropped change on the sidewalk.” He was exaggerating of course, but he was right that freelancing is not…
Here’s my article about Portland’s food cart revolution, from the current issue of YES! Magazine. We’ve had a week straight of ice-cold fog, and these photos, taken last July, are making me delirious with summer longing (not to mention hungry). Portland’s Food Truck Heaven: How a New Kind of Fast Food Brings Jobs, Flavor, and…