I would reword the organic ingredients challenge thus: "I will enjoy one meal prepared with all organic ingredients one day this week." Perhaps, the number of days could be the field that can be changed, rather than the number of meals per day.

I'm a bit flummoxed by the zero waste food challenge because it assumes I cook a meal everyday. I do not. I also find the formula of once every-day-of-the-week to be too difficult to follow.

I think a more reasonable goal would be worded thus: "I will prepare one meal this week that results in zero waste by buying the ingredients in bulk with reusable containers, recycling any containers I cannot avoid, eating all of the food produced especially if there are leftovers, and composting all food scraps."  There might be more items that would contribute to a zero waste meal. Any ideas to help me reformulate this item?

I'm feeling frustrated that the focus of our group is not on the people or possibilities but narrowly on making sure to get the reading done. It is difficult to test the materials and structure when folks aren't fully engaged, but it's equally difficult to be effective when we are trying to do too much and not cutting each other slack in the process.  The human relationships are more important than every other part of this work. We are losing this perspective.

I picked some new challenges today for the next two weeks.  I plan to work on a gardening project in my community with the Horticulture committee:  thinning the peaches, which we love to do together each year.  So I'll be able to complete that one soon.  I also marked watching a sustainability video because there's a NOVA video that recently came out on climate change that I've been wanting to watch and this will make me find the time!  I also marked a choice to visit a local rep. about a sustainability issue, and I have an appointment with my state Senator on May 16 on a piece of legislation, SB964 by Fossil Free CA which will require our two largest pension plans (largest in the US really CalPERS and CalSTRS_) to consider risk of investments in fossil fuels.  So these choices all helped me to focus on some actions I've been wanting to take and see them in the light of climate actions!  I'll be able soon to mark the completed.  Plus...I still have mulching my trees and beds on the list as incomplete....but it's a yearly endeavor I must complete before the June heat!  So much to do!

I'm feeling guilty.  I just had to work on getting my winter garden out and my summer garden in and mulched with rice straw, so the mulcing all around my yard will not happen until next week!  it's very important before the really hot weather hits!  I think I must use the drip lines this week as temperatures move up toward 90 degrees.  Mulch will help keep that moisture in.

I just watched The Story of Bottled Water.  I love Annie Leonard (now CEO of Greenpeace) and how she teaches in her videos!  I never thought for one minute that bottled water made sense.  I read a terrific article in Mother Jones on how bottling water in Fiji was hurting the water aquifer on Fiji, took it in to the Davis Food Coop that was selling it at the time, and they discontinued the product based on that piece of journalism!  Yeah!

I have been mulching with cuttings and just now wrote a note to my "mow and blow" not-my-choice have-to-because-i'm-a renter guy, to mulch grass clippings as he goes instead of dumping them in one place when he's done. I believe it's just a matter of removing the bag. We'll see what he does. He only comes every other week.

I followed the YouTube link from page 77 in the Water chapter and it was not there (or I could not find it even though I typed in the URL word for word). I also had trouble with the link that started with the USGS because it appears the primary content that is the most accessible was hosted at the USEPA. The link is now broken. Frightening! I am investigating our local watershed and local water issues using the City website and more to put together a presentation titled Water Literacy. I will be presenting it to the group this Wed night and look forward to feedback on the content and ideas.

I road the bus from Davis to Sacramento and back for a meeting with Senator Dodd to ask him to sign a pledge to not accept oil money in his campaigns.  He accepted the pledge!  I enjoyed the easy ride.  I even rode my bicycle to the bus stop.  This was 40 miles round trip. I do almost all my lobbying and political marches on Yolobus!  It's so easy and fun!  I take others with me, too.  For instance, the Raging Grannies!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!