monday mantra

like a frog on a lilypad.

(via rightbrainterrain)

Green of the Day: SF says, “Compost, Bitches.”

It’s the Law.

Yesterday, the City of San Francisco signed into effect the nation’s first law mandating residents and businesses to separate their recycling and compostables from regular trash. The measure takes effect this fall. While San Francisco is known for its already impressive recycling program and participation rates, currently diverting 72% of its trash from landfills, the city hopes to divert 90% of trash under this new mandate. Ultimately, the city’s goal is to have ZERO waste by 2020. San Francisco, you’re my hero.

How is SF going to get people to participate? Well, noncompliance will result in fines, but only after repeat notices and phone calls and only in extreme cases [read: the potential of fines should be enough to scare people into composting]. Fines will not be imposed until 2011. Businesses and Residences who are unable to comply with the new ordinance must write the city a note explaining why composting is unfeasible.

Yes, I know, composting is slightly on the inconvenient side, but its definitely doable. For example: Though officially a San Mateo County resident, I’m still a proud composter who gathers up her food scraps and soiled paper and drops them off in her boss’s (an SF resident’s) green bin every week, making sure it all gets to the right place. See? Not that hard, right? So let’s all jump on board!

Don’t know where to start?

1) Download a free Compostable Items PDF flier here to find out what’s compostable and what isn’t.

2) Keep a separate waste bin and line it with a biodegradable/compostable bag. I like biobags, which are available at walgreens, amazon.com, and other accessible retailers. Or for a smaller counter top compost bin (good for fruit/vegetable peels, apple cores, and other smaller items), use an empty ice cream tub, milk carton, or other unlined waxed cardboard container.

3) Instead of throwing all those food scraps, used napkins, and pizza boxes away, start composting!

4) This is the hardest part: Figure out what to do with your gathered up compostables. If you have a backyard, learn more about backyard composting. If you’re like me (you’re renting in a city that doesn’t have an official compost program), you can do what i do and drive your compost to SF (ha!, you say), or you can find a local nursery, a neighbor who loves gardening, or composting center that might accept municipal organic wastes.

Composting is for lovers.

Hug Your Sorrow Tear Dolls

Aaaak. I completely and utterly heart these Hug Your Sorrow Tear Dolls by Mimipong.

I try (as much as humanly possible) to ascribe to the “embrace your sadness/cradle your pain like a baby” philosophies of the buddhist variety, but how much EASIER would that be if i actually had one of these soft, lovely, absorbent plush dolls to squeeze the buhjeezus out of when I’m feeling a little tragic? They would definitely save my breakables from being thrown about the living room in anguish (just kidding, i don’t really do that. heh).

(via designformankind)

monday mantra

it feels better.

(via rightbrainterrain)

Nicanor Perlas Announces Intention to Run for Philippine Presidency in 2010

It’s 2:38am and I just read incredible news via facebook that Nicanor Perlas has announced his intention to run for President of the Philippines in 2010. At last – a candidate I can believe in. While his name is little known to most Filipinos, Nicanor or “Nick” Perlas has steadily and quietly championed environmental justice & sustainable development, societal threefolding, holistic education, self- and cultural transformation, and largely as an environmental activist he has been achieving the impossible for over thirty years. In this time, he has built a high-caliber following of thinkers, community organizers, educators, activists, agriculturalists, leaders, business people, and down-home folks who have long urged him to take on a government post. A private person who generally shies away from the limelight, Perlas has (to the cheers of his supporters) finally made the decision that the time is now. Affronted by a Philippine government mired in “guns, gold, and goons,” Perlas – a 2003 recipient of Sweden’s Alternative Nobel Prize along with several other global accolades – is ready to change the game.

Can he win? In the same vein as our own popular President – I’ll go ahead and say it – Yes He Can. He has been lauded by global leaders as one of the great thinkers of our time, he has mobilized communities in successful movements under impossible conditions (See Bataan Nuclear Power Plant), and with a plan to mobilize over a million volunteers during his campaign, he hopes to edge out the wealthier, more popular candidates with the notion that money “cannot buy hearts and minds that dream of something better.”

I know. Sounds like a long shot. Too idealistic – especially in a grossly impoverished nation where money and mainstream media control votes. But let us be reminded how few thought that a young, Black Jr. Senator from the south side of Chicago with a hope for change could actually steal away an established white institution. So we all know that when enough people yearn for change and BELIEVE that a broken system can be challenged in viable ways, magic happens.

Perlas has set up a website www.nicanorperlas.com specifically surrounding his 2010 bid for the presidency. Here, you will find everything you need to know about him – his biography, qualifications, writings from 1976-present, his talks from 2001-present, newsclips, his strategies and theories for winnability, etc. You will be astounded by this one man’s pursuits not only for a better Philippines, but for a better Asia and Global condition.

I will definitely be following Perlas’ campaign and if I figure out things we can do stateside to get him elected, I will surely let you all know.

Read his formal announcement of his intention to run here.

It is now an ungodly hour but now that I’ve blogged away my excitement, I hope I can rest better. (this is what i get for skimming my facebook news feed ‘just one last time’ before bed…)

5th Graders sing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”

5th graders? Singing Journey? With Harmonies? Me Likey. A LOT.

Keep your eye on the blue shirt and green shirt in the front row. They’re fun to watch.

(thank you rene!)

SOMA Voices Reflection…

by somebody else. haha.

We just wrapped up Young Pin@y SOMA Voices, an incredible 5-month storytelling internship that was conceived almost a year ago at the Kularts headquarters, and I can’t even BEGIN to IMAGINE writing my reflections on the incredible process until…well, later. Someday, I hope to articulate the journey of art-making, mentorship, community building, struggle and triumph that was SOMA Voices…for myself (and for your reading pleasure).

In the meantime, my colleague and good friend, R.J. Lozada, the SOMA Voices Film/Video Mentor has poignantly summarized his experience with the project in a lovely post on his blog, SoMa SF Walkabout. It is such an important piece to read, especially for artists, community builders, and mentors who are often just too busy “doing what they do” to realize the impact they are making on real lives and neighborhoods.

Read it. Watch the video interviews of South of Market youth. And (again) get your copy of the SOMA Voices Zine!

monday mantra x tuesday typography

= the LIVE NOW project.

Live Now is a collaborative project started by artist, illustrator, and graphic designer Eric Smith. After being diagnosed with three different types of cancer, his life is now focused on living in the present moment – the here and now.

[The project is] a growing collection of quotes, thoughts, stories, lyrics, creations and other various mediums, pursuing the idea of ‘living now’ and inspiring us all to grow, live meaningful lives & be happy.

I am a huge fan of Live Now as it mixes my own love for daily mantras – those gems that guide me to being a healthier, more joyful and peaceful person – and typography, the art of arranging type to make already beautiful words beautifull-er.

Here are some of my faves (you’ll probably be seeing more of these on the weekly in my monday mantra posts):

and there are many more…you can purchase these beauties as 11 x 17 posters over at Live Now. these are just what i need as i embark on the treacherous journey that is the grad school application process.

(via myloveforyou)

monday mantra

(via for me, for you)

denzel and will? at the same time?!

my closest friends know that i have this thing for black actors (particularly of the handsome superstar variety), so imagine my glee upon hearing that denzel washington and will smith might possibly star in the same movie together…for the first time ever! it sounds like the project is supposed to be on the low low, but in a recent interview, denzel spilled the beans that will smith is working on some kind of “comedy” for the two of them to star in together. i admit, this does have the potential to be not-so-good, but who can deny that denzel, one of hollywood’s most respected actors + will, tinseltown’s biggest box office draw = blockbuster. muhammad ali and malcolm x would be proud. okay, probably not. but I’M excited. check out the interview below.

p.s. gen, can you confirm this info with your super magical powers? thanks!

(via shadowandact)