This Sustainable Life

Alexandra's commitment illustrates a result I keep finding. People who have acted to live sustainably the most already find new ways to act more than people who haven't. People who haven't done much, or acted for extrinsic reasons like an article suggested "one little thing you can do for the environment" instead of intrinsic, say they can't think of anything.I conclude that reducing polluting is skills you learn, not a target you reach. As with all skills, mastery brings joy, self-awareness, satisfaction, and expectation of more success through more practice. Alexandra has been mastering these skills for decades and shows mastery in this episode. How does mastery show in sustainability? In this case, I heard her having fun, connecting with people, learning, and enjoying the process.When last we heard from her, she shared how much she loved a particular hummus. She and her husband ate a container a day. A plastic container, that is, meaning a pile of plastic that would exist for centuries, maybe millennia, before breaking down.Yet anyone can make hummus. Why not her? She could get the ingredients as well as anyone, maybe better ones. She committed to making hummus from scratch.The challenge resonated with me since avoiding packaged food started my journey of acting, which led to finding pressure cooking chick peas beat the texture and flavor of canned. Plus my mom makes amazing hummus and baba ganoush. Alexandra shares how she got advice from me and a chef friend for her results.EDIT: At a reader's request, here are my mom's recipes, quoting her email to AlexandraHumusPut about 2 cups of cooked chickpeas into food processorAdd juice of one lemon...Tahini (about a teaspoon or so)Add olive oil...I am guessing that I use about 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil, maybe more? Add several cloves of garlic (I do chop before adding; start with less, you can always add)Add salt (really important for flavor, cannot skimp....)Process until smooth; may have to stop and push down the sides. Start with less oil and add as you process to get the right consistencyTaste and adjust whatever needs adjusting.===========Baba Ganoush (Israeli style)I start with medium size eggplant and zap for a couple of minutes in microwave, just to get the inside a bit warm.Grill eggplant over an open flame burner (don't know how to do this with electric burners)Stay with the eggplant; you will have to turn it often to get all sides cooked. Don't worry about charring; that only adds flavor. Use a skewer or long tined fork to check for interior doneness.Remove and let cool on a plate.Carefully pick off (and discard) charred skin; don't worry, though, if you miss specks (adds to the flavor)Remove to chopping board (mine is wooden)Start chopping the eggplant; as you do, add some salt, minced garlic, olive oil, juice of lemon (to taste) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A topic making among the most headlines these days are digital mobs and their justice reacting to what people say. I've touched on it somewhat in this podcast and on my blog and I feel the risk teaching at NYU, which has kept me from expressing myself as openly as I could in the past. Another way of looking at this phenomenon is that we have become more vigilant about respecting groups that society hasn't stood up to before.We all see it. We all have opinions. Frederick approaches the phenomenon from a less partial, legal standpoint: what is going on? What risks are there? Who faces them? How can we respond? How should we respond for what reasons? How is technology changing our discourse?What do Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake have to do with it?What was appearing on Jon Stewart's Daily Show like?A reason I wanted to bring him on was to learn his views on my talking about abolition, a movement we can learn from, and attraction coaching, which informed my leadership practice. So I got to ask him his experienced views.My episode on his podcast: Cybertraps Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaun Donovan is running for Mayor of New York City. Technically not a national or global position, but in practice it is. Many call it the second hardest job in America. Most New York City mayors affect the nation and world.With a city this size, there are many issues. I focus on two: leadership, which means character and social and emotional skills, and sustainability.Regarding leadership, character, and what motivated him, I heard Shaun share vulnerability. I’m impressed, considering his experience in the White House and beyond, and how many politicians share prepared messages more than themselves. I’ll share his bio and then our conversation.Regarding sustainability, I asked him about litter, biking, farmers markets, and more.Shaun for NYC: Shaun's campaign page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My friend bought a sailboat, I mentioned to him my goal of sailing off North America, he told me about this guy posting weekly videos of circumnavigating the planet without using motors. I watched a bunch of videos. I had to learn more.He's "traveling in one consecutive journey around the world by as many motor less means as possible, including rowing, swimming, kayaking, standup paddleboarding, sailing, running, biking, skiing, skateboarding, velomobiling, walking backwards, and pogosticking. Friends and fellow adventurers join for support throughout the journey and help to create change through communication, education, and entertainment."I caught him in India soon to sail to Africa.People describe my behavior as extreme. Extremely fun! Actually, it’s more like most humans. Most westerners are extreme in our dependence, separation from family, separation from nature, obesity, addiction, heart disease, diabetes, working long hours, and so on. From their extreme position, normal me looks extreme.I keep going further because I find role models like Markus. Can you guess if he’s miserable or having the time of his life? I think you know the answer, but listen to find out how.Routes of Change, with videos, blogs, and everythingMarkus's YouTube channel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are the notes I read from for this episode:6 months with fridge unpluggedMom's advice, her fridge2 articles: Vietnam and power grid safetyExtreme? Extreme fun200,000 years"Heirloom tomatoes" used to be "tomatoes"Connect with peopleOff grid in Manhattan?Solar batteryWhy LeBron practices free throwsTo become world class you have to practice the basicsOtherwise you don't know what you're talking about and lose credibility Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brad isn't just a longtime elected legislator, he's also a neighbor who represents me. Most campaigning politicians speak in talking points. Maybe for being neighbors, maybe just out of his personality, I heard him opening up and sharing about the man behind the campaign.We spoke about what motivates him, his vision, New York City, Greenwich Village, and government leadership. He spoke thoughtfully, with reflection on political topics but also other personal ones, like the environment, drugs, and drug dealers and use in our "back yard,"---that is, Washington Square Park. I would have expected a politician to dodge some of those questions.Here is Brad Hoylman, the person behind the campaign.I hope our conversation helps lead to New York City legislating decreasing the supply of plastic and packaging choking our oceans and air.Brad's campaign page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heartwarming is the best word to describe Bill's experience that I can think of.In today's episode, Bill and I start by talking about the incomparably larger impact of having fewer kids, especially in a country that pollutes as heavily as the U.S.Then we talked about Bill exploring his snowy yard with his grandson. The opportunity to do so was there for years, but he didn't act. You'll hear how he loved it.What natural experience might be sitting waiting for you to discover and enjoy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My notes I read from:What I did:Kathryn Garcia in Washington Square ParkFarmers market (compost, oregano)Ride to BrooklynGrain de Sail sail boatVisit with friendCalisthenics by candlelightWake up, no clockThink, reflect, calmMeet to pick up garbageNotes on no power:29 to 30 hours since recording last episode, 26 with circuit breaker for apartment disconnectedLess of a big deal than I expected, though the fridge already being off probably lessened effectTemptationTimeDarknessLightOutdoorsEatingCalm, relaxedMy values Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are the notes I read from for this post:---I posted the other day an exercise to think about going twenty-four hours without using electrical power. To clarify, that exercise was to think about it. I don’t think many people would do it. Even orthodox Jews leave their refrigerators plugged in, as well as clocks. The meters to their homes would register power being used. I’m talking about the meter reading zero. They often leave lights on. Personal choices may mean some don’t use any power.I don’t know Amish, who might do it, or people in societies without power. I spoke to someone who lives where her power drops for days at a time, but she says everyone gets in their cars, which use spark plugs, to go places to charge their phones and use the internet. I don’t know anyone who lives off the grid.Even during the blackout in 2003 and after Hurricane Sandy, I still used battery power. My ten-day meditation retreats and two two-week trips to North Korea still used plenty of electrical power each day.Here’s that post: Exercise: Imagine a Day Without Using Electric PowerYou know me. If it’s possible, I’d prefer to try than speculate. People talk too much and live too little.As I’m recording now, I’m looking at my circuit breaker for the apartment. I have a call after posting this. After that call, I’ll flip the circuit to cut off power to the apartment and turn off my phone and computer. Not just sleep mode, but power off. I won’t go so far as to disconnect the batteries, which I think would be symbolic.I’m scheduled to meet a friend at Union Square at the farmers market, where I’ll drop off my compost. We’re also scheduled to ride bikes to Brooklyn. I got an email from Grain de Sail, a company that built a sailboat to transport goods across the Atlantic, mainly coffee and chocolate eastbound and wine westbound. So I have some off-the-grid activities. My next obligation is about twenty-four hours later, which is to meet my city councilman organized group that picks up litter together tomorrow at 11:30am.Otherwise, I have to figure out what to do with my time that I’m used to filling with internet or writing on my computer. I have plenty of scrap paper to write on and a book to work on. I know I write differently when disconnected from the internet. I’m curious if I’ll write differently if that much more disconnected. I haven’t written much by hand in a while.I had thought to borrow some books from the library to help prepare, but the one near me is closed for the pandemic. I’ve been reading and listening to books online from the library during the pandemic, but I don’t need books. Maybe I’ll go outside more. I have a feeling I’ll go to sleep early since I won’t know the time. I won’t go to another building, like a bookstore, to read by its lights.My building has lights in the hallway and stairway. I was thinking of closing my eyes there to avoid using those lights, but I’ll make exceptions for them. The library’s clock tower has a clock. I think I’ll avoid using it so I don’t know how I’ll tell time. I’ll probably go to the park early with things to write and just be there when the rest of the group to pick up trash shows up, though it will probably be over twenty-four hours from now. It occurs to me now that going outside at night will make it impossible to avoid street lights. I don’t know the phase of the moon in case a full moon could in principle light my way. I guess I’ll stay inside. Come to think of it, I have some old candles I never use. I’ll probably go to sleep when it gets dark and wake up when it gets light, around 5am.I also have a sidcha to make my bed, cross the room, and turn off the alarm within sixty seconds of it going off. I haven’t missed it since starting, though occasionally a second or two late, so maybe I should say sixty-five seconds. With my phone off, it won’t go off tomorrow morning. I’ll probably get up and make the bed within sixty seconds of waking up and cross the room anyway.Walk/don’t walk signs and stoplights I’ll use while riding. While walking I’ll try to avoid looking at them and go by people’s behavior.Other than that, maybe I’ll go for walks or a run. I’m not sure, but people lived without electrical power for hundreds of thousands of years and many people go without it today. I see no reason why technology designed to help us should make us less capable.We’re a pretty needy, dependent, entitled, spoiled society. This is an exercise in resilience, freedom, and deliberate choice.Exercise: Imagine a Day Without Using Electric Power Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan and I have a good rapport. We joke around. I love his expressiveness as an artist. I think he values stewardship more than he's behaved so far in life, so I hear him enjoying aligning his behavior with his values.In this episode we review his leading his kids and wife in The Spodek Method from last time. You'll hear touching family interactions.The I teach the second interaction with guests---how to lead that conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.