simple

this one is for Cielo

shaka brah! - grizz.

Holly's travels

Hey folks!

Check out Holly's latest travels!

california photos:   http://www.surfline.com/womens/story_bamp.cfm?id=13346

new zealand video:  http://www.surfline.com/video/video_player/video_player.cfm?id=13343

Cheers, Time

the Planet Walker

It’s really cold in Salt Lake City this year at the winter Outdoor Retailer Trade Show (and in SB apparently too).  A group of us shoe geeks journey here twice a year to hang out with outdoor enthusiasts who knows as much about gear, adventure, new outdoor sports as a geek knows about Star Wars.  I wanted to share with you all an amazing person I had the pleasure to hear speak, as well as meet.

The Conservation Alliance, an outdoor industry non-profit that focuses on funding money (and a lot of it) from the outdoor industry to conservation groups and initiatives globally, hosted a breakfast with a presentation by Dr. John Francis; the Planet Walker.

Dr. Francis refused to ride or drive in cars, planes, or trains after seeing the devastation of an oil spill in the San Francisco Bay in 1971 after 2 oil tankers collided.   This was one of the first environmental disasters of its kind in the U.S. (which unfortunately we have not been fully able to prevent today).  After arguing with many in his community about his decision to only walk (I think vegetarians find themselves on the same defensive), he took a vow of silence that lasted 17 years. In that time he learned to listen instead of waiting and thinking of the next thing to say in a conversation. He learned to listen really well (he remembered everyone’s name he met at Outdoor Retailer, including mine).

Although there was an almost unbelievable and semi-silly scene in Forest Gump that was “inspired” by him, Dr. John Francis’s journey was very real and resulted in him working his way across the United State, and eventually earning a PhD in oil pollution from the University of Madison (the first of its kind).

After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989, Dr. Francis wrote some of the first legislation for the U.S. Government, and became a Good Will Ambassador for the U.N.

Not bad for a guy who shut up and walked for so long!

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. John Francis after his morning discussing with the group. Just like he demonstrated from the podium, his composure and spirit exuded kindness, interest, and patience. Whenever I meet incredible folks like John Francis (and I mean ones of virtue and accomplishment…not necessarily celebrity), I usually find myself lost for words, and refraining myself from bursting out “dude, you are so cool!!!” over and over again... or askthe same obvious questions he must have heard a bazillion times before like “man, how much did your feet hurt!”

I was able to come along with some friend for National Geographic Adventure’s dinner with Dr. Francis, and heard more about the Planet Walkers journey, the breaking of his silence, and when the U.S.wasn’t enough, he walked South America a few years later! He even remembered my, and everybody’s name who he had met that day.

I do hope he and Dan Price can meet one day as well…

Dr. Francis’s journey led him to the conclusion that environment and people are hand and hand, and when it comes down to how you treat each other is reflective to how you treat the planet. It was a great pleasure to meet you Dr. Francis; perhaps our journeys will meet again.

Perhaps I should give a gift to my coworkers and friends and try shutting up for an entire day myself.

Grizz

what the heck is going on back in santa barbara?

Monica sent me a picture of Camino Ridge on Wednesday while I was at Outdoor Retailer.... although snow is strange in SB (let alone server busting rain flow). Looks more like Salt Lake City...Grizz

dreaming of a plastic bag free future?

Whole Foods is now stepping up to the plate...  They just announced that they are phasing out plastic bags in all of their stores starting on Earth Day this year.  This does still mean that they are using their recycled paper bags, though!  While I applaud them for making the shift, I wonder if they could be lobbied to start charging for the paper bags people will use instead... as a bit of an incentive to push people to bring their own? 

hugs,
cielo

a little off topic...

Is anyone else as bummed as I am about the Coachella lineup this year?  Not that I'm really looking for a reason to drive out there... but seriously.  I'm sniffling from the sadness of the lineups.  Don't get me wrong.  I love Portishead, but the drive out there, the heat, the gnar-ness of it.  I can't deal.  Please advise.

sniff sniff,
cielo

cell phones here, cell phones there, cell phones, cell phones everywhere!

photo by Richard Barnes for the NYT

How many cell phones have you had in your lifetime?  Ever given it any thought?

 

I realized yesterday that I've blown through 4 in the past 6 years... each one donated for another that had the newest gadget or gizmo.  My most recent-- the blackberry pearl-- is simultaneously the most amazing and heartbreakingly destructive piece of technology I have ever owned (those of you with one probably know what I mean).  While I've been pretty careful about donating the phones I'm done with to local charities, it wasn't until I read this article in the New York Times magazine on Sunday that I thought about what everyone else does... and more specifically what those of you that read this blog have done with them.

Cow farts and global warming?!?

So a jolly Scottish guy sent me the funniest/saddest/silliest/and strangest news about Global Warming. According to the Do Lab's blogger Shena Turlington and the U.N., cow farts are a direct cause to emissions causing climate change.

From all of their suggestion, I'm a fan of kangaroo meat - after all, their farts are less impact to the planet.  Harnessing the power of cow farts for methane energy is a smart way to divert the emissions into a resource, but i would feel to sorry for the workers who would need to enter that room!

still giggling and thinking of ways to offset my own "natural" global warming emissions.

Grizzle.

Mole vs. Unicorn

Sarah says she wouldn't get a mole implant on the tip of her nose for 10 million dollars...but she would get a unicorn tattoo on her face. I like the mole. Hmmmmmm??

silly kid ... joe currens are for...ummm

big kids!

don't worry little lady, you'll grow big enough to fit into your Joe Curren ecoSNEAKS soon enough!

though I'll trade you a smaller pair of  sneakers for that awesome Care Bear...whatya say?

just messing around, wishing it was reccess

Greg

my new years resolution

LESS

I was going to take this cool indy-like picture of me writing "LESS" on a scratch piece of paper..then I realized that would be a wasted use of a perfectly good piece of scratch paper!

Happy New Year everyone. Make 2008 the year of change.

Grizzle