Connecticut Green Living

How can I describe my 2022? It was one of the worst years of my life, yet interspersed with moments of beauty and hope. I gave up Twitter and took up whiskey, which I had not drunk in my fifties! January I was enjoying tutoring one of my favorite students ever. This young man inspired me to teach Shakespeare, which I had not done before. I also ghostwrote an article on healthcare disparities during the pandem ic for a Black doctor. It broke my heart to hear he wasn't well himself. The weather was nasty, but these experiences helped the year get off to a rewarding start. February : I finished off a round of press releases for a Hispanic client, which was muy interesante. There would be communication challenges, though, and down the road we'd part ways. I fell apart when I heard Tom Brady was retiring, but was wildly relieved when he changed his mind a few months later. (I even made a video of my tearful self yearning for him to return!) March : It is excrutiating to write thi...

Happy holidays! If you are like me, you are enjoying Christmas or Hannukah with a huge cup of joe. All that running around, gift buying and cheesy smiling in Christmas PJs for the J.C. Penney photographer makes this mandatory. My favorite eco-coffee brand is from my home state of California, nestled along the mighty Pacific in Santa Cruz. For Christmas, they have concocted a slew of recipes to go with their sustainable brand. You will not only enjoy top line coffee, but feel assured you are helping your carbon footprint. Steeped is certified as a "farm-to-cup" B Corp, meaning it has met standards for transparency, accountability and charitible giving. This is 100 percent ethically-sourced coffee, roasted in small batches. And it comes in cute compostable bags that mimic the tea experience. The company is offering its holiday samplers of premium coffee, the "Seasonal Sampler Set", for 24.95. It comes in a holiday-themed box and boasts coffee strengths from light-t...

Although I applaud the droves of young peoole helping put clim ate change on the map, I bristle whenever someone says Boomers or even Gen X don't care. I interviewed senior scientist Jane Go odall in 2021, and arguably, she cares more about fighting climate change than the average teenager. In fact, those slightly younger were teens during the hippie era. I once lived beneath the home of a lady five years older than I, whose ripe garden in the outer avenues of San Francisco informed many of my views on sustainable living. Ageism, I often say, is one of the most popular "acceptable" isms (when was the last time you heard ageism discussed on the same level as racism?) Late night talk show hosts make money off the laughs they get joking about octogenarian politicians. Even supposedly proper journalists aren't being taken to task for their slurs against our President. Last I checked, his list of accomplishments was long; and though he once fell off his bike, at least he...