Blog
Hi, I'm Dawn.
I'm a Minnesotan mom, nonprofit founder, and fun-loving fan of the outdoors. We are at a wonderful time in history where humans hold the reins. We just need to figure out which way to steer—together. Please join me on the journey.
About me and this blog…
From classroom teacher to public education and gardening then to writing books and doing puppet shows and now running a growing nonprofit, it’s already been a winding and fun journey.
But the sustainable world journey is just beginning. The blog posts ahead will have a common theme of creating a livable world for our kids. It is our moral responsibility to hand down a world with breathable air and drinkable water. But that’s not exactly humanity’s trajectory. Yet.
But like Figueres and Rivett-Carnac, I’m a stubborn optimist in regards to the climate change crisis. And I will keep working to solve this problem until I take my last breath. Will you join me? I promise it will be thrilling because the clock is ticking. Ensuring that humanity will survive puts the stakes high. There are plot twists, and bad guys and…this isn’t just a thriller, this is real life and we need a new narrative.
There’s no doubt, climate change poses HUGE problems that we need to solve. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming and scary. It can be an adventure and an opportunity to tap into our creativity, solidarity, innovation, and many other abundant human attributes to be part of the most important time in history. We know that climate change is a crisis of will, not of knowledge. And that acting on climate change is a moral responsibility. We can choose to write a story of regeneration of both nature and the human spirit—but we have to make the choice. Together.
years in education
people served
Books
educational materials developed
Posts
Striving for a better world.
No Mow May
Scroll down quite a ways to find our "No Mow May" yard care tip on the Redfin website. Is it possible that a pollinator-friendly yard will become as normalized as wearing seatbelts? Let's hope so! https://www.redfin.com/blog/spring-home-maintenance-checklist/
How to Solve the Climate Crisis through Fiction
Solving the climate crisis is feasible, as far as technology and economics are concerned. All that is missing to implement climate solutions is progressive leadership and the collective will to do so. Although the stories in this blog are fictional, they were built...
No pressure Hollywood, but you’re going to need to step up and save us from ourselves
people are hungry to learn about solutions—especially if delivered in an entertaining way that is light on the facts and fear. Facts can be disputed and fear pushes people toward depression, denial, distancing, and distraction.
No pressure, but I think it’s up to you (and your colleagues) to save humanity from ourselves by taking the climate narrative a step further. 😉 It’s time to explore SOLUTIONS with a binge-worthy series bursting with colorful characters with diverse backgrounds that everyone can relate to in some way. Overwhelmed people will tune in for the story and learn about the climate solutions by accident. While these are definitely challenging times, this is also an extraordinary time to be on the planet and influence the direction of civilization by tapping into our creativity, solidarity, and innovation.
Plastic-Free Challenge
Plastics are as awesome as they are problematic. There’s no question that they add comfort, convenience, and even life-saving devices to society. But they also create waste and litter, contribute to climate change, pollute our water, harm wildlife, and have largely unknown health impacts for us. Worldwide, plastic production has skyrocketed since the 1970s, and a lot of the growth has come in the form of packaging and single-use plastics. Most plastics are made from oil and gas—fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. About 4% to 8% of the world’s oil production is for plastics, and most plastics are thrown away after a single use. This feels wrong, doesn’t it?
Be part of the solution to reduce waste, protect water and wildlife, address climate change, and look after the health of ourselves and future generations by joining us and the Hennepin County Plastic-Free Challenge and committing to actions that help create a plastic-free world.
Honoring Native American Indian Heritage
We All Need Food and Water joins a growing number of organizations recognizing systemic racism and injustice that is embedded in our society. We see it in our workplaces, schools, the criminal justice system, and governmental units. Although it is often in subtle...
Salt Fish on Your Plate, Not in the Lake!
The Proper Time to Salt Fish With the onset of winter around the corner, I say, 'let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!' But let’s just skip the treacherous freezing rain, right? Unfortunately, our increasingly warmer winters are resulting in icier surfaces so over...
Start of Join a Climate Crisis Circle
Please tag your discussions so we can track our impact. #ClimateChangeCircles, #ClimateCrisisCircles, #CCC rror sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem.rror sit voluptatem...
Reserve your garden plot at the Peace Community Garden
Peace Community Garden plots available. Sign up today for the 2021 gardening season.
Need space for a community-building activity, event, or meeting?
Is it time to move from a “Me” to a “We” Culture?
What do the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice, and countless environmental problems such as climate change, water pollution, and controlling invasive species have in common? No single entity can make a dent in solving any of these problems without collective...