Butterfly Effect

What's lurking behind the fridge? We've all spent more times in our home over the past couple of years and perhaps for you like me its time to look behind the fridge. Its a task I would rather avoid as it involves awkwardly sliding the fridge out and then facing the dirty truth of the matter. I resolved to face my fears and cleaning the coils can help my fridge run more efficiently.

After reading Project Drawdown a couple years ago, I was surprised to learn that refrigerant management was one the biggest opportunities for us to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Refrigerants have a global warming potential that far exceeds carbon dioxide. Once release into the environment they act effective heat traps for our planet (more here). While cleaning the fridge might not seem like a big deal - it's the small acts that connect us to the larger picture.

Now, I can feel the critics asking me why does everything have to be a butterfly effect? I understand that the internet is full of people's voices and one silly blog post about refrigerator maintenance feels unnecessary. I can't offer a justification beyond it is helpful in that it keeps me accountable to my goals of implementing more sustainability into my own life.

Sustainable thinking demands that we act more responsibly about the materials and equipment in our lives. I feel like my grandparents would call much of this common sense, but my generation is facing challenges that weren't present in my grandparent's lives including a decreased amount of homeowners among millennials. Ownership is critical to upkeep which is critical to our success here on planet earth. Let's not pretend that it is just common sense we are lacking.

As an engineer I don't want to fall short on the upkeep of designed systems (i.e. the fridge). I ask that owners maintain the systems I design like stormwater facilities and I want to participate in this culture of upkeep which seems counterculture to the culture of consumerism that we are steeped in on a daily basis. 

So there you have it - a deep clean of the fridge leads to a deep dive values which are expressed through habits such as cleaning behind the fridge on a regular basis. In my own small way, this is the path I seek for 2022.

Window Problems

There's condensation on my windows and I can feel a draft coming in from the cold January air. In keeping with my resolution to do home improvements and blog about them I check the window next to me to see if it has storm window in it. Alas, I have left the screen in the window, but luckily a quick swap out gets my office window winterized. First step taken, but what about the other windows in my house? I do a quick check and some never had their screens in them to begin with so that job is done. Kitchen windows are not latched all the way so I get the step stool and secure them. 

I go up to the bedroom in the cold attic. I often leave the windows open even when there's air conditioning on because it gets really stuffy in the summertime. Its cold now, but I assume that is because of the need for insulation in the attic (another blog post coming soon). I pull away the curtain and gasp... the window hasn't been closed and the screen window has iced over. Shoot, darn, and call me a hypocrite!

In sustainable design we spend a lot of time on the selection of quantity and quality of windows and insulation. I'm feeling my most millennial self in declaring that I have window problems, but the larger problem we face with windows (glazing) is that they are conductors of temperature (even when closed). So while a building with a lot of exterior glazing might be flashy it causes a lot of energy consumption over the course of the building's life. Imagine having plastic panels punched into your winter jacket!

In sustainable design we also spend a lot of time on ventilation systems - another function of windows. Turns out these windows that open at the top and bottom are supposed to function as a ventilation system in the summer. Crack the top part 3" and let the warm air out and crack the bottom part another 3" and let the cooler air in. Why on earth am I just learning this now? 

I have a 30 year mortgage, but no established game plan for regular maintenance. I found an app that I can use to program reminders for regular home maintenance and am happy to say I've got my windows schedule for 90 days from now. What reoccurring maintenance item have you been pushing off that is a potential "window problem" in your life? 

Walking the Walk

 

I've spent my holiday break at home with my son who is back from college. We have been taking care of some long overdue chores including purging the ping pong table of all of his belongings so we can play again. Happy to say the basement now looks fit for a college student and I can still beat said student at ping pong! 

Then there's the practice room where he spent countless hours drilling on the cello. Since leaving for college I had turned that room into a "catch all". Clearing through the maze of music, tai kwon do belts, art projects, tools, linens, etc... has me practicing some Marie Kondo-esque letting go. I filled the dumpster and borrowed some space in the neighbors with things that weren't worth donating. I said a small silent good bye to the things thanking them for their role in our lives. 

What surprised me the most was the amount of dead electronics I had stashed EVERYWHERE. I was pulling cords and screens out of drawers like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. As a working sustainability professional I have written waste management plans for owners to organize building space for the inevitable slew of things that will be discarded. Yet, here I was in my home with no plan at all for what to do with the special waste streams that are generated in the domestic sphere. 

The state of Indiana isn't exactly known for its environmentalism (love to all the hard working sustainability professionals in the state). I pay a monthly fee to have recycling picked up at my home. I have a single stream collection point for the materials mostly generated from my kitchen and household under my kitchen sink. I subscribe to the "when in doubt, throw it out" approach that I learned about through educational content put out by Circular Indiana. Much of what ends up in the recycling bin is "wish cycling" and actually harmful to the process. 

Now that I have collected all the dead electronics in one place I plan on making a trip down to Recycle Force where they safely handle electronic waste. Many electronics contain hazardous materials that have to be handled separately so they don't end up in the landfill leaching chemicals. 

Some other waste streams that I have found to take up space in my home are: plastic bags, cat food bags, clothing, and compost. I usually bring my own reusable bags to the store, but somehow those things are like tribbles (Star Trek reference, you're welcome) and just seem to multiply in thin area. I use them for cat little waste and the ones that I don't use I collect and take to Kroger and drop them in the bin near the front door. I've heard these bags are shredded and used to make those hard plastic outdoor benches. 

Cat food bags are my version of wish cycling. After doing some research there are select companies that will recycle their own waste. How amazing would it be if every company offered a responsible disposal option! For now it looks like mine are going in the trash. 

Clothing can be dropped at Goodwill or consigned. Except, I wear the heck out of my clothing so by the time its reached the end of its life I don't think anyone will want it. Kids are often hard on their clothes too. I know my kid has spilled many a thing on many a shirt making them unwearable and trash bound. H&M websites says they will recycle all fabrics, but to call before you drop off.

This blog post has inspired me to break out my compost bin again. I collect food scraps on my countertop in an old soup stock pan. Then it goes out the back to a recycling bin. I collect leaves throughout the year to throw them in with the food scrapes to keep the carbon and nitrogen in balance.

It can be hard as an environmentalist to let go and put things in the landfill, but at some point it becomes necessary. As the year 2022 approaches I make a renewed effort to walk the walk in my own life through waste reduction and sharing my at-home sustainability journey through blogging.

 Do you have any resolutions to be more sustainable? 

Women in the Workplace Part 2

This is the second part in a two part series about women in the A/E/C workforce. You can find Part 1 here.

Anonymous woman

“What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a woman in the A/E/C industry?

The fact that the majority of companies are having a hard time with a “changing of the guard” – meaning people who have been in the industry for a very long time are in leadership positions and accustomed to “knowing what’s best” or utilizing their institutional knowledge to make decisions rather than (wisely) tapping younger, new talent who may have some different or creative ideas that could be explored. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these people in leadership positions are men and white. It results in a lack of modernization and creativity, which has an impact on company culture and attracting talent.

“What do you think the biggest opportunity is for overcoming or breaking down this barrier?

More and more companies are beginning to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as guidance when continuing a company’s growth and representation in the market. By bringing in multiple different types of voices, we can break down these barriers that exist and build stronger, meaningful and more creative solutions.

Hannah Fleck, Civil Engineer and Sustainability Lead, JQOL

“What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a woman in the A/E/C industry? 

Finding opportunities where I can grow creatively. People don’t associate engineering with creativity, but there’s a lot of artistry in site design. Creative opportunities tend to go to men by default without anyone questioning this because its seen as business as usual. Receiving credit for my work and receiving good critical feedback has also been an issue.

“What do you think the biggest opportunity is for overcoming or breaking down this barrier?

 Say the barrier were a glass ceiling then I see my own voice as a hammer. When voices work in unison around an issue they become a battering ram. Women have to show up for other women and the next generation of women in their careers. It is the only way.

Anuya Sant, International Associate, LEED AP BD+C Graduate Architect, MD Architects, P.C.

 “What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a woman in the A/E/C industry? 

 I think the biggest challenge women face in our or any industry is our inability to fully own our successes. Humility and empathy in leadership is an extremely positive attribute, but sometimes it is taken for granted. We need to own our accomplishments and the value we bring.

 “What do you think the biggest opportunity is for overcoming or breaking down this barrier?

 We now have more women in the A/E/C industry than what we had a decade ago. The sheer number is our most powerful asset to educate more girls and women together to empower and be each other’s biggest champions. We need to stand together.

Brianna Wetzel, Healthcare Project Architect at American Structurepoint

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a woman in the A/E/C industry?

The biggest challenge I have faced as a woman in the field would be unconscious bias. Truthfully we deal with it daily at varying degrees across the entire industry. It can range from people assuming our role on a project as we walk into a meeting or on the job site to small degrading side comments that most people hardly notice as they are said in a joking manner. The inequality we constantly face tends to stem from the lack of awareness that it is happening as it has been the accept norm for years.

What do you think the biggest opportunity is for overcoming or breaking down this barrier?

Awareness and mindfulness would be the biggest help in breaking down this barrier. We all need to be aware that it is happening and our role in it. By allowing or participating in bias towards others it causes barriers to be built within the industry. We all need to be mindful of our own actions so we aren’t being a hindrance to others, and speak up when we see bias occurring to help bring awareness. Changing unconscious bias to conscious bias is the first step towards change.

Cello, I miss you.

My son went to cello practice for the first time in months last week. We have opted to have him go all virtual this year so even a little bit of social time at school felt like a blessing for both of us. This time last year we were getting excited about his coming trip to Europe with his orchestra. Needless to say the trip never happened. We eventually got some of our money back and all of the memories that would have been were dashed by the global pandemic. Our parent meeting was two days before everyone was told to go home from everything. How little prepared we were. 

Music and orchestra has held a special place in our lives since my son first picked up a cello when he was 10 years old.  I remember when the first crude notes rang through the living room. I was instantly struck by how much of my son's bright voice I could hear come through in the instrument. As I've been an audience to many a string performances over the past 8 years it never ceases to amaze the amount of emotion and voice that can be conjured by the strings and their players. Its probably the thing I miss the most about pre-pandemic life (and yoga classes in yoga studios). 

My son has continued to have lessons with his tutor through the course of the pandemic. Virtual instruction seems possible and provides a source of income for his teacher who has been hard hit by her lack of performing gigs. We were blessed to meet a phenomenal cello player and teacher who has been with us since we moved out to Indy 7 years ago. I cherished the moments when he was younger and I would drop him off for that hour on a Sunday and have a bit of quiet to myself. Sometimes when waiting I would fall asleep on the teacher's couch only to wake up to tea and a snack sitting next to me. They are good moments through and through.

I also can't fathom who my son would be if he didn't have the preforming arts in his life. Its been a place of exploration and socialization for him. He's worked hard at solos and even preformed some with an orchestra accompanying him. In the moments of his development when we seemed totally at odds with each other we both agreed that the cello was worthy of our time. As we start to see the light at the end of the high school tunnel I don't know what role it will play in his life. I just know it will be there waiting for him should he ever want to play again.

 

 

Transcendental Meditation

There seems to be invitations to meditate everywhere. At the grocery store on the magazine shelves there are shiny promises of zen and present moment bliss. I tried apps and magazines and books to try to reach the promise of stillness within. Like most people I found the idea intriguing, but I was scratching the surface without really breaking through to this oasis from stress. 

One morning I was reading the IndyStar and in one of the advice columns a reader had written in that Transcendental Meditation(TM) had helped them with their sleeping issues. I must have read it after a particularly sleepless night, because I was googling it in the next breath. 

There was a training center not far from my house and a free introductory class. I signed up without hesitation. In the intro class you learn that
TM is a form of meditation that is taught through mostly one on one instruction over the course of four days. It costs several hundred dollars depending on your income level. I had picked up some extra work earlier in the year and decided to put those earnings towards the class. 

Auspiciously, I started my first TM session on Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and I have practiced twice daily since then. Its a remarkably simple technique that requires 20 minutes in the morning and evening. TM doesn't ask you to stop thinking or empty your mind which is what people mostly associate with meditation. The TM intro course likens it to the mind being like the turbulent surface of the ocean, but once we allow it to settle down it can access the deep, still calm waters of the deep. I would say it is like holding a baby that is fighting against sleep. If you rock and pat the baby for long enough it settles into a blissful, peaceful sleep (you don't actually fall asleep in TM). 

Its funny because as I've experienced more clarity with my mind I am experiencing more clarity in my body as well. I'm eating better, I'm exercising more, I'm not perfect, but I can feel the ripples of my practice through different areas of my life including sleeping better!

This isn't a paid advertisement for TM. Its a post that maybe will turn on a light for someone like that reader who wrote into the IndyStar. If interested I can recommend the teacher I trained with here in Indy. Whatever your journey, - namaste - the light in me bows to the light in you. 

 

New Age

We were swallowed by a black hole last night. By, we, I mean all of us. We were in a flurry of conversation about Michelle Obama's plum wool coat and Bernie Sander's homespun mittens. As we chattered away we got blind sided by a black hole. It didn't care about our political affiliations or what clothes we had on. No warning, no goodbyes, just gone like the dinosaurs or the Mayans or ancient romans - buh bye.

Of course it was a dream or rather a nightmare. Odd because everyone was riding high on the inauguration. Apparently, I'm scared we are going to lose all of it. Our pageantry, our history, our ceremonies, our rites of passage. The threats to our world and our democracy are very real these days.

Yet, when beauty shows itself to the world it is a tender thing. Amanda Gorman, the young poet with skin that shines like a radiant black berry dressed in yellow and red laid at our feet the world of poem. Asking us if we are brave enough to be the light we seek.

President Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in one of his first acts as president. He has an appointed a diverse group of cabinet members including the first Native American appointee, Deb Haaland, as the secretary of the interior. Its somewhat unbelievable that in addition to never having a woman in an executive leadership role before; we've never had a person of Native American descent serve in a presidential cabinet.

In my own life and work I'm feeling drawn to the ancient wisdom of indigenous people. Perhaps the answer key to the climate crisis has been here all along. It would take 3 plus earths to support everyone living the same lifestyle as me and I'm a self proclaimed treehugger. What could change if we are brave enough to see the earth not as a commodity, but as a gift that is meant to be shared. The climate crisis feels like that black hole waiting to swallow us all whether or not we have a damn mask on. 

However, I can't lose sight of the light that creates the shadows. As Gorman eloquently puts it:

"When day comes we step out of the shade,
aflame and unafraid,
the new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we're brave enough to see it.
If only we're brave enough to be it."

One thing is sure a new age is here. What stories will we live to tell?