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Patricia
Dines
Freelance
Writer, Editor, Public Speaker & Graphic
Artist
Specializing
in Environmental & Community
Topics
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Do you want to hear
about Patricia's articles when they're
released? Just email that request
to (pd [at] patriciadines.info). Please
put "Patricia/Email list request" in the subject
line.
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RECENT
NEWS: QUICK
SUMMARY
* I
invite you to read my (cover!) article in NorthBay biz
magazine's August issue, "True
Green: Moving beyond greenwashing to create authentic
eco-success."
* I
invite you to read my August "Ask EcoGirl" column,
"Reaping the Rewards of the
Bulk Bin", which
makes it fun and easy to forage the bulk bins and thus save
money, increase variety in your diet, and notably reduce
your trash impacts.
* I invite
you to read my July "Ask EcoGirl" column,
"Preventing Future Oil
Disasters", which continues describing vital and
tangible ways that we can help avoid future Gulf oil
spills.
* The
July/August Next STEP
newsletter has been released and
is ready for your viewing.
* I invite
you to read my June "Ask EcoGirl" column,
"Reducing Your
Transportation Footprint",
which offers tangible ways that we can help avoid future
Gulf oil spills by cutting back our demand for
increasingly-scarce oil.
* I invite
you to read my May "Ask EcoGirl" column, which helps
you overcome your green inaction by "Organizing
for Eco-Success."
* The
May/June Next STEP
newsletter has been released and
is ready for your viewing.
* I invite
you to read my April "Ask EcoGirl" column,
"Greening
Medicine," offering specific tips for greening and
improving our country's health care system.
* I invite
you to read my Green Scene column in the March NorthBay
biz magazine, "A Deeper Shade of
Green."
* I invite
you to read my March "Ask EcoGirl" column, which
highlights "Eco-Remedies
for Our Health Care Crisis."
* The
March/April Next STEP
newsletter has been released and
is ready for your viewing.
* I invite
you to read my article in the February Sonoma-Marin Farm
News, "Sonoma
Compost: Celebrating 25 Years."
* I invite
you to read my article in NorthBay biz magazine's
February issue, "Green
Pinstripes: Bringing sustainability to the executive
suite."
* I invite
you to read my February "Ask EcoGirl" column, which
offers ideas for "Sharing
Your Eco-Love."
* The
Jan/Feb Next STEP
newsletter has been released and is ready for your
viewing.
* I invite
you to read my January "Ask EcoGirl" column,
"Greening Your New Year's
Resolutions."
*
Announcing my new "insanely useful"
Ask EcoGirl
booklets. The first
two selections are - Detoxing Your Life and
Healthier Houscleaning!
* I invite
you to read my December "Ask EcoGirl", full of useful
information about "Trimming
Your Holiday Waste"
* I invite
you to read my article in NorthBay biz magazine's Oct.
Special Wine Issue. Called "Seeking
Fulfillment," it describes how New Vine's collapse last
May revealed the booming new market for third-party wine
shippers, which are creatively helping wineries make money
even in these hard times.
* August
19, 2009 - Patricia was a guest on "The View from the
Bay", the ABC TV talk show, offering eco-tips and
talking about her work. For more information, click
here.
* August
2009 - Patricia was interviewed for
planetshifter.com. For more information, click here.
* You can
read my new article in NorthBay biz magazine
"Financing a Greener World."
* You can
read my new article in the Sonoma County Peace Press
"Uprooting the Environmental Causes of
Poverty & War."
.... or just scroll down to read
the details of these and more! ....
RECENT NEWS: DETAILS
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I
invite you to read my new (cover!) article in the
NorthBay biz magazine:
True
Green
Moving beyond greenwashing to create authentic
eco-success
EcoGirl Patricia Dines helps
NorthBay biz readers see beyond enticing green
façades to uncover the products and
approaches that support true environmental
change.
- Everywhere we turn, it seems we're
bombarded with ads for green products,
services, political candidates, ballot
measures and more. How on earth can we
identify the ones we want to support while
dodging the greenwashers -- those coated only
with a superficial green veneer to coax us
out of our hard-earned money and votes? More
importantly, how do we accurately describe
our own company's level of green without
overstating it and risking the wrath of the
green-savvy marketplace?
You can read this article in
NorthBay biz's Aug. issue, on various local
newstands now. Or click here
to go straight to my article online (including my
version of the text and a PDF of the magazine
version with graphics). Enjoy!
I had so much fun creating this
story and am so proud of how it came out! I hope
that it's fun and useful for you too. Please let me
know what you think! And thanks to everyone who
contributed to this piece.
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- August
2010: Reaping the Rewards of the Bulk
Bin
- Hiding in plain site, the bulk bin aisles at
the grocery store offer many benefits to both us
and the planet. This includes saving us money,
offering us freshness and variety, and greatly
reducing the packaging waste that fills our
trash cans, landfills, and waterways. EcoGirl
offers tips for making it fun and easy to forage
in the bulk bins! (Note: The website version of
this article offers lots of additional tips and
information.)
You can read this column in the
August issue of the wonderful Sonoma County
Gazette, or at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl4a.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the informative and
empowering EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
Reader
feedback
"Anyone who is interested in
preserving our earth, its creatures, their
habitats, and well-being for all should be an
EcoGirl fan!"
Debra Birkinshaw, Boardmember, Peace
& Justice Center; Member, Green Sangha
Sonoma County
"Excellent articles Patricia - and fun to
read! Congratulations on the colorful front
page placement and thanks for continuing to
make a difference for the masses by educating
via your passion and talent for writing.
EcoGirl will soon be flying into other
communities and publications, I can feel it.
Good luck with her."
Melissa Weaver, Educator, Enhanced Health
Systems
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STEP UPDATE:
Good news!
At the 7/20 Sebastopol City Council meeting, the
Council decided unanimously to restore The Next
STEP newsletter to the original 2-page format
that it's been most of it's 10-year lifetime. I
felt that this format was needed to produce the
project's stated goal of reducing our shared use
and exposure to toxics, and I'm delighted that the
Council is still inspired by and supportive of that
objective. I'm feeling re-invigorated and excited
about continuing to produce this newsletter! -
Signed, Patricia Dines, Editor The Next STEP
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- July
2010: Preventing Future Oil Disasters (The
Gulf, part 2 of 2)
- EcoGirl describes how we can channel our
anger and frustration about the Gulf's
devastation into constructive action that
creates a better future. She describes ways that
we can reduce our individual petroleum use, join
with others to encourage wiser governmental
policies, and encourage the recognition of the
vital truth that our health and financial
well-being depends on a healthy earth.
You can read this column in the
July issue of the wonderful Sonoma County Gazette,
or at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3k.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the informative and
empowering EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
Reader
feedback
"Anyone who is interested in
preserving our earth, its creatures, their
habitats, and well-being for all should be an
EcoGirl fan!"
Debra Birkinshaw, Boardmember, Peace
& Justice Center; Member, Green Sangha
Sonoma County
"Excellent articles Patricia - and fun to
read! Congratulations on the colorful front
page placement and thanks for continuing to
make a difference for the masses by educating
via your passion and talent for writing.
EcoGirl will soon be flying into other
communities and publications, I can feel it.
Good luck with her."
Melissa Weaver, Educator, Enhanced Health
Systems
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The
newest Next STEP newsletter is
released!
The Next STEP
newsletter provides empowering information
about toxics and alternatives. I'm the Editor and
Lead Writer of the newsletter, which is a City of
Sebastopol project, operated by volunteers, and
distributed in City water bills. Copies are also
available online. You can also contact me if you
want to receive email alerts when new issues are
published.
Current issue:
July/August
2010 (Click
link to download)
Contents:
* Choosing Healthy Sunscreens.
EWG gives low marks to 92% of brand name
products, for including toxics, making overblown
claims, or insufficiently protecting the skin
from sun damage.
* Flea & Tick Product Warning. The
US EPA recommends caution in using Frontline,
Advantage, and similar flea and tick
products.
* Prominent Reports Encourages Cancer
Prevention Through Toxics Reduction.
* Ask EcoGirl. If you haven't seen it
yet, I invite you to check out my monthly
friendly eco-advice column.
* Quick tips for finding toxics
information.
Note: This issue is one page instead of the
usual two, because of space constraints in the
mailing.
You can find answers to your specific
questions about toxics and alternatives online!
Just check out our online index by topic by
clicking here.That
page also offers you a chance to browse the
descriptions of recent issues, to see what
might catch your eye.
For more information about the STEP
program, click here.
Thank you to Jim Gleaves for his
assistance with this project; to the City Council
for creating it; and for City staff for helping to
make it possible.
Recent reader
feedback
"Thank you heartily [for]
your excellent two-page newsletter! I've learned
so much from it that I would not have
thought to research by myself. It's also a
striking example of good citizenship at
work!"
- Glenna Elliott
"Just wanted to say thank you for all your
positive information. My husband and I are
trying for our second child and I really
appreciated the article regarding autism cases
being higher when exposed to flea shampoos for
animals. This was a great eye opener for me
and I plan on using only non-toxic cleaners
pre-pregnancy and forever afterwards. This type
of information really does help all of us --
so again, thank you....I am so happy to be a
part of such a caring community."
- A Sebastopol Resident
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- June
2010: Reducing Your Transportation
Footprint
- A reader is heart-broken watching the Gulf
oil gusher's slow-motion destruction of
ecosystems, livelihoods, and communities. So she
asks how we can help reduce the country's need
to drill in such ecologically-sensitive areas.
EcoGirl responds with tangible ways that we can
all help avoid such disasters in the future by
reducing our oil use for transportation.
(EcoGirl will also be offering other action
ideas in her July column.)
You can read this column in the
June issue of the wonderful Sonoma County Gazette,
or at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3j.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the informative and
empowering EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- May
2010: Organizing for Eco-Success
- A reader wants to know how she can get
better at actually following through on her
intentions to be more green. EcoGirl
empathetically offers three easy steps for
turning her eco-ideas into actions and everyday
habits. She illustrates with two easy examples:
setting up your home recycling setup and fully
using your printer paper.
You can read this column in the
May issue of the wonderful Sonoma County Gazette,
or at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3i.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the informative and
empowering EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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The
newest Next STEP newsletter is
released!
The Next STEP
newsletter provides empowering information
about toxics and alternatives. I'm the Editor and
Lead Writer of the newsletter, which is a City of
Sebastopol project, operated by volunteers, and
distributed in City water bills. Copies are also
available online. You can also contact me if you
want to receive email alerts when new issues are
published.
Current issue:
May/June
2010 (Click
link to download)
Contents:
* Report on our latest reader
survey. Results include: 88% say that they
find the newsletter helpful and interesting and
72% say that the newsletter has tangibly helped
them reduce their use of toxic. Additionally,
those using pesticides has dropped from 53% last
year to 35% this year -- and half of those folks
are using natural non-toxic options only. Read
the newsletter for more reader feedback.
* Easy actions, quick tips, and a note
about recent changes to the newsletter.
Note: This issue is one page instead of the
usual two, because of space constraints in the
mailing.
You can find answers to your specific
questions about toxics and alternatives online!
Just check out our online index by topic by
clicking here.That
page also offers you a chance to browse the
descriptions of recent issues, to see what
might catch your eye.
For more information about the STEP
program, click here.
Thank you to Jim Gleaves for his
assistance with this project; to the City Council
for creating it; and for City staff for helping to
make it possible.
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- April
2010: Greening Medicine
- With illness and health care costs weighing
on us all, EcoGirl offers additional specific
ways that we can use environmental knowledge to
help heal both people and the planet, as both
patients and health care providers.
You can read this column in the
April issue of the wonderful Sonoma County Gazette,
or at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3h.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the informative and
empowering EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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My
new Green Scene column in NorthBay
biz
I invite you to read my Green
Scene column in the March NorthBay biz magazine, on
newstands now or at this link, "A
Deeper Shade of
Green." This piece
gives you a look into Petaluma's Sonoma Compost
Company (SCC) and it's organic community composting
operation. For 25 years, SCC has been diverting
yard and ag waste from the landfill and turning it
into useful organic composts and mulches. Yes, this
is where your green can waste goes!
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is
available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- March
2010: Eco-Remedies for Our Health Care
Crisis
- The health care crisis is such a timely
topic right now. Yet, amidst all the passionate
debates, the environmental dimension is still
largely being ignored, even with the clear
evidence linking our high illness rates and
exposure to environmental pollutants and
everyday toxics. However, by turning and seeing
how our actions in the world are harming our own
health, we can find true solutions that
significantly reduce both illness and costs,
lightening the load on us all.
You can read Ask EcoGirl at
<www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3g.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the wonderful EcoGirl
column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
Reader
feedback
"Anyone who is interested in
preserving our earth, its creatures, their
habitats, and well-being for all should be an
EcoGirl fan!"
Debra Birkinshaw, Boardmember, Peace
& Justice Center; Member, Green Sangha
Sonoma County
"Excellent articles Patricia - and fun to
read! Congratulations on the colorful front
page placement and thanks for continuing to
make a difference for the masses by educating
via your passion and talent for writing.
EcoGirl will soon be flying into other
communities and publications, I can feel it.
Good luck with her."
Melissa Weaver, Educator, Enhanced Health
Systems
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The
newest Next STEP newsletter is
released!
The Next STEP
newsletter provides empowering information
about toxics and alternatives. I'm the Editor and
Lead Writer of the newsletter, which is a City of
Sebastopol project, operated by volunteers, and
distributed in City water bills. Copies are also
available online. You can also contact me if you
want to receive email alerts when new issues are
published.
Current issue:
March/April
2010 (Click
link to download)
Contents:
* Health Effects: Are Toxics Helping
Making Us Fat? - While certainly diet,
exercise, and genetics are key factors in our
weight levels, chemicals (nicknamed "obesogens")
are now being found to play a role in how much
weight we gain and how difficult it is to
maintain a healthy weight. The risk is
especially high for children in utero and during
their developing years. Find out more about
what's being learned.
Note: This issue is one page instead of the
usual two, because of space constraints in the
mailing.
You can find answers to your specific
questions about toxics and alternatives online!
Just check out our online index by topic by
clicking here.That
page also offers you a chance to browse the
descriptions of recent issues, to see what
might catch your eye.
For more information about the STEP
program, click here.
Thank you to Jim Gleaves for his
assistance with this project; to the City Council
for creating it; and for City staff for helping to
make it possible.
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My
new article in Sonoma-Marin Farm
News
I invite you to read my article
in the Feb. Sonoma-Marin Farm News,
"Sonoma
Compost: Celebrating 25
Years." This piece
gives you a peek behind the scenes at the wonderful
Sonoma Compost Company, which for 25 years has been
diverting yard and ag waste from the landfill and
turning it into useful organic composts and mulches
that nurture local farms and gardens.
Editor
feedback
"Dear Patricia - Thanks for the
story on Sonoma Compost. It's a great read that
our readers will find both interesting and
educational. We are happy to have the work of a
pro and welcome further stories by you on
topics related to the agricultural industry in
Sonoma and Marin Counties."
Tim Tesconi, Editor Sonoma-Marin Farm News,
Previously Ag Staff Writer for the Press
Democrat (33 years)
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is
available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- February
2010: Sharing Your Eco-Love
- This Valentine's Day, you can express your
love for both your sweetie and the planet. Here
are some easy ways to eco-upgrade your amorous
expressions, thus embodying your values while
revealing that oh-so-attractive eco-awareness
that so many beloveds admire. This column
includes specific tips about buying chocolates,
roses, and more, including some lovely local
options!
You can read Ask EcoGirl at
<www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3f.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the wonderful EcoGirl
column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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Read
my new article in the NorthBay biz magazine:
Green
Pinstripes
Bringing sustainability to the executive
suite...
NorthBay biz talks with three "sustainability
officers" to find out what such a job entails and
how, little by little, they're helping North Bay
companies reduce costs and save the
environment.
... To learn more, we talked with three local
pioneers: Lynelle Cameron, director of
sustainability for San Rafael's Autodesk; Geof
Syphers, CSO for Rohnert Park's Codding
Enterprises; and Colby Eierman, director of
sustainability for Glen Ellen's Benziger Family
Winery.
You can read this article in
NorthBay biz's Feb. issue, on various local
newstands now. Or click here
to go straight to my article. For the main Green
Issue link, click here.
Enjoy!
I had so much fun creating this
story and learning more about what these folks are
doing, and I hope you have fun reading it too.
Please let me know what you think!
(And thanks to everyone who
contributed to this piece, including Ryn Longmaid
for the original title and idea spark!)
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The
newest Next STEP newsletter is
released!
The Next STEP
newsletter provides empowering information
about toxics and alternatives. I'm the Editor and
Lead Writer of the newsletter, which is a City of
Sebastopol project, operated by volunteers, and
distributed in City water bills. Copies are also
available online. You can also contact me if you
want to receive email alerts when new issues are
published.
Current issue:
January/February
2010 (Click
link to download)
Contents:
* It's our anniversary - We're
celebrating nine years of publishing The Next
STEP newsletter. We want your input for what
we'll do this coming year! Sebastopol residents,
please return the yellow survey card with your
water bill to give us your feedback. Other folks
can email us at (STEP [at]
healthyworld.org) to let us know (1) what you
like about the newsletter; and (2) and what
you'd like to see in future issues.
* Discarding Wisely - If one of your
New Year's resolutions is ridding yourself of
unwanted items, this article will help you
discard your detritus (including toxics) in ways
that protect people and the planet.
* Composting in Sebastopol - Did you
know that 36% of Sonoma County's garbage is food
and other "organic" materials? You can reduce
your garbage flow, and maybe even save money, by
composting at home or in your green can. This
article tells you more!
* Quick Toxics Reduction Tips - Here's
quick information to help you - keep your pet
safe; support better toxics labeling for
household products; quickly know what's toxic
and the alternatives; understand how toxics
travel even to non-industrial areas - and find
out more!
Our past issues are all online, ready to
answer your specific questions about toxics and
alternatives! For more about ways you can
access this information, including our online index
by topic, click here.
On that page you'll see that I've created a
new way for you to access past STEP issues. In
addition to looking up information by topic, you
can also now browse the descriptions of the past
year's issues, to see what might catch your
eye.
For more information about the STEP
program, click here.
Thank you to Jim Gleaves for his
assistance with this project; to the City Council
for creating it; and for City staff for helping to
make it possible.
Recent reader
feedback
"Just wanted to say thank you for
all your positive information. My husband
and I are trying for our second child and I
really appreciated the article regarding autism
cases being higher when exposed to flea shampoos
for animals. This was a great eye opener for
me and I plan on using only non-toxic cleaners
pre-pregnancy and forever afterwards. This type
of information really does help all of us --
so again, thank you....I am so happy to be a
part of such a caring community."
- A Sebastopol Resident
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is
available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- January
2010: Greening Your New Year's
Resolutions
- The new year offers us a handy time to
identify the changes we want to make in our
lives. And it's smart to include caring for the
earth among our intentions, because the planet's
well-being is key to our survival, and
because aligning with the earth can help us
achieve our personal goals. Here some example
ways that you can eco-charge your New Year's
resolutions to be healthier, save money, connect
with others, and have more fun!
You can read Ask EcoGirl at
<www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3e.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for
future columns, and including the wonderful
EcoGirl column in your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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Announcing
my new "insanely useful" Ask EcoGirl
booklets
Eco-information
is everywhere, but there's way too much to
digest.
We're all drowning in
eco-information -- and our overwhelm can keep us
from acting. Where do we start? What are the most
useful actions to take? How do we integrate this
into our everyday lives?
Never fear
-- Ask EcoGirl is here!
EcoGirl understands -- and comes
to the rescue! She does the research for you,
pulling together the key information that you need
to move into action and get the results you need.
This is the fast lane to a healthier life for you
and the planet.
Booklet
titles available
* Detoxing Your Life:
Assessing & Reducing Your Exposure to Everyday
Toxics
* Healthier
Housecleaning: Easy, Less-toxic, & Cheaper
Ways to Create a Sparkling Home
To find out how to order your
very own copies of these "insanely useful"
booklets, and be informed when new ones are
released, click here.
EcoGirl:
Making it easy to be green!
Reader
feedback
"What impresses me is that it is SO
comprehensive for such a small booklet.
Often I see a flyer on one or two topics, but
you have packed so much in this, plus given
larger principles about how to think of these
things. You give simple suggestions that
anyone can follow and move themselves forward in
the ecological movement -- and feel good about
it. You make it appealing to do, not a
burden."
Don Scully, MFT
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Ask
EcoGirl's newest column is
available
The newest Ask EcoGirl has been
released and is ready for your viewing.
- December
2009: Trimming Your Holiday Waste
- A reader wonders how their family can reduce
the increased trash they generate during the
holidays. Yes, given how much our waste
increases this time of year, this is a vital and
fruitful time for us all to cut back. Luckily,
as usual, EcoGirl comes to the rescue with an
organized list of tangible ways that you can
trim your trash, this holiday season and beyond,
thus reducing your eco-impacts, your garbage
costs, and even often having more fun! Topics
you'll find covered in this column include:
entertaining, food, greeting cards, gift
wrapping, gift giving, disposal after the
festivities, and resources.
You can read Ask EcoGirl at
<www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl3d.html>.
Plus that webpage has more details about this topic
as well as information about sending questions to
EcoGirl, receiving email alerts for future columns,
and including the wonderful EcoGirl column in your
periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see previous
columns. Your input and feedback are warmly
invited!
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I
have lots of great tips for greening your
holidays!
First, you can peruse my current
and past Ask EcoGirl columns, at www.AskEcoGirl.info/AEcolumns.html.
I also have lots of great ideas at www.healthyworld.org/ecoholidays.html.
I hope that you have fun exploring and find useful
ideas. And please share your own tips with me as
well. I love hearing other people's success
stories.
May we all help create happy
holidays for all!
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Read
my new article in the NorthBay biz magazine:
Seeking Fulfillment
Hi all - My second article for
NorthBay biz magazine is out! In this piece, I
delved into a completely new topic for me: the
story behind last May's stunning crash of market
pioneer New Vine - and what it revealed about the
quietly booming market for third-party wine
shippers.
With wine store shelf space very
limited, wineries would like to reach customers
directly, However, they're often stopped by complex
and restrictive state shipping laws. Coming to the
rescue are third-party wine shippers who navigate
the shipping lanes behind the scenes, often in
creative ways, thus giving wineries access to more
sales.
This story was a fun chance for
me (and I hope my readers) to learn more about the
local wine industry, including this successful
segment, as well as explore different models for
reaching customers. I hope you find it of interest
too!
You can read this article in
NorthBay biz's new special Wine Issue, on various
local newstands. Look for the wine glass on front.
Or click here
to go straight to my article on my website, which
includes a scan of the article as published with
graphics. Enjoy!
- Patricia
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My
TV appearance went great!
On Aug. 19, I was a guest on
"The View From The Bay," a daily TV talk show
on San Francisco's ABC station KGO. It's hosted by
Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang and produced
live in San Francisco.
Being on the show was lots of
fun! I was delighted to share both my approach to
eco-action (by inspiring and empowering folks to
make a difference) and to offer their viewers some
easy eco-tips. Plus folks heard about my Ask
EcoGirl column and were invited to my presentations
at the Napa Fresh Aire Festival, August 28-30.
For more about my appearance,
including screen shots and a link to the video, see
www.patriciadines.info/m_ViewBay081909.html
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I had fun at
the Napa Fresh Aire Festival Aug.
28-30!
I was glad to have a chance to talk with others
about issues of health, the environment and more!
For more info, see www.patriciadines.info/m_NFA0809.html
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Read
my new article in the NorthBay biz magazine:
Financing a Greener World
Learn more about Sonoma County's
innovative SCEIP program, which offers government
financing for increasing the energy or water
efficiency of a home or business. It'll also
finance solar and other alternative energy
projects! These projects can save us money, improve
our property's value - and are vital to reducing
our impact on the planet.
You can either see this
in the August issue of this monthly magazine, or
click here.
(And thanks Cassandra for your help scanning the
article!)
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Read
my new Peace Press article: Uprooting the
Environmental Causes of Poverty &
War
I was delighted to be invited
to write about the environment for the Sonoma
County Peace Press, published by the Sonoma
County Peace & Justice Center. One of my
passionate topics is the connection between
environmental and social justice issues -- another
chance for us to see that saving the earth is
saving us humans too! This piece uses as an
example the story of the Nigerian people and their
journey with the oil industry.
To read the article, see
the August Peace Press (page 5) or click
here.
(My web version also has bonus links for more
information on the topics discussed!) I hope that
you enjoy this article and find it of
interest.
And thank you so much to
the people who encourage and support me and my
work, my ongoing development of my writing and my
service. I am very moved and grateful. Please know
that you are all woven into what I do. Thank
you!!
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Read
the new interview with Patricia Dines on
planetshifter.com
Patricia Dines was recently
interviewed by Willi Paul of planetshifter.com.
Read more at www.planetshifter.com/node/1244
EXCERPTS
"My vision is that EcoGirl will fly across the
country, spreading her eco-empowerment to all!"
"(With my eco-writing and public speaking), I've
been innovating different ways of relating to
people - by being inspiring, empowering, and useful
- and getting people excited about being part of
the solution!"
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** Become an
Official Facebook EcoGirl Fan **
Stay connected to
EcoGirl, and support her goals, by becoming an
official Facebook EcoGirl fan. It's easy - just
click here <www.facebook.com/AskEcoGirl>.
p.s. Note the new easier direct
address - who hoo! Note: It isn't case
sensitive.
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My
new lead article "Greening Your Home - With No
Money
Down"
On the surface, Sonoma County's new $100
million Energy Independence Program (SCEIP) seems
simple enough, offering property owners government
financing to install solar equipment and improve
energy and water efficiency.
Yet, hiding beneath this mild-mannered exterior,
lies a powerful tool to help us solve some of our
most urgent shared problems. I've been watching
this program emerge for a while, so I'm delighted
to finally be able to tell you about its special
features.
To read this article and find out more, see the
April issue of the wonderful West County Gazette,
which features this article on its cover. Or click
here
to see both text and PDF versions of the
article.
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I'm
speaking at the March 28 Sustainability
Conference
You're invited to my talk at the Sat.
March 28 Sustainability Conference. It's being held
at 1:45 at Nit's Thai House in Guerneville (just
east of town).
My talk is titled "Detoxing Your Life."
My goal is to support folks in nurturing the
health of themselves, their families, and our
shared ecosystem by reducing exposure to everyday
toxics. I'll be offering a systematic approach I've
developed for identifying the everyday toxics in
all areas of your life, prioritizing the ones you
want to reduce, and making a plan for doing so. We
don't have to be powerless to the hidden toxics in
consumer products! In addition to personal actions,
I'll also take a look at community-level
actions.
Bring your specific questions! I've been
researching and writing about this topic for many
years, including writing The Next STEP newsletter
which gently educates people about everyday toxics
and effective alternatives. I'll also be very
interested to hear people's feedback on the
model!
For a full conference schedule, see
http://sustainableconference.sc5.info/CONFERENCESHEDpublic2web.htm
I look forward to seeing you there!
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My
article alerts email
list
If you want to
receive email alerts when my articles are
published, just email that request to me at
<caphealthyworld [at] yahoo.com>. I
won't use your email address for anything
else.
I hope that you find my writing
of interest, and that it serves our greater
connection with nature's wise ways. Thank you to
everyone who supports my work in the world; you
truly do help make it possible.
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Ask
EcoGirl Flies
Again
- In HopeDance!
Ask EcoGirl is appearing
once again in the wonderful HopeDance magazine,
with the column,"Taming Our Tiny Ant
Friends." Yes, we can protect our homes without
resorting to toxic sprays. Here's how!
View this column in the
January/February issue of HopeDance
and at <www.patriciadines.info/EcoGirl2e.html>.
Plus that webpage has information about sending
questions to EcoGirl, being informed about future
columns, and including the wonderful EcoGirl in
your periodical.
Click on Published
Columns to see all
previous columns - and future possible ones. Your
input and requests are most welcome!
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Patricia's
Poem Published in the Wonderful We'Moon
One of my poems has been
published in the 2009 We'Moon datebook. (We'Moon
suggests the notion of women being related
to the moon and its cycles.) I'm honored to
be part of this beautiful best-selling
goddess-inspired calendar, which brings forward
wonderful words and images that honor the poetry of
aligning with the Earth's sacred ways. Click
here
for more about We'Moon,
including ordering their upcoming calendars and
other products.
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Lead Article:
"Delighting
in Our Delicious Local
Farms"
The cover of the May
West County Gazette features my lead
article, "Delighting in Our Delicious Local Farms."
The Editor, Vesta, asked me to write this piece,
wanting to lead with something that was both fun
and informative, which she knows I love to do. With
my piece in hand, she did a beautiful job of laying
it out. We've both been delighted to hear the
enthusiastic reader feedback as well as see the
issue fly off newstands - with some places running
out in just a few days! Yay team!! (Of course, she
has lots of other wonderful articles in there too.
She's great at bringing forward a diversity of
interesting voices and info.)
You can view this article in the
May issue of the West
County Gazette. To
download the PDF, click here.
Reader
feedback
"Excellent articles Patricia - and
fun to read! Congratulations on the colorful
front page placement and thanks for
continuing to make a difference for the masses
by educating via your passion and talent for
writing. EcoGirl will soon be flying into
other communities and publications, I can feel
it.Good luck with her."
Melissa Weaver, Educator, Enhanced Health
Systems
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Patricia's
EcoNews Blog
(Reborn, In a New Updated Format!)
Here's a totally personal
selection of news stories that I think are
especially relevant for those of us who want a
better world for all. Topics include the
environment, energy, health, toxics, organics, the
economy, true democracy, and community. Plus I
include a little personal commentary along the
way!
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Your ideas and information
invited for an article I'm working
on:
Green consultants - I'm
looking for those in Sonoma County who offer to
help a homeowner or small business be more green.
I'm also interested in the experiences of those
who've used such services, and the questions of
those who would like to.
Just email me at pd [at]
patriciadines.info with your thoughts.
Thanks!
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What
the Latest News About Organics Really
Means
Scary headlines and
inaccurate articles are clouding consumers ability
to understand what's really going on right now.
Click here
to get the straight facts so you can make wise
choices and take meaningful actions.
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- We Had
Fun at the Harmony Festival
Patricia Dines was part of the
Global Cooling Panel at the (wonderful!) Harmony
Festival, Sunday June 10, at the Sonoma County
Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. It was fun to connect
with folks and spread the word about the joy we can
feel when we make a positive difference in the
world.
The Festival is presented annually and has lots
of fun people, information, products, music, and
more. They call it "Northern
California's Premier Music, Camping &
Sustainable Lifestyle Festival." It's offerings
include "World Class Music & Speakers on
multiple stages for 3 Days and 3 Nights of
Entertainment, Arts, Ecology& Healthful
Living." This year's theme is "Promoting Global
Cooling." For more information, see www.harmonyfestival.com.
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Sebastopol
Peak Oil Report Released
Patricia Dines was
Executive Editor & Report Coordinator of the
report,
"Charting a Path for a New
Energy Future for Sebastopol."
This report was produced for the Sebastopol City
Council by the Sebastopol Citizens Advisory Group
on Energy Vulnerability (CAGE). The purpose was to
help the City explore how to maintain public
services in the face of anticipated significant
energy supply shortfalls (aka peak oil). Sebastopol
was one of the world's first cities to take formal
public action to explore this issue (just as it was
one of the first U.S. cities to commit to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions).
CAGE spent over a year in focused research and
analysis, understanding the facts and possible
scenarios, exploring innovative and realistic ways
to approach these issues, and understanding the
workings of Sebastopol's operations. The resulting
report was presented to the City Council by Ms.
Dines on April 3, 2007. All Councilmembers was
warmly appreciative of the quality of the
information and usefulness of the report.
Click here
for the resume page summarizing the report and the
responses.This page includes a link to an article
about this report and a link to the final
report.
Thank you to everyone in CAGE and beyond who
contributed to this report's successful completion,
and to the Sebastopol City Council for seeking to
look forward and act proactively in the best
interests of the community.
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