Environment Archives - Page 3 of 4

Oct

We’re Green!

Our photography business is green. To make our eco-friendly wedding photography business comply with green standards, we put solar panels on our roof, drive hybrid and electric vehicles (EV) and now our delivery system is all electronic. We’ve greatly reduced our carbon footprint and have a 85% recycle to trash ratio, including composting of organic waste. Our workspace is energy efficient and we are working with a LEED consultant to certify our studio.

Our photography business is green. Read More

Jul

Sting and Peter Gabriel Rock!

Sting and Peter Gabriel rock the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan.

35 years ago, my not-yet roommate was belting a song on our college quad about a guy who died in a South African prison. “Who sings about stuff like that?” I wondered.

Peter Gabriel sings about stuff like that.

On that same quad, someone’s radio was playing a boppin’ song from a British band and to this day I remember my introduction to Sting as he sang with his band The Police.

Sting also sings politically charged songs. Peter Gabriel also sings boppin’ songs. They’re on tour together and I got to witness their synthesis last night at The Palace.

“Buckingham Palace?” my cousin Keith joked via text. No, although they’re both British, this was at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Apr

The Power of Solar

Talented, funny installers from Strawberry Solar — Will Held, Connor Lark and Joe Nagle — attach panels to our garage roof in rain, sleet and snow.

For about the price of an average used car, we’ve decided to install solar panels on our garage roof.

Jul

Sleeping Outside of the Box

It’s 4:34 am.

I call this time “heh.” I’ve written about it in the past, back when my digital clock seemed to be chuckling at me. Turn 4:34 upside down and it says hEh.

Heh, you’re not sleeping. Heh, those thoughts racing through your brain are going nowhere fast. Heh.

May

Ah, Spring

The bright red tulips magically sprang forth from the secret bulbs I planted for my wife last fall.

“There ain’t no better time of year.”

That’s what I wrote to my college roommate who has been going through his mother’s death, a divorce, a job loss, long-term unemployment and then, whoosh, finally a new job.

We’ve been there for each other over the years. He for me during my insane sicknesses and now me for him. I tell ya, it’s great to give back.
Read More

Apr

Happy Earth Day/Birthday

My grandmother turns 99 and Earth Day turns 35.

I snapped these daffodils (or “jonquils” as my mother calls them) growing in our garden to honor them both.

Jan

Coming of age in the pre-digital era

When you spent forever photographing a subject and at the end, they asked you what channel they’d be on.

May

Detroit just got a little bit GREENer

The secret email arrived late at night with the Porky Pig insignia.

SUBJECT LINE: “What can one person do to make a difference?”

Like those old-school raves of the 1990s, we were informed where to go, but the note ended. “Psssst … now you know the location, so guard the secret.”

May

Green With Envy

Anyone have a good line on a yard pump? I’m looking for something that surely doesn’t exist, sort of like a reverse sprinkler. I want a device that sucks the water back off my lawn, into some pipes, then sends it along its merry way wherever water goes when it’s not welcome — the Southwest maybe.

I know it’s sacrilegious to moan about excess water during these days of extreme global climate change. But that’s sort of my point; any excess of any kind points to what scientists have proven long ago, we’re screwing around too much with Mother Earth.

Oct

Gray Weeds

I could feel it sneaking up on me.

On days like today, too, where it’s 17 o’clock in the afternoon, the sun cashes in its chips and heads south early, as if there’s something even he or she would rather be doing than warding off the darkness. October fades to winter and we here in the North can’t do a darn thing about it.

1 234