RiverFest

Portland's new city-wide, sustainable event focused on beautifying the Willamette river. It will take place the last week of August and first week of September, sanctioning other community events. Stay tuned for more details...

Earth Day

Yesterday's Earth Day event was a success. I stood outside in the rain with my friend Patrick from Guayaki and sipped yerba mate, while talking with people about the rainforest, sustainable business and other topics of intrigue. I believe global warming was mentioned here and there, as well as the health benefits of mint, mate, and other healing plants.

I have two questions for you today:
1.) Why is April 22nd the only "Earth Day;" should we not be striving for good environmental stewardship daily?

2.) If everyone is polluting anyway, and we find out about major violations to the Earth ten, twenty or even fifty years down the road, why even bother with sustainability?

PSU Net Impact

We at PSU Net Impact will be attending Earth Day, April 22nd on the South Park blocks, and are hosting Patrick from Guayaki. I encourage you to stop by and find out what we are all about!

Will there be any other Earth Day events in town? I would love to hear about them.

Nepalese Paper

What if making paper was as harmless to a tree as making yarn is harmless to sheep? It can be. In the making of traditional Nepalese paper, the a bush called Lokta is stripped of its bark for processing into pulp, but it is left to regenerate. Harvesting the bark is actually beneficial for the long-term health of the plant. Generations have used this paper for centuries, although scholars differ on when and where it was first used.

I recently met a representative from NepalesePaper.com, and I encourage you to look into the paper products. Take a look at their products, and let me know what you think.