Recycling and Pilcrow

Practicing what I preach has been a goal for sometime and though right now I am cutting some corners to save some water, the practice has become a mission and sometimes a blessing. A dear friend is hosting the literary festival Pilcrow and asked me to supply the environmental consulting. At first I thought it just meant fashioning recycling receptacles and it does, but it also means I will handle all of the recycling without help from "corporate" and/or "city" help. It must remain true to the local guys. I picked up a pallet of wood from a local landscaping business, Lake Street Landscape Supply to break apart and fashion some recycling receptacles so that they could be reused, easy to transport, and not plastic. As I realized no matter how much I loved using power tools and could hold my own, I had no idea how to blue print not only the cutting, but then the hinges. What became the most daunting task was that my one good connection with power tools moved. Plan D was to put an add in Craigs to see if someone would loan me their power tools for the afternoon or to ask for help on how to work the construction. My original idea was to acquire cheaply and/or borrow a few walkers with wheels. I think I insulted the companies I inquired with as no one responded. So sad. The initial plan was to ask local recycling resources for assistance in a pick up, but all asked for money by donation or otherwise and I totally understand. I couldn't give them numbers because I wouldn't know the exact situation for this first time venture for the recycling job and the festival itself. As a last ditch before purchasing lame plastic receptacles from Target, I went to the Salvation Army to see if they had ANYTHING suitable for what I was in need and voila! right there under the table in the middle of clothes and purses galore were these five tray tables waiting for me. A little pricier than I expected, but wouldn't you know, they were tagged with a 'made in burma' sticker. I thought, 'what a weird coincidence' because it had only been a day or two since the typhoon, but then I thought, 'are they trying to make more $ off these because of Burma?' Who knows. Whatever, so I got my recycling receptacles, but who knows how well they will work. We know that over 80 participants are ready to be on panels and I couldn't tell you how many fans will attend, so this is quite adventurous for all involved.

Yesterday I attended the Green Festival here in Chicago. 2nd year running and once again, IT WAS FABULOUS!!!! I love, love, love LOVE it that people want to save our planet. I just wish the old farts would take heed and listen to the not-only-grassroots-hippie-environmental-folks, but listen to the land and our health. They are both screaming for a change. I ain't just talking Obama, but I will shout his name from the mountain tops with pride for this country if we correctly put him in the White House.


Come out to Pilcrow! Support your local publishers, your local shops, your local farmers, your local everything! And if you publish anything, maybe think about using these guys.