The Driven

        Today we spent a good amount of time on the sand dunes of the Oregon Coast.  The sight of them was something that I thought only existed in the driest parts of the Sahara, yet there we were, sand buggying through over 40 miles of sand dunes, periodically interspersed with the above-ground portions of an underground spring.  This wasn’t the first time I found myself surprised at what I didn’t know about the country I call home, either.  In Olympia, WA, we were in a (temperate) rainforest, something else that I thought only existed outside of the United States.  It raises an interesting question.  What natural wonders are you missing out on that might be just a day-trip away?  Find out. It will definitely make you think twice about leaving the country just to see something spectacular.

        Here’s something to think about: in 1983, it was legal in all 50 states to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation.  The discussion of marriage equality didn’t even exist.  Just 30 years later though, millions gather across the country in their respective cities throughout the month of June in support of the GLBTQ community. Currently 8 states allow same-sex marriage, and homosexuals are able to serve openly in the military to defend our freedom.  It’s interesting to think about how an entire country can start to shift its attitude about a social issue in such a short amount of time.  30 years.  What will we be debating in the year 2042?

        Today on our drive, entering into the beautiful state of Washington, we pulled over at a rest stop where we had the chance to stretch our legs and use the bathroom. We also found the opportunity to support a local entrepreneur and his son who were selling cherries out of their car. Not only did we get a pound of the sweetest cherries I've ever had, but we were also reminded of how helpful a little bit of support can be for rising entrepreneurs. 

        If you aren't familiar with it already, I strongly recommend checking out out Kiva.org.  Loaning a small amount of money to someone can go an incredibly long way.  I challenge you to do something today that you normally wouldn't for the benefit of someone else.

        Many of us live in or around large cities across the US.  Each of these cities is likely divided into a number of separate areas represented by one specific legislator.  These areas are often called districts or wards, while the legislators themselves are usually referred to as aldermen.  In most cities a portion of the collected tax is budgeted to each district for that district’s alderman to use as (s)he wishes, assuming that it will benefit the infrastructure of the city.
        Participatory Budgeting (PB) gives a voice to the people on how that money is spent.  There are varying models for PB, but typically, a group of volunteers bring several projects into discussion, and they vote on what they think will be most beneficial.  Those projects are then put onto the ballot during elections, and the community decides where they want the money to be spent.
        After learning what PB is, you’re probably asking yourself what the big deal is.  It’s not necessarily and innovative idea; in fact, it seems like common sense.  You might be surprised to find out, however, that only a few years ago the 49thWard of Chicago was the first to ever utilize the PB model in the US.  Since then, other districts in large cities have adopted the model, including New York and Los Angeles, but to date, only the small city of Vallejo, CA, has shown interest in adopting the model at a city-wide level.
        To learn more about the participatory budgeting movement or to find out how your community can adopt this model, please visit, http://www.participatorybudgeting.org/

        After leaving Cincinnati, headed for our first stop in Chicago, we found ourselves looking out at hundreds of white structures, upright and interrupting the miles of green fields in front of us.  I’m talking about windmills.  I was surprised to see so many of them.  Typically when I think of windmills, I picture Holland.  The United States definitely has a reputation of doing very little in the search for renewable energy sources.  So I decided to consult my favorite source of truth (Google), in order to find out a little more about this booming energy source.              
         The wind turbine was actually first invented for automatic electricity production in Cleveland, OH.  A typical wind turbine costs about $3.5 million dollars to install.  However, a 10kW machine, which is able to power the average home, costs between $35,000 and $50,000.
         For more information on wind power in the United States, or to learn how your community might be able to join the movement for progressive renewable energy sources, please visit http://www.windustry.org/