Green Living Magazine- August 2022

your conscious life

GREEN LIVING August 2022

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Family Adventures Camping Off Grid Day Tripping to Northern Arizona Sustainable Back to School items Unconditional Love - An Arizona Family's Journey

US $4.99

Green Living AZ 13845 N Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85254

WITHOUT WATE R, THE RE I S NO WILDLIFE. Water is wildlife’s most important resource,

But Arizona is in a cycle of long-term

and it’s vital for more than just quenching

drought, which means there’s less available

thirst. Fish and frogs live in or near water

water for animals and a bigger fight for

their whole lives. Birds use water to keep

their survival. And as temperatures here

their feathers clean and free of parasites,

rise, their search for water becomes even

and larger animals like elk use water to

more crucial.

cool down their bodies.

S E N D WATE R. G IVE LIFE .

Donate today and help Arizona Game & Fish Department deliver lifesaving water to 3,000 wildlife waters around the state.

LEA R N MORE OR DONATE AT SendWater.org or text SENDWATER to 41444

The Power of Oxygen

BY MICHAEL GEYER

Oxygen is one of the most powerful elements in the universe. It provides life to just about every living organism on the planet. Even the aquatic life in our salt water and fresh bodies of water need oxygen to survive. Our bodies need oxygen to produce energy from the food we eat. So it’s understandable that oxygen is essential for a healthy life.

According to most scientists, much of the oxygen we breathe comes from our great oceans around the globe. The rest of it comes from the trees and vegetation.

Unfortunately, over the years, our oceans have become more and more polluted and contaminated with trash, chemicals, wastewater and numerous other industrial waste products. We are ultimately responsible for our own possible extinction.

Doctors and scientists show that low oxygen concentrations in our bodies can lead to numerous health problems like heart disease, cancer, COPD, diabetes and much more. Hospitals and medical centers use a “Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber” as a means of treating different diseases in their patients with pure oxygen. With higher than normal levels of oxygen, the system forces it into the body to help with the healing process.

Today’s scientists are discovering the benefits of utilizing oxygen for healthy living.

Exceptional Water Systems has been implementing oxygen and other natural elements for water treatment for over 10 years. It’s quite astonishing to see what pure elements can do for water quality. We diffuse pure oxygen and ozone into the water to create some of the healthiest swimming experiences. The oxygen provides another layer of a mild natural sanitizer and oxidizer in the water.

Swimmers will notice that the water has a soft silky feeling — just like being in salt water — except much healthier. When we utilize ozone it provides the water with the strongest sanitizer and oxidizer on the planet and without unwanted byproducts. The stories we hear from our clients on a regular basis are absolutely remarkable — with some of the most wonderful experiences we could ever imagine.

To learn more about how our systems can help, please contact us at 480-694-4709 or sales@exwsystems.com.

Exceptional Water Systems is dedicated to providing healthy water for humanity!

Utilizing natural elements to balance water.

We are committed to making water pure.

Experience a Chemical-Free Swimming Environment Visit EXWSYSTEMS.COM to learn more!

Call today at 480-694-4709 451 E Juanita Ave. Suite 20, Mesa, AZ 85204

CONTENTS

EVENT RECAP

August 2022

14 16

Investing in Neighborhoods Green Living Natural Pet Expo

GOOD

18 mní wičhóni (“water is life”) 20 I See You 22 Something to Give The sacredness of water

Learning about unconditional love

Learning to forgive, even in genocide

STYLE

24 Crystal Healing

Meet Energy Muse founder, Heather Askinosie

HOME

28 Back to School Sustainable supplies

SAVOR

40 Meet Emma Zimmerman 42 “The Miller’s Daughter.”

Co-founder of Hayden Flour Mills

62 31 Evolution of a Family 34 37 I’m a Parent of a Transgender Adult Shooting for the Moon 38 Going Off Grid With the Family

Taking the backroads with Pin Drop Travel Trailers

A story of unconditional love

One mother’s journey

Moonshot helps entrepreneurs reach for the stars

About the cover: Pin Drop Travel Trailers are emerging on the scene. Owners Ruth Ellen and Tim Elinski take the family off-grid to undisclosed locations, using solar power for energy and has a low carbon footprint. Photo by Larry Pittman

GREEN LIVING

TRAVEL

44 Day tripping in Northern Arizona 46 Places to Go 50 What is Slow Tourism?

Gas tank getaways for end of summer Sustainable Flagstaff

FEATURES

4

Recipes from Emma Zimmerman’s new cookbook

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Finding the nuances of places to visit

DESIGN

52 Emerging Art & Architecture Gensler’s design of art in public places

TECHNOLOGY

56 EV Cars 58 Sustainable Action

More than just an electric vehicle Initiating conversations

IN EVERY ISSUE

6 6 8 10 12 60 62

Editor’s Note Contributors On the Web What's Hot Cool Outrageous Stuff She's Green-He's Green Green Scenes

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EDITOR'S

Note

Contributors

Hello Everyone — It’s the “Dog Days” of Summer — Especially in Arizona!

“Life happens for you, not to you.”

This quote has stuck in my mind since the moment I heard it. Motivational coach and author Tony Robbins spoke these words during one of his seminars I attended. It became a mantra that he repeated over and over. When things occur in our lives, it’s easy to say, “Why is this happening to me?” When in essence, it is happening for you. Whatever is occurring in your life — both good and bad — causes change to take place. These situations shape us into the people we’re meant to become.

Problems call us to a higher level. I’m a firm believer in this.

The most compelling success stories involve struggle. We spend most of our lives trying to avoid pain and failure, but we should embrace these moments.

Everyone struggles. We can’t avoid pain or failure, but we can master how we choose to handle our emotions.

I met Scott and Kiersten Hathcock in October 2021 during a Moonshot event that I participated in. Moonshot is similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to judges. You meet professionals in the business world who will guide you in your business endeavors. In this issue of Green Living magazine, you will learn all about the Moonshot program.

Their program is for those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, and they’re usually the ones that do.

Scott and Kiersten have two children, Natalie, 23, and Grace, 19. On the outside they look like the quintessential all-American family, however, their family life is full of twists and turns, filled with stories of childhood abuse, a broken marriage, career success and failures and emotional distress. At any time they could’ve said, “Why is this happening to me?” But they didn’t.

Their story is about pain, suffering, grace, patience, tolerance, empathy and unconditional love.

Kiersten Parsons Hathcock Kiersten is the author of “Little Voices: How Kids in Spirit Helped a Reluctant Medium Escape and Heal from Abuse” is an award-winning, self-taught carpenter/furniture designer and founder of Mod Mom Furniture, a kids’ furniture company featured on ABC's “Shark Tank.” She’s also a TEDx speaker and an intuitive medium who works for the National Institute for Law and Justice helping detectives and families uncover truth in missing persons and homicide cases. She now resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband Scott, daughters Natalie and Grace, and pup Scout.

Their story indicates that life is not so simple, and not so black and white.

Kiersten also shares her story about being a mom to a transgender adult. The Hathcock family teaches important life lessons and what it means to be a family.

The August issue of Green Living magazine is filled with back-to-school items and day trips to Northern Arizona. And if you enjoy camping, check out the story on Pin Drop Travel Trailers. Ruth Ellen and Tim Elinski are entrepreneurs who wanted to enhance their own camping experience.

By creating a solar-powered tear drop trailer, they can now go off grid to undisclosed locations [they won’t divulge where] and spend quality time with their two girls.

You will also learn about the power of crystal healing from Heather Askinosie, co-founder of Energy Muse, and try out delicious recipes from Emma Zimmerman, co-owner of Hayden Flour Mills.

I hope your August is filled with fun adventures and inspiring moments.

Enjoy your family time. Remember: “Life happens for you, not to you.” Repeat this daily so it becomes your mantra.

In Celebration of Our Planet —

Carol

Correction: We inadvertently misspelled Governor of Gila River Indian Community, Stephen Roe Lewis's name on page 36 of our Jun/Jul Issue.

Carol Kahn Managing Editor

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Nicholas Wise Nicholas Wise is with the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University where he specializes and teaches in the areas of tourism planning and development. He has conducted events and tourism research in different countries around the world, with recent publications focusing on cases in Serbia and Croatia. He is the author of two recent books, “A Research Agenda for Event Impacts “and “Tourism, Cultural Heritage and Urban Regeneration: Changing Spaces in Historical Places.”

your conscious life

GREEN LIVING greenlivingmag.com

PUBLISHER MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ART DIRECTION & DESIGN DESIGN & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

Dorie Morales Carol Kahn Onna Young Sly Panda Design Maja Peirce Corinna Houston

CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer Burkhart John Burkhart Tyler Butler Gareth Gwyn Kiersten Parsons Hathcock Alena Jutilla TJ Keogh

Shey Khandro Dylan Naugle Alyssa Sampson Nicholas Wise Stacey Wittig Steven G. Zylstra

ADVERTISING SALES Greg Gunawan - greg.g@greenlivingmag.com Michelle Bussey - michelle.b@greenliving.mag.com Dorie Morales - sales@greenlivingmag.com

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! CONTACT US AT:

Subscriptions: hello@greenlivingmag.com Advertising: sales@greenlivingmag.com Editorial: editor@greenlivingmag.com

480.840.1589 • www.greenlivingmag.com 13845 N Scottsdale Rd, Ste. 201, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Please recycle this magazine Green Living magazine is a monthly publication by Traditional Media Group, LLC. Periodical rate postage paid at Scottsdale, AZ. Publisher assumes no responsibility for contributed manuscripts, editorial content, claims, reviews, photographs, artwork or advertisements. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the company or official policies. Entire contents © 2020 Traditional Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content in any manner without permission by the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed columns and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged to do so in writing. One print subscription is $25 per year or digital subscription is $12 per year. Canadian orders please add $13 per year for shipping and handling. International orders add $22 per year for shipping and handling. Bulk and/or corporate rates available. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions. Green Living magazine is printed on recycled paper.

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ON THE

Web

This month on greenlivingmag.com and social media. /greenlivingmagaz

@greenlivingaz

@greenlivingaz

@greenlivingmag

GOOD

TRAVEL

EVENTS

​​Looking for the Purrfect Pet?

Aiming High in the Sky With Hydrogen

Look no FURther. The Arizona Humane Society would like to reach its goal of getting 750 pets adopted by the end of July and are waiving adoption fees.

Green Living takes a closer look at how aviation is now the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen, along with Delta Airlines, push the newest advancements in the ongoing effort towards sustainable aviation.

Natural Pet Expo: Beat the Heat With Furry Friends Green Living joined efforts with Heidi’s Village for the first ever Natural Pet Expo. This event was a fantastic opportunity to join others that care about their pet’s health and check out some amazing local pet vendors with products and services.

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

Green Living hosted a Pet Photo Contest Giveaway with a chance to win a basket from Fetch Natural Pet Market, Lori’s Grooming, Boarding & Daycare and Haton Pet Portrait Studio gift cards. Four adorable puppies sent in their best headshots and after Green Living readers voted, the winner received the basket full of pet prizes.

Green Living didn’t want anyone to miss out celebrating Juneteenth this summer. We curated a few parties and festivals happening around the Valley, ranging from the first annual Juneteenth on the Lake to a Vegan Block Party with poetry, music and food vendors.

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Virginia G. Piper Cancer Care Network

PROVIDING A LEVEL OF CANCER CARE, GROUNDBREAKING THERAPIES AND SUPPORT THAT DEFIES THE EXPECTED At HonorHealth Virginia G. Piper Cancer Care Network, you’ll find:  Advanced imaging diagnostics  Largest gynecologic oncology and surgical breast oncology groups in the region  Expert multidisciplinary teams treating colorectal, pancreatic, lung/esophagus, urologic and neuro oncologic disease

 Leukemia, hematology and blood disorder therapies  Bone marrow transplant and CAR-T therapies  Extensive clinical research trials  Support services, dietitians, financial assistance and more

Meet with an HonorHealth provider — within 48 hours if you’d like.

Call 1-855-485-4673.

Locations are available across the Valley.

è HonorHealth.com/cancer 386530_0722

WHAT'S

Hot

Enroot Tea NASA Discoveries The first images of the James Webb Space Telescope give us a glimpse of what's to come from NASA’s $10B observatory. Its predecessor Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990 and helped us pin down the age of the universe, discovered two moons of Pluto and assisted in determining the rate the universe is expanding. Now, with the James Webb Telescope, the cosmic cliffs of the active star-forming region of Carina Nebula, the Southern Ring Nebula coined as “the last performance of a dying star,” the five galaxies that make up Stephan's Quintet and galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 are clearer to us than ever before. This is just the tip of the iceberg with so many more discoveries to come from this brand new technology.

You’ve heard of cold brew coffee but Enroot was created for all the tea lovers out there. Brad Pitt, Cristina Patwa and John Fogelman established Enroot to be a farm-to-bottle, three-day, slow-brewed sparkling wellness tea crafted

by James Beard chefs. With exotic flavors like Raspberry & Mint White Peony Tea, or Peach and Hibiscus Jasmine Green Tea and there is something new for everyone.

Their ingredients are sourced responsibly, paying special attention to protecting natural resources, biodiversity, soil and water health, prohibition of GMOs, animal welfare and biological-based pest management. Enroot is also the first startup within the food and beverage industry to work with SCS Global Services, a leading independent sustainability certification body.

Regenerative Farming Eileen Fisher Renew Eileen Fisher is known for her sustainable practices as a world-renowned fashion designer, but not many know about her Renew program. Eileen Fisher Renew is dedicated to taking used clothing bought from them and repurposing it to give the textile new life. The brand has taken over 1.5 million pieces since 2009 and resold, donated or remade them into new designs. It is part of their vision for a future without wasted clothes. First, you return clothes you no longer want, they sort the clothing, clean the clothing and you purchase from their Renew store. They have calculated that 47% of resources are saved when you buy from their Renew line than if you were to buy new. This exciting circular design has the potential to change the way we look at fashion seasons and the ever-growing desire for new designs.

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In Sebastopol, California, a town a north of San Francisco, is an 8.8-acre farm owned and operated by Elizabeth and Paul Kaiser. The surrounding area was originally managed by the Kashaya Pomo and Coast Miwok Peoples. The Kaiser family honors the land through regenerative farming and preserves long-standing native basket grasses the Indigenous people utilized for weaving water-tight baskets.

Singing Frogs Farm is an organic vegetable and flower farm, meaning they use no sprays of any kind and rely entirely on the natural cycle of the ecological system. The animals live in harmony with the plants and are left to roam freely.

A 2019 study showed that when compared to an organic but not regenerative farm, Singing Frogs Farm produced over 400% more soil carbon, a seven times greater water filtration rate, 300% more soil biology and overall the soil stood three times healthier.

COOL

STUFF Outrageous

1

3

2

4

1 LuminAID Solar Inflatable Light A great source of illumination while camping, whether you don’t know how to start a fire or still need to see without the heat. Lightweight and compact, it provides more light than a flashlight and more portability than a fire, making it a great addition to pack.

2 GRAYL Ultralight Compact Purifier GRAYL’s portable water filter will keep you drinking safe water wherever you go. Light and compact, it fits in almost any bag or pouch, filtering and purifying two liters of water per minute. It’s a sustainable option that can be used for 40 gallons before replacing the purifier cartridge.

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3 Pivo Pod If you don’t document it, did it even happen? Pivo Pod is a great alternative tripod that is easily moved and requires no setup. It has autotracking and zoom with a panoramic mount to make sure you always get the best shots, no matter where you are.

4 Scrubba Wash Bag This ultralight bag is a great alternative washing machine on the go. Ideal for hiking and camping trips to keep your pack lighter and your clothes clean. Small enough to fit in your pocket, it can clean a few articles of clothing in a couple minutes and doubles as a drying basket as well.

ARIZONA’S WILDLIFE IS THIRSTY FOR SURVIVAL

W

hen Arizona’s summer heat kicks in, there’s nothing more important than filling a water bottle with essential H2O before heading outdoors. There’s no shortage of water taps, coolers, or icy cold bottled water to quench our thirst, but more than 800 species of wildlife in Arizona depend on Arizona Game and Fish to deliver lifesaving water directly to their habitats. Without these efforts, Arizona would see a drastic reduction in wildlife populations.

Arizona Game and Fish has also developed a plan to reduce reliance on hauling water by rebuilding and replacing water catchments, some of which were built as early as the 1940s, with larger systems designed to more-efficiently capture and retain rainfall. Currie says, “This is a big undertaking and it’s hugely expensive but, building these self-sustaining tanks can provide a water source for wildlife that lasts year-round. In the long run, it will save us money, time and effort.”

As Arizona’s long-term drought conditions continue, the impact of Send Water donations is especially powerful.

Imagine seeing a herd of 30 elk trying to drink water that is collecting in a single, muddy footprint. Currie witnessed this one especially dry summer, when he passed a water tank reserved for firefighting in the forest near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. “The elk were staring at an old footprint beside the water tank as a tiny leak filled it,” he recalls. “They took turns stepping up to drink what they could.” Newly designed wildlife waters ensure that elk, deer, pronghorn and bighorn sheep that require larger amounts of water have a supply to sustain healthy populations across all of their habitats.

Send Water donations fund equipment and truck maintenance, construction and refurbishments of wildlife waters, and the cost of delivering millions of gallons of water to wildlife habitats in every corner of Arizona.

Hauling water to 3,000 wildlife waters across Arizona’s rugged terrain is a huge and costly undertaking, requiring specialized heavy equipment, helicopters and teams of volunteers from partner agencies. Because Arizona Game and Fish does not receive any general fund tax dollars, donor support is critical to the success of the Send Water program.

“Donor support has made all the difference in enabling us to reach wildlife and provide water sources where they are most needed,” says Currie. “Without water, there is no wildlife.”

In 2021, Arizona Game and Fish and its partners hauled a record-setting 2.4 million gallons of water to established wildlife waters at a cost of over $1 million, and the program’s lead planning manager, Joe Currie, predicts that this year’s need for water could surpass that. “This has been a bad year,” Currie reports, “We watch the winter rains, because those are most important for filling water catchments. We didn’t get the winter or spring rains we should have, and we’ve started hauling water even earlier this year.”

Join Arizona Game and Fish in their mission to conserve and protect Arizona’s wildlife.

Donate today at sendwater.org or text SENDWATER to 41444.

EVENT

Recap

Neighborhood Ventures — Communities To Invest In On May 11, Green Living and Neighborhood Ventures cohosted a new investor event to showcase Neighborhood Ventures’ most recent property, Venture on Country Club in Mesa, Arizona. This event was created to inform attendees how to invest in an apartment community for as little as $1000.

Margaritas, Mexican food from Some Burros and fancy drinks were offered to all those who mingled. Raffle prizes helped raise money for the Arizona Housing Fund. Photo spots to stop and snap a pic added to the fun and tours of the new and improved property were conducted.

Speakers included Dorie Morales publisher of Green Living magazine, Jamison Manwaring, co-founder of Neighborhood Ventures, and Howard Epstein from the Arizona Housing Fund.

There was a raffle that benefitted Arizona Housing Fund and attendees received a gift bag.

Photos by MisPrinceArts by Brett Prince

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Polestar — Scottsdale

No compromises Because our future is 100% electric Scan to book a test drive

EVENT

Recap

Green Living Natural Pet Expo This July, Green Living hosted the first ever Natural Pet Expo. This event was hosted by Heidi's Village in hopes of raising awareness of animal rescues and natural pet companies within the greater Phoenix area.

Attendees visited booths consisting of rescue animals, sustainable and pet businesses, as well as an assortment of tea, coffee, donuts and cookies for all to enjoy!

There was a raffle of natural pet products to benefit the rescue efforts of Heidi's Village. And, free gift bags and goodies were given away to our guests compliments of Green Living and the sponsors of the event.

It was great to have local rescues at the event, including Alone No More Dog Rescue, NURDS Rescue, Two Chihuahuas Rescue, Wise Dog and Last Chance Dog Rescue & Rehabilitation.

Green Living partnered with Events by Danielle and Green Travel Queen to plan the event. Green Living thanks our sponsors: Fetch Natural Pet Market, Natural Grocers, Freedom Paws Pet Doors, Shaman CBD American Shaman and Arizona Group Insurance.

Photos by MisPrinceArts by Brett Prince

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GOOD

Mojo

mní wičhóni Water Is Life

BY CAROL KAHN

F

For Indigenous peoples throughout North America, water is considered sacred. Spiritual meaning is encapsulated in the Lakota phrase, mní wičhóni (“water is life”), which has become a rallying cry among Indigenous populations and others fighting to preserve this invaluable resource.

According to Indigenous peoples, First Nations recognize the sacredness of our water, the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of protecting our water from pollution, drought and waste. Water is the giver of all life and without clean water all life will perish. Not only is water life, but water is also alive. It has consciousness.

The Lakota people believe that human thoughts can change the molecular structure of water. They believe that prayer over water transforms it into medicine. Th ​ e Lakota way of prayer honors mní wičhóni.

that water is, in fact, sacred. She also believes that water responds when we have a conscious connection with it.

Several years ago, McCabe talked about her connection to water in a Youtube video titled, “Speaking to the Water.”

Currently, that video has over 1.5 million views. She shared her experience and conversations with water.

This same knowledge and experimentation was proven by Dr. Masaru Emoto, a pioneer in the study of water. His work demonstrated that water is shaped by the environment, thoughts and emotions. His research also showed how polluted and toxic water, when exposed to prayer and intention, can be altered and restored to beautifully formed geometric crystals found in clean, healthy water.

“Water started coming up from the ground. It was so much water — eight gallons a minute at one point — and I was very concerned my house would flood,” McCabe stated. “I began to have this conversaton with the water. As we kept talking, I was able to say, ‘Look, if you need to take my house, it's okay. You can have it because there's something that you're trying to do. And there's something that you're trying to say or perhaps there's something that my community needs, for you to arrive like this. Either way, I will be with you and I will be a protector of you. I can speak on your behalf.”

Pat McCabe (Weyakpa Najin Win, Woman Stands Shining) is a Diné (Navajo) mother, grandmother, activist, artist, writer, ceremonial leader and international speaker. She is a voice for global peace and earth healing. She speaks about the magical, mystical power of water, and champions

McCabe tried to direct the water’s flow saying, “You can't flow this way, because the neighbors are complaining that you're making things too wet for them. You can't flow this other way, because my storage shed is there. So, I'd rather you don't go that way. And, you can't go this way because

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you will flood the street — so I'm not really sure what you can do, but I am asking for your help. I must go now.”

McCabe evacuated from her home and returned a few weeks later. She found that the water did not go in the direction of her neighbors, it did not destroy her home. The water split in two and receeded into the ground.

Continuing her conversation with water, McCabe said, “This water began to talk to me about itself. It asked me to go and find this larger body of water, close by to where I live and to pray in it. I stood in this lake, and began singing a prayer song with my drum over the water. The water started to teach me. It told me that it's good for you to pray into the water. Because when you pray into the water, it intensifies your prayer.”

Indigenous people believe that water that exists in our biosphere is the same water from the beginning of time. As water evaporates it travels through the clouds. The intention you set, your prayers, your words, travel through the clouds, and they can go anywhere they want to go. “Maybe they're going to send a little snow down over the Andes. I could feel that the Andes would say, “Ah, my granddaughter, she's praying… saying good things… she's asking for good things and she's aligning herself with life.”

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McCabe said that water travels and this consciousness that you're emitting in your prayer, into the water, begins to travel throughout the consciousness of this life on the Earth — and not only does it travel over space, but it travels through time, because it has always been the same water.

“Maybe as this Mother Earth travels through the cosmos, we might be gaining some water. But nevertheless, the original water is still here — because this is what we call a closed system. The water just stays here. Every single person, all our ancestors, had a drink from this very water. So, it really does unite us and tie us all together in such a beautiful and graceful way,” she explained.

McCabe says that it’s a call for respect, but also, it's a call for rejoicing. “Look where we are; look how magical this life is.

And we're just talking about one element here, water. That's just one aspect of this element.

There's so much magic and mystery all around us, if we have the eyes to see it — and if we have a way of listening for that teaching and that instruction. So, for me, water is extraordinary and sacred.”

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mní wičhóni half-page ad Green Living June 2022.indd 1 AUGUST

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GOOD

Parable

I See You Unconditional Love

BY SHEY KHANDRO

What if others saw only your best qualities, your highest potential?

What if they each wished for your greatest good?

How would that feel?

What if we could each offer this to each other?

To ourselves?

I

I’m inspired by a story I once heard and tell often.

The story is set in a remote African village far from modern ideas. This ancient tribe has lived together and cared for each other for many generations. Together, as a culture, they focus on cultivating their highest and best qualities for the benefit of the whole community. They put their attention on what they appreciate. In gratitude and joy, they celebrate the beauty and the blessings in their lives

As with any gathering of human beings, from time to time there is someone in the community who does something contrary to the agreed expectations. I was curious to learn how they address these transgressions. It’s quite different from the culture I was raised in. The members of this tribe don’t use their energy to judge, criticize or condemn. They don’t punish, divide or lock people away.

As the story was told to me, Hafrim, the youngest son of a successful farmer, stole the walking stick of a nearby neighbor. Hafrim was intrigued by the intricate carvings and the strong flexible wood. He took it with him on long walks. He would spin and throw and jump with his newly found treasure. His heart knew he had taken what didn’t belong to him; he knew it would not be looked on with favor by his tribe. His pride had wanted it. He convinced himself the old man didn’t need this beautiful stick anymore.

Each day after his walk, Hafrim would hide the stick in the bushes on his way home.

One day Hafrim was spotted returning the stick to its hiding place by the grandson of the neighbor to whom the stick belonged. The grandson shared what he had seen with his grandfather. That night, the leaders of the community called everyone together.

The chief and her husband presided over the gathering.

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Hafrim was asked to sit in the middle of the circle, and he was presented with the stick. As he sat alone in the circle, each member of the tribe came to him and told him of the beautiful qualities they see in him. Some talked about his youthfulness, others his bright and curious spirit. One young woman reminded him of his strong shoulders and sweet smile. Hafrim blushed as he felt joy at her regard.

His father reminded him of the love and respect he always showed his mother. His teachers from school applauded his accomplishments. As he held the stick, he felt a warm flush in his body. He became aware of the pain he had likely caused his neighbor when he took this fine walking stick. Treating it as his own, he had disregarded the feelings of another. He wouldn’t have wanted someone to do this to him.

Hafrim stood, knowing he was loved and cared for; he didn’t feel defensive. He knew clearly it hadn’t been his best choice to take the stick. He turned and bowed to each member of the tribe. When he caught the eye of his elder neighbor, he walked to him and with humility and remorse, handed him the walking stick. Hafrim apologized for his selfish actions.

Hearing the sincerity in his words the grandfather put his arm around Hafrim and asked him about the time he spent with the stick. What did he enjoy about it? Why was it important to him? The old man listened attentively and then shared all about what the stick meant to him.

They each sought to understand the feelings and the actions of the other.

No one in this community is ever condemned for their behavior. They each seek to understand the other, to see in each other their highest and best qualities and to reflect them back, a practice serving the individual and the whole.

You. Happier.

Healthier.

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Can I love my fellow humans enough to meet any unkindness or disrespect they offer with the loving kindness they really need? Can I choose love in each moment?

“Aren’t there times when a person or a situation is not worthy of receiving my love?” my small self asks. “No,” my higher self responds. “Never.”

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GOOD

Forgiveness

Hands That Once Killed Are Hands That Now Serve

BY GARETH GWYN

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Jean Claude’s journey illuminates how empathy for perpetrators can play a vital role in post-conflict collective reconciliation.

I was listening to Jean Claude share his experience as a perpetrator in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. It’s been over 25 years since the atrocities, yet he spoke to them with a memory as clear as if it were yesterday.

I was curious to learn how he almost instantaneously transitioned from friendship and love with his family and neighbors to being able to kill them, and how he then reckoned with his actions, moving through the reconciliation process.

“During the genocide, did you ever feel or hear your intuition speaking doubts to you that what you were doing might not be aligned with your integrity?” Jean Claude responded without hesitation, “Yes.” “What allowed you to ignore this voice and guidance inside you?”

Jean Claude continued, “The Hutu militia held regular pep rallies. So as soon as my doubt would start to creep in, it wouldn’t be long before we’d gather as a group and start singing songs about our superiority and victory. The adrenaline would rise, and my body would fill with justifications as to how what we were doing was righteous. It gave me waves of energy, my intuition drowned out again, and I could continue killing.”

It was part of the wartime reality that any Hutu not in compliance would be murdered immediately alongside the Tutsi. Thus Jean Claude’s environment had him perfectly poised to control him through fear of death and viscerally-induced group think.

Does this context justify Jean Claude’s actions as okay? No. However, taking the time to empathize with what he was

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experiencing can help us in radical ways to understand humanitarian values. Doing the work to process our grief and empathize with the context of those we’ve deemed as perpetrators is crucial, yet we can still hold them accountable for behaviors. We can also create and maintain boundaries with them in the future.

The truth and reconciliation process implemented in Rwandan prisons post-genocide gave perpetrators who were ready the chance to face the magnitude of what they had done. Jean Claude spoke to his experience about the intensity of owning his actions.

The pain arising in his body upon seeing who he had become produced the deepest grief he had ever met. Repentance brought him closer to fully feeling himself as he somatically felt the pain of his impact on others.

After the inner reckoning, Jean Claude got to a place where he was ready to reach out to those he had hurt. One of these survivors was Claudet. During the genocide, Jean Claude had shot her in the shoulder and threw her into the latrine alongside a pile of dead babies.

Jean Claude approached Claudet seven times, bringing his whole family with him, before she felt ready to receive his remorse.

Eventually his persistence and sincerity were received by her, and they ultimately developed a deep friendship.

Claudet has her own distinct story of liberation within this interdependent reconciliation. The experience of a survivor is clearly a different type of pain to process, yet the challenge presented here is to lean into understanding the

way Jean Claude's experiences are equally important in moving forward to address post-conflict resolution processes. His capacity to pursue his own repentance and redemption offered Claudet a way to directly open up to and experience the resilience and humility that every human heart carries. It also allowed her to accept more deeply the imperfect aspects of our shared human family.

The temptation in many reactions to such horrifying atrocities is to condemn the perpetrators as monsters who have no right to be a part of our society. This is a normal response. However, if we are unwilling to move beyond the cycles when our pain becomes revenge, eventually turning us into the very monsters we initially condemned, then we are less likely to be a part of preventing future war and genocide. Recognizing that opening our hearts to empathize with humans who have harmed others does not prevent us from holding them accountable with love and compassion. It enables and empowers us to actively focus on restorative justice — the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.

Are we willing to admit that if we found ourselves in such a vulnerable context that there is a possibility we would lose our values and engage in violent behaviors like Jean Claude's?

Are we willing to admit that if we dehumanize Jean Claude for his behaviors that we are perpetuating the cycles of hate?

Are we willing to admit that coming from a place of empathy and love allows us to hold those that hurt us (and others) accountable in ways that are more effective, lasting and

restorative than if we condemn them? Are we willing to admit that moving towards reconciliation and peace does not mean eliminating perpetrators, but rather including them in our healing process of forgiveness and grief?

Jean Claude and Claudet’s story is featured in the awardwinning 2020 short documentary, Something to Give. The film celebrates multiple stories of survivors and perpetrators undergoing reconciliation processes. Grappling with the traumas of dark atrocities, these leaders offer our world community a glimpse of what it looks like to orient away from revenge and move towards sourcing peace and forgiveness from within. The featured story of Hyppolite Ntigurirwa reveals how his performing arts serve as a grounding foundation that roots the collective stories in the pathway towards unification, love and peace.

To learn more visit: www.imdb.com/title/tt15268872/ and www.letsseelabs.com/work/rwanda-genocide-andreconciliation.

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STYLE

Crystals

A Trailblazer in Crystal Healing

How Heather Askinosie, co-founder of Energy Muse, uses crystal energy for deeper connection, inner empowerment and intentional living.

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BY ALENA JUTILLA

In today’s fast-paced world of high-tech and 24/7 screen time, humans have increasingly become disconnected from nature and the planet we call home. That disconnection is something Heather Askinosie works every day to diminish, through crystal healing and her online retail business, Energy Muse.

This story begins nearly 30 years ago. At the time, Askinosie was a successful business woman whose life looked almost perfect on paper. But something was missing. She was searching and yearning for connection and deeper contentment. When she first laid eyes on a gorgeous amethyst crystal, she found what she was looking for.

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“When I started to hold stones in my hand, it was just something that helped me get grounded. It was something that I can't really explain, it was just a feeling. It was something I could hold on to, it was like a talisman… It was anchoring,” Askinosie says of her start with crystal healing.

Always the researcher, and maybe a little bit of a skeptic, Askinosie set out to learn more about the magical properties these crystals possessed — a task much easier said than done considering there were very few published books focused on crystal healing 28 years ago. She reached out to the author of one of the few crystal books on the market and asked “Will you teach me?” Within 48 hours, she was on a plane to Hawaii.

“I went there and she laid crystals on my body … At that point she was like, ‘I want you to understand what the energy of the Earth feels like’ and I felt my body drop.” That is when Askinosie knew this was something powerful. She was ready to dive in and learn more.

experienced a lot of mainstream resistance. Luckily, those days are long gone as personal well-being and energetic awareness are commonplace and prioritized by many.

Askinosie thinks this mainstream shift is a great one that will raise the consciousness of the planet.

Energy Muse has stayed true to its focus on empowerment all these years. Not only does the company sell crystals, jewelry and other healing modalities, the website features a large library of educational information, designed for all experience levels. Askinosie says, “I am an information person. I want to serve up what I wanted myself.”

New and exciting things are added to Energy Muse’s offerings every day. The best part? They are things that the Energy Muse community is asking for. Askinosie makes a point to listen to her clientele, interact with them on social media, and frequently send out emails asking for feedback.

Once she returned to the mainland United States, Askinosie knew she wanted to create something tangible out of that profound feeling she had experienced in Hawaii. That is how the Prosperity Necklace came to be. Partnering with long-time best friend, Timmi Jandro, Energy Muse was born.

Energy Muse was initially a word-ofmouth company.

Askinosie would reach out to people and ask them to wear the pieces for 10 days or so and then ask for feedback on what these individuals felt while wearing the crystals.

And the reviews were raving — from within. People shared how their thought patterns and intentions changed. They started to recognize how powerful their minds were and the crystals helped them do that.

According to Askinosie, the goal of Energy Muse was never to take away people’s power but instead give them something that was empowering, tangible and showed them that they can create whatever they focus on. The crystals were simply a tool to put people “in the driver’s seat” of their own lives.

Many of Energy Muse’s early customers were athletes and top executives — those who were always looking for the cutting edge. Being one of the first of its kind, the company

The latest trend her busy customers have been demanding? Kits.

Energy Muse now makes it easy to start, or continue, a crystal healing journey with kits that take away the extra time dedicated to answering the question: “Which crystals should I buy?”

Askinosie wants Energy Muse to embody accessibility through affordability. “Everyone works hard for their money,” she says, which is why simplicity, high quality and attainable price tags are key pillars of the company. No matter what you’re looking for, Energy Muse has a kit or bundle ready to use, whether you’re focusing on protection, clearing your space, sleep, setting boundaries, love, grounding, the list truly does go on.

And every product at Energy Muse is there for a reason.

When discussing what makes Energy Muse different, Askinosie says, “We specialize in formulas and come up with formulas to help shift people’s energy. It’s why we got on the map.”

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Offered 100% online, the Energy Muse website gives customers an interactive shopping experience without a storefront. You can browse the products in an engaging way, without ever leaving your home, from anywhere in the world.

Askinosie is proud that Energy Muse is not a gatekeeper of information, but instead a trailblazing women-owned business that has always prioritized giving customers free access to the world of crystal healing.

From Askinosie’s perspective, crystals are how we can reconnect with Mother Nature. They are literally of this Earth as they come directly from the ground, from different parts of the world, and serve as daily reminders that we all share the same home. Their properties and molecular structures all vary, so each crystal is unique and profound in its own way. There is vast history and lore attached to crystals throughout time and they can inspire deep selfreflection of ourselves.

“I think they have a lot to teach us. They come from all over the world and yet all work together very well … They remind me more of the humanity of humans,” she says.

Crystal healing is a way of life for Askinosie. From the crystal reiki healer that showed up with stones after her

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second child was born, to the protection crystals in her car, to the ones on her nightstand and in her home, they are part of her daily routine just like breathing. “It’s not separate for me,” she says.

Crystals have incredibly different effects on different people.

There is no one-size-fits-all method to finding the right crystals for your life, though as Aksinosie says, “It’s not complicated.”

Discovering the right crystals and incorporating them in your life demands personal responsibility and ownership of yourself. That is their true power. “They are here to help us tune into ourselves,” Askinosie says.

If you’re looking to begin a crystal journey, Energy Muse is here with a large array of crystals, jewelry and other healing modalities that will guide you on your path to an intentional life, inner empowerment and true reconnection to the magnificent Earth we all share.

To learn more about Energy Muse and Heather Askinosie, visit www.energymuse.com.

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HOME

School

Back to School Sustainably

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The heat of summer is in full swing. Families are enjoying vacations, beaches and all the things that make summer break special. But all good things do come to an end, and soon it will be back-to-school time! It’s not too late to check out clever, sustainable back-to-school options. Here are four that are just as hot as a lazy summer day.

Recycled Newspaper Colored Pencils Newsprint was one of the first materials to be widely reused and recycled, and there are literally thousands of uses for it. This must certainly be one of the most unique. These colored pencils are made from the newsprint itself, and each one still bears traces of the original typeface from the newspaper. Made by Onyx+Green, there are 24 colors to choose from in each box. This is a great addition to any back-to-school plan. $7.99. www.earthhero.com

Terracycle Honest Kids Upcycled Backpack A backpack has become a near universally necessary accessory for school-age children and finding one that could be considered ‘green’ is often a challenge. In the case of the Terracycle Honest Kids backpack, it’s not recycled, it’s upcycled. This backpack is assembled from used drink packages which have been sanitized and stitched together into a clever and fashionable accessory. Drink packages in general can’t be recycled, so each one of these backpacks removes potentially hundreds from a landfill. The best part is, when you are finished with the product, you can send it back to the manufacturer and they will upcycle it again. It’s also half the price of a typical backpack. $15.50. www.theultimategreenstore.com

Zero-Waste Binder Kit This is not just a typical binder, but an entire kit. It’s meant to be assembled and disassembled by the owner when needed and is made of 100% recycled components. When the cover wears out, take it off, recycle it and slap on another. It’s marketed as the Last Binder You’ll Ever Need, and that’s precisely what it is. Every part can be recycled, from the pages to the steel spine. It also ships completely plastic-free. $15.75. www.wisdomsupplyco.com

3-in-1 Classic Stainless Steel Lunchbox With its modular nesting design, the EcoLunchBox has a variety of uses and is great for meals on the go. It’s sturdy and fully dishwasher-safe.

Whether you’re bringing it to school or a campout, the EcoLunchBox is up to the challenge. Completely plastic-free, this is an eco-alternative to lunch bags and disposable containers. Also comes in giant size for those teenagers with giant appetites. $37.99. www.earthhero.com

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Take the Family

Off Grid Pin Drop Travel Trailers

BY CAROL KAHN

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Photos by Larry Pittman

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Entrepreneurs Tim and Ruth Ellen Elinski have been camping for decades. When they first started dating about 17 years ago, they would haul around a vintage teardrop camper that Tim restored. As they camped out, the couple would brainstorm ideas about how they could enhance their outdoor experience.

While visualizing the perfect setup, they planned a trip to visit family in Montana and were apprehensive that their trailer would make it that far. Tim promised Ruth Ellen that he would build a new one and have it ready in time for their road trip, which was less than a week away.

When he emerged from his garage, to her surprise, he had created a teardrop camper that would be the prototype for their soon-to-be company, Pin Drop Travel Trailers. “By the time I went down to build the prototype, I had in my head years of ideas rolling around. I just needed to get my hands on it and build it,” Tim said.

In 2018, the duo started manufacturing teardrop trailers with the addition of solar panels for the sole purpose of going completely off grid. They found a historic 115-year-old boarding house off the beaten path in the old copper mining town of Miami, Arizona, and opened their manufacturing facility there. Tim felt that this was the perfect place to set up shop. “The town is full of hardworking entrepreneurs and fabricators and the place we go to for our materials and talent,” he said.

The Elinskis are huge proponents of supporting rural communities and they take pride in providing jobs and

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Tim is a licensed general contractor and has an HVAC license. “I grew up in the trades. My dad was in the trades, and my uncles were as well. I was raised in that environment,” he said.

Ruth Ellen emphasizes that the product they create is high quality and made in small batches. “Tim is the craftsman; he's the designer and we have one other employee that is working with him — but it's not a high production product. It's more about the quality and making it a generational product versus the quantity,” she said.

opportunities in the communities where they choose to work, live and raise their family. “Nobody knows where Miami, Arizona, is and we're proud of manufacturing right there in the downtown historic district. I think it's an integral part of Pin Drop,” Tim said.

The repurposed boarding house has been revitalized and the company recycles everything that they can. Tim says that the product they are building can outlast the shelf life of their competitors.

“We're building these from raw materials — it's not a kit.

Tim is welding the frame and building the chassis, cutting the Baltic Birch walls — it's literally from nothing to this high-quality product,” Ruth Ellen stated.

Pin Drop Travel Trailers boast amenities unlike others in the market including at least 12 gallons of fresh water storage, with an additional 32 gallons available with the appropriate upgrades, a galley kitchen with a two-burner propane stove, 35-quart Canyon Cooler or domestic-brand chest refrigerator, deep basin sink and hand pump faucet, dry storage, overhead and undermount lighting inside and outside, speakers and Bluetooth compatibility, a queen-size bed, reading lights, two-directional fan, two doors with screened windows for airflow, interior storage cabinets and electrical power for charging stations. Water storage includes a pressurized tank for a hot shower or spraying down bikes and other adventure gear.

The camper is adaptable and expandable and sleeps up to eight people. Inside the cabin, two sleep comfortably, while outside there are awnings that extend out on one or both sides of the trailer creating additional eight-by-eight enclosed rooms that sleep two to four people.

A rooftop tent can be added on top of the trailer as well.

“Our kids have this really cool bunk bed cot that we set up in one of those tent rooms. They bring all their friends, and they bring their books, headlamps and all their gear and it becomes their little space out in nature. They love it,” Ruth Ellen said. “The way that it is designed, we get to bring kayaks, bikes and all that stuff with us. So, it really is family friendly.”

The travel trailer is solar-powered, self-contained and untethered.

“Basically, you can go out indefinitely in the middle of nowhere and never

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have to plug it in, which is also kind of a differentiating factor of our product,” Ruth Ellen said. “In our case, the battery bank makes it possible for you to just be out anywhere in the middle of nowhere without hearing a generator going on. It’s very environmentally friendly, and we have a small [carbon] footprint. The trailers are super insulated, efficient, comfortable, quiet and built for longevity from the ground up.”

Because these campers are designed to be self-sufficient and powered by the sun, you don’t need to plug the campers into the shore power of a developed campground. This creates opportunities for spur of the moment road trips, major detours from a planned itinerary, boondocking in the remote wilderness — and anything in between.

The Elinskis have taken their Pin Drop Travel Trailer on the road to undisclosed parts of Arizona, Montana, Mexico and Colorado.

Pin Drop Travel Trailers have been designed to immerse campers in an outdoor experience, not isolate them from one. “It’s true, we’ve packed our Pin Drops full of conveniences, but at the core of our campers is the philosophy that one should be able to enjoy the outdoors while not negatively impacting it. Our trailers are solarpowered, so campers are not bothered by the hum of a generator. Our travel trailers are nimble, so you can

go a little further than the crowds but not tear up the countryside getting there.”

In addition, the Elinskis are true supporters of the “Leave No Trace” philosophy and have recently joined forces with the Friends of the Verde River and other businesses to further Verde River conservation projects. They are now committing 50% of all nightly rental revenue of their Pin Drop Travel Trailers to the Friends of the Verde River's River Friendly Living Program.

If you are a Pin Drop Travel Trailer convert after reading this, you may want to get your name in the queue as they’re taking orders for October delivery. There’s a base model to start with and the trailers can be outfitted to the most extravagant model depending on your needs. They do offer a rental program to try before you buy.

Currently, the Elinskis are working on a few upgrades to their Pin Drop Travel Trailers — a partnership with a Japanese manufacturer creating high-end hardware and upgrading the cabinetry with cactus fibers designed by Verde Valley artist, John Maeder. These upgrades may be available as soon as the fall.

The price range of the Pin Drop Travel Trailers run between $22,000- $30,000.

For more information, visit www.pindroptravletrailers.com

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The Evolution of a Family A Love Story

BY CAROL KAHN

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Scott, Kiersten, Natalie and Grace Hathcock look like the quintessential all-American family of four. However, after 25 years of marriage (they just celebrated their 25th anniversary) they can attest that their life journey has been filled with twists and turns that no one could have predicted nor expected.

Kiersten Parsons Hathcock is the vice president of marketing for Moonshot. She is a self-taught carpenter and furniture designer who defied the odds and built an internationally known furniture company out of her garage, joking that she is a “Mom with a toolbelt.” She has appeared on the television show, “Shark Tank,” winning a deal with Robert Herjavec that never came to fruition.

At the age of 36, she suddenly started seeing and hearing spirits of dead children, some of whom were killed by predators. Her intuitive awakening led her to partner with detectives around the country and a publishing deal for her soon-to-be released memoir, “Little Voices: How Kids in Spirit Helped a Reluctant Medium Escape and Heal from Abuse,” which will be out on September 20. But what Kiersten didn’t know at the time is the kids weren't just coming to her for help — they were coming to save her life.

Kiersten and Scott’s story began as a normal boy-meets-girl in Charlotte, NC, in December of 1995. Scott said the minute he met Kiersten, he knew that he wanted to marry her.

Four months later, they were engaged. In 1997, they married. Scott was 23 and Kiersten was 21. Their life began as a whirlwind, immediately upon returning from their honeymoon. Scott was hired by HBO, and they moved to Birmingham, Alabama. In 1998, their son Noah was born and four years later in 2002, they welcomed their second child, Grace.

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Their careers in media took them all around the country, from Birmingham to Chicago and then to Los Angeles. As a young couple, they struggled with making ends meet, working in a volatile industry and raising a family. Kiersten was juggling the typical work-family-life balance. Scott was hired by E Television Networks. “I never had any aspirations to be an entrepreneur. I was literally trying to figure out how I can make money from home that was steady,” Kiersten said. “I nannied for a little while, I did contract marketing work, but it wasn't steady enough. It was about how to find work and pay the gas bill.”

One day, Kiersten began searching for toy boxes, which was easier said than done. She wanted something that didn’t look like a toy box and that had a mid-century modern vibe. “We wanted something that looks like it could fit in any room. I thought, maybe I could design something. I just Googled everything — how do you construct wood? How do you measure it? How do you join half-inch plywood? Everything I did was research-based,” Kiersten said. “My dad used to build a lot of our furniture when I was a kid in Ohio because we didn't have a lot of money. They were both teachers and he was a football coach.

Although we were building completely different types of furniture — he was building traditional furniture in oak, and I was building modern plywood furniture. It took me about a year to figure it out.”

Scott says that they would spend their date nights in the middle of the living room with eight toy boxes. “I was allowed to help polyurethane and I was glad about that because I didn't want to mess it up. This was her process.

This was her thing. I would just help polyurethane, you know, clear, eco-friendly polyurethane— water-based polyurethane support,” he joked.

Building toy boxes was one thing, but the best part — they both agreed — was delivering them. They brought the toy boxes to fashion icon Rachel Zoe, actress Christina Applegate and actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila.

Living life in the middle of the Disney hub, as Scott describes it, took its toll on the family. His daughter Grace was in the third grade and many of her friends were auditioning constantly, with a lot of body shaming happening. It was then that they decided it was time to move the family to live in a normal environment. In 2012, the Hathcocks moved to Flagstaff, Arizona. “It was a complete turnaround, having to reinvent my career which eventually led to Moonshot,” he said. [Scott is the president and CEO of Moonshot, Arizona.] “And then there's a lot of family stuff that happens obviously in between all this, but neither one of us saw this coming, even if we tried to connect the dots. We would never have imagined running a nonprofit to help entrepreneurs. But as it kept unfolding, it just made sense.”

“At the end of 2013, I had already been going through my intuitive awakening that began in 2009,” Kiersten said.

During the time period of “Shark Tank,” I was already starting to hear from kids in spirit. I was starting to recognize this is real. I was starting to work with cops around the country, just very quietly. But it was in 2013 that I started to have visions of myself being sexually abused, and I started to connect the dots that, oh my God, a lot of these kids who have come to me in spirit were killed by predators. Now I know why because I am in a club. I just didn't perish. And so that's why they feel comfortable coming to me to give me messages to pass on to their parents or to law enforcement.

So, I started to have this revelation. I was raped by my uncle between the ages of three and six. I was abused and I think it was around the age of five that I completely repressed all of that until my subconscious started to leak that out. So, in

true Kiersten fashion, I thought, ‘Oh, I got this. I'm going to go to therapy. I'm good.’”

Kiersten said that the career moves and work layoffs took a toll on them and she didn't understand how that was going to affect their marriage. “Everyone used to look at us and say, ‘Oh, you guys are the perfect couple.’ It's kind of hard because underneath I wouldn't admit it, but I was like, ‘Oh, I don't know, I'm not sure if I feel that way.’ So, cut to basically our world imploding because I ended up meeting this man who happened to be, looking back now, identical to my uncle. So, in psychology, there's a theory of wounded attachment, which means that if you've been abused as a child, you will tend to recreate that same trauma in a different way in order to heal and you're subconsciously attracted to that type of energy. It was a perfect storm,” Kiersten said.

She entered a three-year relationship with a man who she later found out was abusive and a predator. Kiersten says that he had done this type of thing to hundreds of women around the world. “That's when I started getting all the messages [from the children] and that's when I started to finally heal, from that subconscious wounding that had been driving me my whole life, the perfectionism, the people-pleasing. All that stuff,” she said.

“When we moved to Flagstaff, all this happened, and to me, it was just a shock because it seems so uncharacteristic of Kiersten,” Scott said.

“But almost immediately upon her doing this, I had this weird, intuitive hit that said, we're not done and that we'll get married again at some point. And I just had this vision of that happening. In fact, it was so strong that I thought it was from a movie and I kept trying to find the movie where the scene was happening in my mind, and I couldn't find it.”

Scott says he felt that Kiersten was on her own journey and that he had to allow for that. He believed that he was a good husband and father. He was prepared to wait it out even though he didn’t know how long it was going to take.

“It was tough to watch. But we still had the connection of our children, obviously,” Scott said. “But the funniest thing is that we had separation papers. I carried them in my briefcase, and she carried them in hers. And we never signed them. We never filed them. We never did anything with it.”

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her. I think she's absolutely one of the oldest souls on the planet. I think that transgender folks feel like their souls come into this life, to teach us to have more love, self-love, compassion for others.

They're helping us move forward as a collective consciousness and she's phenomenal.”

“As intuitive as I was, and I'm working with cops on murder cases, getting a ton of validation on what I'm pulling in, I didn't see the predator in my midst,” Kiersten said. “Going back to the spiritual side, the kids in spirit were the ones that actually helped. They were the ones saying, ‘Get the restraining order now.’ I was dealing with a sociopath, and I had not dealt with that in my life.”

Kiersten and Scott did get back together and saved their marriage. In addition, Kiersten had to heal the relationship with her children. “I remember one night I sat there, and Scott wasn't home, which allowed them to talk more freely.

Both talked for about an hour and a half. And I just sat and said, I know I'm so sorry. I am sorry. I wish I could have done this differently. I am so sorry I put you through this. I can't believe that I brought that predator into your lives,” she said.

As they were putting their family life back together, their son Noah came out as transgender. “I felt like that was divinely timed, because she came out after we got back together. I can't imagine her going through that and us not being together in the same house,” Kiersten said. “They saw us fight for each other. They saw what wounds of childhood abuse can do. We weren't presenting some fairy tale, we were saying this does take work.”

Kiersten and Scott both talk about Noah’s anxiety and depression as a child.

During the family’s reunion, Noah, who was then 19, spoke to his parents about gender dysphoria.

Gender dysphoria is described as distress, unhappiness and anxiety that transgender people may feel about the mismatch between their bodies and their gender identity. “When she told us about going through gender dysphoria, Noah, who now goes by Natalie [Nat], said, ‘I want to do this now. I don't want to do this when I am married with kids, and I'm in my 40s,” Kiersten said. “I think she's one of the bravest people I will ever know. And I adore

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Nat is now 23 and works as an illustrator.

Her sister Grace Noelle is 19, and is a singer/ songwriter. Grace opened for Andy Grammer when she was 16 and plays her music at coffee shops, restaurants, festivals, corporate events and online music shows. She was nominated for an Emerging Artist award in Flagstaff. “I will say what's been really encouraging is that our youngest daughter, Grace, is equally freaking awesome. When Nat came out to all of us, Grace was like, ‘Awesome, I got a sister,’” Kiersten said.

“Unfortunately, so many transgender people are kicked out of their homes, and there's severe consequences,” Kiersten said. “Our response was, we don't know much about this, but we're going to learn and we're going to support you like crazy. We love you. And whatever you need, we're here for you. Nat has come to us a couple times and said, ‘Thank you so much for being those parents.’”

Kiersten believes that the message in all of this is a roadmap for life. “I'm an ordinary person. And that is the thing about this journey. I was not a medium that really knew any of this stuff. I don't have any memory of channeling from the time when I was a kid. All of this was so new. I didn't believe in any of it,” Kiersten said. “Yet, it was the power of my intuition that saved me from a predator. It saved me in multiple ways. I'm hoping it's going to help people understand that intuition is real, and you can trust it. And it's a roadmap if you trust it. It’s a roadmap for life. It's about the power of love.”

Mark Pucci, a retired NYPD Detective who has worked closely with Kiersten in solving many cases, wrote, “What I love about Kiersten — as is illustrated in her book — is that she’s just a regular person thrown into supernatural experiences. Unbeknownst to her at that time, those experiences had meaning far beyond what she could see. The belief in what we can’t see, especially as a detective looking for quantifiable, tangible evidence, is extremely difficult. However, Kiersten makes it easy to believe. In her moving story, we see that she is just like most of us — extremely logical and fact-driven. The most amazing part of her journey is that she wasn’t looking for any of what has happened to her… it simply found her.”

Visit www.kierstenparsonshathchock.com to learn more about Kiersten Parsons Hathcock and her book. Visit www.moonshotaz.com for more information about Moonshot.

4 Things I Learned As a Mother of a Transgender Adult

BY KIERSTEN PARSONS HATHCOCK

“They better not think they can get an operation to change genders on MY dime!”

“It’s not right. You’re either born a girl or a boy.”

“It goes against what God wants.”

“My kid wanted to be a puppy when he was five.

You think that’s OK, too?”

Sigh.

​Sadly, I’ve heard all these things and more over the last year and a half since Noah came to us with his realization.

At that time, he realized he had been dealing with gender dysphoria for many years. Ten years, to be exact. Now, as my 21-year-old trans daughter, I’m proud to say that Noah, who has now chosen the name Natalie, bravely sought help to become the gender with whom she identifies. (*Noah came to us after I published this to let us know she has chosen Nat, as in Natalie, as her name.)

Through Natalie’s journey, I’ve had the privilege to learn about gender in ways I never had before I turned 45.

First, let’s define gender dysphoria, according to Dr. Murat Altinay, Cleveland Clinic, as “the psychological distress that many transgender people experience because their assigned gender doesn’t match the way they see themselves.”

So what should you consider if you know little to none about being transgender?

Here are four things I’ve learned that might help you:

1. Gender develops in the brain.

From the Cleveland Clinic article, Research on the Transgender Brain: What You Should Know: “When we look at the transgender brain, we see that the brain resembles the gender that the person identifies as,” Dr. Altinay of Cleveland Clinic says. For example, a person who is born with a penis but ends up identifying as a female often actually has some of the structural characteristics of a “female” brain.

Though these differences in brain structure and function are important markers for gender determination, it isn’t always as simple as male or female.

"Some research shows the brains of transgender people are somewhere in between, sharing characteristics of both male and female brains," Dr. Altinay says. "This is consistent with the growing understanding that gender exists on a spectrum, with people identifying not only as male or female but also as genderqueer, genderfluid or nonbinary.

These terms refer to gender identities that incorporate a variety of gender characteristics.”

2. Many kids who are transgender experience devastating anxiety and depression starting in puberty.

This was the case with Natalie. Debilitating generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and subsequent depression came on strong at age 10. In fact, we noticed sudden onset stuttering when Noah (now Natalie) was in second grade, which was a biproduct of the anxiety. Considering that, we did everything we could to help quell the anxiety, but nothing seemed to really make a dent in it. Some kids figure out they’re dealing with gender dysphoria at a young age; others don’t until later in life. Neither is right or wrong — it simply is.

3. Anyone considering changing genders, whether they are thinking about surgery or not, must consult with a doctor in order to get access to hormone therapy. Care and surgery are NOT on anyone else’s dime.

In most cases, you need a “gender dysphoria” diagnosis in order to get insurance coverage for healthcare. In addition, talk therapy is highly recommended as well. There are a lot of hoops to jump through when you recognize you are transgender. Hormone therapy can take roughly two to three years to help change body chemistry to the gender with whom you identify.

4. Just because your religion tells you that being transgender is wrong doesn’t mean that it’s true.

As mentioned above, research shows that gender develops in the brain. This is nothing new; many folks from generations past feared coming out as transgender due to the social climate of the time. Even today, hateful, shaming messages damning the transgender community are commonplace. From a spiritual perspective, as a non-professional, intuitive medium who works with law enforcement officers helping solve murder and abduction cases, I can personally attest to the fact that those who have passed on are not judging those who change genders. Quite the opposite. Those who are experiencing a transgender journey are highly evolved individuals who are shining a light on the need for more love of self and love of others, regardless of their gender/race/ethnicity, etc.

I sincerely hope what I’ve shared has given you insight into what to consider when you’re pondering gender. I’m extremely grateful to have such an amazing teacher — one whom I’ll continue learning from (and loving) for a lifetime and beyond.

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Shooting for the Moon Entrepreneurs reach for the stars

BY CAROL KAHN

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“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars,” is an inspirational message meant to inspire those with dreams to pursue their ambitious goals.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars,” is an inspirational message meant to inspire those with dreams to pursue their ambitious goals.

man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” In the race to get to space, Kennedy wasn’t sure how we were going to do it, but knew we would.

It also serves as a motivational theme for Moonshot, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, which has helped forward-thinking experts and entrepreneurs turn their big ideas into life-changing products and services for 22 years.

“The parallel for me was the fact that JFK had stated without knowing how we were going to do it, that we were going to go to the moon and return safely back,” Hathcock said. “I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs step into our world saying, I want to do this thing. I don't quite know how to do it.

Right? And you surround those bold people who make those public statements with the safety net, the advisory metrics, coaches, education needed to help them get there. But they have to proclaim it first, and they have to be sound in what they're trying to do.”

The program, which emulates ABC’s “Shark Tank,” allows entrepreneurs with moonshot startup ideas, those looking for investors or seasoned founders with business expansion plans, to pitch their ideas in five minutes to a panel of judges, competing for cash and prizes.

Scott Hathcock, president and CEO of Moonshot said, “As a program, we tend to go where resources are more limited. We look for lifestyle communities where people want to live but maybe the jobs are not currently present to help them or their kids live the lifestyle they desire.

Our mission is to democratize entrepreneurialism and make resources available for everyone, not just those living in major markets, but rural as well. Creating companies creates jobs for the community and builds a healthier and more sustainable economy.”

Hathcock came on board at Moonshot six years ago. Part of his strategy was to rebrand the name of program that was originally based at Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology [NACET] in Flagstaff. He believes that storytelling is one of the best ways to identify a brand.

“The fact that you have a story [for your company or business idea] — that's the key to me. That's what I love. I look for that,” Hathcock said. “And if people don't have that, I try to help them find it — it must be authentic. The stories don't always have to be dramatic and sad, but stories are the thread that connects, and we realize the power of them.”

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood before Congress and proposed that the U.S. “should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a

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Hathcock has said that many green businesses are now coming to the forefront. In fact, the city of Flagstaff teamed up with Moonshot at NACET’s Pioneer Pitch Competition offering a challenge to entrepreneurs who are committed to the environment and sustainability. As a part of the Innovate Waste & Carbon Neutrality competition, $30,000 was awarded to a winner.

“The list of things that we're looking for is community resilience, equitable systems, decreased dependence on cars, electric mobility, clean electricity, building fuel switching, reducing building energy use, sustainable consumption and waste management. And finally, carbon dioxide removal,” Hathcock said.

Hathcock and his wife Kiersten, who is the vice president of marketing for Moonshot, knows all too well about the ups and downs of working for companies and understands the importance of programs such as theirs. “We’ve been in their [entrepreneurs] shoes. We’ve struggled financially in the past, seen multiple layoffs, and launched both for-profit and nonprofit companies,” Hathcock said. “Starting a company when you are in dire conditions is not often the first thing you think about, but it can be the best thing you do. When Kiersten launched her company Mod Mom Furniture, it really was out of a need to bring into our household additional funds to pay the bills. She did that. She said no

more letting another company or person control her future, our future. She would make her own, she would call the shots. So, as a husband-and-wife team, if we can help others find their own power, focus, their voice … how great is that?”

In 2011, Kiersten Hathcock appeared on “Shark Tank,” pitching her Mad Mom Furniture line. She was looking for $90,000 in exchange for 25% of the company. Shark Robert Herjavec made her an offer that eventually fell through, however, an angel investor called and set up a licensing deal with Stanley Furniture, giving her brand international exposure. That deal didn’t last long either.

As of May, Hathcock’s company is back in business, and doing $2 million annually.

“With regards to companies that start with a green initiative, they grow 20 times faster than an average company,” Hathcock stated. I thought that was interesting because when we did this with Kiersten’s toy boxes, we [checked] if pesticides were used and wanted to know what goes into the wood [we were using] and the processes of glue. We had the Amish building the toy boxes in the beginning, and they are very much in line with that. But the branding around the company [Mod Mom Furniture] was more about, ‘Made in America.’ I think it's interesting that companies have proven data showing for the last couple of years that if they have a green initiative, then they grow faster.”

Danusia Szumowski and David Fowler, who participated in the Verde Valley Moonshot, moved to Sedona in March of 2021 from Napa Valley. Fowler had started a water filtration business in 1989 in the Silicon Valley area. “I started like a lot of entrepreneurs — in a garage — and started selling products to primarily commercial businesses in and around the Bay Area, Silicon Valley and through the 90s and well into the 2000s,” Fowler said. “And we had a lot of ups and downs along the way. We weathered a lot of storms and kept rolling.”

The husband-and-wife team began looking at expanding their business into home residences. Their water filtration system has an AI approach where an app begins tracking data of the water filter, giving them information about the system and water chemistry. “We want to change that and make that process where you have this live sensor that's tracking it, and it informs our database, which is a new thing, learning artificial intelligence …. And more importantly, we want to make sure that they can recycle those filters properly instead of throwing them into landfill.”

Scott Hathcock said, “With Liquos, we have a great example

of [Szumowski and Fowler] experts in their field, who have identified a problem or gap in the market space around a consumer knowing when to change their own water filter using only a suggested calendar date. And that same customer is not aware of what their water filter is accomplishing in the first place. The Liquos pitch suggested that with the development of AI and an app, they would create a smarter consumer solution. They are an ideal Moonshot candidate because they know water, we are just going to help them fill in any business knowledge and technology gaps to help them bring their idea to market.”

The Moonshot event kicked off in the Verde Valley this past October with six additional cities added to the roster including Flagstaff, Quad Cities (Prescott Valley), Winslow/ Holbrook/Joseph City, Globe, Rim County and South Navajo County. Hathcock says that there will be more cities added to the roster in 2022-2023.

Photo courtesy of Moonshot

The finalists who participated in the 2021-2022 statewide Moonshot AZ Pioneer Pitch were in Flagstaff on June 17, for the grand finale, taking their best shot for the $10,000 grand prize package. The contestants included Danusia Szumowski and her husband, David Fowler of Sedona; Elaine O'Connor, Prescott; Terry Gorton, Rim Country; David Brubaker, South Navajo County; Ralph Millholland, Winslow/Holbrook; Erika Flores, Globe and Adam Stepanovic, Flagstaff.

The first-place winner was Elaine O’Connor of Prescott, founder of Prescott Bark, a brand-new premium dog boarding daycare and grooming facility.

The 2022 Moonshot AZ Pioneer Pitch is scheduled for October 14 and 15 in the Verde Valley. To register for the event, or find out other locations, visit www.moonshotaz.com.

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Cooking

The Miller’s Daughter An interview with Emma Zimmerman, co-owner of Hayden Flour Mills

BY CAROL KAHN

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Emma Zimmerman is a bioengineer turned miller-farmer-baker and now cookbook author. She is involved in a family business that is devoted to making the freshest and tastiest flours from some of the world’s oldest varieties of wheat. While focusing on using ancient grains in her recipes, Zimmerman makes the distinct connection between flavor, farming and the fight against climate change.

In her new cookbook, “The Miller’s Daughter, Unusual Flours & Heritage Grains: Stories and Recipes from Hayden Flour Mills,” she celebrates community, agriculture, sustainability and the place of grains at every table.

Zimmerman and her father, Jeff, are co-owners of Hayden Flour Mills in Phoenix, Arizona, and are at the forefront of America’s heritage grain movement, championing rare and near extinct varieties of grains. And what’s more surprising, is that it’s grown in the desert of Arizona.

Cooking is a family affair with the Zimmermans. According to Emma, her father is the “idea guy,” her mother loves cooking and entertaining and her grandmother was a culinary educator.

While at the helm of Hayden Flour Mills, Zimmerman has turned her dad’s milling hobby into an award-winning business that sells grains and flour across the country. Hayden Flour Mills was one of 10 winners of the Martha Stewart American Made Award in 2015 and Emma was featured in Marie Claire on a list of “Six Women Who Make Going Big in the Food World Look Like a Piece of Cake.” Hayden Flour Mills’ White Sonora Cracker won a 2018 Good Food Award, and their most recent line of Middle Eastern Spiced Crackers was given a glowing review in The New York Times.

While Zimmerman works to protect the planet, her company’s mission statement at Hayden Flour Mills states: “Our desert home and love for not only our crops, but the flora and fauna that surround us, keep us committed to adopting sustainable practices that are better for both people and the planet, like

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operating a 100% solar-powered mill, planting low water use crops and cultivating only non-GMO seeds.”

Green Living magazine met up with Emma Zimmerman to discuss her cookbook, her recipes, family stories and her business, Hayden Flour Mills.

Green Living: What inspired you to write a cookbook?

Emma Zimmerman: I have been wanting to do this for so long. We've only been around for 10 years, so maybe five years ago I wanted to write a cookbook and just waited until the timing was right. People always think that because we mill flour that it's all about bread. But I found that using these grains at home, I was doing so much more with them than bread. And so, I wanted to showcase everything that could possibly be done — all the different ways you can transform grain in your kitchen that's not just sourdough.

So, that was kind of the challenge of the book — what to do with all these cool grains.

GL: Are all the recipes from your cookbook family recipes?

EZ: Some of them are updates on family favorites. Some I make during the holidays that I update with using rye flour, or cottage cheese pancakes was a family favorite from my husband's family and updated that with oat flour. It's like the updated classics — like taking a familiar recipe but then making it with unusual flour maybe that someone hasn't tried before. So, in that way, it's not as intimidating right?

If it's banana bread that's a little more familiar, but it just changed the flavor by changing the face flour.

GL: How did Hayden Flour Mills come about?

EZ: Historically, it’s a family-owned mill and then my dad and I restarted it in 2011. I actually got to tour the [original] historic mill today, which I had never gotten to and all these years. It's falling apart … our updated version of it is actually out in Queen Creek on the farm where we grow a lot of the grains now. Most of the grains are from here …

Its all amazingly grown right here in the desert. We're not certified organic. We grow with a lot of the organic practices.

We are non-GMO certified. But we're not organic certified, which is hard. It's a hard one. As you probably know, it's like these grains are already quite expensive. So, adding that organic certification would be amazing. But it's a lot to ask our farmers but because we were so close to their farmers, we know what's happening on their farms and so we can say without a separate certification that they're not being sprayed.

GL: Where does the love of cooking come from?

EZ: My parents love cooking. Yeah, they're just always having a lot of fun in the kitchen, trying new things, experimenting. But my grandma, my mom's mom, she had eight daughters. After they were grown, she became a culinary educator. She worked with CCAP which is Careers through Culinary Arts Program, getting students into culinary schools and raising funds for scholarships and I would help her with cooking demos. So that was a really big influence. And I so much wish she was still alive to see the cookbook because she would have been the happiest person.

GL: What recipes in your cookbook are attributed to your grandmother?

EZ: I don't have anything — it's funny because I tried to get some recipes from my dad and my mom. I got all the recipes from my aunt. They're just from a different time, right? Like, it's just not how we bake anymore. And they used a lot of molasses, which I hate molasses. Those tastes have been lost or shifted or something. There were no family recipes from that far back. Unfortunately, I feel it might be another project to go back to some of that Norwegian-Irish roots and maybe update them with some more modern ingredients.

GL: How are you and your dad participating together in this company?

EZ: Yeah, that's my dad's idea. I started helping him out and really loved doing it and kind of just slowly it was like, “Oh my gosh, we have a business on our hands,” and I still like to think of it as a hobby. It's still a passion project, which is a good sign. And we have a lot of fun.

It's like a reason to hang out. Part of the book is trying to just communicate that relationship and birth and lightheartedness of it. A few dads have read the book and they'll say to me that they're so touched by it. It’s really interesting to see how different people react. They say, “I wish I had a daughter like that.” They just see the tenderness of that relationship coming through which I

really appreciate — because it's funny stories. But I'm glad they kind of saw that emotion come through.

GL: How long did it take to complete the cookbook?

EZ: Two years. It’s a long process. I mean, just the recipes, the photos, the printing, editing. Yeah. It was kind of fun to see that whole process.

GL: What were the challenges of the cookbook?

EZ: I would run the stuff to my neighbor's house and have her try all these different versions of cookies. You have to test everything so many times. I felt like I learned so much about baking and chemistry and you can really get in the weeds in terms of a cookie recipe — like why brown sugar?

Why white sugar? The ratios of it all — that was really fun.

GL: What is your favorite recipe?

EZ: There’s a recipe in the chickpea section of the cookbook — it’s all arranged by different kinds of grains — and in the chickpea chapter, there's a recipe, Inside Out Falafel. It’s super easy to make. My kids love it, which I'm always like, yes, they're eating all these vegetables that are second to a pancake and I just find myself making that one a lot. I really love it.

GL: What is your favorite food?

EZ: Sauerkraut. It's just a family thing. Anything pickled or fermented. It's just like a tradition.

GL: What is your favorite dessert?

EZ: Well, my all-time favorite dessert is rice pudding. In the cookbook I did a Farro Coconut Rice Pudding. I can always eat rice pudding.

GL: Who is your favorite chef?

EZ: Oh, well I talk a lot in the book about Chris Bianco [James Beard Award-winning chef, Pizzeria Bianco] because he helped us get started. So, he's a big inspiration although I don't know if we can ever cook his food as good as he does. I just must go [to his restaurant] to eat there.

GL: What book is sitting on your nightstand?

EZ: I have a pile.“Water, Wood and Wild Things” by Hannah Kirschner — very fun kind of travel book.

GL: Where are your products distributed?

EZ: AJ’s, Whole Foods, Eataly, Haden Mills, small boutiques and online.

GL: What can we order online?

EZ: Right now we're doing Miller's Daughter Pantry kits [different variety of flours] and our cookbook. www.haydenflourmills.com

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Recipes

Farro Coconut Pudding

I’m always reminding our grains and flours that they can be anything they want to be when they grow up. And it’s true; there’s really nothing these heritage grains can’t do. I know this because I keep putting them to the test.

Rice pudding is my favorite dessert of all time, and at first I was skeptical about whether farro could successfully replace the rice, but it turns out that farro is a worthy competitor. Is it better than the original rice version? I’ll let you decide.

SERVES 6–8

1 c farro berries 4 ½ c whole (full-cream) milk ½ c granulated sugar 1 cinnamon stick ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 egg, lightly beaten with ½ c whole milk 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup heavy cream your choice of fresh fruit or toasted coconut to garnish (optional) Place the farro berries in a medium saucepan and pour in enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the berries have softened but are still chewy. Set aside to cool.

Drain the berries to remove any excess water, then measure out 1 cup and set aside.

Return the remaining farro to the pan you cooked it in, add the milk and blend with a stick blender to a puree – it won’t be perfectly smooth. (You could also use a food processor or upright blender to do this.) Stir in the reserved cup of farro, along with the sugar, cinnamon stick, coconut and salt.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Run your finger down the back of your wooden spoon; if it leaves a trail, it’s reached the right consistency. If not, cook for another couple of minutes and test again.

Using a whisk, quickly stir in the egg and milk mixture and cook for about 5 minutes until the pudding returns to a slow simmer and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter until melted and combined. Scoop the pudding into a stainless-steel bowl or shallow baking pan and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Place the pudding in the fridge to chill and set for 2-4 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the cold pudding. Divide among dessert bowls and garnish with fresh fruit or toasted coconut, if desired.

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Retro Oat Flour Pancakes

These are an update on a family classic. The recipe came to me from my mother-in-law, torn out of an old spiral-bound cookbook from an era when it was in vogue for entire cookbooks to feature cottage cheese and vats of homemade yogurt.

These pancakes are the last word in comfort food for my husband’s whole family. We make a double batch most Saturday mornings and the kids eat them as they come off the griddle. The thin batter makes them ideal for pouring into the shape of a certain famous cartoon mouse, which never fails to delight the little ones (and sometimes the grown-ups, too).

MAKES ABOUT 24 SMALL PANCAKES

½ cup oat flour (*see below) 4 eggs 1 cup cottage cheese ½ tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup melted coconut oil 3 tbsp natural peanut butter ½ cup milk (or milk alternative) strawberry jam and powdered sugar, to serve (optional) Place all the ingredients, except the jam and powdered sugar, in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. The batter should be thin like crepe batter, resulting in a thin pancake with a soft, cheesy center.

Heat a small skillet or griddle on medium and pour in about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. Cook for 1 minute, or until small bubbles begin to form, then flip and cook for another minute. Serve warm with strawberry jam and a dusting of powdered sugar or any other topping you like. *OAT FLOUR Because oat groats are so soft, they can easily be cracked or turned into flour in a blender with no special milling equipment.

To make oat flour, blitz the oat groats for 60 seconds in a blender at high speed. Because oats are naturally very oily, the heat of the blender can cause the flour to gum up, so take care not to let the flour heat up too much.

Don’t worry about making a super-fine flour; in fact, a coarse texture will improve most recipes.

Recipes excerpted with permission The Miller’s Daughter by Emma Zimmerman published by Hardie Grant Books, May 2022 Photos by David Alvarado

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Family

Day Tripping in Northern Arizona

BY ALYSSA SAMSON

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Summer is winding down while going back to school is gearing up. Families are juggling schedules, doing back-to-school shopping—and traveling for the moment may be put on pause.

Why not consider a family day trip to Northern Arizona for the weekend where you can float down a river in a kayak, experience the wild, traipse through the wildflowers or do a little ghost hunting. From Phoenix, take a ride up I-17 and visit a few places along the way that the whole family will enjoy.

Sedona Adventure Tours firmly believes that everyone has a fundamental need to connect and play — what better way than spending a day out on the water. Give them a call to reserve your spot at (877) 673-3661 or visit them online at www.sedonaadventuretours.com

KAYAKING DOWN THE VERDE RIVER Spend your day floating down the Verde River and enjoy all of the beautiful greenery, passing ancient ruins and staying cool with Sedona Adventure Tours. There are a variety of activities such as kayaking, tubing and paddle boarding that will get your adrenaline pumping. And it’s fun for the whole family. This destination is a short 30 minute drive from Sedona and most trips last two to three hours with varying prices depending on the trip and amount of people.

ENJOY THE FLORAL WONDERLAND OF THE ARBORETUM As you enter the Arboretum at Flagstaff, you’re greeted with an myriad of beautifully colored wildflowers and plants native to the Colorado Plateau. This is the perfect destination for families to wander for the day with a packed picnic or attend one of the many events and tours the Arboretum offers. Some of the events for the month of August include a fragrant Wildflower Walk, learning about

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sustainable gardening in their Composting 101 class, attending the Mountain Melodies Concert, painting the day away with a Watercolor Class and many more activities for the whole family!

There are also camps and field trips for children ages 5-11 for a fun, educational experience learning about nature and plant life in Arizona. With all the activities taking place through the month, there’s plenty of opportunity to take a day trip and experience the flora of Northern Arizona. For more information, call (928) 7741442 or visit www.thearb.org

​ IONS AND TIGERS AND L BEARS – LOTS OF BEARS! Experience some of the great wildlife that lives in Northern Arizona at Bearizona Wildlife Park.

The whole family will enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitat. This wildlife park includes the perfect mixture of self-guided driving tours and walking tours. Make a stop by the Bearizona Barnyard petting zoo or indulge in a Mine Shaft Experience which houses nocturnal animals and creepy crawling creatures. Bearizona is open daily at 8 a.m., with the last car to arrive by 6 p.m. Bearizona is about 30 minutes west of Flagstaff, at the intersection of I-40 and US Hwy 64 (Historic Route 66) in Williams, AZ, which makes it a manageable drive from anywhere in Arizona. All of the experiences at Bearizona guarantee an up-close and personal view of the lions and tigers and bears - oh my! For more information, call (928) 635-2289 or visit www. bearizona.com

people attest to seeing ghostly figures, floating spheres of light and other paranormal activity throughout their facility (especially on the third floor). In addition, there are thrilling ghost tours, chilling spirit walks, the historical Jerome State Historic Park Museum and a to-die-for restaurant called the Haunted Hamburger. Spend a hair-raising spooky day at this amazing ghost town located 45 minutes southwest of Sedona and two hours north of Phoenix. For more information, call (928) 634-7943 or visit www.jeromechamber.com

A QUIRKY TOWN FILLED WITH ARIZONA LORE Is your family interested in feeling completely and utterly spooked to the core? Then a day trip to the rumored ghost town of Jerome is perfect for you. This collection of buildings in the mountains has a past life as a copper mining town, with enough legacy and lore to feel a little chill run down your spine. Stop by the Jerome Grand Hotel, which was a hospital back in the day, and has had many AUGUST 2022

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Arizona

Butterflies thrive at Arboretum at Flagstaff. Photo courtesy Arboretum at Flagstaff

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Places to Go: Sustainable Flagstaff

BY STACEY WITTIG

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Breathe easy when you take in big gulps of Flagstaff’s crisp mountain air while standing in the world’s largest ponderosa pine forest. In fact, the American Lung Association named eco-friendly Flagstaff the “cleanest U.S. city for year-round particle pollution.”

Clean air and the pine-scented outdoors are a large part of what keeps environmentally conscious Arizonans coming back to this charming mountain town — and there’s a whole lot more.

BRIX RESTAURANT STANDS BEHIND LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES Conde Nast Traveler pinned Flagstaff on the international food map when they put Brix restaurant on their “Top 95 New Restaurants in the World” list in 2007. For over 15 years, owners Paul and Laura Moir’s philosophy of local and sustainable foods has driven their continued success.

Advocates for sustainable practices and procurement methods believe that the best meals feature the finest, freshest seasonal ingredients and that the community benefits most when local farmers and ranchers supply a steady stream of fresh, pure ingredients and proteins.

The award-winning couple’s role in establishing supply chains and partnerships with Arizona’s ranchers and farmers has helped propel the flourishing Flagstaff food scene. They recently received the Outstanding Eco-Friendly Programming: Restaurant/Venue Award 2021 from Discover Flagstaff, the official tourism site for the City of Flagstaff.

Chef’s amuse-bouche of fresh and local ingredients at Brix restaurant. Photo by Stacey Wittig

SUSTAINABLE SUDS Sip sustainable suds on Mother Road Brewery’s dog-friendly patio while enjoying the mountain sunshine. It’s a fun gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Using pure mountain water from snowmelt on the San Francisco Peaks to brew their award-winning ales, the sustainable brew haus provides two million pounds of spent grain every year to local cattle ranchers to reuse as feed.

Green initiatives like this and their CO2 recapture system that catches carbon dioxide from the brewing process, filters it, then re-injects it back into their beers recently earned Mother Road the Green Business Award from the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce.

Further, Mother Road supports Arizona Game and Fish Department with their Conserve and Protect Golden Ale. A portion of all the ale’s proceeds protects the state’s 800 unique wildlife species. The eco-centric brewery is also working with Flagstaff’s Riordan Mansion State Park to develop a fundraising ale.

As a member of Arizona Forward, Mother Road Brewery is dedicated to cooperative efforts that improve the environmental sustainability and the economic vitality of the state.

ARIZONA’S FIRST PLATINUM LEED BUILDING The state-of-the-art Easton Collection Center provides stable and secure environments for the Museum of Northern Arizona collections. It’s one of Arizona’s first Platinum LEED buildings. Throughout the design process, architects and local builders consulted with Native American advisors. The building entrance faces east, greeting the sun each morning; its circular shape invokes the cycles of life; and also has a living roof. The 17,000-square foot building exceeds U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification requirements.

Built in 2009, just about everything within the building’s orientation is sustainable: Thermal insulated roof, UV

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that Lowell scientists discovered Pluto 36 years later. U.S. Geological Survey and NASA chose Lowell to map the moon for its lunar landing. In fact, every person who has walked on the moon trained right here in Flagstaff.

You can view the night skies from the historic Clark or the state-of-the-art telescopes at Lowell’s new Giovale Open Deck Observatory. The City of Flagstaff has partnered with Lowell to protect the region’s dark skies over the years. Flagstaff became the world’s first International Dark Sky City in 2001, leading the way for neighboring communities including Coconino County, Flagstaff Area National Monuments and Sedona to do the same.

Sustainability and concern for the environment are a natural part of the Flagstaff lifestyle. The Greater Flagstaff Area Chamber of Commerce offers workshops to their business members that share ways to reduce waste, water usage and overall carbon output. Further, Discover Flagstaff promotes ways to play and stay responsibly. The City Council’s sustainability goals encompass residential and business programs for water conservation, recycling, waste removal, regional transportation and development. As a visitor, you can rest assured that an infrastructure is in place to help reduce your footprint.

Museum of Northern Arizona Easton Collection Center. Photo courtesy Easton Collection Center

filtered skylights, insulated windows, photovoltaic solar panels and energy saving fixtures to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. Recycled materials from old buildings were used and where possible. The design team selected regionally manufactured materials to reduce transportation costs, including native Coconino sandstone and Douglas fir salvaged from trestles out of the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Attention to sustainable detail can be found within other areas of the building, such as the wall insulation — which is made from recycled newspapers. Paints and other materials used are low in volatile organic compounds that aids in improving indoor air quality.

A living roof, planted with native vegetation, covers the entire main building area and helps to reduce energy consumption while extending the life of the roof. It also eliminates stormwater runoff — the excessive drainage is collected in a 22,000-gallon rain/snow water cistern and then recirculated back to the roof's irrigation system.

The Easton Collection Center is open to the public during various Museum of Northern Arizona events throughout the year. Check musnaz.org for dates and times.

ARBORETUM AT FLAGSTAFF Take it outdoors to discover what’s in bloom in the lovely grounds and gardens that enhance the Arboretum at Flagstaff’s natural forest setting. The Arb, as locals call it, looks for innovative solutions to conservation issues of this high-altitude environment. You can dance with native butterflies in the butterfly pavilion or attend the Summer Concert Series. Discover more at www.thearb.org.

AWE-INSPIRING DARK SKIES The legacy of Lowell Observatory has been intertwined with Flagstaff history since it opened in 1894. It was here

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Visit the Lowell Observatory to view Flagstaff’s protected night skies. Photo courtesy Lowell Observatory

Pick Up the Beet!

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gardengoddessferments.com Use the code Green Beet at checkout to receive 50% off your 2nd 32oz bottle.

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TRAVEL

Consciously

What Is Slow Travel and Tourism in Arizona?

BY NICHOLAS WISE

O

Our lives today are anything but slow. We feel the need to be constantly connected, have something in an instant, or make spilt decisions. All of this takes a toll on our mental health and well-being. As you read this article, read it slowly, think about the things and places you enjoy, and just stop for a few moments to pause.

During that (brief or long) moment of pause, what did you think about? Now pause again, and this time close your eyes and wonder: What do I imagine when I think about going on a slow journey? Where were you? How do you think you will feel? These are questions that conjure your fascination and imagination for travel.

To many people, tourism is an opportunity to temporarily step away from our fast-paced lives. We can do something leisurely that we enjoy, so that we can rest or relax, but the planning and process can take us back to feeling rushed.

This again makes ‘disconnecting’ a challenge. Some people seek more adventure or want to challenge themselves by hiking or cycling across remote rough or scenic terrain, which Arizona has an abundance of. Slow tourism is more than escapism, it’s about people going out and focusing on a unique lived experience. It’s about the individual finding what they want, which may differ from the standard tourism attraction. Slow tourism is about trying, finding or

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learning something new and not feeling pressured or rushed into making split-decision purchases. Slow travel puts emphasis on environmental or socio-cultural sustainability, whereby one finds self care through purposeful experiences that shape the meaning of their travel journeys. Slow tourism is also difficult to manage because each traveler will co-create the experience they seek, and this will differ from demand patterns, segmentation and the notion of touring and rushing between attractions with stop after stop.

A challenge for planners and those who work in destination marketing is how to advertise slow tourism. Too much investment in advertising can take away from the slow experience and distract from the appeal. When we consider rural areas, people are attracted to the wilderness and scenic beauty without the crowds, so marketers need to balance activity and awareness. Take for instance the Arizona Trail which people can hike from the Colorado National Monument at our southern border with Mexico to Coyote

Valley and our northern border with Utah. There will ultimately be parts of the Arizona Trail with higher yields of visitors, like the Grand Canyon, and areas which is a tourist hot-spot for the state, and areas with proximity to the state’s urban areas, such as Flagstaff (which is a base camp for Northern Arizona travel), Coronado National Forest near Tucson, and Tonto National Forest near the Phoenix metro area. As a corridor that crosses different natural settings, elevations and cultural areas, it gives the slow traveler a chance to embrace the diverse environmental and cultural settings Arizona has to offer.

Join the fastest growing sustainable lifestyle publication in Arizona!

We are looking for experienced newspaper, magazine, and digital media Advertising Sales Representatives.

We are seeking candidates who have demonstrated skills in the following areas: • Direct, in-person, B2B sales, especially in the advertising field • The ideal candidate will have two to five years of sales experience • The Ad Rep will report directly to the Publisher Responsibilities include the following: direct, inperson B2B sales of advertising for print, website, and e-Marketing formats in addition to sponsorships for eco events and summit events, through a relationship-based approach, being articulate and professional in both communication and appearance.

To apply, visit

www.greenlivingmag.com/careers A misconception of slow tourism is that it is solely about venturing away to the most remote parts of a state. Slow travel is not just off-the-grid travel. Slow tourism is an alternative in urban destinations as well. The Phoenix metro area has a plethora of museums, art, trails and entertainment options. Visiting the vast array of public art in neighborhoods like Coronado, all while stopping at the quaint coffee shops and local restaurants is a way for travelers to connect with communities and support local businesses. Neighborhoods around the metro area can embrace the slow tourism movement by welcoming visitors to their community and showcasing the range of unique experience offerings that one can do. The Valley Metro, for instance, creates an urban corridor connecting people from Mesa to Phoenix through Tempe. People are transported between local restaurants, art districts and settings for popular entertainment. The use of public transport takes the stress away from driving, allowing the traveler to flow through the city at their own slow pace.

So when we think about slow tourism, think about the experience that is unique to you, and which you can cocreate by focusing on what you enjoy. The slow tourism movement is about connecting with nature or people in different settings and communities, all the while being conscious of how we can be more environmentally and socially sustainable.

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DESIGN

Public Art

Emerging Art and Architecture

“

GENSLER 2022 DESIGN FORECAST

"Cities and Business Improvement Districts have realized how important art can be to liven up public spaces. For both visitors and locals, public art can really create more of a sense of community and placemaking and can change our experience in the city."

— Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, artist Public space and art bring local and global communities together in new ways. Throughout the pandemic, people searched out places to stroll with family and friends, exercise, bike and jog safely, or to simply sit and spend time to clear the mind from the cognitive load of their computer screens and video conferences. As people begin seeking places for reconnection, public plazas, sidewalks and parks are more important than ever.

While it is difficult to quantify the advantages of welldesigned public spaces, the intangible benefits these spaces can have for people are hard to ignore. Our mental and physical health is inextricably linked to the connections between ourselves and the natural world, as well as social

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connections between individuals. In order to create more inclusive and resilient communities, we need to reimagine the public realm as a place that is focused on the people who occupy it.

A research study by conducted by Gensler Research Institute found that the COVID-19 pandemic out a strain on people’s relationships with their cities, and Central Business Districts [CBD] have been particularly impacted. According to Gensler’s 2020 Workplace Survey, more than half of U.S. workers would prefer a hybrid work model in which they are in the office for a portion of the work week and working remotely for the balance of time. This means fewer daily commuters and lower weekday population densities, even after workers return to the office.

But it also creates an opportunity to reshape more interesting and dynamic downtowns.

In many ways, the pandemic accelerated trends that had already begun to subtly transform business districts with a greater mix of uses, more focus on experience and destination, and more responsiveness to evolving work patterns and mobility. We can use this moment to imagine a new model for growth — one that is more inclusive, resilient, sustainable and healthy.

Public art programs, such as temporary installations of artwork, can encourage greater spatial awareness by challenging people to look at their environments in new ways and offering opportunities for cultural engagement.

Installing public art can also create visual cultural amenities in the public realm.

IN WASHINGTON, D.C. The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) puts these ideas into action through their Social Spaces initiative, which aims to bring people together safely during this time through intentionally designed temporary public space activations along Pennsylvania Avenue that create dialogue and celebrate culture. In partnership with the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) and other partners, the sprawling avenue will be transformed over the next several years through this program.

MERIDIAN BY CHERYL WING-ZI WONG Two large-scale public art installations transform the streetscape by creating intimate, human-scaled gathering spaces. One of which — MERIDIAN by Cheryl WingZi Wong in The Penn Ave Pocket Park — aims to create a community site for sitting, reading and socializing outdoors. MERIDIAN features a terraced pavilion and a floor mural that draws inspiration from the celestial meridians, or the circular pathways, that run along the Earth from pole to pole. The colored patterns on the wood surfaces correspond to shadows that will be cast on these faces at solar noon on the first day of the year’s upcoming

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seasons: Summer solstice, autumn equinox and winter solstice. The installation encourages interaction between people, as well as moments of pause and reflection that create an awareness of time.

Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong is a New York-based artist working at the boundary of art and architecture.

Her work investigates the transformation of shared space over time. She explores how spaces can perform on varying scales, ranging from smaller scales such as shelters and surfaces that accommodate the body, to larger spaces that extend their reach to entire environments.

Wing-Zi Wong questions the social implications of space through architectural interventions, in which harnessing public interaction is integral. When physical elements in architectural spaces perform and change, they also dictate changes in behavior — How do we perceive and react to difference? How do we register change over time? How can race, sex and politics become embedded in architecture and how is space negotiated? Wing-Zi Wong’s creative process is a crossover between digital drawing [using tools such as mapping, architectural drafting software and 3D modeling], visual experiments and the construction of spaces.

THE ARIZONA CENTER, PHOENIX, ARIZONA At the redeveloped Arizona Center, the Gensler design team created a new vision for the iconic downtown mixeduse center that was originally built in 1990. The center's reimagined design increases visibility from the street

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level and asserts the property as a premier destination in the burgeoning downtown Phoenix landscape with activated public spaces. Arizona Center delivers a powerful 360-degree user experience that communicates the mixeduse development's unique attributes and atmosphere in a fresh and authentic way.

Arizona Center’s transformation creates a new model for office, retail and entertainment, emblematic of this new era in the history of the young city. The upgrades focus on transforming the previously introverted development into a vibrant, extroverted experience that connects to the existing urban fabric through the design of gateway features, visible graphic identification and thoughtful strategic planning.

Adding amenities and programmed activities to spaces attracts more people [and a variety of people] to spend time beyond simply moving through a space to reach a destination.

These “sticky spaces” create rich and vibrant environments for people to enjoy and interact with each other, while also increasing opportunities to meet different people which can ultimately enhance social tolerance and learning.

It’s important to fuse our downtowns to their wider locality and commit to a more inclusive public realm to build connections at multiple scales. Central Business Districts can create community-facing amenities to foster a sense of belonging for the local population and create more walkable and active environments. These amenities can form a third place — a vibrant space in between home and work.

! e r e h lcome

e w e r a u o Y

www.visitcottonwoodaz.org

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TECHNOLOGY

Infrastructure

Electric Vehicles: Clean Energy + Creating Jobs

BY STEVEN G. ZYLSTRA

W

When making the case for electric vehicles (EVs), many people are quick to highlight the environmental benefits, which range from reduced air pollution to decreased reliance on fossil fuels. But what about the many economic benefits that we stand to gain by rolling out robust EV infrastructure?

Installing, operating and maintaining EV charging infrastructure will create numerous jobs for workers in the electrical and construction trades across the nation and within Arizona. In fact, it’s estimated that a net gain of two million U.S. jobs would be created in 2035 if all new car and truck sales were electric, including hundreds of thousands of union jobs in the automotive industry.

This momentum is already underway, as nearly all major automakers are electrifying their fleets. Five months ago, there were 24 assembly plants slated to produce EVs – now there are 30, with more on the way in the years to come. And automakers are investing billions to shift production to EVs, with many committing to only selling electric models by 2040 or sooner. And this is just one industry that’s eager to adopt clean energy innovation and reap the economic benefits.

Federal and state policymakers are working to scale the EV movement through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, an initiative that provides background, guidance and funding to help the U.S. reach its goal of 500,000 EV chargers nationwide by 2030. NEVI funding is split into two key buckets: $5 billion

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for an interconnected network of EV charging stations and alternative fuel corridors, and another $2.5 billion in competitive grant program funding focused on installing EV chargers in rural and disadvantaged communities, where range anxiety is often felt the most.

CENTERING EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN EQUITY To take the economic benefits of EVs a step further, the NEVI Program aligns with the Justice40 Initiative, which mandates that at least 40% of the benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy infrastructure are distributed to disadvantaged communities. This doesn’t mean that states must channel 40% of charging infrastructure funding to disadvantaged communities.

Instead, it encourages states to conduct significant outreach and public engagement within these communities to ensure their perspectives are integrated throughout the planning and deployment process. This can help achieve a more equitable and fair distribution of benefits and services.

A recent paper released by Forth, a nonprofit dedicated

to the equitable advancement of clean transportation, makes a compelling case for the need to center charging investments in equity. In the context of EVs, Forth defines equity as “universal access to the necessary infrastructure to support the use of an EV.” The paper goes on to highlight the different populations most affected by the disparities in access to charging — for example, drivers who live in apartment complexes or those with lower incomes.

There is a long history of reinforcing patterns of inequality and exclusions, particularly on the basis of race. From building highways through the hearts of large, urban neighborhoods to redlining that created racially segregated communities, Forth suggests that some public policy decisions made over the years have led to a ripple effect of racial and ethnic disparities that have negatively impacted quality of life indicators like education, economic stability and distribution of transportation.

With the NEVI Formula Program’s concentration on the equitable construction and distribution of a national EV charging network, our country has the immense opportunity to create a different future. Such a future emphasizes process equity through intentional inclusion of historically underserved communities, and a path forward that universally lifts up and benefits communities in every part of town.

A CLOSER LOOK AT ARIZONA Over the past several years, Arizona Technology Council members have steadily proven their ability to employ Arizona’s national leadership in developing clean energy and EV technologies that benefit the state’s economy and diverse population.

KORE Power just finalized the purchase of 214 acres in Buckeye that will become home to the KOREPlex, a two million-square foot manufacturing facility with capacity to produce 12 GWh of lithium-ion battery cells annually. This project is expected to bring thousands of jobs to the Valley of the Sun.

PLANNING A REMODEL? Don’t Demolish

DECONSTRUCT

Lucid Motors just signed a lease for more than 116,000 square feet of industrial space in Tempe. This space would supplement the 120 acres that the company recently purchased in May near its existing one million-square foot electric vehicle factory in Casa Grande.

• Reduce Waste • Save $1,000s • Support Your Community

Mobility technology company Atlis Motor Vehicles recently announced its plans to submit an S-1 format Form 1-A and Nasdaq Global Market application in anticipation of a public listing on the stock market.

Despite this laudable growing leadership, our work must accelerate. State leaders and the Arizona Department of Transportation must continue to fortify the clean energy economy in an innovative and equitable manner that ensures a more prosperous and healthy tomorrow for all Arizonans.

480-269-8601 • StardustBuilding.org AUGUST 2022

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TECHNOLOGY

Climate

Sustainability As Standard Practice

BY TYLER BUTLER

P

Pop culture has long driven awareness where critical topics are concerned. Sustainability has been one of the most popular topics recently. We have seen the subject highlighted by Leonardo DiCaprio during his Academy Award speech, where he called out the reality of climate change. It’s prevalent on social media as well.

Just look at youth activist Greta Thunberg’s school protest and subsequent viral video where she implores society to take action.

Conversations surrounding sustainability are increasingly embedded within culture. They’re becoming ingrained in investor expectations and demand has increased for qualified, connected professionals working to create solutions. The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) has been designed to educate, equip and support professionals in this business area. ISSP serves as a common thread among sustainability professionals, admonishing the barriers of isolation facing this rapidly growing community.

Founded 17 years ago, ISSP was started by four consultants working from Portland, Oregon. As they compared notes on their clients, they noticed an emerging trend. Companies had started enlisting employees to spearhead sustainability efforts.

Moreover, they found that these employees had energy efficiency, conscientious sourcing and social outcomes shoehorned into their job descriptions, with “sustainability” added to their titles.

“It felt like they were free climbing, attempting to traverse a very rugged terrain without ropes or tools or maps,” Marsha Willard, a founding consultant said. “These people needed a club.” And so, ISSP was born.

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That initial vision to build ISSP as a community of sustainability practice has grown to include members on every inhabited continent of the globe and spawns a network of regional chapters. ISSP has unified the profession’s body of knowledge and codified it as part of the Sustainability Excellence Professional credentials.

Until recently, ISSP primarily served the vanguard of leaders who were among the first Chief Sustainability Officers for their companies and institutions. This group has grown considerably over the past few years. The once small, expert community has expanded as more organizations have prioritized sustainability, creating a greater need for qualified practitioners to drive impact.

Growing in number by 50% during 2021, ISSP members form the foundation of the organizations’ network of sustainability professionals, working across sectors and around the globe. As part of ISSP’s expansion, they’ve become increasingly international.

Today, one in four members resides outside of North America. South Asia, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are among the fastest growing regions for ISSP members, but growth continues in every world region.

In fact, the societal shift that took place in 2020 was the catalyst for many changes in sentiment, where prioritizing the environment and sustainability are concerned.

According to a 2021 study conducted by communications consultancy firm Porter Novelli, 73% of Americans said that they are more concerned than ever before about the impacts of the climate crisis. This growing awareness has been a driving force behind ISSP’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These SDGs — or Global Goals — are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.” ISSP is also committed to supporting the professionals who are needed to make implementation of this internationally recognized framework for sustainability progress a reality by 2030. To create the needed subject matter experts to accomplish their goal, ISSP has created the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) and Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP) credentials to educate and activate their commitments.

The critical programming provided by ISSP could be a deciding factor in how well companies are equipped to deal with the needed changes to curtail our climate crisis. Engagement and collaboration have been critical in connecting members in key activities to deliver

ISSP’s mission. To accomplish this, the organization has implemented opportunities for sustainability professionals to share ideas and resources through local chapters, online, their members-only platform, and larger-scale in-person events that provide a space for like-minded professionals to advance their network and knowledge.

Through these professional development courses, ISSP offers instructor-led educational opportunities designed to aid in professional development and support practitioners throughout their career. Additionally, ISSP serves as a facilitator for dialogue surrounding the ever-changing topic of sustainability and the standards of excellence for the profession.

As a recognized leader, ISSP will continue to lead critical conversations and serve as a unifying force for the sustainability discipline, whether through work they’ve done to create a 16-page Global Congress Report highlighting the key takeaways and opportunities for professional sectors, or through work with TEDxISSP, which took place during Earth Month in 2021. ISSP is a valuable source of truth promoting the urgency of the moment, the transformation needed and the action lo it will take to solve our planet’s environmental crisis.

A Call to Action The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to address global challenges. These 17 goals range from “enhancing the use of enabling technology... to promote the empowerment of all women and girls” to increasing “the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” For more information, visit https://.sdgs.un.org.

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She’s GREEN He’s GREEN

BY JENNIFER & JOHN BURKHART

End of Summer & Anytime Family Ideas There's still plenty of BBQ-ing and pool weather ahead, even with school on the horizon. Why not plan for both, while still keeping the planet in mind? We found a few neat products that can help you do just that.

American Bubble Co

Hefty

Zevia Kidz

Bubble Tree refillable bubbles

EcoSave plates & bowls

Strawberry Lemonade

He said: I'm tempted to give these bubbles a bad review just for a laugh.

“They were too floaty and colorful and I didn't like how happy they made me feel.” What a grouch I'd have to be to really write that. Honestly, these were great! Easy to use and put a smile on everyone's faces.

He Said: How do you write a review about the world's most boring item? I mean after I say these were good-sized and durable, there's really nothing left to say. Oh! They were white and made of paper. I got nothing folks.

He Said: This tasted exactly like strawberry lemonade, if you made it with all the stems and leaves still attached.

Stevia has always had an herbal taste that I've never been too fond of. If you can get your kids to drink this, awesome!

But good luck with that.

She Said: Say goodbye to all those plastic bubble bottles, finally! Loved this idea. Everything is recyclable, from the smooth-coated aluminum bottles to the bag-in-box (like wine) refills. The wands are attached to the sturdy lid, and produce TONS of bubbles. SO fun!

She Said: I'll admit, disposable plates and bowls are really just the thing you need.

We took the Hefty EcoSave brand with us on our last camping trip because who wants to mess with washing dishes out in the forest? On vacation? Yeah, nope. They held strong for oatmeal, burgers, taco bowls and fruit. Made from plant-based materials, they are 100% compostable, but only in commercial facilities.

She Said: These little 7.5 oz cans are perfect for summer outings or lunchboxes. I love the Zevia brand and can drink them or give them to our kiddos guilt-free (no bouncing off the walls later!) Dr. Zevia is my favorite flavor, but this particular one was pretty bland to me. However, it was still sweet bubbly water, which is heaven on a hot day!

Surprisingly, our kiddos enjoyed them, so that's what really matters.

Instant Pot Three small multi-use cups He Said: These little cups could be used in about a thousand different ways. Food storage, organization, hockey puck ... not to mention all the different recipes you can make in them. My favorite was the poached egg for my breakfast sandwich. I found them to be just a bit too small, though.

She Said: Need to make egg bites for breakfast or cute desserts like crème brûlée but only have a few minutes? These cups make that task easy in the Instant Pot. I did have a hard time finding recipes though, so it took a bit of trial and error. (My first batch of egg bites were runny at two minutes and rubberized at four minutes. Oops). The cups are stainless steel, and have great silicone lids for storage.

They were also great for sauces, dips or small snacks in a lunchbox.

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Your Key to the Community Community, Philanthropy & Lifestyle

JAN 2022

frontdoorsmedia.com

MUSIC IS THE

MUSE

Rosie’s House hasn’t had its own permanent home since 2000. But that hasn’t stopped its incredible growth.

A Frontdoors Media Publication | Home of The Red Book

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GREEN

Scenes

August Events Throughout Arizona

CENTRAL ARIZONA August 6 Flashlight Night at Desert Botanical Gardens: Primavera Folklorico Grab your flashlight and get your glow on!

Experience the desert after dark with hands-on activities, live dance and musical performances, cool treats, a farmers market and more. Perfect for a “cool” summer date night or family adventure.

On August 6, Primavera promises to display an exhilarating, lively and vivacious performance with an array of colorful costumes, dances and music that embodies and embraces Mexican folklore and culture. Tickets start at $14.95. For more information and tickets, visit www.dbg.org/events.

August 2

August 21, 22, 27, 28

Mornings With Mommy: Summertime Fun

Kick Off the Strawberry Season

Mornings With Mommy isn’t preschool and it isn’t childcare. It’s something different. Mornings With Mommy is a fun and easy way for you to enjoy activities with your children and meet other moms. At Mornings With Mommy, you will find appropriate activities for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. And the best part? They do all the planning, you just sign up! Moms can mingle with each other and enjoy activities with their children, including arts and crafts, stations designed to develop gross and fine motor skills, flannel stories and story time, music, educational toys and a snack. For more information, visit www.allevents.in/ chandler/mornings-with-mommy.

Are you looking to start a new family tradition or continue an old one? Look no further. Mortimer Farms Strawberry Festival has something for everyone! Enjoy our farm animal encounter, farminspired rides, games, activities, the pick-your-own strawberry experience and grain train farm tours. Take the family to Dewey, Arizona for the Strawberry Festival. Reserve your tickets online 24 hours in advance. Tickets available at the gate. Admission is required. Tickets are $15. Children 2 and under are free. For more information, visit www.mortimerfarmsaz.com.

BUSINESS

August 20 Peace, Love and Art Party

August 17

Make new friends in a fun, supportive atmosphere where creativity is flowing. Enjoy options for indoor boutique shopping and activities with yummy food trucks. Tickets include a themed indoor craft with supplies geared toward different age groups, an outdoor water slide, petting zoo and treats! Tickets start at $15 and are free for babies under 12 months. For more information, visit www.unation.com/event/10642039.

Fuerza Business Mixer

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This is a fantastic opportunity to make and create stronger connections with businesses in all types of Hispanic-owned industries. Local First knows that different ideas and perspectives help innovation, create stronger networking communities and help businesses become more savvy and competitive. The August Fuerza Local Business Mixer is hosted by Salvadoreño Restaurant #2. Salvadoreño restaurants specialize in Salvadoran and Central American-style food in Arizona and California. Niña Martha became known throughout her community for her delicious chicken tamales, fresh corn tamales and various other homecooked meals that she would send her daughter Miriam to deliver to the workers in the “fincas,” the coffee and corn fields. For more information, visit www.localfirstaz.com/events.

NORTHERN ARIZONA

SOUTHERN ARIZONA

August 6-7

August 27

Flagstaff Chili Festival

Breeze in the Trees 5K

The 38th Annual Route 66 Regional Chili Cook-Off will have cooks from around the country converging to compete in both chili and salsa stand-offs. These will determine who will represent at the World Championship Chili Cook-Off in South Carolina. Taste the variety of chili and salsa while listening to live music. The following day, Sunday, August 7, will be the 50th Anniversary for the Arizona State Championship Chili CookOff, with cooks competing in three different types of chili to see who will represent at the World Championship. Tasting kits will be available for purchase. For more information, visit www. flagstaff365.com/event.

Partake in a cool summer 5K and run through the shady Green Valley Pecan Farm orchards. This race prepares runners for the Pecan Classic in November and there is a special award if you run both. The course is on dirt roads and trails through the pecan orchards, giving runners a unique opportunity to see the farm and enjoy the most amazing summer running experience under the trees. For more information, visit www.visittucson.org/event/ breeze-in-the-trees-5k.

August 6 Fool me twice!

Enjoy Sedona author, cowboy poet and actor Michael Peach in his original show inspired by Sedona and Arizona history. A blend of original cowboy poetry, tall tales and historical humor, Peach exposes local mythology and takes a tongue-in-cheek look at quirky incidents from the past using jokes, storytelling and first-person narrative. You will laugh at outrageous vintage press releases, proselytizing train robbers, fraudulent miners, local pranksters and a publicity-hungry huckster. Admission starts at $6 for adults but children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit www.sedonamuseum.org/event/foolme-twice.

August 6, 13, 20, 27 Hummingbird Banding at the San Pedro House Up to 10 species of hummingbirds use the green corridor of the San Pedro River as a freeway between their tropical winter retreats and their northern nesting grounds. The public is invited to get a close-up look at these tiny travelers as staff and volunteers from the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory capture, band, weigh, measure and release them as part of long-term studies of the bird life of this vital migration route. The public is welcome to observe band­ing sessions at no charge, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, visit www.sabo.org.

August 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 Peach Mania

Your kids will love Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra's Family Pops Concert centered around Musical Animals! This festive outdoor event includes a program of exciting animal-themed music, face painting and an instrument “petting zoo” where they can pick up an instrument, learn how to hold it, and even try playing it!

Adult tickets start at $15 and children under 12 are free. For more information, visit www.flagstaffsymphony.org/event.

A celebration of Willcox Peaches, featuring sweet and juicy treeripened peaches! Our annual Peach Mania starts with a delicious Peaches & Pancakes breakfast served from 7:30 AM-10:30 AM each Saturday and Sunday at Apple Annie’s Orchard Grill. Take a trip out into our orchards and pick peaches fresh off the trees, check out our selections of peach products from peach salsa to peach fudge, sit in the shade of our peach orchard and enjoy a slice of homemade peach pie. Apple-smoked burger lunches will be served daily from 11:30 AM-3:00 PM at Apple Annie’s Orchard Grill. A perfect way to spend a memorable day with family and friends! For more information, visit www.appleannies.com.

August 17

August 19-20

The Female Edge — Networking Lunch in Chandler

ACEL Dynamics of Leadership Regional Conference

Embrace your femininity and get ready for a networking group that is fun and inspirational! We will always be positive and supportive of each other. This group is dedicated to helping you get that "edge" that comes from being a woman in business.

Come network and share with like-minded women helping each other grow their businesses. For more information, visit www. meetup.com/FemaleEdge/events.

Asian Corporate and Entrepreneurship Leaders (ACEL) Dynamics of Leadership Regional Conference will feature an exceptional lineup of speakers addressing a range of inspirational, contemporary topics for ACEL members and non-members.

Participation includes a two-day Leadership Conference on Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas. For more information, visit www.aceleaders.org.

August 13 Family Pops Concert

AUGUST 2022

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