Great catch! Thank you.

if there's a short cut, it could help millions of people and positively influence civilization. That would be ^cool^

Gotta see it, gotta price it. I am a confirmed maybe!

That's pretty awesome. Do you think it will catch on? I haven't seen any pre-work on behalf of VW unless they've been depending on Segways to open the market.

This is the article that brought me to Hubski. Hubski is the only one on the list that does what I am looking for. Glad to be here.

I have given up processed flour and sugar for the most part (not religiously). In other words, I avoid them most days, choose other foods (vegtables, meats, fruit) in regular meals and have greatly reduced my intake of them. Same for grains and legumes.

I say, 'not religiously', because every once in a while I will eat some of these for fun or variety, or because someone is serving it to me who I want to please by eating what they provide me.

My energy is so much better. Pounds have come off, which is good because I was about 20# over what I should be. Now I am only about 10# over - I have been up to this since early May.

Thanks, Julie. These are so inspiring to me. Julie and I spoke with Michelle Popowitz recently. She told us she uses the "Field of Dreams" model. And what she has done at UCLA is extraordinary. Check out this 6 minute video to see how far they have come on their Sustainable LA initiative. It's truly uplifting.

Consider reading Ray Jardine. Some of his suggestions are so obvious and helpful. He taught me how to go in the woods for 3-4 nights with a 30-40# pack. Here's my fave: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Backpacking-Jardines-Lightweight-Hiking/dp/0963235931/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I don't use hiking boots any more. Haven't in years. Of course, I am just into pleasant hiking in forests. I am not a mountaineer. For me, I haven't needed them.

Also consider traditional mud for your coffee. Grounds in hot water are pretty good in the back country. You may prefer instant. It's a matter of choice.

For something else to do, read one of Stephen Forster's books and they will give you a perspective on how some have adapted indigenous spiritual practices to modern times:

http://www.amazon.com/Roaring-Sacred-River-Wilderness-Self-Healing/dp/0137814453/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436732042&sr=1-5&keywords=wildernessquest

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Vision-Quest-Steven-Foster/dp/0671761897/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436732098&sr=1-3&keywords=wildernessquest

The first night we camped on a sandbar. The second night on a peninsula.

I have a spot in the Adirondacks that is a favorite, about 50 miles west of Burlington, Vt. It's off the North Fork of the Bouquet River. There's plenty of places to swim. There's a short window in late July and early August where the mountain run-off is warm enough to go all the way in, and that's when I love to go.

Backcountry camping is my personal sanctuary. It's when I get away from all the demands of life and have a chance to be part of nature. I don't go for aggressive hiking. I find a beautiful place and stay there for a few nights, doing light day trips or just hanging out in solace. Sometimes I take a dog. Sometimes a very close friend. Or alone.

That said, safety is a concern when you are in the back country and especially if you are alone. I always tell someone where I am going and when I am coming out. I give them the name and number of the closest ranger station in case I don't call when I am supposed to emerge from my wilderness quests. I also took Wilderness First Responder a couple of times so I had the basics for first aid together.

Great first trip! Thanks for sharing. Last summer I returned to the cheese state with my 17 yr old son and we joined a friend to spend a couple of nights on the Wisconsin River. While the river was low, the trip was gorgeous. We had two big dogs with us and had a ton of fun. I prefer back country camping - I have been doing it for decades. You should be proud of yourself. congrats. The main thing is to have enough fun that you'll go again. Every trip brings new insights, and skills. well done.

Julie, yes we are evolving more rapidly than ever. The Internet has been part of our lives for a mere 20 years. In the next 2 years another 3 billion people will be coming online from the third world, including those same people who have been taking all the MIT courses offered for free on the Internet. It's easy to imagine a few thousand Marie Curies, Luies Pasteurs, Albert Einsteins, Maya Angelous, about to shake our world!

Technology is now intertwined with our biology. There is much to hope for just as there is much to fear. It's hard if not impossible to see what shape we will be in the future. I think of my children.

As they grow it is easy to look at baby pictures and see where they came from, but I can never imagine adequately what they will become. Their physiology is easy to see and remark upon and illustrates this well. But, even more daunting is how their intelligence and behavior evolves. I an in awe of their abilities, so much more than my own at their age.

And this is reflected in more than what they say and do - it's in society. For example, I am a math major, but my son has been studying as far back as Jr High many of the concepts I learned only in college.

Mythically, our story is in a great transformational age. Yes, it will be a rough ride ahead for many, perhaps us included. Nonetheless, it is the only ride there is! Let's step up, lead not follow, raise our bar, make a new day. Carpe diem!

This is a well-written article that provides good insight into the inner world of scientists, including how they keep hope alive.

I worked at the World Bank for 13 years and now am an independent agent, working for some of the largest causes on our planet. Government is not the answer to today's problems. Neither are most corporations. Enlightened private sector initiatives working hand-in-hand with communities, activists and scientists will take us farther faster.

Hope is an important issue. The mindset we have when dealing with large, intractable issues heavily influences our ability to innovate, think creatively, find solutions, persist in the face of overwhelming odds, and work together. Our mindset is both our greatest handicap (depression and rigidity) and our greatest asset (aspiration and breakthrough orientation).

Thanks for sharing.

I am swimming around now. I like what I see. thanks for making contact.

People feel connected to the life around them. This act by the city made it possible for that voice to emerge. It is an extremely hopeful sign. "...objects are not actually just things but acquaintances." Thanks so much for sharing. Deep ecology rising.

I love this phrase. It speaks to the interconnected nature of humanity on all levels. "I am because of the group of friends I am part of." "I am because my family is." "I am because of my community." "I am because I choose to contribute to the world and belong to a community of contributors." "I am because humanity exists." "I am because of all life."

cool.

I am looking for a place to bring a community of leaders who are spearheading "Grand Challenges," bold, audacious goals with massive social benefit. We want to talk with each other, share resources that include videos, sound files, documents and links. I am with a tribe that is looking for a home. So, I am trying this out to see if this is the place.