This old phone box was standing on the corner of First and Jefferson, crying out for a bit of attention. A quick whip of string and tin can later we have a play on outmoded technology and the connections we make in our modern lives.

My son is a natural in front of the camera, that stance is all his own. The way his left knee bends and head tilts recall his no fuss attitude.

As of today, the tin can is no longer hanging there. Given the area the phone box is in, I’m guessing the can was clipped from it’s string for recycling money.

Over the past few months we have quietly linked to the Sustainable September website over twelve times. Wait, make that thirteen. Fourteen… You get the point, get ready to loose count! As of tonight the stage is literally set and Sustainable September is ready to blossom all around us, even in surprising and unexpected places.

Ecowell kiosk screen at the lower level of City Hall.

So hold on to your napkins (you have to bring your own to this event) while we get a taste of tomorrow. With all the overwhelming problems we face today, Kevin encourages people to focus on what we can do, getting beyond the finger pointing and criticism stage to offer desirable courses of action and viable alternatives. In short, to think of ourselves as “solutionists.”

Too often we experience what Kevin calls “tactical sectarianism.” This is the age old phenomena where specialized interest groups fail to work together on the larger picture. People have a tendency to retreat into a mindset of scarcity where they forget how trust and collaboration can create abundance.

In addition to all the fascinating sustainability shop talk, Kevin broke up the business with a few politically incorrect one liners. Some are not to be repeated here, but two of my favorites were “Chairman Mao reminds us that effective revolutionaries are never ten steps ahead of the people, they are always one step ahead.” And then there was the observation, “You know how things can work like a melting pot? Sometimes the bottom gets burned and the scum seems to rise to the top.” They say people laugh at things that make them nervous. In this case it wouldn’t be as funny if it didn’t ring so true.

Coming to a table near you!

Spokane was home to one of the first “green expos” in the world, and now with Sustainable September we will do well to learn from Green Festival, a nation wide program that celebrates what’s working in our communities for people, business and the environment. Kevin also told us about the Emerald Cities Collaborative, an alliance that focuses on developing the green economy, workforce and investment environment. Are you ready for this wild ride through a feast of possible positive futures (to mix metaphors)? I know I sure am. I can’t wait to see you there!

• Face Time: Nonprofit employee talks about sustainability, Tom Sowa on S-R
• Sustainable September Kicks off Wednesday, Paul Haeder on DTE
• For the Future, Brian Sayrs on Planning Spokane

Spokane has a style all it’s own: a mix of high and low brow, city and country, grungy and funky. Beyond the surface of chain stores at the mall we have a growing array of local shopping options, many of which are run by young entrepreneurs. Boutiques like Swank and Lolo, vintage treasure troves Finders Keepers and the newly-opened Carousel, and funky second hand stores galore can fill any wardrobe on any budget. But where can you find handmade pieces by your talented and possibly unknown neighbors?

Designs by Ronnie Ryno

Last week’s Inlander story asks if “Spokane is ready to pay up” for locally designed and produced items and explores the difficulty many local designers have had selling their work in local shops. Though most of the designers at last Friday’s Runway Renegades show sell work on Etsy and fashion events in other cities, it’s high time their neighbors in Spokane take notice and start strutting their stuff in these gorgeous, up-cycled, local pieces.

The crowd at Runway Renegades was a mixed bag, contrary to the pack of giggling girls my guest was expecting, who share one interest: beautiful handmade clothing and the artists who make them. As collection after collection sashayed down the runway, the excitement built.

Designs by Kadra Evans

Ronnie opened the show by sharing facts and figures about the wasted textiles that go into the trash every year and explained that all of the designers had done something about this. Can you find the reclaimed t-shirt? The shower curtain? The man’s tie?

Designs by Shawna Gaines

Lexi Carr is 18 years old and has been making clothes for the last 5 years. Runway Renegades was 14 year old Danielle Hansen’s first show. These two talented ladies are a great example of young people carving out a niche in both the arts scene and the local market.

Designs by Danielle Hansen

As for this Spokanite, I’m ready to “pay up” for this unique wearable art and just purchased the beautiful black and blue dress below (it was surprisingly affordable) directly from Lexi Carr, who explained the steps she took in making each of the roses on the skirt.

Designs by Lexi Carr

What’s next for Spokane fashion? The Runway Renegades are full steam ahead on their annual show, Sustainable Uprising will feature an all local show for the second year, along with a vendor fair and t-shirt alteration table, and the array of locally owned retail appears to be growing. Wouldn’t it be great if these parties worked to create a local fashion incubator that could sustain and nurture the scene while fostering collaboration? Mall, schmall. Stay stylin’ Spokane!

On a night like tonight is it easy to be concerned about air quality in Spokane. Yet irritants and toxins are often lurking in other unsuspecting parts of nature, such as our soil and water, as a direct result of human activity. With all of this valid concern about dangerous chemicals in the environment, it is easy to be unaware of the harmful chemicals in everyday products that we are exposed to as a result of our own purchasing habits.

It is generally accepted that things like lead, arsenic and mercury aren’t good for us, but few people recognize they are still prevalent and dangerous. We have a serious false sense of security about the chemicals in our make-up, soaps and cleaning products. Current federal law does not protect us. In fact, health and safety testing has been required on only 200 of the 80,000 chemicals on the market. Chemicals in our everyday lives can harm our reproductive health, mental and general physical health.

Interested in learning how to avoid exposure? Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington, Washington Toxics Coalition, the Washington State Nurses Association and the Washington Environmental Council are hosting an educational event this Saturday at the South Hill Library on Perry. They will be discussing the health concerns of toxins in everyday products and things we can do to help prevent them.  Let’s make getting clean less dirty by:

• Listening to a short presentation.
• Visiting information tables about green cleaning, safe baby bottles, how you can help make change, and more.
• Bringing in an item from your home made of wood, plastic or metal and have it checked for harmful chemicals by the amazing XRF testing machine!
• Learning about which products and ingredients to watch out for as you shop.

Specifics:
Where: Spokane Public Library, South Hill Branch, 3324 South Perry
When: Saturday, August 28th, 1-2:30pm

If this free interactive workshop inspires you to go on a health improvement binge, check out some of the other events listed as part of the Health & Well-Being Track for Sustainable September Spokane.

This woman is a hair product representative and was on a sales call to a downtown Spokane salon. I have a friend who put her son through Gonzaga Prep doing this work. It is not for the faint of heart. How can you not agree, Spokane is gorgeous and so are the people in it.

Invite design by Virginia Baxter

The first order of business was turning the traditional house party vibe on its head. People complimenting the hostess on the curtains and making absurd jokes about how old they think they are? Pass. We held a mini-green home tour to learn about the sustainable design elements that went into our old/new green party palace.

Developer Jim Sheehan gives a tour.

Polite chit chat between people comparing what impressive cities their children have moved off to? Pass. We booked a DJ to break up the murmuring and keep it bumpin’ between sets.

DJ Benjamin Jorgens spinning for Bonnie.

Folks whipping out checkbooks to dispassionately pony up with their pound of flesh? Pass. We cut the door donation in half and held a volunteer auction to get our friends to experience the action for themselves. Just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you should be treated like you are politically worthless.

Auctioning off picnics, paddling trips, lunches and baseball schwag.

With these new features we kept the other party staples intact. Delicious hors d’ oeuvres, hummus and sushi? You got it. Donated drinks and good cheer? Check. The last and most important piece was to highlight a candidate worthy of all the attention.

Unlike most politicians, Bonnie Mager isn’t all about self-promotion and telling people what they want to hear. She is about selfless hard work on behalf of her constituents. If there is something challenging to address, Bonnie is prepared and willing to take the issue head on using her time-tested experience on the commission to advance an effective response. She has an impeccable voting record that few can fault, combining social responsibility with fiscal responsibility that far outpaces the performance of her current Republican counterparts.

Before Bonnie won her office, she’d spent over two decades advocating on behalf of the people of Spokane. She doesn’t just pay lip service to the environment, she fought against placing the Burlington Northern refueling depot over our aquifer (where it ultimately leaked), and helped found KYRS.

Photo by Nicole Hensley

The only complaint I’ve ever heard about Bonnie is that she is too often in the minority on important issues. But Bonnie can’t be faulted for this – the focus should be on reconsidering the other two commissioners when they come up for a vote.  Despite sometimes being the lone critic of her counterparts’ policies, Bonnie has been able to accomplish one heck of a lot:

• She got the public comment period put at the beginning of county meetings. (Get a clue, City Hall!)
• Took vigilant actions to save Ben Burr road for public use.
• Increased the Civil Service Commission from 3 to 5 to make it function and added some diversity at the table.
• Lead a response team of staff and the other two commissioners to address the 2010 budget gap. Bonnie personally paid for a consultant to help facilitate a strategic response. Now that is dedication!

Image from the Inlander

These deliverables make Bonnie the stand out candidate for County Commissioner this fall. Not to mention her votes against the Raceway Park, a jail site located far away from needed services, and a premature contract for building a wastewater treatment plant in a marketplace of falling prices. Bonnie approved dedicated funding for evidence-based programs to prevent crime, save costs and “right size” the new jail, and negotiated a revenue sharing plan with the City over the West Plains annexation. With Bonnie you know exactly what you are getting. A tireless champion on behalf of neighborhoods, accountable government, and everyday people in the county. The choice is clear.

For those of you fortunate enough to not own a television, a certain beverage giant is granting $1.3 million to a variety of “do good” proposals each month this year. Instead of determining which projects receive funding in a typical corporate black box granting process with no oversight or accountability, they have put voting power in the hands of everyday consumers in exchange for a sick amount of PR.

While the contest was initially open to receiving proposals for 15 days each month, the program’s popularity has reduced the submission window to less than one minute. Local nonprofit Community-Minded Enterprises has managed to snag one of  the 1,000 coveted spots available to promote Unity in the Community. If we can win this proposal the funding will pay for a variety of program supplies to ensure the needs of all festival participants are met next year. (Think school supplies drive, see proposal for details.)

As of this writing, the Unity application is at #72. That means this is winnable! Please vote for this Spokane institution every day in August by going online to: http://www.refresheverything.com/uic. Simply create a quick account (your information goes nowhere) and push the “Vote for this idea” button. You can also cast a daily bonus vote by texting the message ‘101297’ to the recipient number: 73774.

It might be helpful to tether this ritual to something else you do once a day, like setting your alarm at night or taking the dog out in the morning. If you really want to be useful you can promote this effort through email, Twitter, Facebook, phone, etc. and can even embed a voting widget into your website. All of this can be accomplished from the UIC proposal page.

Another strategy to gain support for the project is to use your 9 remaining votes per day on other proposals and ask their voters to reciprocate the favor. I’m also voting for:

• Supply a Bed for Every Head in Spokane, WA for Homeless People
  Spokane Community Warehouse
• Buy the Puyallup Food Bank a building to keep feeding 20k neighbors!
  Puyallup Food Bank and Distribution Center
• Build a Playground by the Sound- imagined by kids, built by volunteers
  Playground by the Sound Committee

Regardless of how many votes you can cast towards the cause this month, make a day of it on August 21st by exploring this inspiring festival in the park. Vote for the Unity in the Community proposal at an information table that is set up for you to do so, and whatever you do, DON’T MISS the Cultural Village!

After all the activity, you can walk over to Oz Fitness across from the mall and refresh yourself with a locally innovated affordable Ecowell beverage. Cause why would anyone want to ship water, waste packaging and drink corn syrup when they don’t have to?

*Disclaimer: In case you forgot or are confused, the views expressed herein are not necessarily shared by any of the parties mentioned. Happy voting!

Please vote “Mariah McKay – D” if you live in Precinct 3153.

PCOs serve as a liaison between their local party and voters in their precinct. Basically they are supposed to walk around, introduce themselves, remind folks to vote, help people deal with any registration or delivery issues that crop up, and answer questions people may have about the candidates to the best of their ability.

A precinct map around the Browne’s Addition area.

I’ve met most of the candidates on the primary ballot, am great with meeting attendance, am familiar with the rules and requirements for voting, and LOVE talking to my neighbors. So please write me in or think of friends in my precinct who can. I need to get at least 10% of the vote to “win.” Since there are 873 registered voters in 3153 and only about half of those will vote this August, I need around 40 people to help me meet this goal.

Please vote “Paul Dillon – D” if you live in Precinct 3152.

Another upstanding young candidate for becoming a Democratic PCO is Paul Dillon who is running in the bulk of Browne’s Addition. He lives on the corner of 2nd and Cannon and has been in the neighborhood for the past two years. Paul believes Browne’s is one of the best neighborhoods in the country and is excited about the future of Spokane.

Don’t forget to return your ballot on or before August 17th!

For those of you who still need to get registered or change your address, it is not yet too late. Head on over to the Spokane County Elections Office this week. The place is shockingly handsome. The high ceilings, exposed wooden beams and skylights are enough to make any loft-loving yuppie drool.

Can you believe in this Immaculate Election?

Trekking on down to the Elections Office to take care of business is bound to make you feel some kind of warm n’ fuzzy civic duty glow.

Even the tissue boxes in this place are patriotic.

Do it for the little people, vote for your PCOs!

Veda Lux is a handmade jewelry and accessories boutique accompanied by a wealth of funky vintage and second hand pieces. Owner and artist Summer Hightower is known for her avant garde hair pieces under the label Sumeria Designs. She is also a Lilac City Roller Girl, a property manager, and a native Hawaiian-turned-LC grad.

Too often fabulous local ventures like Veda Lux aren’t able to leverage the promotional power they need to be widely supported by Spokane shoppers. Too often this lack of business is blamed on the market, when really it is a communications dilemma. People simply don’t know they exist. Our neighborhood business districts are so spread out across the city that many people don’t get the chance to “happen upon” such stores in their commute between home, work and routine errands.

In this case, however, there has been early enthusiastic support by a number of independent nonprofit community news outlets. Let’s keep the word of mouth machine going. Make a South Perry date with your friends, find something special, and tell people where you got it when they ask.

• Veda Lux Birthday pictures on the Spovangelist Flickr.
• “Summer,” a Veda Lux photo journal on Ugly Yellow, by Tiffany Patterson
• “Veda Lux: A Boutique in a Riot of Color and Texture” by Spokane Business Women

The first concept was to have me stand in front of the 2011 Boxster Spyder featured in the “Hot Life” article. For anyone who knows me, this was a somewhat ironic proposition given that I ride my bike almost everywhere I go and long for a culture that is more accepting of bike transit. Then the photographer asked if I knew anyone who flew planes. Coincidentally enough I did, and Jeff agreed to meet the production team out at Felt’s Field in an hour.

It takes a team to make the cover!

The next step was to lighten my load a little by getting a hair cut that would form wing tips in the wind. The breeze was so strong we were afraid that the plane would flip over – apparently this happens regularly when people aren’t erring on the side of caution. We played ping-pong in the hanger until the sun climbed around to the right angle, shot for a minute or two, and then wheeled the plane back to safety inside.