Sustainability

Here is another example of how Nicolas is the better human being. He doesn't waste paper. Ever. Not once since I met him thirteen years ago have I seen him just grab a piece of fresh, new, 8 x 10 paper and start writing. He is a born recycler.

Me, I loooove paper. I kept a journal for years and years and picking out my new one was always a big deal. I love graph paper and origami paper and cool wrapping paper and I used to make my own handmade paper (but not, I admit, because of any sense of wanting to spare trees), though I did also buy lots of recycled paper.

Now that scrapbooking has become such a huge hobby, man... the PAPER. So many incredible designers creating multiple possibilities of mood and style and texture in a 12 x 12 sheet of what used to just be paper.

Hence, Nicolas' pad of paper for work; this little pad to the left that is finally down to two sheets of paper, tiny notes about vegetable orders on both sides of the wrinkled sheets. To the right, a glimpse of my paper stash, stacked into two tightly packed containers. And my dirty little secret is even bigger. When I was at MOMA last year I bought a book of sticky notes that were designed by Lotta Jansdotter . I'm talking 8 different books of decorated paper contained in a bigger book. But you have to see these sticky notes! I use them sparingly and when I do, they truly brighten my day. Oh. do you know about mulberry paper? How about heavy weight vellum - translucent, coming in many differnt colors and patterns and when you emboss it...




But back to the difference between Nicolas' sustainability and mine. He is the recycler. Now, I do recycle - everything. I just happen to also be the buyer, and not always of recycled goods. He simplifies, I layer. He is aman of few words. I am a woman of many. But I do have to say that many of them (my words) - not having been fully appreciated the first time, are recycled.

Here is the big lesson, for me. Nicolas' energy sustains him through many hours of hard labor on the fields and then hours of family. My energy comes in passionate explosions of creativity and generosity; and then utterly fails me. His is recycled, mine often has to be recreated from scratch.

the moral: because of sustainability issues I need to blog more (hence using less paper to scrap book) and recycle (some) of my cool papers into farm notebooks for my husband. I need to talk less, breathe more and maybe even plant some more trees.