The day in Pocatello turns into a series of connections in a web of sustainability. Like many of the cities through other 9 states I visited, this one delivered on the joy of friends and family.
As i drove into the town the day before, I felt tired and uninspired, then Don came by to pick me up. Since I had been using Couchsurfing.org for some of my accommodations, my host was not sure if I had a car or not. He literally came by to pick me up from the coffee shop where I had been working. It was nearly 10 and had gotten dark.
As I followed him back to the family home, I realized just how special these sorts of encounters can be. It’s not simply staying in a hotel, these folks invite you into their home.
I completed more work on the videos from Salt Lake City. I realized that each one takes about 3 hours from start to finish including a long upload process to Youtube. This makes me cringe when I think of how many segments I have not cut.
As I looked out my window overlook Pocatello, I saw the twinkling lights of the town. Bright bulbs pulsing and shimmering as the day cooled down.
The family has been in the fireworks business for years. They employ dozens of people this time of year and make a majority of the money for the whole year in the course of two weeks.
I know, fireworks. I should be going on a rant about the non-environmental impact of these types of things. And there are many rants here for those who want to know that, but this story is about family and community. It’s also about the transformation of a people toward sustainability. The stages of it are important to note. Several folks have echoed the message that living eco/green/sustainably is about steps. The most beautiful thing about starting to live sustainably is that it happens slowly. It’s like planting a seed to discover what green means to you in your life.
Brenda heads up Habitat for Humanity for the region. Her prowess in the community is over everything. With connects to every part of this town, she even has her own local tv show.
As I sat in the studio with the other Don aka Mr. Clean, I was reminded of all the times I had filmed my show in New York. Once Brenda started talking about her town and its neighborhoods, I grew even more impressed. She truly is about connecting with her neighbors. The studio staff that films her who warmly welcomed her, the other people working in housing in Pocatello as I visited their offices, and even people who do not know her directly like Mr. Clean himself.
I look forward to speaking with a few more folks from her community of connections on our radio shows.
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