As a resident of the Tremont neighborhood, I have been following conversations about the mixed income housing development, Tremont Pointe. I lived on Fairfield Avenue from 2001-2002 when the Valleyview Estates was still inhabited. The neighborhood’s look/feel was more diverse (age-wise, race-wise, income-wise, artist-wise).

I moved away and then returned to the neighborhood in 2004 around the time Valleyview residents were relocated. Valleyview was demolished in 2005. I have noticed some changes in the community since the loss of the public housing project, mostly in attitudes from new residents as to what kind of community Tremont should be and who should live there. It seems to me that many neighbors don't know that many of the Tremont Pointe residents' families have lived in the area for generations prior to their relocation; Ninety-five former Valleyview residents currently live in the new development.

There has been some fear and discussion related to the reintroduction of low-income housing to the community and some positive changes too.

In a context that moves beyond the neighborhood, other HOPE VI developments are popping up in Cleveland and around the nation. The controversy is that city officials seem to encourage these developments in gentrifying neighborhoods, perhaps to make poverty more palpable to higher income individuals who have stayed/returned to center city neighborhoods. How can neighborhoods reconcile the goal of de-concentrating poverty with initiatives to replace public housing in neighborhoods in which property values have significantly increased? Hotel Bruce has elucidated this conundrum better than I have.

Keeping my eye on it.

Feel. Drop the caffeine buzz, the buzz of the cathode ray, the hangover, the career ambitions, the list, the perfect stilettos, the cyber-kin, drop the blizzardnoise off our shoulders like warm rain and feel in silence for bellied clang, yell, whimper.

An excerpt from Systems are Cowards, part of Cleveland poet/author/humanitarian, Kate Sopko's recently released book, Stewards of the Lost Lands.

I recently had a conversation with my boyfriend's mother during which I confessed that I am not dating him for his car. . . just doing my part. He does his part too. He rarely drives his beater of a car choosing transport that is bike heavy and RTA lite.

I recently read the The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman. He writes about what would happen to the planet if humans vanished (he offers rapture, disease and other scenarios for the disappearance). For example, he details how long the island of Manhattan would take to return to wilderness, how long it would take for tamed rivers to un-dam themselves and recreate wetlands, and how long beachfront properties would last.

The chapter that I can’t stop thinking about has to do with plastics. It is unknown how long plastic takes to return to the earth in a natural form. I cringe when I see “disposable” items made from plastic. Plastic is not disposable. It never, ever goes away. Not even “biodegradable” plastic, it just breaks down into smaller pieces.

I’ve been ruminating that not-recycling plastic is not only environmentally disastrous, but poor foresight. Plastic is essentially a nonrenewable and super useful resource. I envision a future of high-paid trash pickers unearthing old landfills in search of long-buried recyclable plastics.

Additionally: Your Stuff: It Isn't Grown, It Must Be Mined

. . . ultimately, one day our industrial economy will be made up entirely of recycled and biologically grown material. That day, however, may be a long way off. How do we get there, and what is the world of mining like today? How rapidly are we depleting the minerals we have, and how do we get to sustainable mining?

To maintain our standard of living, each person in the United States requires over 48,000 pounds of minerals each year:

* 12,428 lb. of stone
* 9,632 lb. of sand and gravel
* 940 lb. of cement
* 276 lb. of clays
* 400 lb. of salt
* 302 lb. phosphate rock
* 639 lb. of nonmetals
* 425 lb. of iron ore
* 77 lb. of bauxite (aluminum)
* 17 lb. of copper
* 11 lb. of lead
* 10 lb. of zinc
* 6 lb. of manganese
* .0285 T oz. gold
* 29 lb. of other metals

Plus:

* 7,667 lb. petroleum
* 7,589 lb. coal
* 6,866 natural gas
* 1/3 lb. uranium

It is the day before the day before Christmas, and I just finished shopping for presents. I wound up last-minute desperation shopping today at Borders to purchase a CD for my father and a book for my brother. The excursion was intended to be short and pain-free.

Dad wants new Alicia Keys CD, daughter purchases CD. Brother will like Steven Colbert's I am America, sister plunks down $23 for it hardcover. It's not about me, it's about what they will like. Everyone will be happy. I remain energetic, spirited and ready to bake oatmeal cranberry (I don't know Karate, I know Craisin) cookies with my cat, Steve.

However, at this point I still haven't found gifts for my brother's longtime lady-friend and my mother's boyfriend. In an uninspired amateur consumer move, I decide to check out the store next door: Bad Crap & Beyond. It seems this big box store exists solely for bridal registries and for people to buy home items that appear thoughtful when they have no idea what said people actually might like.

Depressing--As Seen on TV! I embody self-loathing. I bought my mother's boyfriend battery powered massage slippers. I lost my mind in a whirlwind of scented socks and electric candles. I can return them tomorrow, but that would require going back to the store. My brother's girlfriend? She is getting a real candle. Yup, so lame.

I made the cookies, but all I could think about are the stupid slippers and thoughtless candle. Shame! At this point it is either those awful presents or gift cards. I can only hope that they give me equally awful presents to assuage my guilt.

Don't be an Energy Hog.


Wikipedia: says he is a villainous character who wastes energy in the home.

Just ran across another resource saving hero who lives on the West Coast.

My pride and joy!

I was happily shocked to receive a postcard from the city announcing my block as a pilot area for automated curbside recycling and trash collection. If the pilot is successful, deemed feasible and wholly enacted, Cleveland would be on par with cities like San Francisco and Portland when it comes to being recycle-y.

Below is a preview of how the system will work. Currently, my roommate and I recycle by delivering plastics, cardboard, paper and metals to recycling dumpsters in our area. This initiative should make the process more convenient and hopefully encourage others to recycle too. My only reservation is that I will become spoiled by the pilot program, only to have it taken away.