CURRENT MISSION

Trying to understand the tangled web of environment and culture.

ABOUT ME

I'm a free-range environmental scientist and educator. I've studied biology, ecology, botany, and most recently anthropology--all trying to understand how and why people interact with the environment in the ways that they do. For several years, I taught children in New York City how to garden. I was raised on a farm, and my wife and I have a small farm with chickens, pigs, and a large vegetable garden. I practice Aikido, though not as much as I would like. I practice Zen meditation. I also homebrew beer, cider, and mead; I play the guitar, banjo, and kazoo; I like reading, writing, movies, and spending time with friends.

PHILOSOPHY

All of us are responsible for each other--ultimately, we sink or swim together. The human mind doesn't stop at the edge of the skull. Our environmental and social contexts influence not only what we think, but what we can think. We should all smile and breathe more often than we do.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm still a beginning couchsurfer--right now I'm participating by spreading the word among friends and family, and by surfing around the world. I surfed for 2 weeks in Copenhagen during the 2009 UN climate change talks (COP15). I also surfed in Oslo in the winter of 2011 and in Ann Arbor, Michigan in May. Looking forward to my next surfing experience, to meeting interesting folks, and to sharing a coffee or beer with folks visiting the US.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In 2008, 20 social scientists from around the world gathered in two small apartments in Barcelona to participate in a collaborative research project. We were studying the World Conservation Congress--and I helped to organize the group. It turned out to be more like "floor surfing," but it was an amazing experience including many late-night chats on ecology, economy, and culture over inexpensive Spanish wine.

Interests

Gardening, cooking, Aikido, running, hiking, playing guitar, brewing, climate change, yoga, peacemaking, meditation, reading, complexity, networks, pie.

• chickens
• culture
• environment
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• gardening
• reading
• homebrewing
• guitar
• hiking
• swimming
• anthropology
• biology
• ecology
• teaching
• science
• aikido
• climate change

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Seven Samurai, The Incredibles;
Books: Dune, The Illuminatus Trilogy, Ulysses, Dharma Bums;
Music: Almost anything played live, Neko Case, They Might be Giants, Lucinda Williams, Prince, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Siouxie and the Banshees, John Coltrane.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I saw the birth of my daughter; everything else sort of pales after that. Aside from that, the High Atlas mountains, the Grand Canyon, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were pretty cool. The midnight sun in Murmansk was nifty. Watching a city kid take a bite of a tomato that she grew herself is also right up there.

Teach, Learn, Share

Remember 13-3-3-6. To make a wonderful no-knead bread, mix 13 cups flour, 3 tablespoons yeast, 3 tablespoons salt. Add 6 cups of water and mix--do not knead. Let it rise for one hour. You can keep this very wet dough in a container in a refrigerator for up to three weeks. When you want bread, pull off a handful and let it rise at room temperature for about an hour. Them, put it in a 400 degree F. oven for 45 minutes or until crusty.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation and food are always great to share. I have done couchsurfing stays where my host and I share in cooking and eating meals, and where we wander together while talking. I've also had stays where I am essentially the invisible man--it just depends on the timing and what works best.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Canada, Denmark, France, India, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Russian Federation, Spain, United States, Virgin Islands, British

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States