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    Home » Green Living: A Passion to Care for the Earth
    Sustainability

    Green Living: A Passion to Care for the Earth

    September 27, 20141 Comment3 Mins Read
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    samaireformayor
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    Sedona AZ (September 27, 2014) – Sedona artist Susan Pitcairn increasingly finds herself exploring the art of “green living” these days, which will be featured at her home from 11 am to 2 pm at this year’s National Solar Tour in Sedona Saturday, October 4th as well as a “Greening Harmony” educational garden tour October 11th.

    “My husband Richard calls me ‘Farmer Sue’ lately,” she jokes. A neighbor even asked if she was selling produce, as she can be seen daily puttering around several versions of “garden houses” she has built in the past year, her name for screened structures that can be covered with plastic and made into a greenhouses in the winter.

    20140927_ases“I thought she was kidding,” remarks Pitcairn. “We would starve to death on what I manage to grow here, between all the critters, the soil and hot,dry weather. My potato and squash beds were totally wasted by javelinas one night when I left the gate open, and we may never learn who cleanly removed a football sized watermelon near our ‘Thousand Dollar’ tomatoes. But seriously, I’m learning a lot about how to grow vegetables in Sedona.”

    “I’ve just discovered microgreens,” she smiles. “They are fast and easy to bring to harvest going before the aphids know what happened.”

    And it’s not just gardening she’s exploring. Walk around the Pitcairn’s 1990 stucco at 1865 Gun Fury Road and you will see an outdoor shower, a solar oven, a “laundry to landscape” greywater setup, two rain tanks installed by permaculturist Chris Anderson of ProBuild, a sometimes steaming compost pile and a terraced orchard designed to absorb rainwater.

    Walk in the garage and you will find a ZENN Neighborhood Electric Vehicle and two hill-conquering electric bikes, powered solely by solar energy drawn from their rooftop photovoltaic system installed by Louis Galluzzi in 2012.

    The Pitcairns cut waste and recycle so conscientiously that they have cancelled regular trash pickup. Instead, they take a trash bag every few months to Sir Moves a Lot, by Sedona Recyles, who hauls it away for $4.

    Nationally known for bringing a similar environmental ethic to their best-selling Rodale classic, “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide for Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,” both Susan and Richard are finding it fun and exciting exploring how to live more lightly and have convened a monthly “Permaculture Potluck Group” of like-minded friends who share ideas.

    Concerned about depletion of fossil fuels as well as aquifers, fisheries and forests, plus an increasing array of toxins in food and water, the Pitcairns are guardedly optimistic that humans will eventually learn how to live sustainably as we adapt to the changes brought about by modern technology and population growth.

    “And we aim to learn and share what the ordinary person can do to be part of the solution, without waiting on someone else to take action,” Susan offers.

    Finding herself the only homeowner to approach the American Solar Energy Society this year to offer their home for their 19th National Solar Tour, Susan was by default appointed as local tour organizer. In the process she has enlisted and learned from several experts on solar energy and sustainability who will be featured on the 2014 tour: October 4th  9 to 4 in Sedona and October 5th from 11 to 5 in Jerome and Cottonwood.

    “It’s been a lot of last-minute work,” she notes, “but it’s worth it. The earth is worth it. We are all worth it.”

    Printable detailed schedules and maps of the two days of local tours are at http://susanpitcairn.com/events. Or google “National Solar Tour” and use the online map on your phone. For more information contact Susan Pitcairn: 928-203-1095.

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    1 Comment

    1. Susan Pitcairn on September 27, 2014 4:12 pm

      CORRECTION: Sorry, story was submitted with a type in first paragraph. The date of the Sedona Solar Tour is SATURDAY OCTOBER 4th, not October 5th! The 5th is the Verde Valley tour.

    Paid Political Ad Paid For by Samaire for Mayor
    Paid Political Ad for Samaire Armstrong
    Paid Political Announcement by Samaire For Mayor

     THE MOMENT IS UPON US

    Dear Sedona,

    The moment is upon us. The time for a united effort to shift the focus back to our community is now.

    The ability to thrive in our community, our environment, our workforce, and the tourist industry, is entirely possible because we have all the resources needed for success.

    Still, we need a council that isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, that makes decisions based on data and facts, and through discussion, rather than moving and voting in group unison as they so regularly do.

    This is my home. I have been a part of the Sedona community for 28 years. I witnessed the road debacle, the lack of planning, the city circumventing the local businesses ability to thrive, while making choices to expand the local government and be in direct competition with private industry.

    I am a unique candidate because unlike the incumbents, I don’t believe the government should expand in size, nor in operations, nor would I attempt to micromanage every aspect of our community.

    City government should stay in its lane and allow the competitive market of local private industry to prosper. And it should defend our community from corporate takeover and infiltration of our town.

    I do not agree that we should sign onto International Building Codes and regulations by signing Sedona up to the ICC. It is imperative that we remain a sweet, rural community.

    Where are the arts? Where is this organic thriving element that we allege to be animated by. Where is our culture? Where is our community?

    The discord between the decision making process and the desires of the community have never been more clear. It has been nearly a decade in the making.

    It is time for a new era of energy to take charge. An energy that is reflective in the ability to succeed rather than be trapped in out of date consciousness.

    It has been a great honor meeting with each of you. I hear your concerns over the insane and out of control spending and I echo them. A budget of $105,000,000 in a town of 9700 residents is completely unacceptable. A parking structure (that looks like a shoe box) originally slated to cost 11 million, now projected to cost 18 million, is incomprehensible. Especially, considering there is no intention of charging for parking.

    For those who are concerned that I lack the political experience within our established system- that is precisely what Sedona needs… Not another politician, but instead a person who understands people, who listens to the voices within the community, and who will act in service on their behalf with accountability, for the highest good of Sedona. What I am not, will prove to be an asset as I navigate the entrenched bureaucracy with a fresh perspective. Business as usual, is over.

    Creative solutions require new energy.

    Every decision that is made by our local government, must contemplate Sedona first.

    • Does this decision benefit the residents?
    • Does this decision benefit the local businesses?
    • Does this decision actually help the environment?
    • Will this decision sustain benefit in the future, or will it bring more problems?

    What we have now is a city government that expands to 165 employees for 9700 residents. Palm Desert has 53,000 residents and 119 city employees. Majority of our city department heads are not even in town. I find this problematic.

    Efforts towards championing in and courting new solutions for our medical needs are imperative. We are losing our doctors. We must encourage competition with other facilities rather than be held hostage by NAH, who clearly have their own set of dysfunctions.

    We must remember that so many move to Sedona for its beauty, hiking, and small town charm. Bigger, faster, and more concrete does not, in broad strokes, fit the ethos of Sedona.

    The old world must remain strong here in balance, as that is what visitors want to experience. Too many have noted that Sedona has lost its edge and charm.

    As Mayor I will preserve the rural charm of our community, and push back against the urbanization that is planned for Sedona.

    As mayor I will make it a priority to create opportunities to support our youth.  After school healthy, enriching programs should be created for our kids, and available to the Sedona workforce regardless of residency and regardless of school they belong to.

    As Mayor, I will create an agenda to deliberately embody the consciousness of our collective needs here, allowing private industry to meet the needs of our community rather than bigger government.

    I hope to have your vote on Aug 2nd. I am excited and have the energy to take on this leadership role with new eyes, community perspective, and the thoughtful consciousness that reflects all ages of the human spectrum.

    Thank you deeply for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Samaire Armstrong


    Heads or Tails
    By Tommy Acosta
    Let’s face it. I love conspiracy theories. The more far-out the better. Yup. I’m one of those. Looking at the Trump raid fiasco there can only be two theories that I see fit perfectly into the scenario that’s being weaved for public consumption. The first is that what is happening is actually being engineered by the forces that want Trump to return to the White House. Just like with the Russia-Russia thing, what is going to happen after all the hoopla,Trump will be found completely innocent just like before and he will be loved even more by his fans and followers. Those who tried to put him down will be chagrinned while those who supported him politically will be exalted. Republicans will be revived, and they will go out and vote in a new Congress and Trump will rule once again. Then there is the other side of the coin. Read more→
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