If you know us, then you know we’re a tab bit obsessed with healthy living and saving the world. (Gotta dream big ya’know) You might be surprised to know that environmental awareness in Northeastern Wisconsin isn’t exactly what it was in Marin County California (where, as you know, we lived for 8 of the last 10 years) but Kirk and I persevere inflicting on our friends and family stories of compost (and in some cases, actual compost), the latest books on organic food, and earth friendly practices of all kinds. Our friends and family are remarkably tolerant of us and our world saving ways and maybe that’s because it’s becoming quite the news story. I don’t think you can read a paper or watch t.v. for one day without hearing a global warming/organic food/green living story. Not that long ago my mother handed me a Sunday Chicago Tribune LifeStyle section in which a thirty-something couple and their young child were profiled for living the ‘green’ life. They recycle everything, have energy efficient everything and keep a worm bin in the basement. My mother said, “this profile could be about you.” To which I responded, somewhat horrified, “we’ve become trendy!”

But I digress, because this post is really about my love of Colin Beavan. As much press as green living gets, it’s still not the norm and it’s still sometimes complicated and more work than just tossing the stuff you don’t need or searching for a place to buy what you do need without it being wrapped in six layers of Styrofoam and plastic. To put it bluntly, it can be overwhelming and tiring and sometimes just a drag. Enter Colin. If you don’t know Colin Beavan by name, you might know him as No Impact Man for the experiment he is currently conducting (which is too much for me to chronicle here so please visit his blog). As he is working to save the world, he is putting as much emphasis on having fun as he is on making a statement about what he’s doing. And that, dear readers, is why I love him. The Free Hugs video in today’s post makes me laugh and I can’t think of a better way to impact the world for the better. So to you Colin, my undying love and appreciation!