Members Colleen Flanigan

I'm passionate about

the interconnectivity of everything. authentic genius and sincere caring. chasing curiosity to its furthest. being possessed by inspiration and uncontrollable wonder. making art, brainstorming

An idea worth spreading

For food store shoppers, spend a full year without using any plastic bags from the store for produce or bulk food. Use bags from home, or no bags at all. I used to think I was pretty good about reuse and recycling until I started working PT at a small food co-op. Amazing, almost all of the shoppers bring in their own jars, bags, boxes to fill with goods. They don't just bring their own cloth bags for check out, they bring everything.

Do you know everyone in your neighborhood? I don't. I am getting to know so many people on-line lately, and have many friends from childhood and beyond (especially from schools and work, travels, tango) but I do not know everyone in my neighborhood because "I move a lot lately." I think I should go out and knock on everyone's door and introduce myself facebook reality style. I can say "would you like a lily plant?...would you like to join my Center for Earth Leadership Group?...how about come to my art show down the street?..."

Talk to me about

art, science, philosophy, health, food, culture, alt.energy, spirituality, relationships, astrology, gardening, nature, dance, tango, music, coral, change, innovation, dogs, people, travel, dreams

People don't know that I'm good at

I wish this said, "People don't know that I..." studied classical piano for 11 years. I remember some Chopin, but cannot say "am good at" since I rarely play now.

My TED story

I recently found out that my home town, Monterey, was the home of TED. How had I not known for all those years? In 2003 when I returned to my little Monterey town, Pacific Grove, I attended Ecowave, an architectural conference in Oakland, CA. The presentation about "Biorock TM," a mineral accretion technology developed by Wolf Hibertz and Tom Goreau to restore reefs, breakwaters, and fish habitats all over the world, charged me. I connected so strongly to the presentation, I needed to help the corals and learn this electrolytic technology. I got SCUBA certified and headed to Bali to weld structures that would become new reefs. Once I returned to CA and resumed gardening, the enormity of the snail infestation in our gardens hit me. What to do about pests and poisons, food and resources. Thus began Miss Snail Pail. No time like now to eat our garden mollusks and eliminate pesticides whenever possible. As above, so below. Pollutants protect no one, not on land or in sea.