An interview with the author Greg Mortenson
It’s been on the New York Times bestseller list for 197 weeks. The book
Three Cups of Tea by
Greg Mortenson and
David Oliver Relin continues to engage and inspire millions of people around world. This story of one man’s journey to build schools for children in the most remote regions Pakistan and Afghanistan has helped to forge a better understanding of how to encourage peace and cooperation where there has been only war and armed conflict for decades. But when I met with Mortenson at the
MountainFilm Festival in Telluride Colorado he shared with me his latest project.
“The second book I wrote,
Stones Into Schools, is more about Afghanistan," he said in an interview. "It’s also about the lessons I learned in
Three Cups of Tea about empowering the people, listening to the elders, about really letting the people themselves do the work. So I tried in the to really show that people themselves can be empowered.”
Stones Into Schools isn’t just a sequel to a popular piece of non-fiction. It’s a testament to the impact one person can make in the lives of others. By providing the people of Afghanistan with the tools they need to help themselves, Mortenson is doing more than building schools. He’s paving a long road toward a world that lives in peace.
Several documentaries in recent years have made American consumers rethink the many products they purchase and…well… consume. Outrage over the seemingly irreparable harm imposed upon the planet and our personal health is compelling many to make proactive choices to rid their lives of plastic single-use disposable containers. The film Bag It directed by Suzan Beraza may very well prompt eco-minded consumers to make those changes permanent.
Protests over collective bargaining continue into their third week here in Wisconsin. Despite a turnout of almost 80,000 who reject the Budget Repair Bill, Governor Walker is holding firm in his assertion that the State’s deficit of $137 million can only be resolved by stripping unions of their right to negotiate for benefits such as better working conditions and health care. Although this blog is dedicated to telling stories about the sustainable active lifestyle it’s important that we recognize the value that hard working public employees bring to the protection of our wild and scenic places. In this country men and women on the payroll of state and federal governments perform the service of conservation. In it less for the money than their love of the natural environment these unionized workers typically settle for low wages, fewer vacation days and medical benefits in order to do the vital work of protecting our green spaces.
Movie producers have until Monday February 28th to make their submissions to the 2011 
In her travels through Afghanistan the locals call Shannon Galpin the blond, blue-eyed infidel. At 36 this mountain bike racer from Breckenridge, Colorado makes her way through active war zones waging peace. As the executive director of her own non-governmental organization called 
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