MSRs could be the future of energy if we could reign in our fear. — In 2019, I was about as deep into sustainability nerd-dom as you could get. I spent my days pursuing a degree in Sustainable Ecology, thinking I knew it all and having quite a few opinions on lofty ideas like energy policy, wildlife conservation, and world agriculture. Then much to my…

Free Starbucks isn’t helping anyone. — It’s a story we all know so well: “The person in front of you chose to pay your bill today! Would you like to ‘pay it forward’?” Cue the simpering, “Oh my god! That’s so nice”. Cue the paying for the minivan mom behind you, who happens to be picking…

So I've had two back surgeries. I had to have surgury on my lumbar spine after an accident I had while I was a wildland firefighter. After my second back surgery, I woke up in the hospital and was in ridiculous pain (I mean - my spine had been spliced…

I left high school 15 years ago, so why am I indulging in this popularity contest? — Have you scrolled through Instagram, lately? Of course, you have! If you’re like me, you’re probably noticing a lot of the same content presented to you over and over again. When I get on for a quick binge, I’m presented with something like this: a white woman in a long…

I'm from Southern Illinois, about 15 minutes from St. Louis. I grew up swimming in the Ozarks in Missouri as well as the lakes in Southern Illinois. I worked for a conservation organization for years after getting my biology degree. Let me tell you that Missouri itself has THREE venomous…

I also live in Airbnb's (mostly), and this was the most freeing thing to me. I live from my suitcases. Even my checked bag has started to feel like "a lot" to me, lol. I usually stay for a few months in a place though so its nice to have the extra bag. Getting rid of everything else was a wonderful feeling though!

Keep these things in mind next time you travel — trust me. — So this summer, my ass got deported from the country of Colombia. …

My true story of a misadventure across the American continents. — It had been about four months since I’d seen my boyfriend, and he came back from his thru-hiking ordeal looking like the cover of a mountain-themed harlequin novel. Our incredibly tearful reunion was set in the Las Vegas airport. I’m sure it was incredibly nauseating to every poor soul who…

As a rape survivor I'd just like to say....To everyone who says things like "well what if he had a knife? Or a gun?" I say this: I would rather DIE knowing I helped a woman avoid this fate than stand by and listen while another woman is raped in front of me when I could have done something about it. As a former disaster responder I am one of the lucky few who know exactly how they respond in times of crisis - I am a doer. It's just what I do. In fight or flight I fight, 100% of the time.