Karen likes to collect books about communes. She brought one with this quote:

If you could only tell them that living and spending isn't the same thing! But it's no good. If only they were educated to live instead of earn and spend, they could manage very happily on twenty-five shillings. If the men wore scarlet trousers as I said, they wouldn't think so much of money: if they could dance and hop and skip, and sing and swagger and be handsome, they could do with very little cash. And amuse the women themselves, and be amused by the women. They ought to learn to be naked and handsome, and to sing in a mass and dance the old group dances, and carve the stools they sit on, and embroider their own emblems. Then they wouldn't need money. And that's the only way to solve the industrial problem: train the people to be able to live and live in handsomeness, without needing to spend. But you can't do it. They're all one-track minds nowadays. Whereas the mass of people oughtn't even try to think, because they can't. They should be alive and frisky, and acknowledge the great god Pan. He's the only god for the masses, for ever. The few can go for the higher cults if they like. But let the mass be for ever pagan.
--D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley's Lover

Why do you care?

I grew up in the country and was immersed in the natural world as a kid. It’s part of who I am and who we all are really.

What makes you tick?

Our community. Hanging out with people. I love creative expression, spiritual connection, spontaneity, network intelligence, communication, working for the greater good and increasing my awareness of universal consciousness. Bringing the natural world aspect and the community aspect of life together is my focus.

What inspires you?

The Bioneers Conference—the energy lasts the whole year! Also a really great conversation, natural landscape or artwork.

How do you think of yourself?

Kind-of shy. I like reading and talking in cafes with friends and planning and doing interesting projects.

Why are you an ecobabe?

I don’t know! I guess because I have eco-values and try to live in accordance with them.

How do you stay positive and inspired?

Because everything is so positive and inspiring. I see all these kids hanging out downtown and love it because they really understand what community is supposed to be. For example: my 16 year old stepson Evan wants to go to Europe, but he also has a real hands-on appreciation for where he lives now (he seems to know every bike path in town…). Everyone I know is totally inspiring! The natural intelligence in the world is very inspiring. We need to tap into that more.

How do you deal with bad moods and beat the blues?

Focusing on art and spirituality; eating chocolate; lots of reading; taking baths—and going to hot springs sometimes. Then, AFTER I am relaxed, interacting with a bunch of other people is a great way to beat the blues.

Do you have any confessions?

I eat chocolate almost everyday, and that’s not grown in my bioregion, so I suppose that could be considered a serious eco-confession. I also have a really low gas-mileage car, but I usually walk or bicycle since we live near downtown. It’s the same car I’ve had since I started driving—a ’66 Mustang.

What do you do alone?

I like to walk, bicycle, read, take long baths, write, bake, work on my design projects, (I’m a graphic designer) go to cafes and play in the garden.

What crazy thing have you done?

That’s kind of subjective. I got married at Burning Man. I guess that could be considered crazy.

Who are your role models?

They kind of change over time. When I was younger, they were just older girls that I knew. Now it’s still people I know who are doing good things.

How do you envision the future?

Everything is totally interconnected and everyone is aware of it. There’s public transportation, lots of bike and walking paths and no cars. There’s lots of art and nature in our villages, plenty of cafes and other community meeting places. People are always working on some interesting project they’re into that benefits the whole community. There’s time to appreciate our world, time to be with people and to be alone. People eat together. People buy and trade locally and prefer locally grown food. But there’s still some trade outside the bio-region. (Maybe I’m thinking of chocolate here!) When people travel it’s a unique experience because each bio-region has its own specific aspects. People are comfortable in the natural environment and it informs our lives.

How are you helping to get there?

For five years, I was part of a small group that showed ecological and art-minded movies in a cafe for free every week. Public movies are a good way to learn new things and meet and see people—the learning aspect and the community aspect. We also brought in a speaker related to the area and the topic.

My latest project is called Art Paths. It is a fledgling project of the Petaluma Arts Council that envisions an integrated system of “art paths” that incorporate public art, landscaping, and artistic design features along select bike and pedestrian trails. These paths will contribute to the introduction of art into the public realm, highlight beauty in functionality, create an imaginative tourist attraction, and encourage more human-based transportation in Petaluma.

My husband and I take “bioregional vacations” to conserve resources and contribute to the local area (and to enjoy the local area!). Lots of people come here for a vacation, why can’t we? Plus it’s only a few minutes to get home when you’ve just vacationed in Cazadero or the Mayacama mountains and you have that much longer to be on vacation. I have spent time in Europe and other states and loved it, but I grew up here and decided to live here. It is where most of my family and friends are. I believe that staying in one place during your life is significant—the historical layers start building up and generate more meaning in the landscape around you.