The Regeneration
farmers. We bike or walk or take public transportation where we can. We live in a rural area right now, which makes it so much more difficult to actually take public transportation anywhere. It kills us. Although we've got great access to high quality food, we're driving a lot more, which is really frustrating. I pack chopsticks where I go, so I don't have to take a plastic fork or spoon or knife when I do get a to-go sandwich or salad, because I travel so much. I also talk a lot with my friends and family. I'm not shy about sharing my opinion about things. I think everyone is getting a little sick and tired of me preempting our phenomenal meal at a restaurant by saying, "Just don't bring us any straws." But, I think it's important to stay vigilant on the things that matter to you. Agreed. Finally, what's your favorite thing to bring everywhere you go? I have a silver certificate that my grandfather gave me before he passed away. He gave it to me years ago. I don't know if you know what a silver certificate is? It looks like a one dollar bill. I kind of look at it as old tiny money, because back in the day you could actually redeem it for silver itself. I was so excited to figure out exactly what it was. But my grandfather had a really significant influence on my life. I miss him dearly. He passed away last year. He was one of my best friends in the world. I carry the silver certificate around with me everywhere I go, as a reminder of him. There's just something really simple about the silver certificate. I think, for me, it's about an 124
era in which things were absolutely as complicated as they are today, just in a really different way. But also, in a way, much simpler and much more focused on being connected to humans, which we've really lost. During those days, you didn't have your cellphone. You weren't texting. You weren't on Facebook. You were actually talking with your friends face to face. I think there's part of that silver certificate that just reminds me that being connected to an individual through a thing, through a conversation, through a hug, through looking somebody in the eyes is really important, which my grandfather always taught me. Is there anything you feel we didn’t cover that you want to add before we finish? I guess the only thing that I might add if I could (and I add this because it’s one of the things we’re seeing in our work with campaigns) is that oftentimes I think campaigners move forward with their interest in mind, rather than figuring out how to design a campaign in which all people can see themselves. That they can see their imprints on and feel like they've been able to make a contribution. One thing we really focus pretty hard on, especially with Strawless Ocean, is ensuring that we have a disability community in mind and their input really well represented. Because it's really easy to overlook the needs of seemingly a few people when you think about designing for the masses. When that happens, I think you get misplaced campaigns.