Hi! My name is Darlene Town.
Welcome!

I’m a designer, artist, educator, and maker of things.

Recently I’ve taken a serious look at how I’ve been living — the things I buy, eat, do, and throw away. I decided to pay more attention to these things daily and work towards reducing my footprint. This is no easy task.

I've had no trouble curbing the impulsive buying of unnecessary "stuff." That was easy. Most of that "stuff" ended up in the trash or in a garage sale later, or it just didn't last. I've seen pictures of those mountainous landfills and I've seen people trash perfectly useful stuff without trying to repurpose it or give it to someone who can. I've decided that's not going to be me. I'm choosing things that truly serve my needs, have multiple uses, and are built to last (at least the duration of the purpose).

I've looked at efficiencies (or lack of) around my home and lifestyle. Since moving to my 5-acre mini-farm 12 years ago, I'm more frugile in my traveling. I often combine errands into a trip to work or home — I don't make runs for single items unless it's critical, and critical doesn't happen as much any more. I plan more thoughtfully. It might be an age thing. And if I forget something while I'm out, oh well, add it to the list for next time.

I had an energy audit on my home recently. Wow! Was that educational. I had blown in additional insulation into the attic a few years ago. Apparently, that was only a third of what it should be. Imagine what it was like before! The auditor found air leaks around my baseboards and windows. So, I went to Home Depot and bought a ton of sealant tubes, expanding foam cans, and foam tape for windows/doors. I sealed outside and inside along the baseboards and windows. The auditor connected me to an insulation company and I'd say I have ample insulation in the attic. It is up to my knees now. I should really feel a difference in the winters after this!

Beyond the sealing and insulation and overall lifestyle efficiency, I've been working on projects that help reduce my usage of water, food, and electricity. I've visited with others who live more intentionally and continue to learn more every day. You can see more about these on the other pages in my site. I've offered information that you can download to help you tackle similar projects. I got ideas from others and so can you! There's so much to do I suspect I'll be adding to these pages for quite a while.

Enjoy and feel free to email me if you have questions or found something useful (or have helpful tips for me). Thanks again for visiting!

In a life that encourages selfishness and excess, I seek satisfaction in less.
Not less quality, just less quantity. I seek enough.

I also seek increased quality. I take this moment to step back from the fast-paced mainstream and evaluate that flow, how it affects me and where it's taking me. Does it offer paths that lead me to where I want to go? Do I surround myself with elements that support where I want to go?