Published in About Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Deepti KannapanI love wildlife, math, and fantasy, and have way too many interests — Origin Story I’m secretly a Texan. I don’t remember living in Austin, though, since we moved to New York when I was quite young. I spent most of my early childhood in Ithaca with my parents and grandparents. My sister was born when I was seven. …About Me5 min read
Published in The Startup·PinnedMember-onlyYou Don’t Need EfficiencyYou need ergonomics and flow — When you take a walk, you make a loop, starting and ending at your home. The most efficient way (in time and energy) to get home would have been just to stay home, but walks aren’t about efficiency of locomotion; they are about walking. If your walk has a specific…Efficiency3 min read
Published in Sustainability Experiments·PinnedMember-onlyDon’t Feel Guilty About Your Environmental ImpactGet curious and creative instead — Discussing environmental impacts and sustainable technology brings up interesting reactions in people. When I wrote a post comparing notebooks from a sustainability point of view, one of my friends praised it before wincing and saying “I’m one of those terrible people who have a Moleskine.” This friend is not a…Sustainability6 min read
Just nowMember-onlyWhen the Priorities You Ignored Finally Get Your AttentionA gradual buildup of needs that suddenly become pressing — My priority list hadn’t changed in years. What’s important to me, in a big picture life or career sense, is still important to me. But spending all my attention on my prioritized pursuits, like research quests, science, and art, wasn’t working for me. I’ve had to change my definition of…Life2 min read
Published in Weeds & Wildflowers·1 day agoMember-onlyA Sprightly SproutAnd an unlikely upstart — Nature1 min readIllustration by the authorA Sprightly SproutAnd an unlikely upstart----
Published in Share Your Creativity·1 day agoMember-only“Nature Girl” Ink Drawings — Incorporating Characters into LandscapesAn experiment comes together from spare hemp paper and a dream! — I’ve always loved drawing landscapes; there’s something therapeutic about observing the organic shapes and moving your pen or brush in a leafy pattern. And lately, I’ve been enjoying drawing portraits and characters, both cartoons and semi-realistic. There’s a satisfaction in capturing a resemblance and seeing lines come to life as…Art4 min read
6 days agoMember-onlySkills for Newbie Environmentalists (Like Me): Writing Letters to the EditorA low-barrier-to-entry way to advocate for change — I consider myself a newbie environmentalist, and I’m always envious of the kids from high school Environmental Clubs, who’ve seemingly been going to town hall meetings all their lives and communicate like charming and experienced diplomats… That’s not me. Talking to humans wasn’t my forte in high school. Environmentalism isn’t…Advocacy6 min read
Aug 9Member-onlyCities Must Pledge Net Zero EmissionsBecause setting an intention is the first step to actually doing it — [Versions of this letter to the editor appeared in two local newspapers in my area: Easy Reader and Beach Reporter.] The recent wildfires and extreme weather in California are an unmistakable signal that climate change has arrived. …Climate Change2 min read
Aug 8Member-onlyDo people actually like one-sentence paragraphs? I just read a pdf guide…I’m used to paragraphs being a cluster of sentences about the same mini-idea. If there are, effectively, 20 paragraphs on one page, I…Writing1 min readTelegram from 1932. Image source.Do people actually like one-sentence paragraphs? I just read a pdf guide…----
Aug 8Member-only“Net Zero” is Not a SloganIt’s a goal that’s essential but not enough. Research Tidbit #9 — You may have heard the phrase ‘net-zero’ in the context of climate action. I came across it when as a part of my reading project on sustainability and climate. …Sustainability8 min read
