Lisa Rutherford lives in Ivins, Utah, just outside of Saint George, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in America. Lisa spent two decades working for the oil industry in Alaska and is one of the founding board members and current advisors for Conserve Southwest Utah. We talked about water resources, smart growth, and resisting the ever-present temptation to consume. “That’s what being a good steward … Continue reading Lisa Rutherford
We’ve been working to line up these water interviews for months, and it’s a good thing. Suddenly water scarcity is everywhere in the news. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at historically low levels. The Colorado River was listed as our nation’s most endangered watershed. The original intake pipe to deliver water to Las Vegas was suddenly exposed by lower water levels, as were human … Continue reading Water
John Weisheit grew up with a love for the Colorado River and has worked as a river guide for more than four decades. In the year 2000, John co-founded Living Rivers, an advocacy group that seeks a path to restoring the ecology of the Southwest, balanced with meeting human needs. I interviewed John in the cool shade of his backyard boathouse in Moab, Utah just … Continue reading John Weisheit
Eric Balken is the executive director for the Glen Canyon Institute, which is dedicated to the restoration of Glen Canyon and a free flowing Colorado River. Eric grew up and still lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where he developed an early love for mountains, rivers and deserts. “Wherever you live, realize that we have to get smarter with water and learn about it and … Continue reading Eric Balken
We’ve made a transition in our lives. Another one. It was Karen’s idea, but it didn’t take me long to get on board. We’ve downsized again. This time into a van. And his name is Vinny. (Go ahead and play with that for a while…and if you can correctly guess the reasoning behind Vinny’s name in the comments below, you’ll be entered into a drawing … Continue reading Think big, live small
Brett Menzie had a history of kidney trouble in his family. His grandmother was on dialysis. His middle son suffered in utero from a kidney malfunction known as hydronephrosis, which required surgery when he was born. While Brett was not a medical match for either of his family members, he joined a national donor registry and gave one of his kidneys to a total stranger … Continue reading Brett Menzie
Taylor Bond lived the life that he thought was expected of him. He worked as an electrician for 10 years before, he says, he “freaked out,” sold all of his possessions, and bought an RV. Now he lives in Moab, Utah, works for just over minimum wage at a local climbing shop, and climbs rock towers in the desert. “Everybody wants what they can’t have. The … Continue reading Taylor Bond
