Sustainability has always been part of my creed, well before starting Branching Out Wood, and certainly living in Northern California has only cemented my practices. This article describes the net new solar investments I have made - and continue to make, what “net new” means and why it matters, and the thinking behind a solar business I recently started.

What to do with all those wood cut-offs, narrow strips, and odd-shaped pieces that just aren’t quite big enough to make a lamp or tealight? They’re too nice to burn or compost, and too many to give away as samples at the festivals. In this article, I explore share two ideas that I’ll be exploring in earnest in the coming months to keep the scrap bins from overflowing.