I have recently relocated from California out to NYC; after having been living in a wilderness area near Lake Tahoe, it's certainly a fundamental shift in my existence. I am extremely excited about getting involved in the benefits that living in a major metropolis has to offer, such as tapping into all of the non-profits, community organizations, live music, free cultural events, great nightlife, etc. I have spent much of the past few years out in the mountains educating myself on environmental/social issues through books such as Natural Capitalism, The Ecology of Commerce, Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, Gaia's Garden, Food Not Lawns, WorldChanging, The Price of a Dream, and so forth. I was able to put some of this learning into action in my last position as a manager, when I initiated an on-site composting system at my workplace in tandem with guided applications for native planting and wildlife propagation. I also converted all of our cleaning chemicals to completely non-toxic solutions, many of which I made myself. From this experience, I developed the realization that not only am I passionate about issues of sustainability and progressive development, but I have some capability in utilizing the research, organization, and project management skills necessary to turn that passion into action. I am now seeking to further develop these skills here in NYC, whether that be through employment, getting involved in my local community organizations, and/or going to graduate school for public policy.