Once a week, Bailey does rock climbing. A random sport, but one that I feel great pride that she chose. It wasn’t the gymnastics that every other little girl in her class wants to do. It wasn’t the soccer that St. Louis kids are crazy about.

She chose her own activity, and it has made her physically strong and confident. While sometimes on the drive there she questions if she wants to keep going (in the same way we question if we want to go for a run or other form of movement), overall, she loves it.

There is a group of 15 kids we see every week, and with kids come their parents at drop-off and pick-up time. I am on “Hi” terms with most of them, and fine with that.

This week, during the climbing session, I ended up at a coffee shop with one of the parents. I have had surface-level conversations with him, but we didn’t really know anything about one another. His name is Brendan.

About 90 minutes later, I knew that Brendan is a public defense attorney, loved living in Chicago, and has many hobbies.

We spent an extensive amount of time talking about one of his hobbies, but the way it came up was the interesting part, and why it is relevant here.

Brendan makes his own soap. Soap that looks like this:
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Pretty cool!

After we went over the basics of what we do and our families, Brendan asked me the question I get the most: what are some small things people can do to be sustainable in their daily lives.

I began to give my answer, and somehow we ended up talking about sunscreen. He shared that his family is at higher risk of melanoma, and they are obsessive about putting on zinc sunscreen, because deep down, we all know that the chemicals in those sprays are horrific for the planet, and also not good for our bodies.

He talked about struggling to get the zinc off at the end of the day, and going to purchase homemade soap, but seeing the $8 per bar price tag, curiosity took over; could he make his own? Purchasing the ingredients through my least favorite online store (it’s okay, no one is perfect; stick with the story), he found out he could, and has spent years getting the recipe just right.

Brendan now makes all kinds of soaps. It is something he does in his free time, to let off steam after a stressful week, something he loves to give as gifts.

You know where this is going, right?

And yes, it is one of the best examples I have come across of where our individual passions and interests become sustainability, become the most environmentally conscious choice.

Brendan and his wife, Jen, would not consider themselves “environmental” people. It is not something they consider with every decision they make (although like most, thoughts of the future are at the back of their minds), and yet, he has found something that works for his family, that inspires others and can be shared with community, deepening that relationship with those he shares it with.

Making his own soap means not purchasing from corporations, making something locally out of natural ingredients, and giving him an outlet that is creative and built out of curiosity.

Imagine if all of us found a hobby or something we enjoyed like this that was solving a real problem and minimizing nasty chemicals going into the water system or into our bodies. Imagine if we shared that gift or creation with those around us.

THAT is what the future can be, and it all started with being curious about what made a soap cost $8.

So I ask you, where does your curiosity lie? Could it be that what sets you apart is a sustainable initiative, you just don’t know it yet?

Live in or near Brooklyn?

Come plogging with NYRR and me tomorrow evening. This will be my first Brooklyn plog and first evening plog with NYRR:

On Saturday, I will be running the RBC Brooklyn Half with Natalia Trevino Amaro, the slow fashion designer who made my trash skirt out of waste materials. Natalia has made some changes to my skirt so we can run the race, her first half marathon, together. You can follow us on our race below and see my Instagram for updates.

Live in or near Chicago?

Come plogging with us on Saturday, May 31st as part of the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 events. We will be in Garfield Park. Details below:

Fill out this Global Runner Survey from Running USA if you have a few minutes; this is one way you can shape the industry in the years to come.

If you want to do your part to make the running industry prioritize sustainability, I have done the work for races; all you need to do is let your local races know that this is important to you. Send them this Racing For Sustainability link and tell them you want them to sign up for Racing For Sustainability. You can also donate to RFS if you want to support the work I am doing.

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We are about to send out emails to our Racing For Sustainability team for the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon team runners; we had over 60 applicants, and it was really really hard to narrow it down to five.

No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.

-Julia Cameron

Thanks to our partner, AG1

You know by now I drink my AG1 every morning. In fact, this morning, as I got up at 4:15 a.m. to head to the airport, one guess as to what I was doing at 4:20 a.m.? Yep, even today I got it in, because I trust it to take care of me and fill in my nutritional gaps.

But beyond the product itself, which I, of course, love (and love that my free $79 value welcome kit goes to friends in the US, UK, Canada, and Europe!), I also love how special they made last weekend.

AG1 came to St Louis for AG1 Run Day, and made a life changing investment into my friend Ricky Hughes, founder of STL Run Crew. There were no expectations, no content requirements, no you-must-spend-it-on-this-while-wearing-AG1-branded-items.

Just believing in him for the amazing work he is doing. It was absolutely beautiful. Here is my full reflection.​

That is the kind of brand I believe in, not a performative one, but a brand that really gets it.

And yeah, AG1 as a daily support for my hectic life, they are pretty damn amazing at that too.

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Be kind to one another, yourself, and this beautiful planet of ours.

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