JENNI SIMMONS

Howdy, folks. My name is Jenni Simmons and I’m a freelance writer in Houston, TX. I’m married to a drummer (Johnny) and we have two cats: Harley, and Milo who we rescued from under our friend’s backyard shed when he was two weeks old. We live in a suburban house and I must brag: I do believe we place the most recycling by our curb every week compared to our nice neighbors. I also write an eclectic blog, Dreams of Genevieve, in addition to my freelance endeavors.

I’ve always leaned “bohemian.” I used to wear Birkenstocks, my makeup attempts look au naturel, and though I’m a proud, native Texan, something about me prompts people to say, “I could see you in California.” The seeds of my sustainable interests were planted long ago. My grandfather grew beautiful tomatoes in his garden. My Mom instituted a “no sugar” rule on my childhood household. She baked carob birthday cakes and we ate super healthy and natural. But she didn’t have the resources at the time to keep it up. There weren’t any big Whole Foods and she only had 1-2 friends who shared her interests. Others actually seemed hostile at her suggestion to wean their children off refined sugar.

The other seed was my friend in high school, a member of PETA, and I signed up, too. That didn’t last because well, I’m sorry, but PETA is crazy and I don’t think it’s evil to eat meat. What did stick was my aversion to cosmetic animal testing (a high school research paper topic), a love for natural products, and thinking outside the box. Later in my 20’s I tried organic milk on a whim, and boy did it taste amazing. Then I learned about the health and environmental benefits of organics and gradually, I’ve grown greener one step at at time. Now in my early 30’s, I look around the world and see so much beauty, yet also so much waste (which I’ve contributed to), and I want to change for the better even more. I think it’s our responsiblity to do so, and I’m very hopeful when I imagine our future. I also want to put good nutrition into my body - whole, organic foods - so that I can function at my best.

I’m thrilled to write for The Sustainable Scoop because as a reader, it shows me how to keep taking those steps in natural living in a creative way. As I write for The Scoop, I continue to learn, taking off where my Mom unwillingly left off. Take that, hostile sugar-lovers!

I love my husband, his drumming, our cats, my whole family, reading, writing, raw honey, yerba maté, avocados, tomatoes, blueberries, apples, figs, salmon, merlot, dark chocolate, bamboo, fair trade, letterpress art, wild beeswax candles, taking walks at dusk, birds, Johnny Cash, Radiohead, NPR, poetry, Wes Anderson movies (me, too), The Colbert Report, GOOD magazine, bookstores, art museums, and mountains.

TED ROBB

I was born in Weaverville, California, in 1979. My parents ran a small natural foods store called Mountain Marketplace. I grew up riding on my mom’s back as she worked in the kitchen, or trying things out of the bulk bin. I also spent a good deal of my time outside in nature. I loved to play with trucks of all types, ride horses (mine was named Rebel), and hang out with my super-smart grandparents learning about things like fly-fishing and how to make wool. It was pretty amazing. When I was older, I moved to the San Francisco bay area. I went to Waldorf school - one of the best things ever - and enjoyed a fairly normal childhood.

Because I had always grown up around the world of natural and organic food, as well as a sustainable lifestyle, I went through a rebellious period that extended into my early college years. It wasn’t until I met Kerry that I started remembering all of the things I had grown up with and started celebrating a more sustainable life. As we grew up together, this became more and more important.

Now we try to realize the impact of our actions in everything we do. For me, this site is about having a place to express yourself and share the thoughts, struggles, and victories that come with working towards a more sustainable future. I also write my own blog, The Great Divide.

TARA CAPPELL

My name is Tara Cappell. I was born in Marin County, California, and I’ve lived in Hawaii and Idaho. I currently go to Tufts University in Boston, Mass, where I’m studying International Relations. I first became interested in natural foods a few years ago, and now I’ve made it my mission to share my passion with other college students. I’m determined to prove that eating organic is possible on a college budget; it’s never too early to shift your priorities around to honor what you believe in.

I’m pretty new to The Scoop, so I look forward to bringing college students the best of what I’ve got here on the site. If you have any questions for me, send me an email at tara at sustainablescoop dot com.