If you've meandered this far into the site, you must be curious or incredibly bored. The least I can do is introduce myself.
I originally began creating this site, because I wanted to teach myself to code. I wrote all of the code from scratch, which explains the relative lack of sophistication. The good news is that it can only get more attractive from here.
I also write all of the content for the site, which I hope cultivates clarity by forcing me to think deeply and abstractly.
The choice of subject-matter stems from my professional life. I started working for an organization in 2002 that audits factories around the world for labor issues (I won't disclose my employer, as this site isn't formally affiliated with them. They do wonderful, important work, so I'll allow them arm's length from this site, in case I mouth off on occasion). In that time, I've been fortunate enough to observe the good, the bad and the ugly as it relates to workplace practices on farms and in factories in Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America. I've also been fortunate enough to work with some wonderful individuals to try to find ways to improve workplaces via improved systems, cultures and technology.
I eventually made my way to a piece of the organization focused on the environmental impact of products and workplaces. The experience has been enlightening, but I humbly admit that there is much more that I do not know than I do know. As a father of three children, I was struck by the overwhelming amount of chemistry, both known and unknown, that my children and I have been carrying around within our bodies as a result of all of our stuff. I've observed many very smart people who have dedicated their lives to designing ways to identify and minimize that impact; and have come to learn that an unhealthy environmental impact is no different than an unhealthy individual. The two are more than interdependent, they are the same organism, only at different scales.
Although all of this can be quite overwhelming, and somewhat depressing, I will do my best to write with honesty, beauty and humor when I'm able. We have ourselves to look to for creating the change we desire. In addition to the primary focus of this site, I'll also share some thoughts on occasion on art, technology, pop culture, organizational design, geopolitics, human rights or anything that grabs my interest and has some sort of relevance with the objects with which we surround ourselves.
Thanks for taking the time to visit!
Ryan