Thursday, December 17, 2009

Lighten your footprint by sharing

Stu Hennessey and Helen Shampain, former neighbors in West Seattle, share a ladder and gardening equipment. "We don't all have to have a 10-foot ladder," says Shampain, who supports efforts by Sustainable West Seattle for a tool-lending library. Hennessey, who works at a bike-and-board shop, and Shampain, who teaches English to immigrants, also rake leaves for others in their neighborhoods. "The most valuable thing is the building of community and relationships, and the promotion of a feeling of safety," Shampain says.