Sustainability Journal

  • The Greatest Hardship

    The Greatest Hardship

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    A while back, I was watching a clip of an interview from the 70’s with Aretha Franklin. The interviewer - someone iconic, though I can’t remember who now - asked what her greatest hardship in life was. She stopped for...

  • Clean Screens

    Clean Screens

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    The United States is not a leader in clean ingredients. Our standards for cleanliness in food and cosmetics are frighteningly low compared to those of other developed countries. However, we actually have better standards when it comes to sunscreen. I...

  • Zero Waste Home: a book review

    Zero Waste Home: a book review

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    Bea Johnson is one of modern day’s OG zero wasters. I was gifted her book Zero Waste Home years ago by one of my closest friends and have come to rely on it for quick and easy reference. The book...

  • Where Do The Leaf Boats Go: Q+A with Napa’s A. Cort Sinnes

    Where Do The Leaf Boats Go: Q+A with Napa’s A. Cort Sinnes

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    “Mama, we’re like skyscrapers to the ants,” my five-year-old told me last week on a walk. Admittedly, the way my childrens’ thoughts hit me depends on the day. But on this day it was square between the eyes. “Yes, baby....

  • Wellness Pie

    Wellness Pie

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    What is wellness? Everything and its mom have their own definitions. Social media will tell you through framed, little boxes with words inside, or pictures of bodies in mirrors, that wellness is a cacophony of contradictory things. I looked up...

  • Proof of Life

    Proof of Life

    By Brooke Hamilton-Benjestorf

    I saw myself smile in the mirror the other day. I noticed how, at 36, there are lots of little lines around my eyes that crop up alongside this contented expression. And in that moment, for whatever reason, I simply...