Sustainability Archives - Taylor Scott Nelson

General, Lost Valley, Nature, Road Trip, Rotator

What’s It Like in a Hippie Ecovillage? My Experience at Lost Valley

May 26, 2025 No Comments

In 2017, I traded concrete for cob, traffic for trees, and deadlines for dandelions. For 7 transformative months, I lived at Lost Valley Educational Center, an ecovillage and educational nonprofit tucked into the lush forest of Dexter, Oregon. I joined their Holistic Sustainability Semester—a unique 3-month, immersive, dual certification program in Permaculture Design and Ecovillage Living—and walked away with more than just certificates. I gained skills, connections, and a whole new lens on what community, sustainability, and “living on purpose” can actually look like.

People often ask me after I tell them my story, my sustainability journey: “So what was it like living in a hippie community?” This post is my attempt to answer that, with honesty, nostalgia, and from my current perspective shaped by this experience.

General, Nature, Texas, Travel

Exploring Ecotourism in Texas: Sustainable Adventures from Coast to Canyon

May 7, 2025 No Comments

Texas may be known for its size and swagger, but it’s also home to some of the most biodiverse ecosystems and innovative sustainability efforts in the country. From lush wetlands and desert canyons to green urban oases and regenerative farms, Texas offers an incredible array of ecotourism opportunities for travelers who want to experience nature while protecting it.

What Is Ecotourism, Exactly?

There are a few ways to look at it:

Nature Tourism is all about immersing yourself in the beauty of the outdoors. This includes activities like birdwatching, hiking through state parks, kayaking in wetlands, and exploring botanical gardens. It’s a way to reconnect with the natural world and recharge, often while learning more about the flora, fauna, and ecosystems that surround us.
Eco-Friendly Tourism emphasizes sustainability in how we travel—choosing green accommodations, minimizing waste, supporting local businesses, and reducing our carbon footprint. It’s about being intentional with our choices, from what we pack to where we eat and sleep.
Eco-Tourism (capital E!) goes a step further. It actively contributes to environmental conservation, community empowerment, and cultural understanding. True ecotourism educates travelers while directly supporting the places they visit, whether through nature education centers, wildlife sanctuaries, or eco-volunteer projects.

General, Professional

Defining Green Marketing & Sustainability Communications: An Hourglass Term That Shaped My Career

April 21, 2025 No Comments

In the world of marketing, buzzwords come and go — but “green marketing” and “sustainability communications” are terms that have stuck with me, not just as trends, but as defining themes throughout my career. They’re what I call hourglass terms — concepts that begin broadly, narrow into a specialized niche, and then fan out again to influence a wide range of industries, sectors, and communication needs.

Let me explain — and take you on a journey through how I came to specialize in this growing, evolving, and deeply meaningful space.

What Is Green Marketing, Exactly?

At its core, green marketing refers to promoting products, services, or practices that are environmentally friendly. It’s about more than slapping a green label on a package — it’s a commitment to transparency, sustainability, and often, behavioral change. Green marketing focuses on aligning brand values with environmental ethics, creating campaigns that both inform and inspire.

Sustainability communications, meanwhile, goes beyond the consumer angle. It encompasses the storytelling, messaging, and strategic outreach that organizations use to engage stakeholders — from the public to policymakers — on environmental initiatives, sustainable practices, climate resilience, and more.

Together, these two disciplines span a massive spectrum — from technical communications about carbon reporting to grassroots storytelling about tree planting or water conservation. Hence the hourglass.

General, Personal Projects

From Lone Dome to Lunar Dreams: Visualizing a Space Colony Glamping Experience

April 14, 2025 No Comments

What started as a simple prompt request for a “space glamping dome nestled in the Central Texas Landscape” evolved into a refined and realistic visual journey, one that perfectly aligns with the vision I’ve been developing for a unique edutainment experience: a Space Colony Glamping Business. The goal is to offer guests a “pick your own adventure” immersion into the life of a space colonist, right here on Earth. And what better setting than the captivating landscape of Central Texas surrounded by local excursions and seasonal urban events?

Through this iterative prompting process (Google Gemini), we’ve moved from a solitary glamping dome to a vision of a self-contained and interconnected colony habitat in the Central Texas landscape. The images now depict:

Multiple Geodesic Domes: Clusters of distinctive canvas and glass domes, suggesting comfortable and potentially luxurious living spaces.
Shipping Container Tunnels: These act as crucial connectors between the domes, creating enclosed pathways and a sense of a unified structure.
Greenhouses: Lining the shipping container tunnels, these suggest a capacity for food production and a degree of self-sufficiency within the compound.
A Large Central Dome: Serving as a potential communal hub or central facility within the compound.
Sun Shade Sails with Rainwater Collection: These practical additions hint at sustainable living and resource management.
Central Texas Landscape: The setting remains the rolling, often dry, yet beautiful landscape of Central Texas, providing a context for this unique habitat.
A “Space Compound” Feel: The interconnectedness created by the shipping containers and the presence of multiple dome structures evokes a sense of a planned and potentially isolated community, reminiscent of a small off-world base.

General, Nature, Texas

Rooted in Community: Earth Day Austin 2025 at Huston-Tillotson University

April 12, 2025 No Comments

On Saturday, I revisited Earth Day Austin Festival for 2025 at Huston-Tillotson University (HT) — a celebration that brought together culture, community, and climate action in the heart of East Austin. As someone who works at the intersection of sustainability, communications, and public outreach, this event offered not only an energizing way to celebrate Earth Month but also a powerful reminder of what’s possible when people come together to support and promote conservation, equity to access and services, workforce education, and environmentalism during these current social times.

This year’s theme, “Rooted in Community,” felt strong in terms of the support of vendors, action groups, and city services — from the indoor inflatable planetarium and cultural performances on the main stage, to the various panels, interactive exhibits, and conversations I had at booths. The event was part of HT’s 150th anniversary programming, and was supported by volunteers and students, which included performances by the students too.

General, Nature, Texas

Texas VegFest: Celebrating 10 Years of Community and Compassion

April 5, 2025 No Comments

I spent my Saturday afternoon soaking up the energy, flavors, and creativity at the 10th annual Texas VegFest—and it did not disappoint. Held at Fiesta Gardens along the shores of Lady Bird Lake, this year’s event brought together an incredible mix of food vendors, nonprofits, musicians, and plant-based enthusiasts from all over Austin. Whether you’re vegan, veg-curious, or just hungry and open-minded, this festival had something for everyone.

The weather was a little unpredictable (classic Austin spring), but that didn’t stop the crowds. I wandered through rows of vendor tents sampling all kinds of veggie-based goodies—from BBQ tempeh sliders to vegan tamales to inventive dairy-free desserts. And of course, I picked up my fair share of stickers, tote bags, and free swag along the way.