Taylor Scott Nelson Archives - Page 4 of 19

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, Road Trip, Texas, Travel

Revival and Reunion: Exploring Waco’s Heart with Family

April 26, 2025 No Comments

Meeting in the Middle: A Family Day Trip to Waco’s Magnolia District

When your family is split between Austin and Dallas, the stretch of I-35 between the two becomes a familiar drive. Recently, we decided to meet in Waco, a practical halfway point that turned into the perfect place for a relaxed family day. We didn’t plan anything elaborate—just a chance to share a meal and walk around together—but what unfolded was a day full of adventuring, conversation, and a genuine appreciation for how the heart of Waco has grown.

Our first stop was Southern Roots Brewing Co., a cozy local brewery nestled in the heart of downtown. The laid-back atmosphere and friendly staff made it a great meeting spot, and we were looking forward to catching up over craft brews and bar bites. But after reviewing the menu, we realized the food options were limited for what we had in mind for lunch.

Thankfully, one of the staff members kindly pointed us in the direction of Café Cappuccino, just a few blocks away. It was a great reminder that being open to a little flexibility can lead to something even better than what you originally planned.

A Brunch Surprise at Café Cappuccino

Walking into Café Cappuccino, we were greeted by a bustling brunch crowd and the cozy charm of a well-loved local eatery. The menu was extensive—pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, and more—and the portions were anything but small. Each of us found something to enjoy, and everything that arrived at our table was hot, delicious, and generously served. It felt like comfort food with a thoughtful twist.

What made the experience even more special were the custom cappuccinos. My dad, stepmom, and grandmother each tried their own, complete with foam and unique flavor profile combinations. There was a sense of novelty and delight in watching them enjoy their own drink just for them—it turned a simple meal into a shared memory of joy. If you’re ever in Waco, Café Cappuccino is worth the stop, especially if you’re looking for a satisfying meal and a stellar brunch vibe.

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, Professional

A Fresh Perspective: How Google Career Dreamer Uses AI for Career Exploration

April 17, 2025 No Comments

A Fresh Perspective: How Google Career Dreamer helped me with my Career Possibilities

Lately, I’ve been undergoing career evaluation—taking stock of my experiences, skills, and interests as I navigate my next professional chapter. With a background in marketing and communications, much of it focused on sustainability and public outreach, I know I had a wide-ranging skill set. But translating that into a clear path forward? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.

Then a friend in a networking group recommended Google Career Dreamer—an AI-powered career exploration tool that genuinely helped me shine light on potential career options.

I was curious and slightly skeptical, but once I got started, I realized this was more than just a job-matching tool. Career Dreamer helped me articulate my value, identify where my skills shine, and—most importantly—imagine new career directions I hadn’t seriously considered before.

A Clearer Career Identity

One of the first steps in the Dreamer experience is shaping your Career Identity Statement—a concise, personalized summary of your strengths where you enter previous roles and skills to inform the AI. Here’s what mine looks like now:

General, Personal Projects, Space

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.