I loved the writer's "One foot in, one foot out" observation; as a person whose heritage is mixed enough that I "bodily represent" two continents and 5 countries, I often feel just totally "one foot out" on most issues. Which I also used to think of as a loss, when I saw what the entirely Jewish, Italian or Chinese families I grew up with in New York had in terms of tradition. They seemed to have such a wonderful sense of community and history that I will never have. But as I've grown, I've seen these insider-outsider viewpoints as pretty poisonous, the deep root of many conflicts and their accompanying deaths and tortures.I'm not tied to the past, and in many ways, I'm free to make up my mind about any issue, because I'm effectively "nothing," which i now see as a wonderful advantage. I might be part English, but I don't really relate to that nation's colonialist history (in either a prideful or shameful way); I might be Armenian too, but I don't hate Turkish people just because they are Turkish (and of course I know that not all Armenians do, but it's common enough among many groups to hate others just because they are part of that group, and this is my personal example). I am just a human being, with DNA of the torturers and the tortured, and so I'm effectively free. As we mix and match and move into the future, there will be more like me, and as the population edges toward 9 billion, and the environment reaches its breaking point, we will need, more than ever, to put aside our histories and divisions. And, hopefully create new ones that are inclusive and loving, rather than dividing and based on religion or skin color or heritage.

We have so much in common, sometimes it's ridiculous. I too spent Christmas alone (I was sad sometimes, kinda dug it sometimes, felt pathetic, and then wonderfully independent and free) and I have similar stories about friends- people I once thought were family, that aren't, and family that never was, really. I've left a friendship this year, someone I knew since third grade. Heartbreaking, but necessary. And I have watched other friends move on, out of my life (though I know they wish me well); they are just too plain busy with young children these days. I was angry at first, but now I'm not. But I have a feeling I'll see them in a decade, when the kids are running out the door to their own lives. And they are ready for a good long chat that doesn't revolve around school/playdates/soccer. It's a long life, and I'm OK with this now. Because in the end, it is my choice to do what I do in the way that I do it (differently).

To be fair, most of the companies on the list (not all, but most) are MUCH larger than the companies you've listed. Walmart is 2nd on the list of the US's Fortune 500 companies, for example. Whole Foods is 264, below Nordstrom's. GM and Costco are also gigantically huge megacorps with thousands of properties the world over over hundreds of acres of space.

Also, (and this is not to excuse Whole Foods, or any other green company), but perhaps they have invested money in other things (like paying their employees decently? or ensuring that each of their buildings is constructed with incredibly high energy efficiency standards in other ways - using geothermal for instance - that may not be reflected on this list). I'm just saying looking at one factor - solar panels - negates a lot of other good shit they may (or may not, I don't know) be doing. Looking at this list, I would think Wal-mart is great, but really, they are just saving money on their electricity bills by investing in solar - not trying to be 'good guys' (disclosure: I have worked peripherally with the company inasmuch as I have spoken with their people and seen a lot of their media outreach - and I have never, ever once see them do anything 'green' that wasn't about saving money for the company first and foremost).

I think this is a great question, but just because a company uses a lot of solar, doesn't mean they are a good company (Wal-mart's parking lots have the most incredible footprint and the company has been responsible for literally destroying entire downtown shopping areas.) Has Whole Foods put some health food stores out of biz? Certainly. But to compare the two companies is a bit disingenuous, considering one's a behemoth and the other is still relatively small.

I'd love to see a well-researched, full-on critique of Whole Foods and what the company is not doing that it could. I think they should be pushed. Lastly I'll say I know a lot of small and medium-sized local foods and body care companies that could probably not afford to be in business if Whole Foods didn't carry their products.

Amazing - my fave was def Twain in Tesla's lab. A bit weird how few women are pictured, like they weren't really a part of history at all.

Children can also be unrepentant bullies, assholes, are pretty much totally selfish beings, expect others to clean up after them and cry and scream to get their way. I've seen soooo many kids torture younger siblings when they thought nobody was looking. Even otherwise "good kids". Kids are great in some ways, sure, but this piece is really idealizing them. They often lack the intellectual abilities to think things through well. (Something tells me you've not spent a ton of uninterrupted time with kids. They are fun and amazing...until you get to know them.) Kids have done most of the cruelest things I've ever seen (which is OK, they're kids and still learning). I choose not to spend much time with kids anymore (I spent about 10 years with kids most days) because I find them to be really undeveloped beings, overall. At least adults have the ability to know when to keep their mouths shut. I also like that adults rarely shit all over the walls when they use the public restroom.

I've unfriended a number of people on FB recently, and even some in real life. It actually feels amazing, and I am less stressed out! It's very much like dropping a bunch of stuff off at Goodwill/taking it to the dump/selling it on Craigslist. I'm practicing letting go of stuff including people who I don't mesh with, and life has definitely improved.

I'm just so grateful to the people who made this vid. This is the place I go to SO OFTEN. Despite all my successes, it's such a relief to know that there are enough people out there my age who feel this way that I ironically feel much less bummed about it!

Haha, some things never change. I was raised by a natural (grand)ma. I totally got chickenpox at a chickenpox party! No kids for me though - it's a full time job raising a kid well, and there are about a zillion other things I want to do with my time on this earth. But kudos to those parents who make the time and take the effort to do it right and raise healthy kids - I'm so grateful to have been brought up this way!

I have so much admiration to people like you - I could never add to my stressful life by having kids! As I said to my friend the other day, it's a great world wherein those who have the talent, ability and patience to have kids, do. And that the rest of us, thanks to birth control, can just wonder at how you do it without losing your mind (instead of how it was in the past, where everyone had kids whether they were suited to it or not). So impressive to not only do what you do, but then be able to write poetry about it too! AMAZING.

What a great, useful piece! Love it, thanks. As a Pitta, I limit my coffee consumption, but do enjoy it (always after eating and always with whole, organic milk to offset the acidity).