Please welcome Celeste Hamilton to the Two Hands blog. She’s a dear friend of ours from Peace Corps Guyana who now spends her time working for Idealist.org. Celeste will be contributing pieces to the blog from time to time and we’re very excited about that. Today she introduces us to GOOD magazine. Enjoy!

Alas, a magazine has come along that gives those that are tired of looking at highly airbrushed cleavage and beautiful faces something else (okay, maybe something in addition) to ponder over. Sandwiched in between the throngs of magazines that clutter racks everywhere from your local convenience store to the huge bookstore chain at the mall, if you’re lucky to find it, is a magazine called GOOD.

When I first heard of GOOD, I was intrigued. Was this a publication filled with instructions on how to decorate peanuts with googly eyes and sappy stories that catered to the church crowd? An extension of Gallant, of Goofus and Gallant fame, from the children’s magazine Highlights? Or a snarky, ironic take on society?

Turns out, it’s neither of those things. The first issue I saw had humorist John Hodgman from the Daily Show on it’s cover. Points. I opened it and read a lively article about couchsurfing.com, a site that connects thrifty travelers to a stranger’s couch, and a surprisingly engaging piece on a seed preservation vault in Norway. Did I capture your interest yet? Because GOOD immediately got me. Good. I’m hooked.

If you go to their website, www.goodmagazine.com, you’ll find back articles and illustrations on just about anything that interests you all in the range of sustainable living. There’s advice on how to turn your old vinyl records into dishes and where to recycle your out of date laptop. Musings on the demise of the farm and why we should care. A piece about a drive-in movie theatre at Kakuma, the Sudanese refugee camp where the protagonist of Dave Egger’s What is the What lived for nearly a decade. Inspiration from clowns who are sharing their funny with the developing world. Why an afternoon nap can save your life. A list of the top Green Buildings of 2007. Urban planning cues from the naked-streets movement in the Netherlands. Etc., etc., etc…

More than finally a publication about well, all things good, this is a magazine that frees activists and do-gooders from the socially awkward, uncool stereotype. We listen to Spankrock AND advocate for alternative fuel sources. We’re passionate about fair trade AND have a crush on Zak Galifinakis. We’re in love with all things organic AND This American Life. This magazine finally puts it out to society that yes, we can dork out on saving the world and be hip at the same time.

A subscription to GOOD costs a mere $20. And all of your subscription money goes to one of twelve charities of your choice. What, you’re thinking? How is that possible? Basically, GOOD explains that they’re undertaking this experiment because 1) it’s smart business and 2) they believe in it.

But just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, every issue they embark on consists of an interactive project for its readers. Right now, they’re calling for submissions for a care package like the ones mom used to send you in college to a person or organization of your choice. In the running right now is a range of people from an overworked mom to a lunch program in Madagascar to detained children of immigrants to Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes. The best item I’ve seen so far? A Skoal tin for Dennis Kucinich.

So go ahead. Give GOOD a try. There’s not another publication out there that makes socially conscious issues easily accessible—and fun to read about—while sincerely believing in the idea that collective creative concern is possible. And for nerds like me there’s the potential for infinite puns, all of which I’m eagerly awaiting.

South by Southwest is currently underway, a festival that I’ve always wanted to attend, and now there’s even more reason to go! The festival has gone entirely carbon neutral. I love live music but there is no denying that a huge festival such as this leaves quite the footprint behind. To address this SXSW has looked to

their “home” offices to use more efficient heating and cooling systems, replacing light bulbs, and even analyzing the staff’s commuting plans to make them more energy friendly. In addition they are committed to aggressive recycling efforts, biodiesel production trucks, buying wind credits from Green Energy Mountain Co, and even working with legislators to strengthen the state’s energy policy. The promoters of this event are putting their money where the mouth is and have purchased $5000 from the Austin Parks Department to the purchase and maintenance of native trees.

They’re also encouraging attendees to offset their traveling costs and have a list of 10 simple things you can do to help stop global warming.

If you are lucky enough to attend, be sure to check out The Yards a great Lawrence band! If you closer to my neck of the woods, be sure to catch them on April 21st for Earth Day at South Park in Lawrence.

This year Brady and I will be heading to the local Wakarusa Music Festival where the amazing Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will be performing, among many other great band. This year Wakarusa is placing a greater emphasis on sustainability with “a standalone, sustainability village for education on all things “green”.”

Also, one sponsor is New Belgium, who was founded “by an electrical engineer and a social worker, it only makes sense that New Belgium has always looked for ways to be energy efficient and socially responsible. ” They are the countries first 100% wind powered brewery. Through recapture and reuse of water, they’ve “nearly halved the industry average of using eight barrels of water to produce one barrel of beer.” They also build green, have a sustainable living ‘goddess’ and their favorite letter is R (reduce, reuse, recycle). You can be sure I’ll be toasting a cold glass of Fat Tire to Ben Harper as he sings “Two Hands.”

Let’s help Wakarusa and all other festivals follow SXSW example and soften our step so that all only the music fills the air.

There are so many things I miss about Guyana, one of the biggest being the music. Somehow finding a Soca party in Kansas, other than living room winding sessions, is impossible. While some of the western music found Guyanese fans (Celine Dion had a freakish following, which I hope to never understand) their heart’s followed the Caribbean beat.

As we progress down the seemingly inevitable path of globalization, it becomes increasingly important for cultural aspects, such as music, to avoid being swallowed to the belly of the western beast. There is an interesting article examining the correlation between economics and a countries ability to maintain cultural identity.

In particular it asserts that “the poorer a country, the more likely it will buy and listen to its own domestic music.” Because the production of music is relatively inexpensive, it remains more localized and is able to establish a strong foundation upon which the people find identity. This localization also allows artists to focus on issues relevant to the community, creating a generalized empathy with its listeners. Through this rooted identity, music styles not only withstand the invasion of western culture but even influencing our music. It has also been interesting to watch the Calypso and SoCa wind their way into American ears and become increasing mainstream, such as Sean Paul and Rihanna.

It is this equal melding of cultures which is so important to an increasing more connected and influential world. Fair Trade frequently helps to blend two cultures without determinate to one. Fair Trade artisans create products based in their culture’s arts and skills, and the opened western market allows mutual benefits. Through this exchange we are exposing our culture to others and allowing them to maintain the artistic heritage, without being forced to seek other means of providing for their families. I hope that fair trade offers cultures the same foundation found through their music, a foundation that allows cultures to inspire one another rather than change.