The English Language: A Heated Debate
Coffee Social got a bit loud last week as tempers flared. We’ve discussed a lot of hot topics over the years, from the merits of democracy versus dictatorship to the relationship between crime, punishment, and education, but rarely have there been any strong reactions. That is, until we hit the emotionally charged subject of punctuation. […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: The Drive to Work
Transportation is a common theme at Coffee Social. One goal of WORK is to reduce the need for transportation by creating an office in your home town. But as much as we all love Petaluma, we still need to get to other places. Perhaps you have a meeting in Santa Rosa, or you want to […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: The Water Challenge
How many gallons of water per person per day does your household use? When Nancy came to Coffee Social with Petaluma’s new Drought FAQ handout, we jumped all over the opportunity to discuss this timely subject. In fact, we spent most of the hour on this one topic, which says a lot, considering our standard […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: Reimagining Value and Payment
Is the world ready for a new form of currency and a 21st-century payment system? It seems long overdue. The last twenty years have seen exponential growth and unprecedented change in so many sectors, yet money has remained much the same. It’s easy to imagine how helpful it would be if exchanging money was […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: How to save the world
Coffee Social was no laughing matter this week. Well, actually, we did laugh, but we also attempted to tackle a huge issue: How to save the world. I suppose first off, you have to believe the world needs saving. It seems most of us can agree that there are some pretty pressing issues confronting […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: Are you curious?
What will be the future of battery technology? How can grass sequester carbon? What is the uncanny valley? Coffee Social is all about curiosity. And when you are curious, the world is a bounty of wonders. I have a ten-year-old daughter, so I think a lot about education. It is easy to worry that our […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: Misunderstandings
I hate you. I hate you! 😉 You’re going to Hawaii? I’m so jealous, I hate you! 😉 What happens when the true intent of our words gets lost in translation? One coWORKer came to Coffee Social this week with a disturbing Facebook story. It was the classic “I was joking, but you didn’t know […]
Resolutions Part 3: Waste Not, Want Not
March: Waste less food. Unlike the simplicity of one-time projects like the first two months, changing a habit requires ongoing effort. Our standard food system is a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, especially when it comes to animal products. It’s also an easy place to make a significant difference. This is an extremely fascinating […]
Resolutions Part 2: Let There Be Light
Way back in January (yes, it’s already April!), I set my New Year’s resolution: Each month I tackle one thing in my own life that can reduce my footprint on this precious planet, specifically around climate change. As I mentioned, I’m easily distracted, so I thought a blog would keep me on track. Well, it […]
coWORKing Coffee Talk: The Nature of Evil – Mar 17th 2015
What do gasoline, third grade literacy rates, and mentors have in common? They may all be important factors in determining your destiny. Coffee Social this week inspired a fascinating discussion on crime, punishment, and education. We started with the age-old notion of evil. Is that what drives people to do bad things? I suppose it depends on […]