Women’s Eye Reflections For The New Year

 

As 2011 begins, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on some of the ideas and words of wisdom from our EYE Interviews and the women who were kind enough to share their views during the past months.    You may find inspiration or food for thought here for the New Year…

Vendela Vida—

“After we left the realm of school, we missed the constant conversations about literature.  Starting ‘The Believer’ was a way to continue to have those conversations—both with each other, and with our writers and readers—about books old and new, and about artists and thinkers…”  

Sally Dominguez—

“I never set out intentionally to be an inventor, but I have a constant curiosity about why things are the way they are.  I’m always seeing unconventional solutions to everyday problems…The excitement and ability to change ways people live inspires me.”

Sandy Foster—

“It’s a balm for the spirit to have a place where I’m free to do what I want, like a tree house you run to as a kid and pull up the ladder once inside. Any able-bodied person can build their own sanctuary, providing they have the location, money, time, and tools to do it.”

Shannon Hayes—

“I remember one bright, clear August day, standing on a ladder painting the top of someone’s pergola, marveling that I was a newly minted ‘Dr. Hayes,’ and while my grad school peers were settling into their new offices, I was out under a cloudless blue sky, painting for $10/hr.  I  decided that I had the better deal.”

Cynthia Aquilar—

“‘KEEP PADDLIN’ !!!  Never stop!  When things are going bad,  there’s something good to come.  It’s all about how you handle it.  That’s what makes you.”

More reflections to come another day…

Interview: Sally Dominguez On Her Award-Winning Rainwater Harvesting Tank

Sally Dominguez is an architect, a designer, and an inventor of products  she thinks will  help make the world more eco-friendly.    Now living in Northern California, she started out designing urban housing in Australia, then launched a line of children’s furniture including the multi-award- winning NEST Highchair.  

When she couldn’t find a rainwater tank to fit under her patio during a drought, she came up with the Rainwater HOG, a slim and portable container that holds 51 gallons.    It can be used for irrigation, emergency drinking water, and greywater recycling.  Her newest invention is the HOGzilla that she’s working on with her husband, Simon.  It will hold 450 gallons.

As well as writing on sustainability and cars, she is a judge on “The New Inventors,” an Australian television show.

I was fascinated by this new HOG tank and in Sally’s tenacity to create one.  I wanted to know more so I asked Sally: