The Paper Passion Project

May 14: Cornell Wetlands     When I had checked my weather app the night before volunteering to plant native seedlings at Cornell Wetlands, I debated canceling my sign up: It was going to be 60-65 degrees and raining the entire three hours. However, I rolled out of bed, grabbed my gardening gloves, and drove to Rose Park.       While I had never been to the Wetlands, I was instantly blown away by how beautiful it was! The air smelt fresh as the rain poured, nourishing the local plants. It was easy to find my group, despite the turnout being much smaller than the tree planting's. I learned about how necessary it was to plant these seedlings as they were designed specifically for Utah's current climate, and its possibly drier, hotter future climate.       Despite the poor weather, smaller group, and 1000 saplings needing to be planted (for the AM group), our group ended up planting around 1,300 saplings. Luckily, after the first hour and a...

  Tree Planting at the SLC Cemetery     An item on my bucket list has stared me down for the past year: "Join one group clean-up or volunteer project of some kind." Finally, yesterday May 3rd, I completed this goal by volunteering at the Salt Lake City Cemetery tree planting event.      There were thirty sign-up slots and each one was filled. I have never seen such a diverse group of people, all ages and backgrounds, working together on such a beautiful Saturday morning. Some came in groups of friends or family, but many came by themselves. Apparently, the turnout for volunteer work lately has been growing. Despite showing up alone—and my aptitude for awkwardness—I was immediately shown kindness, friendship, and community.      For privacy reasons, all faces are blurred. My small group of three helped plant two Atlas Cedar trees. One is named Bruce the Spruce, while we forgot to name the other. Thank you to all the amazing organizers and volu...

 The Paper Passion Project     What Is The Paper Passion Project ?      In hopes of serving the Salt Lake City community, local artists, and the planet, I created The Paper Passion Project . This project was born from my own love of crafting and recycling—fulfilling my own need for a creative outlet—while encouraging other artists to explore new mediums in a sustainable and affordable way.      By crafting handmade, recycled paper and distributing it to local artists for free, I hope to encourage recycling, self-expression, and have a positive effect in my community.  Why Handmade, Recycled Paper?      All my life I have been passionate about the planet and recycling. While it started small—as most passions do—I can pinpoint the exact moment that my initial interest augmented.      Growing up, my parents refused to pay the additional monthly fee for a home recycling bin. Once I was old enough to drive, I beg...