Christa Avampato on LinkedIn: #sustainability #vegetarian #food #health #books (2024)

If you'd like to help a NYC child who is homeless have a great start to the school year, I've got your answer. Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. is having a backpack drive. For a donation of $25, they are able to buy a brand new backpack and load it up with school supplies for a NYC child who is living in the homeless shelter system. I just made my donation (in honor of Phinny, of course.)I know what it's like to have nothing new to start the school year - how that causes a child to feel left out, how it leads to bullying, and how it depletes their confidence before they've even started the new year. I am beyond grateful that as an adult I can help a child in my city not have to go through that and start the school year knowing someone believes in them. #projectbacktoschoolIf you'd like to help, you can make a donation at this link: https://lnkd.in/g2YG-ZJh

So excited that the video game Monument Valley 3 will launch on Netflix on December 10th. Congrats to the entire team who worked so hard to bring it to life. It's a beautiful game that I'm so grateful I had the chance to contribute to. A special thank you to Jennifer Estaris for making that possible - your leadership, vision, and heart inspire me!💚

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I have a slight fear of bridges & heights. Today, I faced up to both fears. I walked from Ditmas Park, Brooklyn to Hell's Kitchen, across the Manhattan Bridge. 10 miles (16 kilometers) & something I've never done before. The views were incredible & I loved all the different neighborhoods along the way! Ended with a lovely dinner with 1 of my nearest & dearest friends. NYC, I fall in love with you every day.Photo of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline from the Manhattan Bridge.

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I bought the book The Joy of Small Things by Hannah Jane Parkinson at Books on the Hill, a magical independent family-run bookstore in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, a perfect London suburb. My friend, Milly, took me there when I visited her because she knew I’d love it. She knows me well. The bookstore building was originally constructed in 1600, was once a tearoom and a furniture shop, and has a resident ghost who is a monk traveling from the cathedral in the secret tunnels running below the city where he does the flower arranging. The Books on the Hill family also has a dachshund named Fergus. I asked the bookstore team if I could move in. I think they’re considering it. (Honestly, was I switched at birth, and am I possibly their long-lost daughter?!)Hannah’s book caught my eye because it’s about joy, my favorite topic, and it has a dachshund on the front who looks exactly like my dear Phineas, who passed away in January at the ripe old age of 14 1/2. Also, Nigella Lawson, who is an absolute queen, recommends it. Obviously, I loved every word. It’s a book of short pieces that Hannah wrote for The Guardian about everyday joys. One of the pieces is about her love for dachshunds. The topics are wonderfully varied from three-minute pop songs to local graffiti to trainers (for my American friends, these are sneakers) to cemeteries and dozens of others. (Again, is Hannah my long-lost family member, too?!) I read the book in tiny bits because I didn’t want it to end. Hannah is hilarious and thoughtful, and I’m sure we would be best friends if we knew each other. She’s also British, so the turn of phrase and spelling in this book are a joy for me and take me right back to St. Albans with Milly. I’ve long been a journal writer. On August 1st, I started a new practice: a daily spreadsheet (another one of my small joys) where I jot down what brought me joy each day. I set a calendar reminder at 9:30pm each night with the question, “What brought you joy today?” and I fill in the spreadsheet. It’s now part of my bedtime routine, and I love it. It’s become a joy in itself.#books #joy

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Fun book news today! My Emerson Page novels were named BiblioBoard + Indie Author Project Select books. Thank you to Indie Author Project (IAP) for this honor—I'm excited to now have my books available and recommended by them at libraries across the U.S. and Canada!Curated by Library Journal and library editorial boards across North America, the books are chosen by editors and librarians from thousands of submissions. IAP Select features NY Times and USA Today best-selling authors, award winners, and emerging authors. This also means my books are now being considered for the Indie Author Project Annual Contest. Winners will be announced in November.Thank you to the IAP Select committee. I’m looking forward to connecting with more readers and libraries!(Photo of Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads at the Castlerigg Stone Circle in Keswick, part of the U.K.’s Lake District) #writing #storytelling #books #publishing

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If anyone is interested in learning more about going to battleground states to campaign for Kamala and Tim, there is an online info session this Tuesday, August 13th, at 8pm Eastern. This is a paid temporary campaign position and people will be going to Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This session will also have information about other ways to help in swing states, even if you can't go to them physically. I'll be at this session, and I hope you'll join me! https://lnkd.in/ewTr_mH9#HarrisWalz2024 #government #politics #election

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Yesterday, I went to the Brooklyn romance indie bookstore, The Ripped Bodice. I went to brunch to celebrate my dear friend, Ashley, and we decided to stop in as we walked by since I'd never been before. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we left the world behind and entered into a world built, nurtured, and protected by love in all its forms. From the boho color scheme to the books curated with humor and spice to the friendly happy staff, the store feels like a joyful, knowing hug. Started by sisters Bea and Leah in LA, the Brooklyn store celebrates its 1 year birthday this month. (Of course, it's a Leo!)I think of romance as a macro genre of literature that spans many other genres as a theme to drive characters and plots. Whatever genre a reader loves, romance can be part of it. At The Ripped Bodice, readers can find romance books within history, historical fiction, comedy, mythology, young adult, fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, literary fiction, suspense, mystery, and the list goes on. The Ripped Bodice also has a fantastic card and gift selection that induces smiles and giggles with tea, candles, chocolate, coffee, stickers, bookmarks, canvas bags, and more.I'm so glad The Ripped Bodice Bookstore exists. It's putting love front and center in a world that needs more of it. Yesterday was my first visit, and it will definitely be a place I visit again and again. The Ripped Bodice Brooklyn is located at 218 5th Avenue in the Park Slope neighborhood.#books #authors #bookstore #retail

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I recently learned Minnesota is a climate action powerhouse, combining equitable economics, people-centered policies, and clear communications to bring people together. Let's dive into what Minnesota is doing to help all residents. 1.) Minnesota is a clean energy leaderLike many states, Minnesota was long powered by coal. Today, 50% of the state’s power comes from wind, solar, and nuclear, thanks to Governor Tim Walz. It’s one of the fastest transitioning states in the country. In 2023, he signed the Minnesota Clean Energy Bill into law, ensuring Minnesota is fossil fuel-free by 2040. (If you want to see how all U.S. states stack up with their energy sources,check out this cool interactivecreated by Nadja Popovich.)2.) Minnesota is a climate policy leaderOn Walz’s watch in 2022, Minnesota launched theClimate Action Framework. This plan is preparing the state for climate change impacts, taking immediate and near-term actions to make the state “carbon-neutral, resilient, and equitable.” To-date, this plan has prompted the Minnesota Legislature to approveover 40 climate initiativesacross industries including energy, health, agriculture, construction, and transportation.3.) Minnesota policies connect everyday local concerns with climate solutionsMinnesotans have acutely felt the impacts of climate change over the past 5 years —drought caused economic losses for farmers and ranchers,wildfire smoke inundated cities and towns leading to health challenges, and alack of snow and ice caused economic losses in the fishing and winter tourism industries. Thestate’s climate policiesfocus on climate solutions that create jobs, protect land and water vital for farmers and ranchers, reduce energy costs for consumers, and improve air quality to improve the health of residents, particularly children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions.Walz’s simple, straightforward, optimistic, and solution-oriented communication style unites people, makes them feel hopeful, and connects the challenges they face with policy solutions that will directly solve those challenges. This makes him wildly popular with constituents across the political spectrum. People trust him because he’s helping them. This has helped turn Minnesota into a climate action powerhouse. Using his playbook, we could do this for the entire country, and the world. #climate #communications #economy #energy #sustainability

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Someone asked me what I want to do with my career now that my University of Cambridge / Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) Masters programme is done. Honestly, all I want to do is wake up every day, go out into the world, and do kind things for people, animals, and nature. This world needs more kindness in all its wondrous forms, and I want to make that contribution. #career #sustainability #nature

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