The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.
-- Albert Einstein

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #AlbertEinstein #Awe #Curiosity

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

Checking out #GearLibraries just makes sense

Sharing equipment makes #OutdoorRecreation more accessible, equitable and #sustainable.

By Amy Paradysz, Winter 2025-26

"We're all familiar with the principle behind #libraries: The community shares a collection of books so we can all access media without having to buy, own or store it. Gear libraries are built on the same notion: Sharing equipment makes outdoor recreation more accessible, more equitable and more sustainable. And sometimes it just makes good sense: Do you really want to own that pull-behind ski chariot that you might use once or twice?

"Thanks to a new coalition called the #MaineGearLibraryNetwork, it’s becoming easier to access a wider variety of gear throughout the state. For example, although #KindlingCollective in downtown #PortlandME doesn’t have enough space to stock a wide variety of outdoor apparel, their members can borrow what they need through #MaineGearShare in #BrunswickME at no additional charge.

" 'The network is a growing coalition of community organizations that are working together to make outdoor recreation more accessible, especially for rural, low-income and historically excluded communities,' said Maine GearShare Advancement Manager Emily Mackeown. 'This means that more Mainers can enjoy the outdoors in all seasons.'

"The lending or renting model varies greatly across the network. At some gear libraries, members can check out items for free—and membership may be as simple as having a card to your local library.

"More commonly, there’s a fee to check out items, but gear libraries that are nonprofits or under the auspices of a public library or university can charge less than a for-profit rental business would.

"Sometimes there’s a sliding scale based on socioeconomic factors; basically, people with more resources subsidize gear for those with fewer resources. At some gear libraries, groups like school outing clubs can save a great deal of money by purchasing a membership that covers hundreds of 'participant days' worth of gear, eliminating choices of what gear, exactly, they can afford to borrow."

Learn more:
https://www.greenhealthymaine.com/blog/gear-libraries

#SolarPunkSunday #BorrowDontBuy #SharingEconomy #SpendTimeInNature #Kayaks #Hiking #Maine #OutdoorRecreation

No generalization is wholly true, not even this one.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #OliverWendellHolmes #Generalizations

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.
-- Dilbert

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #Dilbert #Humor #Life

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

The problem, when solved, is simple.
-- Freshman Chemistry Lab

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #FreshmanChemistryLab #ProblemSolving

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion.
-- Edward Abbey

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #EdwardAbbey #Delusion #Truth

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

One may know how to gain a victory, and know not how to use it.
-- Hannibal Barca ((circa 247-183 BCE))

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #HannibalBarca #Victory

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking.
-- Alfred Korzybski

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #AlfredKorzybski #Doubt #Knowledge #Life

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

To get it right, be born with luck or else make it. Never give up. Get the knack of getting people to help you and also pitch in yourself. A little money helps, but what really gets it right is to never -- I repeat -- never under any conditions face the facts.
-- Ruth Gordon

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #RuthGordon #Life #Luck

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida

When cake mixes were first created, they required consumers to only add water -- a major behavioral shift. Consumers felt a cake made with such a mix could not possibly be as good as a homemade cake. So cake mix formulas were revised to require the addition of an egg and milk. The new mixes met with great success, because the behavior shift required of consumers was minor. Eventually some consumers became comfortable adding only water (some never will).
-- Kathy Biro

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #KathyBiro #HumanBehavior

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Sunset #Kayaks #Everglades #Florida