If you would have asked me my favorite color at age 8, I would have said, "green."

Not sure why; I just liked it. This remained true until I was 16 and bought my first car, an oxidized blue VW bug. Then green was relegated to second position. But it has remained there ever since.

If you visit The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer websites, they are bathed in my second favorite color. There's a reason for that.

Green is alive. Most healthy plants are green. Photosynthesis is active. Green is good.

The color of conversation, renewable resources, and recycling is green. Nobody wants to be a part of the rust movement.

Each day I attempt to embrace what my second favorite color represents. I walk to the bank instead of driving. The studio is open in the morning to air out, and closed when the afternoon heats up. I boil a small amount of water to wash dishes, and keep an eye on how much electricity I'm using. I travel light whenever possible.

The Nimble Photographer was born out of the concept of using less.

With my solar panels, twig-burning stove, and camping gear, I've wondered how long I could last if the infrastructure shut down. I hope I never find out.

I have faith that our technology will keep us one step ahead of our problems. Maybe we can innovate our way out of our shortcomings.

Which returns me to my favorite color: blue. Why does blue remain on top after all these years? It's simple.

To me, blue represents hope.

-Derrick