Hello Readers,

My name is Dolores Tropiano and I’m the new managing editor for Green Living AZ magazine. I am truly excited to be a part of what is happening here.

I wasn’t particularly looking for a job when I met Dorie Morales. She happened to be sitting next to me at one of Patsy Lowry’s famous luncheons in her hilltop home. The former First Lady of Paradise Valley had put together a Southwestern-style meal that was partially prepared impromptu that morning combining tomatoes, carrots and a touch of cumin and transforming it all into an amazing soup that was sprinkled with peppers.

Patsy has a gift for bringing people together and this diverse group of artists, authors and a publisher had at least one thing in common. For one reason or another, we all had concerns about our diet. Thus, the salad dressing and containers of ice cream were passed around the table, along with reading glasses, as the ingredients were scrutinized throughout the meal. There has got to be a new installment in the etiquette books on how to do this without offending the host! Thankfully, Patsy was gracious.

Afterwards, Dorie and I talked about the magazine, and a week later, I was preparing the March issue. Whew! What a rush! As I have gotten to know Dorie, I have been truly awed by her sincere commitment to sustainable living. She is the real deal, which was important to me as I wanted to be a part of something that, at its core, was true. She is an inspiration.

I am not anywhere near Dorie when it comes to my own green living habits, but I am willing to grow. Each month, I will share that process in a column called “Turning Green.” You are welcome to join me in this journey.

This month Earth Day takes place on April 22, and we have several stories that speak to this significant day. Most of us couldn’t be at the first Earth Day (for obvious reasons) but writer Paula Cullison actually attended the inaugural event in 1970 in New York City. She has shared her memorable experience in this issue. David M. Brown’s piece on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve illustrates what can happen when a community comes together and creates a place to preserve our precious desert. And writer David Schaller explains why the Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson has become one of the town’s top destinations.

We also have put together a list of Earth Day events around the Valley and across the state for you to choose from. The Green Living AZ staff will be splitting up and heading out to these preserve-the-Earth parties. Hopefully, we will run into some of you there.

I am looking forward to hearing from you. We can’t be everywhere, so if you spot something in your community that we should be covering, please feel free to email us. We always want to recognize people who are making a difference in our Green Champions section, so send your heroes our way.

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy April, Earth Day, and our current issue!
Dolores Tropiano
Editor

Email me at dolores@greenlivingaz.com