June 19-25 is Pollinator Week, a time to recognize the importance of pollinators within our ecosystems and share ways to support their wellbeing. At MUD, we have been working over the last 3 years to create a welcoming environment for both native pollinators and honey bees around our site. We currently have one hive of honey bees on our property that help support our vegetable gardens and orchard as well as supplying us with several Read more…
During a recent round of hiring interviews at MUD I noticed a very strong theme developing. Almost every applicant we spoke to at some point credited their mom for inspiring them to take on DIY projects ranging from gardening to building to painting. It made me realize what a special gift a supportive and creative mother can be in empowering their children to be more self-reliant, to overcome challenges, and to not be afraid to Read more…
Written By Kathleen O’Brien, MUD Workshop Coordinator It’s a rather idyllic experience to walk out your backdoor, down the porch, and out to your chicken coop to collect eggs on a crisp morning. Not to mention the joy of cooking with freshly harvested eggs – store bought yolks simply pale in comparison, literally! While chickens are an approachable livestock to raise to meet your sustainable living goals, the upfront costs can be daunting. Undeniably, the Read more…
March 5-11 is the 25th Annual Women in Construction Week which celebrates and promotes the role of women in the construction industry. According to the National Association of Women in Construction website (https://www.nawic.org/), “women numbered 10.9 percent of the entire U.S. construction workforce in 2022” and “the gender pay gap is significantly smaller in construction occupations, with women earning on average 95.5 percent of what men make.” While the MUD tool library and our workshops Read more…
Is your business or organization looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary waste and implement more sustainable practices? Check out the Pledge Zero program with Home ReSource. A talented Home ReSource employee will meet with you to go over your current waste management systems, product sourcing, and general resource use. Afterwards they will create a report and provide recommendations on ways your business can continue to streamline systems and make small, meaningful changes to Read more…
January is often a time of reflection and planning for the new year and for the MUD team it’s no different. Earlier this month our staff and board spent a cozy Saturday at the Missoula Public Library reflecting on our accomplishments from 2022 and getting ready for some exciting new projects in 2023. In 2022 we: And a few things we’re looking forward to in the coming year? What projects do you have on your Read more…
Written by Kathleen O’Brien, MUD Tool Librarian and Workshop Coordinator One of the hardest things I’ve come to learn is that if you want to be good at something, you first have to be a beginner. There are endless questions I’ll ask, followed by confusion, frustration and need for clarification. I want to learn and learn it correctly but starting at ground level can be daunting. Finding a safe space to gain this knowledge is Read more…
MUD and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) have partnered on many projects over the last few years and we are excited to share about our latest project – a demonstration rain garden at the MUD tool library! NWF’s Big Sky Watershed Corps member, Kassie Robakiewicz, was inspired to install a demonstration rain garden when an opportunity presented itself by the Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) grants to fund watershed restoration projects. Choosing the location Read more…
Small changes in our everyday lives can make a big difference for creating a more sustainable future and in decreasing our impact on the planet. That’s why we encourage sharing tools rather than buying them. That’s why we have many demonstration projects around our site to inspire people to try things like rain water catchment, using reclaimed building materials, and growing your own food. And it’s also why we are inviting people to try shopping Read more…
Hello! My name is Emily Kempe and I am an intern at MUD while I work on my master’s degree in social work at the University of Montana. “What is a social worker doing at a tool library?” you might ask. Well, social work can happen at all levels of our society: individual, group, community, statewide and nationally. I personally love doing social work at the community level and MUD is the perfect hub to Read more…
There is something so hopeful about spring. The warming weather. The buzzing bees. The buds on flowers. It feels like anything is possible. And at MUD, we are feeling especially hopeful about all of the exciting things we have planned for this year. We’ve already hosted 6 workshops and reached over 80 participants. New members are coming to the tool library so they can work on all their new spring projects. We celebrated Earth Day Read more…