Allysyn Kiplinger has been making soap by hand since 1993 and selling it as Artha Hemp Soaps since 1994. She's been teaching soap-making for over 10 years.  Environmental philosophy is the organizing principle of her life.  Her formal education includes study at Schumacher College in England and a Master of Arts in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her activism in the bay area includes three eco-building renovations in Oakland, serving on the board of local, ecological-minded non-profits including the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, and developing the Ecozoic Center.  She loves learning about the connections between simple, local, everyday acts on complex, planetary systems and epochs.