As we gear up for spring to officially kickoff on March 19, it’s a great time of year to do some spring cleaning physically and mentally. Physical space and mental space go hand in hand. Studies have shown that a tidy space lowers stress levels and makes you feel better. Taking the next step to de-cluttering and getting rid of things you do not need, typically adds to the feeling of happiness and freedom. De-cluttering gives us a way to take control and give focus to the things that are more important to us. De-cluttering can be done in our physical space and mental space. Mentally, we’ve reassessed our goals and priorities in January and now it’s time to also put those things out of our minds that are not getting us closer to those goals and allow room for better things.

I encourage everyone to take some time to start by donating things they do not need or use. There are lots of great places that accept donations to go to those in need and many will even pick up items for free. Some organizations include: Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul (their mission is feeding, clothing, housing and healing individuals and families), St. Joseph the Worker (they help remove barriers by providing the resources necessary to gain and maintain employment, i.e., by providing work clothes), and Big Brothers/Big Sisters (seeks to change the lives of children facing adversity).

In other news, February was a mixed month for engineers. Our industry is currently being threatened by Arizona Senate Bill (SB) 1274 & SB 1298. The Legislature is proposing these bills without Board or industry input. SB 1274 is structured so that the governor would appoint people to the Arizona Board of Technical Registration, the Board of Barbers, the Board of Cosmetology, the Arizona State Board of Accountancy, the State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, and the Board of Massage Therapy who aren’t licensed professionals. This would result in the majority of board members being comprised of non-professionals who would set our professional standards and decide the minimum qualifications to become a civil engineer. SB 1298 amends the definition of Engineering Practice, removing language allowing the Board to investigate and discipline non-registrants practicing or offering to practice professional engineering. To contact your representatives regarding these bills you can start by visiting the following website: https://www.azleg.gov/memberroster/ To track the status of these bills, you can visit the following website: https://www.azleg.gov/bills/ Ending on a positive note, in February we are also celebrating E-Week! Both in Southern Arizona and the Phoenix area, a committee of members from various organizations teamed together to promote engineering by visiting schools and doing other outreach events and holding networking events. For more on the Phoenix activities please read below. Thank you to all those who organized or attended these events!