Goin’ Green

Green is in but is it just a fad that will fade once the economy recovers?  What is the hype anyway?  For some, being “green” has been a way of life long before high gas and grocery prices.  I would venture to say those folks would say “green” is not a fad but a lifestyle, a lifestyle that needs consideration. 

I see “green” as a means of being responsible with resources.  I remember growing up being told “waste not, want not”.   Well now that is especially true for me.  I understand more now than I did before.  So how am I goin’ green? 

Let’s begin with recycling.  Before I began to recycle I threw away an average of two bags of trash each week.  Now sometimes it takes me two weeks just to get one bag of trash.  Everything else is recycled.  Not everything goes in the BFI bin.  Some things I have to take to Western Recycling.  It means something for me though knowing that this is being used differently than just sitting in the land fill.  I started recycling after attending a workshop about what can be recycled.

High gas prices, I must admit has caused me to look at and be more open to other modes of transportation.  I ride my bike anytime it makes sense to.  When I need to arrive somewhere not sweaty, I ride the bus.  I only take my car when I have too.  I now spend about a quarter to a third of what I used to in gas.  I know, and I hear all the complaints that you have.  I had them too, and I decided this was a good time to be open minded.   The last time I rode the bus was in 1996.  Wow has the bus system changed.  I remember it took an hour just to go anywhere.  Not so anymore.  It was so easy and inexpensive.  The bus charges $1 for a one time ride or $2 for the day.  The first time I took the bus I rode 3 buses.  It took me about the same amount of time as it would have if I drove.  Ok, really within five minutes time.  I had to go downtown that day, so I did not have to worry about the parking.  Which is $2.50 a hour now after the first hour.  It was easy to look up the bus schedule and then just a matter of figuring out my timing.

So not only is my new small changes making an impact on my environment, community and pocketbook, it is also helping me become more fit.

There are still so many things I can do to be “green”, and I am implementing those.  It is overwhelming to make so many lifestyle changes all at once.  Making a change at a time is working and doable.  Goin’ green is becoming a lifestyle for me.

Garden ‘O Feedin

Garden ‘O Feedin was the Star Thrower of the Month for July 2008.  We briefly mentioned this community garden and provided a link to the website.  However, there is so much more to this little garden.

The fact is this community garden started several years ago and has grown to providing thousands of pounds of fresh produce at no charge to families in need throughout the year.  There are master gardeners who teach volunteers how to care for this garden.  They also teach families who want to learn how to grow their own garden.

The personal side is a quaint garden that sits at the back corner of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship property in Garden City.  From a distance it looks like a garden but does not tell the whole story.  The front of the garden invites and welcomes a person to come and into an accepting and comforting arbor.  At the arbor a friendly face greets you with a smile, hello, flowers, fruit and just picked garden veggies.  Tables and chairs say visit and share, if you would like.  Upon looking around the garden many volunteers are pulling weeds, watering crop, creating new rows and planting seed for future harvest.  Busy worker bees, all laughing, chatting, and enjoying the work they are doing.  Once entered into the garden the reality of how vast this small garden is, is mind boggling.  This is no little backyard garden.  This garden is huge!  There are rows of carrots, beans, eggplant, onions, collard greens, cabbage, broccoli, strawberries, raspberries, and jalapeno’s just to name a few.  Oh, and did I mention herbs? 

People came empty handed and left with an abundance of food and smiles.  There was enough for everyone who came.

Is there more, a bigger piece to this provision?  Maybe you have a place to play in the garden.  Maybe you can contribute through volunteering your time, donating money or other needed items, or you could be a resource.  To find out more about the garden and the part you might be able to play please come to the open house Saturday, August 10, 2008, 10:00am – 12:30pm.

For more information on the garden visit Garden ‘O Feedin

Regardless of whether you watch the news or pay attention to current affairs, everyone, for the most part, is being affected by our current economy.  A few months ago I was at a meeting and someone stated the real estate market was in a state of correction.  I liked that perspective.  And as I look at the state in which we as American’s live, I would even say that we are in a state of correction across the board.

As gas and grocery prices continue to rise, it is forcing us to think twice before spending that dollar, or dollars, on something that maybe we don’t really need.  In our businesses we are trying to become creative to reduce waste and increase the bottom dollar.  Yet, what many are finding works, are principles that have been forgotten because they were considered old fashion or behind the times. In our personal lives we are looking at how we can maintain comfortable lives and redefining what “comfortable” means.  For many comfortable is a matter of quality.  Again, we are finding ways to increase quality and going back to ideas that were considered old fashion or behind the times. 

What are the effects these changes will and are making? Luxury is once again luxury, not the normal way of life. We are recycling, “green” is in.  Not just “in” in our homes, but in our business and the way we do business.  Time with family and friends is being spent over grills in the backyard. Walking, biking and taking the bus to work are on an incline.  Walking to the store instead of hopping in the car to go less than a mile is making a come back. Is this not the truth you are finding? Look around the next time you go somewhere.  More and more people are car pooling, there are more motorcyclist and bicyclist on the road.  Watch out for the new walkers on the streets and sidewalks. I believe as gas prices continue to rise and there are not other options we will continue to see this be the norm.

Oh, what a ripple effect that will have.  We just might lose some extra poundage in this new life style. Loosing weight means increased health and lower medical costs. Now not only are we saving money on using less gas, we are saving money on our health care. Health care has become so expensive that not everyone can afford coverage and go without insurance and some cases needed help.

There are just so many more benefits to this correction that is occurring.  Life of simplicity is coming back.  Less stress is a benefit of simplicity. We are relying more on those around us, sounds a little like community to me.

Really, think about all the old shows that evoke warm fuzzies when watched.  They are neighborhoods where everyone knows each other.  Kids are riding their bikes, parents are walking to the store.  Neighbors are saying hello to each other. It seems the real estate sector has known this for some time.  Look at some of the homes that have been built. They look like old neighborhood homes.  Some communities have been built with the focus of advertizing being the home is in a little community, complete with schools, grocery stores, parks and churches.  That was a selling point!  And people were paying top dollar for this lifestyle.  Why?  Because it advertised a simple life, a life of no stress, a home to come to at the end of a stressful day, it was a place of retreat.

While I do not personally enjoy the pain of correction in my life, I choose to render down.  I welcome this correction.  And when our economy looks up again, with this new lifestyle, I will be better prepared to not fall into these ways of a stressful life.  Life was meant to be awesome. How will you respond to this recession? Will it be a time that takes you out, or will you change your perspective and open your life to correction? Will you allow your life to simplify and bring a new joy to your home and business?

Total Quality Living is a process by which someone examines every area of their life to evaluate opportunities for improvement and discover roadblocks or obstacles that may be hindering them from achieving the success they desire. There are seven areas that we have determined as ‘dimensions of life’ in which we spend time in, they are—Spiritual/Core Values, Family Life, Social Life, Personal Time, Personal Growth, Health/Wellness, Professional, Career Life. We have also identified three ‘success drivers’ that are vital to driving individual success—Self Talk, Pursuing your Dreams and Vision, and Financial Independence.

The program is currently offered on two different formats, in an intensive two day session or 10 sessions, two hours each, usually one session per week. The program is very interactive with experiential activities throughout. At the end of the program, participants have not only examined every area and success driver of their personal life in detail, they have also created a very personal action plan that easily implementable right away.