Thursday, January 24, 2013
It is Happening!
Hello Friends!
The book is underway!!! Cover designer working with me now - yay! February 22 will launch the design..."Living Lean and Green - A Year of Nothing New (How I stopped shopping and started saving).
PS - Snow covered garden and solid frozen ground is good for the garlic! But stay warm out there! Happy 2013 to you...
Sunday, April 15, 2012
And "Sow"It Begins...
DAY 27 (Year Three)
I was ready to REALLY plant my garden in mid-March...
I mean I was soooo ready when we had the 75 degree weather and I saw my garlic coming up way too soon (well - I thought it was early but perhaps the garlic feels right on time...) so it seems I have been ready for over a month.
The good news is that I have had what seems like "extra " time to get my "new improved, twice as big, turned 90 degrees for better sun, roto-tilled, two more raised-beds with a winding walk" food growing space prepared in more manageable chunks of time.
The fence is up - the metal stakes from prior garden mark the perimeter. The stakes took a Winter detour down to Conesus Lake and were destined for the scrap metal place only to be reclaimed again (redundant I know!) this Spring. I was all set to make a fancy white picket fence with a gate and a trellis...which sounded nice until I priced it out at $350 including post hole digging, cement and a ton of NEW stuff from Home Depot. As usual, the HD was great and sort of talked me out of it for a lot of reasons...thank you HD Guy! More Reality. More Using What You Already Have. That's the power of the HD!
The wire up to keep the critters out (HOPE IS NOT A PLAN) was "found" in my garage - yay. Just need to tack it down into the ground now (tent stakes) before putting the seedlings out into the beds. I witnessed a squirrel walk right under the fence and right in to the garden like he owned the place - all strutting and digging around - didn't even use the front door. Well, where the door WILL be. Will secure the wire to the metal posts, get a door (attach it somehow)...Put all the rocks I pulled out last year back in around the edge - looks nice...a garden "feature"...felt good to put those back to use.
Planted seeds in the little indoor green houses tonight...at least things are underway - I would like it all to be up and out and in and growing in the Earth by May 1...got an edger and a real wheelbarrow now...look out! They were new so now I am on a quest for a used door and used tile to lay in between the beds to walk on and to deter weeds...we have so may great used house stores in Rochester - I will find something I'm sure! Will share the ROC resources in the next post...
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
I was ready to REALLY plant my garden in mid-March...
I mean I was soooo ready when we had the 75 degree weather and I saw my garlic coming up way too soon (well - I thought it was early but perhaps the garlic feels right on time...) so it seems I have been ready for over a month.
The good news is that I have had what seems like "extra " time to get my "new improved, twice as big, turned 90 degrees for better sun, roto-tilled, two more raised-beds with a winding walk" food growing space prepared in more manageable chunks of time.
The fence is up - the metal stakes from prior garden mark the perimeter. The stakes took a Winter detour down to Conesus Lake and were destined for the scrap metal place only to be reclaimed again (redundant I know!) this Spring. I was all set to make a fancy white picket fence with a gate and a trellis...which sounded nice until I priced it out at $350 including post hole digging, cement and a ton of NEW stuff from Home Depot. As usual, the HD was great and sort of talked me out of it for a lot of reasons...thank you HD Guy! More Reality. More Using What You Already Have. That's the power of the HD!
The wire up to keep the critters out (HOPE IS NOT A PLAN) was "found" in my garage - yay. Just need to tack it down into the ground now (tent stakes) before putting the seedlings out into the beds. I witnessed a squirrel walk right under the fence and right in to the garden like he owned the place - all strutting and digging around - didn't even use the front door. Well, where the door WILL be. Will secure the wire to the metal posts, get a door (attach it somehow)...Put all the rocks I pulled out last year back in around the edge - looks nice...a garden "feature"...felt good to put those back to use.
Planted seeds in the little indoor green houses tonight...at least things are underway - I would like it all to be up and out and in and growing in the Earth by May 1...got an edger and a real wheelbarrow now...look out! They were new so now I am on a quest for a used door and used tile to lay in between the beds to walk on and to deter weeds...we have so may great used house stores in Rochester - I will find something I'm sure! Will share the ROC resources in the next post...
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I AM Silver Maple
DAY 266 (Year 2)
I found out that you, Neighbor's Tree were a 95 foot tall Silver Maple and were probably around 70 years old. You were deemed a hazard by the town because your roots were heaving the driveway. I will choose to believe you had just outgrown your space and you felt it time to move on.
A little more about you....excerpts from an article by the University of Florida IFAS Extension (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)...I AM SILVER MAPLE.
The Silver Maple has a vase shape and is a rapidly-growing, fairly weak-wooded tree which reaches a height of 80 to 100 feet with a 5 to 6 foot diameter trunk on a moist site. The tree is useful in wet areas, transplants easily and can grow where few others can. It should be saved for planting in wet areas or where nothing else will thrive.
Branches tend to droop, almost weep, forming a graceful canopy outline as it grows older. The bright yellow fall color can attract attention in early fall but you will pay the price with the abundant number of leaves to rake. To develop a stronger, more durable tree, prune so that major limbs remain smaller than half the diameter of the trunk.
Silver Maple can be a prolific seed producer giving rise to many volunteer trees. It often sends up sprouts from the trunk and branches producing an unkempt appearance. Branches often form poor attachments with trunk resulting in branch failure in old, mature specimens. Frequent pruning is required to develop a strong branch structure. Ice and snow loads can cause branch failure in younger trees. Like many other large trees, it will lift sidewalks if improperly located too close to sidewalks...It grows extremely fast so creates almost instant shade, making this a popular tree among homeowners throughout its hardiness range.
PS. One more reason to love Home Depot...I talked to John at the HD to find out how old this tree might have been...He was wonderful – knowledgeable and sympathetic to the emotion to the day! He affirmed my sadness (I hope he didn’t know that I had actually been CRYING – I have The Menopause) and was excited for my plans to plant a Silver Maple in my yard as a memorial. Talking with him pulled me to a more postive, less mournful place. He actually referred me to some other tree farms who would come and dig a 4 x 4 foot hole for me (John said this could save me some "a** busting work") – which makes me love HD even more! Less Crying. More Planting. That's the Power of the Home Depot Thank you John!
PPS. My Dad, John Kenneth Skarie, was almost 70 when he passed away in 1997 and was a tree lover. He lovingly cared for the big old elm tree that use to stand next to my childhood home - hung the rope swing with the old inside-out tire seat, cleared her leaves from the gutter during rainstorms and stood by her side the day she had to go back to her roots...Miss you Dad - meet you at the tree house!
I found out that you, Neighbor's Tree were a 95 foot tall Silver Maple and were probably around 70 years old. You were deemed a hazard by the town because your roots were heaving the driveway. I will choose to believe you had just outgrown your space and you felt it time to move on.
A little more about you....excerpts from an article by the University of Florida IFAS Extension (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)...I AM SILVER MAPLE.
The Silver Maple has a vase shape and is a rapidly-growing, fairly weak-wooded tree which reaches a height of 80 to 100 feet with a 5 to 6 foot diameter trunk on a moist site. The tree is useful in wet areas, transplants easily and can grow where few others can. It should be saved for planting in wet areas or where nothing else will thrive.
Branches tend to droop, almost weep, forming a graceful canopy outline as it grows older. The bright yellow fall color can attract attention in early fall but you will pay the price with the abundant number of leaves to rake. To develop a stronger, more durable tree, prune so that major limbs remain smaller than half the diameter of the trunk.
Silver Maple can be a prolific seed producer giving rise to many volunteer trees. It often sends up sprouts from the trunk and branches producing an unkempt appearance. Branches often form poor attachments with trunk resulting in branch failure in old, mature specimens. Frequent pruning is required to develop a strong branch structure. Ice and snow loads can cause branch failure in younger trees. Like many other large trees, it will lift sidewalks if improperly located too close to sidewalks...It grows extremely fast so creates almost instant shade, making this a popular tree among homeowners throughout its hardiness range.
PS. One more reason to love Home Depot...I talked to John at the HD to find out how old this tree might have been...He was wonderful – knowledgeable and sympathetic to the emotion to the day! He affirmed my sadness (I hope he didn’t know that I had actually been CRYING – I have The Menopause) and was excited for my plans to plant a Silver Maple in my yard as a memorial. Talking with him pulled me to a more postive, less mournful place. He actually referred me to some other tree farms who would come and dig a 4 x 4 foot hole for me (John said this could save me some "a** busting work") – which makes me love HD even more! Less Crying. More Planting. That's the Power of the Home Depot Thank you John!
PPS. My Dad, John Kenneth Skarie, was almost 70 when he passed away in 1997 and was a tree lover. He lovingly cared for the big old elm tree that use to stand next to my childhood home - hung the rope swing with the old inside-out tire seat, cleared her leaves from the gutter during rainstorms and stood by her side the day she had to go back to her roots...Miss you Dad - meet you at the tree house!
Monday, February 6, 2012
My Neighbor's Tree
DAY 265 (Year 2)
(NOTE: A bit of a side departure from Nothing New - I hope you see the relation to being deliberate in the use of all our resources. Thank you for reading!)
They are cutting down my neighbor’s tree.
I noticed a space in the sky when I pulled down our street on Saturday night – I had been gone for just a day but something felt different. Then I saw it. A big orange spray painted “X” on the tree two houses up the street from mine. A few of the bigger limbs and branches had already been trimmed...I knew what that meant.
It crossed my mind that a green X would have been nicer – a little more natural, more gentle.
I forgot to look again on Sunday in the light of day. The pending demise of this great tree went out of my thoughts as I focused on my travel recovery and everything I had to get done this week. A denial tactic, no doubt, to avoid thinking about the fate of this tree.
When I heard the trucks this morning, I remembered...
Dear Neighbor's Tree,
We were not close friends yet I felt your welcome to Monroe Street every time I returned home. Heading down my street – our street – was the last segment of all my journeys home, from daily errands or from a week away. The GPS would say, “turn right and you have reached your destination”, just as I rounded the corner. There you stood.
Your tall reach was an entry way to our little neighborhood. I always appreciated you but I never took the time to really get to know you. I am not even sure what kind of tree you are – maybe that doesn’t matter.
Maybe it’s wasn’t my place to get to know you – you were not MY tree. Maybe your owners knew you better – I hope so. You sat right in their front yard just a few feet from their house. You offered your shade in the Summer, your leaves in the Fall, your beacon of green in the Spring and your steady presence through the Winter.
As I witness your last day – a rare, sunny, blue sky day – all your branches are gone now – sections of your trunk hit the ground with a thud. Sad to be sure but maybe this is a return to your roots...
Oh Neighbor's Tree, I promise to treasure your cousins – the six black walnut trees that mark the corner of my backyard and the white pine tree that graces my front yard. I promise to notice your other relatives more and to remember that many of you were here long before us and will be here long after we are gone.
Thank you for your years of service to Monroe Street, for befriending the apple trees you have seen come and go in this former orchard and for your peaceful reminder that everything is temporary...even the good things...and that today is enough.
Love,
Your Neighbor – Kristin Skarie
(NOTE: A bit of a side departure from Nothing New - I hope you see the relation to being deliberate in the use of all our resources. Thank you for reading!)
They are cutting down my neighbor’s tree.
I noticed a space in the sky when I pulled down our street on Saturday night – I had been gone for just a day but something felt different. Then I saw it. A big orange spray painted “X” on the tree two houses up the street from mine. A few of the bigger limbs and branches had already been trimmed...I knew what that meant.
It crossed my mind that a green X would have been nicer – a little more natural, more gentle.
I forgot to look again on Sunday in the light of day. The pending demise of this great tree went out of my thoughts as I focused on my travel recovery and everything I had to get done this week. A denial tactic, no doubt, to avoid thinking about the fate of this tree.
When I heard the trucks this morning, I remembered...
Dear Neighbor's Tree,
We were not close friends yet I felt your welcome to Monroe Street every time I returned home. Heading down my street – our street – was the last segment of all my journeys home, from daily errands or from a week away. The GPS would say, “turn right and you have reached your destination”, just as I rounded the corner. There you stood.
Your tall reach was an entry way to our little neighborhood. I always appreciated you but I never took the time to really get to know you. I am not even sure what kind of tree you are – maybe that doesn’t matter.
Maybe it’s wasn’t my place to get to know you – you were not MY tree. Maybe your owners knew you better – I hope so. You sat right in their front yard just a few feet from their house. You offered your shade in the Summer, your leaves in the Fall, your beacon of green in the Spring and your steady presence through the Winter.
As I witness your last day – a rare, sunny, blue sky day – all your branches are gone now – sections of your trunk hit the ground with a thud. Sad to be sure but maybe this is a return to your roots...
Oh Neighbor's Tree, I promise to treasure your cousins – the six black walnut trees that mark the corner of my backyard and the white pine tree that graces my front yard. I promise to notice your other relatives more and to remember that many of you were here long before us and will be here long after we are gone.
Thank you for your years of service to Monroe Street, for befriending the apple trees you have seen come and go in this former orchard and for your peaceful reminder that everything is temporary...even the good things...and that today is enough.
Love,
Your Neighbor – Kristin Skarie
Monday, November 7, 2011
A Little Bit of Coca Cola...
Day 171 (Year Two)
A Little Bit of Coca Cola...
Five days on the road and a long day of air travel had me feeling a bit queasy and I knew the only cure would be ti sip some Coca Cola. There is something about the fizz and the right kind of sweetness (and chemicals) that seem to be oh so helpful in these situations.
On the last leg of my journey, I politely asked the flight attendant if she would be able to be pour a little bit of Coke into my water bottle. I quickly gave my standard explanation and (over)shared that I wanted to save having to use a cup, one less cup in the landfill, ha ha, better for the
environment, blah blah...
She happily granted my request and was all fun and good cheer until she
asked if wanted ice. I said sure, and she gave me a cup of ice – because she had apparently stopped listening after “Coke in the water bottle”. I got a little flustered and said, “Uh, well that kind of defeats my original purpose of not wanting to use a cup”, which I think offended her, so she tried to pour the ice into my water bottle for me and even tried to shove the ice into my water bottle with the cup itself. Since the ice cubes were too big, they plopped onto my lap, onto the floor and onto my already annoyed seatmate
who had ordered her cranberry juice and pretzels before I ordered my Coke.
The attendant took the cup back from me (with a few cubes still remaining) and tried to shove it back onto her cart but it didn’t quite stay in the space properly. It kind of squished itself back out of the space forcing the remaining cubes to pop out of the cup and land in the middle of the aisle at her feet.
It was getting so all chaotic and weird and I started laughing a little at the absurdity of a simple request gone bad –inappropriate giggling like in church or the library when because you know you are not supposed to laugh, you laugh even more! I then said out loud to everyone – yet to no one in particular – “Oh, no...drama!” in kind of a singsong-y voice which did not amuse the attendant or my seatmate.
Needless to say, I enjoyed my warm Coke in solitude.
My seatmate went back to her book and juice (she did get her drink eventually) and the flight attendant did not make eye contact with me for the rest of the flight.
No new friends on this trip but I did avoid coming home with one more piece of trash/recycle. Oh, and I do feel better...
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
A Little Bit of Coca Cola...
Five days on the road and a long day of air travel had me feeling a bit queasy and I knew the only cure would be ti sip some Coca Cola. There is something about the fizz and the right kind of sweetness (and chemicals) that seem to be oh so helpful in these situations.
On the last leg of my journey, I politely asked the flight attendant if she would be able to be pour a little bit of Coke into my water bottle. I quickly gave my standard explanation and (over)shared that I wanted to save having to use a cup, one less cup in the landfill, ha ha, better for the
environment, blah blah...
She happily granted my request and was all fun and good cheer until she
asked if wanted ice. I said sure, and she gave me a cup of ice – because she had apparently stopped listening after “Coke in the water bottle”. I got a little flustered and said, “Uh, well that kind of defeats my original purpose of not wanting to use a cup”, which I think offended her, so she tried to pour the ice into my water bottle for me and even tried to shove the ice into my water bottle with the cup itself. Since the ice cubes were too big, they plopped onto my lap, onto the floor and onto my already annoyed seatmate
who had ordered her cranberry juice and pretzels before I ordered my Coke.
The attendant took the cup back from me (with a few cubes still remaining) and tried to shove it back onto her cart but it didn’t quite stay in the space properly. It kind of squished itself back out of the space forcing the remaining cubes to pop out of the cup and land in the middle of the aisle at her feet.
It was getting so all chaotic and weird and I started laughing a little at the absurdity of a simple request gone bad –inappropriate giggling like in church or the library when because you know you are not supposed to laugh, you laugh even more! I then said out loud to everyone – yet to no one in particular – “Oh, no...drama!” in kind of a singsong-y voice which did not amuse the attendant or my seatmate.
Needless to say, I enjoyed my warm Coke in solitude.
My seatmate went back to her book and juice (she did get her drink eventually) and the flight attendant did not make eye contact with me for the rest of the flight.
No new friends on this trip but I did avoid coming home with one more piece of trash/recycle. Oh, and I do feel better...
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
Friday, November 4, 2011
It's Not What You Miss, It's What You Think You'll Miss
Day 168 (Year Two)
After 5 months of not watching TV, I broke the "fast" and watched one hour of TV last night. Between 10-11pm, I channel surfed and caught bits of Law & Order (dunh dunh), Gray's Anatomy, The Mentalist, Anderson Cooper and a glimpse in a fight in a women's prison. I saw "dead" bodies, blood and guts, serial killers, child abuse, ruined lives and sad stories. I do not miss TV, I do not miss it at all. I do not miss Glee, The Office, The Good Wife or Modern Family...I do miss As the World Turns since it went off the air in 2010. On the air since 1956, I watched that show all my life - my Mom watched it and so did her Mom. Grandma called it "the story"..."Did you watch the story today?" Love that.
Why did I turn on the tube? I had already "misbehaved" by ordering room service french fries (trying to cut back on bad food and quantity of said food consumed), so I think on some level I felt like I had already blown it on the food front so why not go ahead and break another "rule" I had set for myself. I guess I also thought that the fries would taste better in bed whilst watching TV. Really? OK, I also rationalized with intentions of watching the news to get caught up. Just a ruse.
After all was said and done, I was not smarter, more clued in, more entertained or more relaxed. Neutral at best, bad dream producing material at worst.
Isn't it so easy to break a rule once one has already been broken?
Isn't it so easy to make up reasons for why our off track behavior is OK even though is is not what we had agreed to do?
Isn't is so easy to imagine what we THINK we are missing? Then when we "get there" it is kind of, not really at all what we thought it was going to be?
In some ways I am glad I looked at the TV and reminded myself of why I do not really miss it at all. I was reminded that I could have spent that hour doing something else. Gotten another hour of sleep, posted a blog entry, written content for my website, read the day's paper or the great book I brought along.
I am happy to go back to no TV and have learned my lesson - a late learner on this one. Years ago, my Dad had what we now call a teachable moment with me as a 10th grader when I snuck out of my bedroom (via window) to go to Sherry Auclair's house to work on the Homecoming float late on a school night. I thought EVERYONE WOULD BE THERE and that if I didn't go that I would be the only one not there. Turns out, only 3 kids showed up because their parents wouldn't let them go out late on a school night. Yup. It's not what you miss, it's what you think you'll miss. Thank you Dad...so true!
Feels the same! I didn't really miss anything at Sherry's and I surely am not missing anything by not watching TV. I do need to work harder at getting the news - radio while driving and computer should do the trick.
Confession over - back on track!
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
After 5 months of not watching TV, I broke the "fast" and watched one hour of TV last night. Between 10-11pm, I channel surfed and caught bits of Law & Order (dunh dunh), Gray's Anatomy, The Mentalist, Anderson Cooper and a glimpse in a fight in a women's prison. I saw "dead" bodies, blood and guts, serial killers, child abuse, ruined lives and sad stories. I do not miss TV, I do not miss it at all. I do not miss Glee, The Office, The Good Wife or Modern Family...I do miss As the World Turns since it went off the air in 2010. On the air since 1956, I watched that show all my life - my Mom watched it and so did her Mom. Grandma called it "the story"..."Did you watch the story today?" Love that.
Why did I turn on the tube? I had already "misbehaved" by ordering room service french fries (trying to cut back on bad food and quantity of said food consumed), so I think on some level I felt like I had already blown it on the food front so why not go ahead and break another "rule" I had set for myself. I guess I also thought that the fries would taste better in bed whilst watching TV. Really? OK, I also rationalized with intentions of watching the news to get caught up. Just a ruse.
After all was said and done, I was not smarter, more clued in, more entertained or more relaxed. Neutral at best, bad dream producing material at worst.
Isn't it so easy to break a rule once one has already been broken?
Isn't it so easy to make up reasons for why our off track behavior is OK even though is is not what we had agreed to do?
Isn't is so easy to imagine what we THINK we are missing? Then when we "get there" it is kind of, not really at all what we thought it was going to be?
In some ways I am glad I looked at the TV and reminded myself of why I do not really miss it at all. I was reminded that I could have spent that hour doing something else. Gotten another hour of sleep, posted a blog entry, written content for my website, read the day's paper or the great book I brought along.
I am happy to go back to no TV and have learned my lesson - a late learner on this one. Years ago, my Dad had what we now call a teachable moment with me as a 10th grader when I snuck out of my bedroom (via window) to go to Sherry Auclair's house to work on the Homecoming float late on a school night. I thought EVERYONE WOULD BE THERE and that if I didn't go that I would be the only one not there. Turns out, only 3 kids showed up because their parents wouldn't let them go out late on a school night. Yup. It's not what you miss, it's what you think you'll miss. Thank you Dad...so true!
Feels the same! I didn't really miss anything at Sherry's and I surely am not missing anything by not watching TV. I do need to work harder at getting the news - radio while driving and computer should do the trick.
Confession over - back on track!
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
Saturday, October 15, 2011
It Was Just the Right Thing To Do
Day 148 (Year Two)
My fellow Kiwanian, Rich Stewart, is the Director of Legacy at Clover Blossom, an adult care facility with 240 residents in Rochester, NY. On September 1, 2011, his site joined the other seven Legacy’s in town committed to "going greener" by eliminating styrofoam take-out containers and cups in their dining room! Eco-clamshell boxes are now used for take-out food and only ceramic cups or glassware for beverages. Although the to-go option still exists for food, albeit in much smaller containers, to-go coffee is no longer an option their dining rooms.
The initial program was tested at one of the sites, and with great success, it was adopted at the other three.
Originally, the discussions on their to-go policy with the administration, owners and principals centered around environmental, financial and health issues. Besides these common concerns, they also knew that the to-go option meant that many of their residents were not spending as much time in the dining room at meals as they perhaps could by enjoying their second cup of coffee with a fellow resident.
They explored the positive social implications of reducing the take-out options. Could this impact the way people connect - in person - and perhaps build a stronger community? The pilot site answered that question with a big yes!
Rich facilitated two months of on-going conversations with his Residence Council – walked and talked everyone through the pending changes. Viewed once as a potential inconvenience the new policy is now embraced as a welcome change! Residents are grounded in new habits they know are good for the environment - and good for their environment! They are taking more time to talk with each other in the dining room and conversations and relationships are carrying over way past breakfast. What an excellent example of the sustainability triple bottom line in action - people, planet AND profit...well did Legacy!
"It was just the right thing to do", Rich said. He also shared with me that people do not seem to miss the old to-go option. Once in place and after a few weeks, everyone was on board. He also recognized the decision for Monroe County to accept recyclables up to Number 7 as another facet of their decision to go greener....Thank you Monroe County!
Problem. Solution. That was easy!
It is a privilege to know this story. Thank you Rich and the Residents at Legacy Clover Blossom!
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
My fellow Kiwanian, Rich Stewart, is the Director of Legacy at Clover Blossom, an adult care facility with 240 residents in Rochester, NY. On September 1, 2011, his site joined the other seven Legacy’s in town committed to "going greener" by eliminating styrofoam take-out containers and cups in their dining room! Eco-clamshell boxes are now used for take-out food and only ceramic cups or glassware for beverages. Although the to-go option still exists for food, albeit in much smaller containers, to-go coffee is no longer an option their dining rooms.
The initial program was tested at one of the sites, and with great success, it was adopted at the other three.
Originally, the discussions on their to-go policy with the administration, owners and principals centered around environmental, financial and health issues. Besides these common concerns, they also knew that the to-go option meant that many of their residents were not spending as much time in the dining room at meals as they perhaps could by enjoying their second cup of coffee with a fellow resident.
They explored the positive social implications of reducing the take-out options. Could this impact the way people connect - in person - and perhaps build a stronger community? The pilot site answered that question with a big yes!
Rich facilitated two months of on-going conversations with his Residence Council – walked and talked everyone through the pending changes. Viewed once as a potential inconvenience the new policy is now embraced as a welcome change! Residents are grounded in new habits they know are good for the environment - and good for their environment! They are taking more time to talk with each other in the dining room and conversations and relationships are carrying over way past breakfast. What an excellent example of the sustainability triple bottom line in action - people, planet AND profit...well did Legacy!
"It was just the right thing to do", Rich said. He also shared with me that people do not seem to miss the old to-go option. Once in place and after a few weeks, everyone was on board. He also recognized the decision for Monroe County to accept recyclables up to Number 7 as another facet of their decision to go greener....Thank you Monroe County!
Problem. Solution. That was easy!
It is a privilege to know this story. Thank you Rich and the Residents at Legacy Clover Blossom!
Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin
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