August 17, 2010

Rebuy Goes Back-To-School Shopping

Tompkins Weekly – August 15, 2010
by Rachel Stumpf

Rebuy, along with the other 4R superheroes, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, is getting ready to go back to school. As a 4R hero, she is especially conscious about how the products she purchases impact her health and the environment. This is a good thing because unfortunately, many children’s school supplies can be very wasteful, damaging to the environment, a health-risk or just plain costly. Some products contain toxic substances, such as PVC, which can be dangerous to our health and the environment. Before going back-to-school shopping yourself, take a peek in Rebuy’s backpack for inspiration!

To start, Rebuy purchased her backpack at a local secondhand store. She was happy to find one that looked brand new, and it’s quite possible it had never been used. She could tell it was durable, and would probably last for more than just one school year, even with all the school supplies she planned to fill it with. It also cost less than the new backpacks sold in the department stores. If she had to buy new, she would have looked for a backpack made from recycled or natural materials, avoiding vinyl because of the PVC content. On her first day back to school, this is what she plans to bring:
- Solar powered calculator
- Recycled–content notebook
- Binder that was still good from last year
- Refillable pens and pencils
- Scissors with a recycled-content handle
- Non-toxic highlighters, markers, and crayons
- Recycled-content tissues
- Waste-free lunch
o Reusable water bottle
o Washable utensils
o Reusable lunchbox and food containers

Purchasing products similar to what we see in Rebuy’s backpack has many health and environmental benefits, including saving resources and energy and minimizing exposure to toxins. It’s also a great way to save money. Buying items second-hand, or salvaging useful items from a friend, sibling, or even your own supplies from last year, will save money. That money can then be put towards something else, like college!

Rebuy is a strong believer in using one’s purchasing power to make the world a better place. Buying green products will encourage manufacturers to produce more of these products. It can also inspire others to follow your example.

A few other useful shopping tips that Rebuy has been known to share include the following:

 While you’re at the store, remember to bring a reusable bag!
 If you are going to an office supply store, consider bringing used ink jet and toner cartridges to be recycled. Some stores will even provide a credit for returned cartridges.
 Bring old plastic grocery bags that you have no use for and deposit them in a plastic grocery bag recycling bin. Most large retail stores have a collection available for customers to use.
 Buy products that are made and sold locally to support the local economy.
 To find out where you can purchase green back-to-school items just like Rebuy, visit www.FingerLakesBuyGreen.org. This website provides Finger Lakes community members with information to help them identify economical and effective environmentally preferable products that are sold through local vendors.

For tips on waste reduction, reuse, or more information on recycling in Tompkins County visit www.RecycleTompkins.org.

Nicole Stumpf has been the Assistant Recycling Specialist for Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division (TCSWMD) since 2008. She provides program support for www.FingerLakesBuyGreen.org and the ReBusiness Partners Program.

July 31, 2010

The SEEN Helps Build Local Connections

Tompkins Weekly – July 26, 2010
by Bob Rossi
What does success mean to you?  Perhaps it means happiness or achieving specific goals.  Perhaps it relates to your business, family, or sport.  Now take a moment to consider what your best path to success might be.  Most likely you cannot travel this path alone.

We are social beings.  Our individual success depends on the participation of those around us.  This holds true for where we live, where we work, and how we spend our time in between.

This concept of interdependence is central to a new business network called the SEEN.   The SEEN stands for the Sustainable Enterprise & Entrepreneur Network.  It is a growing community of businesses, organizations, and individuals working together to achieve ecological, social, and financial success.   This approach – known as the triple bottom line – has been shown to increase customer loyalty and generate stable profitability.

The SEEN hosts monthly events open to the general public with presentations on topics such as marketing, greening your business, youth in the sustainability movement, selling sustainability, and building a green city.

The SEEN provides much more than education along these topics.  By bringing dozens of local businesses and organizations together around sustainability, SEEN events have become a perfect place to make new connections and strengthen old ones.

New Earth Living LLC is a local development company dedicated to creating small, urban eco-villages that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable.  Sue Cosentini, president of New Earth Living, recalls her first SEEN event.  She had barely entered the room when she met a potential collaborator. “It became immediately apparent to me the energy in that space.”

Jennifer Dotson said Ithaca Carshare has had a similar experience. “We’ve focused lately on two very different areas, carsharing for businesses and making sure our membership reflects our local racial and income diversity without leaving anyone out.  At SEEN events, I’ve connected with a wide spectrum of people. It’s helped Ithaca Carshare move toward both of these goals.”

SEEN events are attended by business owners, elected officials, community leaders, investors, farmers, educators, students… in one room.  The synergistic potential is evident from the buzz of conversation.   For many, the SEEN events are a way to keep in touch and remain part of that conversation.  Sue Cosentini points out that “in the green revolution, things are changing all the time. As the ground shifts under our feet, the SEEN gives you an opportunity to stabilize.”

PPM Homes is a local property management company and a proud new member of the SEEN.  Jesse Hill of PPM found the July 12th SEEN event to be full of “an enthusiasm for dialogue and change.”  Jesse went on to describe the SEEN as “a place where it’s ok to think outside the unsustainable box.”

Although most SEEN events are open to the public, the SEEN is a member-based network.  Members pay annual dues, which not only support event programming but also provide them with shared marketing, presentation opportunities, and triple bottom line guidance.

Joining the SEEN is not simply about immediate returns. SEEN membership is an investment in our shared future.  By joining the SEEN, you can help educate businesses about the triple bottom line and educate consumers about products and services that lead to a robust and sustainable economy.  Throughout the SEEN is a sense of being part of a greater solution.

To learn more about the SEEN, contact the Green Resource Hub:
SEEN@greenresourcehub.org
607-323-1482

Bob Rossi is a volunteer and founding board member of the Green Resource Hub.

July 12, 2010

Cayuga Sustainability Council Provides Outreach

Tompkins Weekly – July 12, 2010
By Tom Shelley

The Cayuga Sustainability Council is an informal gathering of representatives of the various sustainability-related organizations in the area. Most of the member organizations are located in Tompkins County with a few from the greater Cayuga Basin—Southern Tier area. The original purpose of the Cayuga Sustainability Council was to give sustainability related groups an opportunity to share their programs, visions and upcoming events with similar organizations.

The Cayuga Sustainability Council was organized nearly two years ago by Sustainable Tompkins as a way to help various local sustainability organizations reach their collective goals. There are approximately 70 member organizations. Varying numbers of groups send a representative to a Cayuga Sustainability Council meeting once each quarter. Meetings are held in or near Ithaca with various member organizations frequently offering their meeting rooms for use.

Each meeting has been different. The original meetings were mostly a “once around” to share information. Over time various thematic discussions of interest to all have developed with each meeting having some topic for group discussion or a presentation by a member followed by discussion. The meeting topics have followed the interests of member organizations and have included discussions on inclusion and diversity, fund raising in a tight economy and sustainability indicators. Some of the most interesting discussions have been “meta topics” on the development and functions of the organization itself.

Many useful functions, in addition to information sharing, have evolved over time for Cayuga Sustainability Council members. Those organizations that work on common topics are able to work together to develop complementary programing. Some organizations have developed shared office space. There are opportunities to develop and share volunteer services. As an example of the latter function, when Sustainable Tompkins was approached by the Cornell Alumni Affairs to help with “greening” the Reunion Weekend, one important step developed was to undertake source separation of compostable organic materials from other items at the big alumni lunches held in Barton Hall.

Sustainable Tompkins contacted the Compost Education program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, another Cayuga Sustainability Council member organization. Several Master Composter volunteers were enlisted to facilitate the source separation process. Volunteers from both organizations contributed to a very successful event.

All non-profit sustainability related organizations are invited to participate as members of the Cayuga Sustainability Council. (The Green Resource Hub—Sustainable Enterprise Network serves for-profit, sustainability related business and organizations.) There are no dues or fees and the only commitment is to attend meetings and share the meeting topics with your organization. The meeting is chaired on a rotating basis which brings new perspectives to each meeting. A mailing list and member-only Wiki are available for member use and a web site is under development. Our next meeting is on July 29th. For additional information please contact Tom Shelley at 342-0864 or tjs1@cornell.edu.

Tom Shelley is active in the local sustainability movement.