They could have put a sign asking people not to use plastic at the beach or requesting that visitors pick up after themselves when leaving the shoreline. Instead, the folks at Hanauma Bay, Hawaii picked up some of the many plastic items left behind and created an eye-catching visual to illustrate their point. “Marine Debris is Everyone’s Problem” read the sign as you entered the recreation area. You couldn’t miss the impact.
Saying that people leave behind items would not be nearly as effective as showing them. Think of how you can make your point in a powerful, visual way. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a wreath of actual 3-D items may prompt a thousand actions.
I would guess that 99.9% of the tear slips to open tissue boxes get thrown away or recycled. It appears that Kleenex thought that, too, and attempted to make the cardboard opening more useful. Without any modifications to the size or the box itself, Kleenex turned the covering into a bookmark.
I imagine that most people will overlook this and still toss it as soon as they open the box, but it was a valiant effort to make the box less wasteful. Is there something your organization produces that has an instantly-disposable component such as an unnecessary envelope or cover page for forms? Maybe you can follow Kleenex’s lead and try to do something more useful with it — or better yet, eliminate it altogether. Efforts to help the environment are nothing to sneeze at.
Many people would look at a pile of used wire and throw it in the Dumpster. Others see potential in the castaways and strip the plastic casing of the wire to reclaim valuable copper.
Two lessons from this analogy:
The wire can be a metaphor for developing your team. Rather than let someone go, perhaps there is a way to repurpose them in a different role. It may take time to discover what is inside but it could be worth the work to find out.
Today is Earth Day, so if you need a reminder not to throw that wire away, this is it. Separating the copper saves precious material from the landfill and salvages a resource that can be used again. So many things can be recycled or repurposed if you put in the effort.
It may be easier to discard something (or someone) but giving a second life is almost always the better option.
From useless, used wire to valuable, reclaimed copper
In a great boon for the environment, Starbucks is now allowing people to choose a “personal cup” option for drive-in and app orders — a move that is not only a nod to sustainability but also to the proliferation of fancy bottles and Yeti mugs that people now carry. For a company that sells nearly 4 billion drinks annually, this can have a real impact on the environment if people take advantage of the service.
Starbucks needed to modify its preparation process to enact this change but did so as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability. It would have been easy to discount the option, citing reasons of speed, sanitation, or ease of preparation but they created a way to make it work.
Does your organization take similar actions to fulfill its commitments — whether they be around sustainability, equity, or other values? It’s easy to do the easy stuff but real change occurs when you find a way to do the hard stuff, too.
This week, 60,000 riders started the 500-mile route to participate in the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) While they were pedaling, many riders were also helping nature by tossing 8,000 seed balls* onto roadsides to increase the growth of milkweed.
Much of the native milkweed habitat has been destroyed, so to replenish it, Milkweed Matters hosts educational events where participants from schools, scouts, garden clubs, etc. help roll seed balls, and then it works with large-scale bike events like RAGBRAI to encourage riders to distribute them along the roadsides.
Milkweed Matters has developed a wonderful distribution system that integrates education, volunteers, and existing events to fulfill its mission. They serve as the conduit but allow others to execute their work. Take a lesson from them and capitalize on infrastructure that can be scaled, rather than starting from scratch. Little seeds of collaboration can grow into greatness.
[*Seed balls consist of soil and clay, rolled together like a meatball with milkweed seed and nectar flower seed added to the mix. It’s important to grow milkweed for Monarch butterflies which can only lay eggs on that plant, and it is the only plant its caterpillars can eat.]
Over the weekend were our city-wide garage sales, an annual event that draws bargain hunters from the surrounding area. This year, I came home with 2 pillowcases, a metal flower decoration to hang outside the house, a grass sprinkler, 6 stuffed animals, 4 silver serving trays, and a large garbage can — all for free. I also could have acquired an exercise ball I rescued from blowing down the street, a screen door, sink, chairs, and boxes of other treasures from the “Free” box that was at almost every sale.
More than ever, the sellers had a mindset that it was more important to get rid of things than it was to make money. People were aggressively bundling things and making deals in an effort to clear things out, including leaving them on the curb with a “free” sign. It was confirmation that we all have too much stuff and the consolidated garage sale event was a good excuse to do some purging.
You don’t need to wait for a sale event to share your excess with others. Old-fashioned classified ads, Marketplace exchanges on social media, Buy Nothing groups, or a sign on the curb are all ways to transfer your unneeded items to others while keeping them out of the landfill. My mother always said that “someone’s trash is someone else’s treasure.” Even more true when it’s free!
As the warmer weather approaches in the Midwest, many homeowners are outside tending to their lawns. Some people are urging them not to start cutting grass for another month. “No Mow May” is a conservation initiative that began in the United Kingdom but is gaining popularity in North America. By allowing the grass to grow longer in May, it creates a habitat for pollinators before the flowers are plentiful. Bees can use the dandelions and taller grass as refuge and fuel until the season is in full bloom. It also turns out that not mowing as frequently is also good for the grass — pleasing many who see mowing as a weekly chore during the summer.
No Mow May is another reminder that sometimes the smartest thing to do is doing less of what you were doing. All good initiatives don’t need to involve adding. Consider stopping your weekly mowing ritual and ending other practices that are performed more from habit than from benefit.
Just to the edge of the snow white beaches of Destin, Florida was a roped-off area protecting beach dunes.
The signs read:
Intact dunes protect us from storms, keep our beaches healthy and provide habitat for rare wildlife. Although dune plants tolerate harsh beach conditions, they can’t withstand the pounding of feet.
Are there parts of your organization that are like the beach grasses — able to withstand one type of difficulty but unable to bear another? Maybe your staff can put up with long hours and travel, but not confusing reimbursement practices. Perhaps they can handle unhappy customers but are unsettled when confronted by unhappy colleagues. Or maybe the staff can thrive amidst budget cuts but becomes deflated when professional development is impacted.
Try to be like the park service and know where the limits are. It’s not always the harshest conditions that cause people to break, but rather the smaller transgressions that trample. Take care to rope off the appropriate areas to help in your organizational restoration.
Originally published in modified form on June 2, 2014
People are conscious of the environmental mantra to reduce and recycle, but often they forget about the “third R — reuse.” The Visitor’s Bureau in St. Petersburg, Florida has made it easier to do just that by providing bags that are designed to be repurposed as a cleaning cloth. It’s biodegradable, soft, and sturdy — great for packing souvenirs in a suitcase, but then it can take on a second life.
Before you go out shopping this weekend — or especially when you begin your holiday frenzy — first take a look around your house and see what you can press into service without buying new. Maybe you have a gift basket, gift bags, or bows that can work well for another season — and if not, take steps this year to save things for reuse in 2023.
The St. Pete’s cleaning cloth makes the way to repurpose obvious but I’m sure you can challenge yourself to find other ways to have items in your home or office deployed in new ways.
One hundred and fifty years ago, there was no talk of climate change or even environmental protection and on the vast prairie of the new Nebraska Territory, there were barely any trees to protect. Yet, J. Sterling Morton had the foresight to realize that the area needed trees to help hold the soil, function as a windbreak, provide fuel and serve as building material in the new settlements.
So, when Morton became secretary of this fledgling territory, he created the first Arbor Day in 1872, offering prizes for the largest number of properly planted trees. Over one million trees took root that day! His efforts sparked similar programs and today Arbor Day is recognized in all 50 states, with today marking the official 150th anniversary.
I can relate to the treelessness Morton faced as I saw it myself moving into a new development that had previously been a farm. There was not a tree in sight in our subdivision, but fortunately, our covenants had the same respect for trees as Morton and required trees to be planted in every yard. Now, just 13 years later, my trees are taller than my house and provide shade, homes for birds and squirrels, and endless enjoyment as I watch them bud out and then turn vibrant fall colors.
The Chinese proverb reads: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Follow Morton’s legacy and make tree-planting part of this weekend’s activities. You and the Earth will both benefit.
