Do Anything!

Since I first launched this blog, I have asked myself a thousand times, “What should I blog about first”?  I have asked others this question as well and rephrased it over and over.  I have looked back through old notes, lists Project Greenpath put together on what I should blog about and even pulled up my first set of Environmental Science lectures to inspire me and a quote from Albert Einstein.  Yet nothing came to me.  On the way to an awards dinner this evening, I even wrote a thoroughly uninspiring bit about water that I will rework for you some day, but it wasn’t good enough.

The awards dinner I attended was the Instructor of the Year Dinner and the first since Berkeley’s merger with Dover Business College and a wonderful event for all.  Towards the end of the evening I was introduced to some of the faculty from that school and introduced myself in the usual way, “Hi, I’m Laura Harste and I will inevitably drive you crazy with my incessant pestering on recycling and sustainability so enjoy your evening until I do.”  I like to be honest so people know what to expect up front, as many of my students will attest to.   

One of my new colleagues (who shall remain nameless unless he wants to come forward) immediately stepped forward and told me he did receive the email about how much he commuted and that he was guilty of commuting 40 miles and he knew it was bad, but could not change that right away.  I must admit I was impressed with the honesty!  I informed him that I am not in charge of the survey, I only see the overall results, and would never have been able to blame him if he had not just fully admitted guilt.  We laughed and began to discuss things he did do, and it was an impressively long list: everything from using vinegar for cleaning to recycling and ditching water bottles.  I did harp on him a wee bit about ditching the paper towels in favor of microfiber cloths, but overall a great start.

 

I then had to run to catch my bus.  As I walked there I realized what I had done.  I had done EXACTLY what I yell at other people for not doing.  I had done nothing out of fear of not being perfect.   Exactly what this man was apologizing for, although he actually WAS doing a whole lot, just doing one bad thing.  Starting right now I am going to post ideas.  Some will be good, some might not be so good, I hope none will be bad, but I am going to post them.  If they are not my best writing, I apologize now, but I am going to do something.  If you asked anyone who knows me at that event tonight and said, “Laura Harste does not know what to say about what people can do to be better for the environment”.  I guarantee most, if not all, would say, “Laura Harste doesn’t shut up about that treehugging stuff”.  So… quiet time is over.  I prepare my next tirade and leave you with the start of one of my favorite quotes.  See if you can fill it in.

A small pile of stones and one word...

“Unless………..

Confessions of a Treehugger

When I was thinking about how to begin this blog, many ideas came to mind and many more were suggested by my colleagues.  Together we came up with several great ideas and a few that weren’t so great.  None of the ideas sounded like a good place to begin, so  I thought deeper about what I wanted others to gain from this blog, what I hoped to accomplish, and what the greater picture was.  I was drawn to the tag line on my emails, “Sustainability…. Not just for treehuggers anymore”.  I have loved including that on my emails for years and it’s what I want to encourage others to do.

So that was it.  I want to convince others that sustainability is not just for treehuggers like me.  It is for everyone and that is what I want to help other people see.  At that point I suddenly had a harsh realization that I must confess to you, my readers.  I don’t hug trees!  I have tried it in the past, but never really understood the point.  Perhaps a tree shunned me years ago; it never wrote or called.  Perhaps I just didn’t see how the hug benefited either me or the tree.  The trees just continued to stand there enjoying a great deal more benefit from continuing to stand than from being hugged while standing.  In truth, as long as the tree remained and had not been cut down to make fax paper or to make room for a new parking lot, it seemed happy and I was happily breathing the oxygen it gave me. 

Honestly, if I look at my history as a self-proclaimed treehugger, I really have never done it for the trees.  I started on this journey because I fell in love with the animals that lived in the trees and realized we needed to keep the trees to keep the animals.  Later, when I had children, I wanted to keep the trees for them as well.  I wanted them to grow up in a world with trees and with the animals that live in and near them.  I also wanted to find better solutions to help them live healthier lives.  They needed healthier air, healthier food, healthier water and all of this was dependent on having a healthier planet. 

I turned my thinking toward what specific things I can do to make this happen.  And this is what I am here to share with you.  Project GreenPath has done more than you probably are aware to help your campus and Berkeley College to be more sustainable, greener, and healthier too.  I have made big changes in my home.  These beliefs are what led me to develop Sustainable Solutions.  Through this work and the collaboration of other staff, faculty and students here at Berkeley College we have developed great ideas.  Great ways you can help make a difference in your lives and the lives of those you love.

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Some of my ideas might sound crazy or over the top.  Do what you will with them.  Use what works for you!  I admit some of my favorites are the ones where people remind me of how much money they saved while doing the right thing for the planet.  All of the things you’ll read here will help make a difference for someone and I hope that someone is you.

Welcome to Harstés Green Scene!