Everyday People Making a Green Impact – Spotlight on Ginger Cooke

Yesterday Melissa discussed how all of us can take baby steps toward making a difference and cited a question posed by the moderator of the Ayer Local screening:

“What can you as an individual/your family/your community do to change things?”

In October of last year Ginger answered that call to action by single handedly leading the charge in her own place of employment to have recycling bins installed. Below is the reprint of her original interview.

It is important to note that Ginger does not work for an environmentally focused company; she is in accounting at a large automotive corporation in Colorado. She truly embodies what it means to make a difference on our planet and I hope others will take a cue from her actions and fight for the betterment of the Earth in their own offices, cities, towns and states. Take action – write letters, create proposals, pick up trash in the street – every little bit helps and that is something Ginger takes pride in working towards every day.

How long ago did you become interested in a more eco-friendly lifestyle?

I'd have to say that my interest really began to form about 3 years ago. I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment by myself and the owners didn't have a recycling program. I did a little research on recycling for apartment living and realized that Denver’s not all that up and coming in the green movement quite yet. There are virtually no apartment complexes in this area that have a recycling program for their residents and that really weighed heavily on me. Recycling is supposed to be one of the easiest ways to reduce and re-use so I decided that I would begin looking into different ways I could make a difference as one person and perhaps spread the word through example. That’s when I began blogging too. I wanted to write about environmental and energy saving tips I’d found and implemented for myself.

Do you remember the first green effort you personally completed?

It seems small, but I was so proud of myself. While in that apartment I found a free recycling dumpster placed by the Shriners next to a grocery store and I would carry all of my recyclables to the dumpster every week. I started keeping a recycling bag at work and I would do the same from there. It felt really good that I had made an effort and was doing something that was good instead of turning my head because it was inconvenient at times. It just blossomed from there.

When did you first approach the powers that be in your office to discuss setting up a recycling program?

Back in February of this year we were currently recycling paper, but that was all. We give out free bottled water and there are so many plastic bottles that get thrown away and it's pretty heartbreaking to have to tell a customer that no, there's no recycling container, sorry.

How did you approach the topic (written proposal, mounds of research, etc)?

The company I work for is really great, they have this program set up where a representative from each department gathers ideas and suggestions from their co-workers and takes them to a committee to discuss, plan and possibly implement these new ideas. That’s when I first planted my seed. I was told that if I did the research and got all of the details worked out then we could have a recycling program at work. It was pretty simple actually; I called the waste company we use, asked a few questions and found someone to provide me with all of the details. She faxed me everything I needed from programs, plans, pricing and dumpster sizes and I was on to the next step of getting the actual approval.

What was their initial response?

The approving manager seemed a little hesitant at first because we'd have to find room for another dumpster and it would add more expenses every month. I heard from a representative of the committee I mentioned above that he was going to approve it anyway; then he moved and we got a new manager. After we presented him with all of the same information he was very enthusiastic, but didn't want to spend the money so it stopped there...it was about May by this time.

What motivated you to continue to pursue this venture even after meeting with resistance?

I never really gave it up; I just let it sit and waited for another opportunity to present itself. Then, last month my comptroller and I both noticed that our trash service was doubling in cost every other month. One month it would be about $300 and the next, $600. We’d never noticed before because frankly, we'd never really been watching our expenses so closely until money began getting so tight (there's my silver lining around the economy cloud). Our bill was doubling every other month because of the frequency we'd have to call and have it emptied. I started wondering that maybe we could curb that cost by recycling. It makes sense, right? Less waste = less roll-off dumpster service = less money.

Did you involve the help of others in the office to champion this effort?

Yes! I absolutely couldn't have done this by myself. A couple of days later, a co-worker came to me and asked me where that plan went since she hadn't heard anything in a while. I explained the situation and made a copy of the information for her so she could give it a whirl too. She went to another representative of that committee who hadn't heard of the plan before because he had just joined. He came to me and asked me some questions so he could present it again. I told him what had been discovered about the trash service and he presented it in such a manner to show that, in the long run, we would actually be saving money because recycling is considerably cheaper than trash service.

What did it feel like when your proposal was finally approved?

It felt like a victory for the planet! I think I did the wave right there in my cubicle.

Were the other employees immediately receptive to the idea of recycling at work?

The news spread around the whole store and there were a lot of excited people that I didn't even know were supporters.

Do you find that it is being adhered to?

Well, we're still in the roll out stages since this just happened recently. We have to have the dumpster delivered and set up recycling containers in the store. I have a feeling it will really take off though. When I first transferred to this location last year, hardly anyone was using the boxes we have placed for paper shredding and they were just throwing all of their paper in the trash. They didn't know that everything that got shredded in those boxes was recycled. Since that word has spread we've had to add more boxes because they're always full now. I think this will be the same way.

What are some other ways you are green in your own daily life?

I take public transportation 3 to 4 times every week to lessen the demand on oil and create fewer emissions...I get a lot of reading done too. :)

I only use household cleaners, detergents, body care and cosmetics (pretty much everything) that are free of petroleum products, bleach and are 100% plant based.

I buy organic and items made from recycled materials when I can.

As my light bulbs run out, I replace them with energy saving ones and I try to unplug electronics when they're not in use so they don't leak energy when they're not even on.

I make an effort to never use disposable water bottles and to use my own cup when I buy coffee or tea away from home.

I’d have to say though, that the biggest effort that I’ve completed is to transform my diet and my lifestyle and go 100% vegan. It’s not just good for people and for the animals that we eat, but raising and feeding those animals for human consumption really takes a large toll on the environment.

Are there other Earth friendly causes or programs you are attempting to institute at your job or other locations?

Next up at work: the transition from bottled water for customers to a water cooler system....one step at a time, right?

I’ve recently written a letter to Starbucks on their website encouraging them to curb their excessive water usage and to make recycling mandatory in all of their United States locations. I encourage anyone and everyone to write them as well. We need to make a big voice to be heard with such a large corporation. Use my letter or email it to everyone you know and have them get involved as well.

I’ve also recently joined a local animal rights group and have gotten involved in raising money for farm sanctuary, a non-profit animal rescue, and for yesonprop2 in California, which is coming up in this November’s election.

In defense of baby steps

Note: Hi, Melissa again. I know, I know, two blogs in one week...but Jenn deserves the occasional break, right? And there's been more than usual inspiration for me of late, so I thought I'd run with it!

I mentioned in my last blog that I went to an event put on by Ayer Local, a new group in my town that's out to put the spotlight on sustainability and getting residents motivated to buy goods and services locally.

The group is getting its name out there to the town via a series of monthly movies, and the first was The Story of Stuff, an animated short about the impact that the lifecycle of the products we buy has on the environment, natural resources and communities.

Afterward, we split into groups of eight to 10 people to talk about the film. The evening's moderator (one of our town selectwomen, I'm thrilled to report!) gave us some questions to get the talk flowing.

So this one particular set of questions was, “What can you as an individual/your family/your community do to change things?” A few people volunteered some answers, mostly upbeat and positive.

Then one woman said, and I'm paraphrasing a bit, “I recycle my handful of seltzer water bottles and beer cans at home, but I work a few days a week at a restaurant in Concord, and they don't recycle at all. You know, it's like that statistic in the film, where for every can of trash we put out at the curb, there are 70 cans of waste upstream that were generated in making what we are now throwing away.

“I sometimes think," she continued, "that the emphasis on individual actions is a distraction, to keep us from thinking about the bigger picture, when what we should be doing is writing to our representatives and getting politically involved.”

She seemed somewhere between impatient and resigned. I'd only just met her, so it was hard to tell. She did mention having been concerned with many of these same issues since the 70s, so obviously she cared.

I saw her point, I really did. But I couldn't agree completely. Yes, people do need to hammer away at their elected officials and elect ones who will make sustainability and other environmental issues a priority.

But what this woman said seemed to imply that everyone doing their bit – whether it's recycling or reducing their carbon footprint or buying local – isn't really relevant, in the grand scheme of things. So if we don't all individually become legislators or climate-change scientists or globally-recognized environmental advocates, is there any point?

For my part, the answer is a resounding “yes!” It's perfectly true that just putting out the recycling or unplugging our appliances, individually, is not going to solve the climate change problems we're facing, but not doing it definitely just worsens the situation.

And it's more than that: Taking these steps, and letting others know we're taking them, and why, creates a ripple effect. Here is the key thing: even if having every person on the planet recycle, or unplug appliances (OK, these are just examples, I do know there are more critical actions we could take!) isn't enough to save the polar icecap, it seems to me that the more we begin to move in this direction, the further we want to take our efforts. We inspire ourselves and each other.

So if someone sees you take the initiative to, say, take some of your restaurant's bottles and cans home to recycle them yourself, maybe they'll help you. Or maybe they'll be fired up to find out how to institute a real, full-time recycling program for the restaurant. And when they do that, maybe they'll be so pumped up, they'll run for office and start working the system from the inside, and wind up writing or at least passing some piece of legislation that helps save the planet. Or maybe you'll do all that yourself!

Yes, that's probably a bit extreme. But it could happen. Of course, everyone's not going to become a legislator, or even write to their elected representatives. But the little steps matter because, without them, some people would never get moving at all. Baby steps move us all forward, however incrementally. And that is the direction we need to go.

Film review: The Story of Stuff

Note: Hey all, Jenn's SIL Melissa here. Went to a movie...Jenn asked for my two cents, so here it is. Enjoy!

For most of us, a trip to the nearest mall or mega-mart means picking up a quick handful of items at a nice, cheap price. A no-brainer. But after viewing the short film The Story of Stuff, you just might find your brain piping up to remind you of all that goes into (and comes out of) all those things that find their way into your shopping cart and your home.

The film, a 20-minute Web documentary, was screened by Ayer Local, a new community organization in my hometown of Ayer, MA, with an ambitious slate: “to raise awareness of sustainability issues, reduce energy consumption, and promote local food & economy in order to build a resilient community that is sustainable for future generations.” (Thrilled to have them in town!)

Released on the Web in late 2007 (http://www.storyofstuff.com/), The Story of Stuff is narrated by Annie Leonard, “ an expert in international sustainability and environmental health issues, with more than 20 years of experience investigating factories and dumps around the world,” according to her Web site bio. She is also coordinator of the Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption, a funder collaborative working for a sustainable and just world.

The Story of Stuff is the current centerpiece of Leonard's mission to spread the word about the impact of consumerism and materialism on global economies and international health.

Leonard spiels her spiel in front of an animated backdrop detailing the entire life cycle of, well, stuff, from extraction of resource materials through production, distribution, consumption and ultimately, you guessed it, disposal.

Along the way, she touches on the many problems inherent in this cycle, supporting her arguments with statistics that make viewers sit up and take notice. Among the more illuminating observations:

• The U.S. has five percent of the world's population but consumes 30 percent of the world's resources and creates 30 percent of the world's waste.


• Each person in the United States makes 4 ½ pounds of garbage a day, twice what we each made 30 years ago.


• For every one garbage can of waste you put on the curb, 70 garbage cans of waste were made upstream to make the junk in that one can.

The one I found maybe the most disturbing:

• 99 percent of everything we purchase is disposed of within six months (!).

Cute, clever graphics aside, it's hard to miss the message: this is a recipe for destruction. But as the picture grows grimmer and grimmer throughout the narrative, Leonard ends on the ultimate positive note: “It's not like gravity that we just have to live with. People created this problem, and we are people, too.” Ergo, we can un-create it.

OK: The movie's eye-opening and it's entertaining. And it definitely makes you want to do something. But if you're looking for balance, you probably want to look somewhere else. This film is short, and the problems it details are, well, not. The Story of Stuff is geared to provoke: discussion, action, you name it. It's opinionated, and it pulls no punches.

That said, the message is completely valid: When it comes to stuff, we all need to think beyond our desire for instant gratification and remember that a cheap price may be hiding a far steeper cost for the environment, for natural resources and for communities around the globe.

GLR rating: 4 out of 5 leaves

Note: In case any Ayer townies out there are reading this, The Story of Stuff was the first in Ayer Local's “2nd Friday at the Movies” series, aimed at introducing the new organization to a wider swath of the town and getting some meaningful dialogue underway about how to get some positive changes going in Ayer. Look for more thought- and discussion-provoking films in the coming months.