Live Green in Plano Volunteers,
Your green work is such an inspiration! You write articles and blogs; grow, harvest and donate produce; build structures for the community garden (right: Jinx Smith standing in the shed he built for a solar powered refrigerator for donated produce);  create beautiful, reuseable shopping bags (left: Barri Montgomery with bags from billboard and banner vinyl) ; and teach through panel discussions and presentations. Applause to volunteers Sandy Kreps and Barri Montgomery, who joined Home Extension Agent Carrie Brazeal in presenting our most recent Learn Green 2 Live Green program. For the handouts about the holiday ideas they shared, click "Little House in the Burbs."
Now many of you are taking the green message into your community. Groups of volunteers met in November to share ideas and address frustrations in creating corporate and faith-based green teams.  Linda Horsch inpsired us by sharing many successful ideas implemented in her office.  Be sure to read Raji Josiam's feature article about her green committee's outreach to 350 people through the Dallas Sai Center.  Vrushali Gaud led a group discussion on green school certification programs.
Since the Live Green in Plano program began in 2007, 257 people have completed volunteer training.  The next session begins Jan. 23. It runs for six consecutive Monday evenings from 7 - 9 p.m. through the end of February. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to meet new volunteers and learn about their variety of interests and experiences. Sometimes, families attend together: parents and children (with teenagers occasionally bringing parents), grandparents, along with couples and empty-nesters. Friends often encourage one another to sign up and attend together. Please promote this program through your conversations over the holidays. As alumni, you're always welcome to return to a session. You'll often find new information added or the format changed. Volunteering to assist with set up, hosting and break down gives you the benefit of volunteer hour credit, plus a chance to learn or refresh your knowledge on a particular topic.
Take some time to browse the Quick Links for money and resource-saving opportunities.
Save the date!
Volunteer Recognition Extravaganza
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m.
Environmental Education Center
4116 W. Plano Pkwy., Plano 75093
Wishing each of you the greenest of holidays!
Deb Bliss
|
|
|
Reduce Your Holiday Clutter by Cherie Ware, Special Contributor 
1. Give the Gift of Experience - Don't add to the clutter with more material items than someone truly needs. Instead, give a unique experience - a gift that is consumed and doesn't leave excessive packaging behind. Possibilities include concert tickets, museum passes, golf lessons or painting classes.
2. Reuse & Recycle - Use fabric or textiles that you already own to make reusable gift bags. Like making quilts out of a collection of school t-shirts, use Dad's old shirt and tie or a favorite baby blanket to sew a bag and drawstring that can be used to wrap gifts year after year. Add decorative elements with buttons, embroidery, or fabric paint. No more mounds of crumpled wrapping paper going to trash!
Read more. |
Giving Back to Mother Nature to Improve Our Air by Ananya Jha 
Giving back. This phrase embodies many different meanings, each applying to different circumstances and resulting in different actions. To some people, the expression might mean giving back to their community, while for others, it might symbolize giving back to their friends and family.In this case, the phrase is meant to focus on giving back to the environment.
Give Your Car a Break
How about the gift of walking? Instead of driving a car, why not walk or ride your bike? This prevents fumes from getting into the atmosphere, thus keeping our air cleaner. In fact, not only does this help our environment, it helps you! No matter what shape you are in, everyone benefits from a little more exercise.
Read more. |
Plastiki by David de Rothschild
Book Review by Tanis Roelofs 
On March 20, 2010, the sailing vessel, Plastiki, set off from San Francisco, California to cross the Pacific Ocean with a crew of six: British skipper Jo Royle, co-skipper David Thompson, expedition diver Olav Heyerdahl (the grandson of Thor Heyerdahl), filmmakers Max Jourdan and Vern Moen, and expedition leader David de Rothschild. This fascinating book recounts the building of a vessel made entirely out of plastic bottles, the voyage across the Pacific Ocean, and the disturbing findings of the expedition. Each chapter is dedicated to a crew member which includes their profile, journal entries, and wonderful pictures of their vessel and voyage across the Pacific.
Read more. |
|
Healthy Holiday Snacks from Jinx Smith 
|
TEXAS CAVIAR |
| |
1 (14 oz.) can black eyed peas, drained
1 (15 ½ oz.) can white hominy, drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped
4 green onions, very thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
½ C chopped onion
¼ - ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (as desired)
1 C Pace Picante Sauce
Combine all ingredients; mix lightly. Cover; chill at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain. Makes 7 cups. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Greening of a Regional Retreat
by Raji Josiam 
Newly-trained Live Green in Plano Volunteers Raji Josiam, Rashmi Mishra, Sridevi Jayaraman and Dhara Patel applied ideas from their volunteer training when planning a regional retreat for 350 participants.
A concerted effort was made to reduce the waste generated during the Sai Region 10 weekend retreat. Pre-event planning included communications to devotees asking them to bring reusable water bottles. Stainless steel flatware and table service were purchased for 350 place-settings, then used to feed the participants at each meal. Compostable banana leaves lined plates minimizing the water needed to wash them. Recycling bins were available throughout the facility.
Read more. |
|
