These Companies Are Helping The Planet
Ideas & Resources To Reduce Our Impact
By Tracey MacDermott, Board Chair, GPHC, Inc.
Sustainability is a word we hear frequently and at times seems impossible to achieve. It is used in ways to advertise products and services, as well as in our efforts to curb climate change. It suggests a lifestyle that brings about more thoughtful choices to help this planet we share.
In my family’s effort to try to lessen our footprint we have come up against struggles, personal changes and restored hope as many industries bloom in this new era of sustainability. We are not perfect, but do believe with each change we make we learn new ways to reduce our impact.
If everyone lived like the average American we would need four planets to sustain us. This should give us all pause. It makes me shudder as to what the future holds. When we hear about the 38 million pieces of trash, mostly plastic, that was recently discovered on Henderson Island, the remote UNESCO world heritage site in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Chile and New Zealand, the future seems rather grim.
When I was growing up the word sustainability wasn’t on the radar, however the word conservation was part of our daily lives. I can recall many times when my father would yell at us for leaving lights on, and working in the garden my mother insisted we cultivate. They may not have known it at the time but they were environmentalists. As a society we have cast conservation aside for unsustainable consumption.
However I find hope as I believe knowledge drives individuals to change. I would like to share with you a few realities, ideas and resources. One being, that we have simply started to purchase less. We have opted to live just a bit smaller, which includes not adding on to our wonderful and yes, small bungalow. We have begun to learn to make many of our own cleaning products. They do work and have reduced the amount of unwanted chemicals in our home.
Centennial Containers off of Peoria is a business that will accept the hard-type styrofoam that is otherwise not welcomed in your recycling bin.
SustainAbility (Hard-To-Recycle) is a recycling company located off Bannock Street that accepts everything from batteries, styrofoam, large #2 and #5 plastics, VHS tapes and a host of hard-to-recycle items for a small fee. It also recycles all those corrugated plastic yard signs like those we have seen recently all over our neighborhood, and after election cycles. They are a company with a social mission, which provides programs for individuals with disabilities.
Our local Ace Hardware recycles paint. There are numerous companies that will take metal. Zero Market, located at the recently-opened Stanley Marketplace just east of Park Hill, is designed so that customers bring in their own containers to fill with many products we use daily and thus reducing another disposable one time use container. They too can teach you how to make many of your own products.
Metech Recycling will take your no longer wanted electronics. Remember, these are not allowed in your trash bin.
In my family, we bring our own to-go containers to restaurants, and we also cook at home more. We support our local farms, and we compost at home. We walk to many of our wonderful businesses in Park Hill and along Colfax. We try to utilize public transportation.
Even with the changes we have made we are taking more from this planet than is sustainable. We have to continue to find new ways to improve.
I would like to challenge each one of you to evaluate your trash and recycling bins to reduce what ends up in both. Change is difficult but I have discovered that when you can change one thing you realize you can change another.
Our society cannot continue on our current trajectory. We can achieve less waste, efficient and clean energy, smarter purchasing, less chemicals and a happier life.
From the words of the Lorax by Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
I hope you will join me in not only making your own home more sustainable but our neighborhood as well. We do not have four planets and must work to reduce our impact. We will be working towards a sustainable neighborhood with the city and hope you will share your ideas with me at chair@greaterparkhill.org.
Tracey MacDermott is chair of the board of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Active in the Registered Neighborhood Organization for many years, MacDermott was the 2012 recipient of the Dr. J. Carlton Babbs Award for Community Service. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017.