Just days ago the nation discovered that over 500000 jobs were lost in November. For many Upstate South Carolina residents, these statistics only exacerbate the already withered strands of emotional lifelines. We look for ways to stretch our funds and time, conserve energy and resources, and hope for the economic white knight to ride in on a gilded stallion.
Despite these fragile economic times, some of the best news Greenville has recently received is our ranking for weathering the economic downturn. We were recently ranked 4th in a recent study as to our ability to withstand these tumultuous times. Woohoo!
Well maybe I should be a little more conservative in my woohoos. We continue to hear of companies either closing or laying off employees. What is an employee but a number; replaceable or even a burden to the bottom line. We all know employers that care only for the bottom line. But now the backlash is showing its beautiful behind. Americans are standing up and making it clear that the bullish and greedy owners and CEOs are not welcome to continue their traditional ways. Both Republicans and Democrats are saying enough is enough. Many of the people I have recently spoken to are in agreement, most big businesses are dinosaurs and the hearts of those dinosaurs are blackened and hardened with age. Most of us want a better business model, but are uncertain as to what that model should look or feel like.
And yet there dozens of models out there that respect the lives and economic burden of employees, suppliers, customers and owners. These models follow the concept of a triple bottom line: people, planet and profits. More and more businesses are embracing sustainability in its many forms where socially responsible enterprise is the next generation of global economic modeling. From parallel currencies to fair trade to green banks to B-Corps, the market is expanding to include a variety of ways to establish a new way of doing business. By including people and the planet in a company’s mission and vision, they are venturing into slightly tested waters with the intention of placing value on more than just money. Yet the pioneers are mostly in agreement, you still need to grow and make profits. In other words, a new kind of social capitalism.
So where are these businesses here in the Upstate? Is this area ready to ride that wave of new and challenging economic swells? What happens when it breaks? Do we ride in smoothly and then paddle out into deeper waters? Or do we watch from the shore, making sure the waves are neither too large nor dangerous to ride?
Well there are companies here in the Upstate that have already been testing the waters for a while and not really knowing what to call their business model. They knew only that to not address the social and environmental issues was a crime to humanity, our community and their own business. These small businesses are scattered across our fractured landscape. There are, as well, the large well known companies taking on these issues as a recourse to traditional models for many reasons. Some recognize the importance of conducting business in a way that takes in account the social, economic and environmental factors where the ends do justify the means. It’s a matter of developing circular systems that mean more than just growth and decay.
Then there are the large companies who are only using the models to hoodwink the general public into believing they are doing good for goodness sakes. But it is sometimes difficult to identify the “greenwashers” and “socialwashers”. To some degree all large companies greenwash. Since more people want to incorporate green-living principles and products into their lives, these large companies recognize the marketing potential. They may already be adding better ways to conduct business, but are now pushing harder for the potential buck from that demanding public. Yes, I am glad the companies are promoting the new principles and products. I only wish there was more heart behind it.
Earlier today I ventured into a local Ingles and found a table in the book and magazine area covered in green-living books. There had to have been about 20 to 30 titles. I was excited for a couple of minutes before that recognition hit: more customers want to live green. Hence, they put out the most popular titles, which of course mention products. Those products are now slowly beginning to show up on the shelves. More and more organic food is available. Safer cleaning products. Greener packaging. And yet it accounts for less than 2% of what is available in the store. And what about the employees? Are they better off now than in the past? Most of them couldn’t tell you what organic is or what the store’s environmental or social policy is. We still have a long way to go.
The best signs of newer economic and social models in the Upstate can be found here on this website and on bulletin boards at local health food stores and wellness centers. They embrace the principles but struggle to market themselves. Many of these owners are altruistic, driven by the need to help others. Yet some of them lack the skills to be successful business owners. They rely on word of mouth and/or online viral marketing, only to skip sometimes critical advertising and marketing models. It is my intention to help connect people to some of these businesses.
Recently, businesses have been opening with no fanfare. And yet they are growing. For example I should talk about a couple of new businesses and a business to open shortly. The Raspberry Frog is a new eatery in the West End that focuses exclusively on yogurt, using strictly organic yogurt. The Wild Radish on Verdin Road is a natural wellness and food store that focuses on supplements, vitamins and a limited menu. Their juice bar exclusively uses organic fruits and vegetables and the store has a very casual seating area with literature to browse. You quickly find out that the customer comes first. Then there is a new healthy fast-food joint coming to the Woodruff Road insanity: Chipotle’s. The Southwestern style restaurant serves all natural foods and all the meats are hormone and antibiotic free.
While many other traditional style businesses are holding off on building and expanding, the green and socially responsible businesses are opening. It is a sign of both public demand and business sector growth. Green and social jobs are on the rise, but are not being marketed as such. A lot of people want to find work in these areas and don’t know how to find them. Hopefully, we will see a green and social employment agency in the near future. In the meantime, search out and support these companies. They need your support. And we need them.
The future of a strong economy lies with Americans building American businesses. LOCAL has been the new mantra for the last couple of years. It’s time for local to become mainstream. Customers must demand it. Americans are looking for change. Well I say change is not what we need. What we really need is a battle cry. Here’s mine:
USA
made by businesses in the
So what is your battle cry? Let me know. Maybe we can find one we can put into action. It’s time for our voices to be heard.
Yesterday I heard some troubling news that demanded a call to action. The Clemson University Student Organic Farm is under the chopping block as a direct result of the current economic downspin.
As Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Greenville Organic Foods Organization I am well aware of the growing presence and support for sustainable agriculture here in the Upstate of South Carolina. I am also highly aware of financial constraints within the current economy that is also hitting our educational system.
However, there are certain things we need to strongly oppose when cuts are wanted. I was sent a petition to preserve and strengthen this treasure of the Upstate; one that demands more than our attention, a true necessity for future generations.
It is now globally accepted except for a radical minority that we need to find alternative sources of energy. Oil and its byproducts will eventually disappear. This we know for a fact. What is in debate is how quickly this will happen and to what degree we as human despoilers can alter the climate. Oil is a limited resource. Middle East countries already know this and are positioning themselves for the day when their global oil exports dry up.
You may be asking what this has to do with organic farming? Well let’s take a look at what we use oil for. Oil of course is used in the production energy, but it is also used for producing plastics (another whole blog topic), pesticides and herbicides. All of these products of production are necessary for large scale agribusiness. Even large scale organic farming use energy and plastics. Farming requires technology to run on energy to prepare the soil, grow the food, pick the food, package the food, transport the food and sell the food.
Let’s look at the unseen ways in which oil plays a role in this linear system. We will focus on one particular area of interest: selling produce.
Most food can be categorized into three areas: processed, packaged and produce. (I wanted to replace produce with whole foods, but meats, dairy and eggs are all whole foods that are all processed and packaged.) Processed and packaged food items encompass the great majority of what is found throughout the grocery store. The inputs for these foods are immense and the profit margins become extremely small as a result. The demand for marketing and advertising is high to offset the costs. Stores want people to buy packaged and processed foods over whole foods. (Avoid the center of the store if you want to save money.)
Selling foods require advertising. The number one source for advertising is circulars, which require massive amounts of paper and ink. Most paper is produced using power from coal burning plants (another blog topic). However, most ink is still derived from petroleum products. The sheer volume of circulars and general advertising in papers make up most of the content. Shipping these papers made up of mostly advertising requires a large amount of petroleum. Hence, these two oil inputs for the linear system to get agribusiness (and some organic) products to your plate is incremental to the success of the system.
The byproducts of consumerism demand a shift in our approach to producing, picking, packaging, shipping and selling food stuff. The linear system of the old “green agriculture revolution” must be replaced with a circular system within the new “sustainable revolution” of organic/sustainable agriculture. We are learning to avoid all petroleum based pesticides and herbicides with organic farming. We are learning a “local food system” shifts us away from intensive, long distance shipping using large amounts of petroleum to locally grown and sold organic/sustainable foods at local markets, fairs, groceries and farm stands. Advertising is being replaced with word of mouth and sustainable networks. People are reconnecting food with place. And nothing tastes better than organic produce grown on small farms near your home.
The needs of our future will include sustainability (and more than likely be the driving force). The salvation of our economy will require a responsibility to future generations with jobs and education revolved around sustainability. The Clemson University Student Organic Farm and related programs will need to be a part of this paradigm shift. The farm is one of the only USDA supported organic farms located on a university property. The support and resulting research and technology is singular and unique to Clemson University and the Upstate.
The impact of the program has led to a blossoming of sustainable agriculture here in the Upstate. Sustainable and organic farms have been on the rise with the help of the program. The support of these farms and to those wanting to become sustainable farmers by the public is also on the rise, resulting in organizations and programs and events revolved around sustainable agriculture. Some of these entities include the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association which is holding the annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference ( http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac08/index.html ), the Greenville Organic Foods Organization ( http://www.gofohealthandeducation.org/ ), the Upstate School for Sustainable Agriculture ( http://www.scsustainableag.org/ ) and the Upstate SC Locally Grown Market that functions like a co-op.( http://www.upstatesc.locallygrown.net/
This is not the time to cut expenses or terminate the Clemson University Student Organic Farm and related programs. If the economy was not where it currently is, it would be the time to infuse funds into the program. What needs to be done is ensure its future and success by support far and wide. It is one of the Upstate's sustainability treasures. Let us not fail it in its potential to move our citizen's health and reconnection to food sources and food security. Let us save quality food over cheap food.
To make your voice heard visit the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-clemson-sustainable-agriculture
You may not have to search as hard as Linus to find The Great Pumpkin, but your search still is not easy. Sustainably grown pumpkins are a rarity. It is probably the one vegetable we think about the least when considering how it was grown.
Halloween is one of our great consumerist holidays, filled with pumpkins, lot ands lots of overly sweet goodies, autumn decorations and of course disposable costumes. Most of what we buy (and see across the Upstate landscape) ends up in our landfills fairly quickly. We will spend a couple of billion dollars on all of this STUFF. This Halloween let’s make a contribution by having a green Halloween.
Yikes! Who ever heard of a green Halloween!
The bright orange pumpkins we buy for Halloween as jack-o'-lanterns are one of many types of pumpkins. The sugar, green and white lumina pumpkins are available in many stores and markets and are great for food dishes. However, a sustainably grown pumpkin is more difficult to find. There are a few pumpkin patches around that offer healthy, clean pumpkins. Mini-Miracles Farm in Taylors and Rose Hill Plantation in Easley are two of them. If you go to any other farm or the market, ask about the pumpkins. Find out how they were grown. Izzys at The Saturday Market in downtown Greenville has several types of sustainably grown pumpkins for the next few weeks.
Except for pumpkin pies (which usually are made from squash), most people have never eaten pumpkins. Pumpkins are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, iron and they are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. Pumpkins are actually a fruit and are classified as a type of squash related to cucumbers and melons. Pumpkins are native to our continent and have been domestically grown here for several thousand years. In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the Saint Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding "gros melons". The name was translated into English as "pompions," which eventually evolved into the modern "pumpkin."
If you want to hunt for or pick your own pumpkin, start your search at http://www.pickyourown.org/SC.htm . After Halloween, instead of throwing away the jack-o'-lantern, here are a couple of environmentally friendly things to do with it: put it in the compost heap - it will make good fertilizer, bury it in the garden - it will decay quickly and enrich the soil, and last and probably best, wash, dry and save the seeds to plant next year (they will grow!) What not to do: eat it! Unless you want to get sick.
And of course every trick or treater has gotten sick from eating way too much candy. The amazing thing is how toxic much of the candy landscape is, with ingredients too difficult to pronounce to the abundance of saturated fats. Organic and all natural sweets are on the rise. Not only are natural food stores offering organic candy bars, even the average grocery is carrying the healthy sweets. An awesome small chocolate bar is Green & Black's. Even Nestle has gotten into the organic fray. Other ideas? Pick up some fruit leather or honey sticks at grocery stores, health food stores or tea shops. Another suggestion is to hand out individual microwave popcorn packs. Newman's Own Organic makes wonderful microwave popcorn. You can even give away nonfood items like coins, gift certificates, organic seed packets or endangered animal stickers.
What about all of those decorations? Corn stalks stalk our lawns assuredly. Yet there are a lot of fake plastic decorations running amok. Can we not refrain from the consumer urge to festoon our homes with gaudy decorations? Switching to all natural locally grown pumpkins, gourds, corn and the ever approaching falling leaves offer up a green solution and also provides attractive appeal up through Thanksgiving. Keeping in mind of course the need to find sustainable farms that are willing to give up some sustainably grown corn stalks, is the best way to go. Want to find some of those farms? Do a search at http://www.localharvest.org or check out the listing at http://www.gofohealthandeducation.org/farmers.html
Another plastic maelstrom endemic to Halloween is costumes. And the worst part is most of those costumes are quickly sucked to the trash can and then to our landfills. How long will that plastic last in our Upstate landfills? Too long, slowly leaching petrocarbons into our watersheds. Are there other options for the over plasticized trick or treater? Yes, Charlie Brown, there is!
Halloween can be a blast for the creative individual, offering up the opportunity to set the imagination free and search the home, thrift shops, dollar stores and Goodwill for items to be turned into costumes that everyone would talk about. Searching the budget clothing stores is a good way to create the retro look. How about being a Woodstock hippie or a 30’s gangster? Just don’t carry that 45! Goodwill has an online store locator with a section that offers up some fun and creative costume ideas made from their second-hand garb. Some people may make fun of you dressed as mother earth, covered in leaves, twigs, feathers and the like, but at least you can say you are truly recycling nature.
For the creatively challenged individual there are several great websites that give you ideas on making your own costumes. For the green minded try Suite 101's website for costumes at http://greenliving.suite101.com/article.cfm/spooked_by_halloween_waste_junk For those on a tight budget check out http://www.budget101.com/budget102_boo.htm for great costume ideas. And another green afficionado is Mable's Unique Shopping Blog. She has a ton of great ideas featuring sustainable clothing, makeup, reusable trick or treat bags and conventional costumes for sale. Check out the site at http://www.mables.com/blog/
If you neither have the time nor the desire to create your own costume there are options that cost next to nothing. You can go to the online sites Freecycle and Craigslist and post a “looking for a Halloween Costume”. Doing so may be a little dicey. The costumes may be a little old and worn with creases, cuts, and holes. But what the heck, all you have to do is pay for the ride to pick up a free costume.
Let’s remember Halloween can be as green as you want it. Some people even try to get together and have green Halloween trick or treat events or parties. More and more churches and neighborhoods hold trunk or treats. Bring your hybrid filled with some of our suggestions and you are well on your way to the greenest Halloween in history. Or even better, coordinate among your green friends to have a green trick or treat event. That way you are assured your friends will be green with Halloween envy.
Go greeen for Halloween!!!
