Meet this month’s “Sustainability Snapshot,” Ginny Ades, and learn more about her efforts to live sustainably:
What inspired you to adopt more sustainable practices in your life?
I have always valued the quality of the natural world we live in and I take seriously our human role as co-inhabitants and stewards of the Earth. It has always seemed absurd to me to disrespect nature or to waste any natural resource. So, the inspiration has always been there for me but I can’t claim to have adopted as many sustainable practices as I believe are important. In recent years, my resolve to minimize my footprint has solidified as I see climate change and our society’s wasteful behaviors destroying the environment and creating unacceptable living conditions for many people around the globe.
Can you give some examples of how you practice a sustainable lifestyle at home (either related to zero waste, renewable energy, or conservation)?
Our Evergreen home is a remodeled 1970s ranch house which has been redone with all LED lighting; R-60 attic insulation and triple-pane windows to conserve energy. We limit our consumption of meat and we choose organic foods when we shop. I have become a gardener in the Buchanan Park Community Garden and revel in growing our salad ingredients (so much tastier than store-bought). I have also recently joined the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance’s Composting Pilot Project so I can reduce our trash by diverting our food waste from the landfill and into the composting facility where our food scraps will create more good soil.
What do you think is the biggest roadblock for people trying to practice a sustainable lifestyle?
I think the biggest roadblock, and there are many, is the almost inescapable presence of plastics in our culture. I have found it almost impossible to prepare a meal without purchasing something packaged in plastic, and I think this is an issue for all of us. Our busy lifestyles are dependent on convenience which also leads us to one-use, throw-away items and packaged goods. This is not a sustainable situation for our future.
What have you done over the years to support the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance and sustainability in the community?
I am a founding member of the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance. As a long-time (40+ years) resident of Evergreen, I got involved with the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance initiative because I take pride in our community and I’d like to see Evergreen be a leader in demonstrating how a community can thrive in harmony with nature. I think the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance can facilitate that dream. I’ve been a major donor to the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance for the past ten years and I am currently the president of the board. I devote a good amount of my time and energy to furthering the Evergreen Sustainability Alliance’s mission.
What inspires you on a daily basis to continue practicing sustainability?
I am inspired to continue trying to live sustainably and to promote sustainability in our community by seeing more and more people around me doing “the right thing.” It’s also inspiring to find that everyday there are new opportunities for living more sustainably as new products are developed that make it easier.
What words of wisdom do you have for people just getting started on their journey toward a sustainable lifestyle?
“Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.”
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