Notes from the Development Desk – Progress!
We are just over the halfway mark – help us reach (and exceed) our membership fundraising goal for the year. Join today!
EARTH DAY PRE-PARTY with ECOSS
You are invited to join the staff and board of the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle (ECOSS) for Non-Profit Comedy night at Comedy Underground! Half of all proceeds from this show will be donated to ECOSS, so this is an easy and fun way to support a great organization – bring all your friends!
Comedy Underground is located at 109 S. Washington Street in Pioneer Square.
There is plenty of street parking available as well as pay lots.
The show is all-ages, but Comedy Underground is a free-speech zone and the comedy can get political, so please be advised if you are easily offended.
Food and drinks are available at the show.
Doors open at 7:30; show starts at 8:00.
Tickets are $12.00 at the door; $6.00 with student ID.
For more information about Non-Profit Comedy please visit http://www.nonprofitcomedy.com
For questions about the event, please contact Elise at ECOSS: elise@ecoss.org or 206.767.0432
This just in: the comedians scheduled to perform (Rory Scovel, Andy Haynes, and Scott Moran) are amazing! Their other, inferior upcoming performance is listed in The Stranger Suggests this week. They are funny. I am excited. Watch Rory here and check them out in real life.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNTWteCFnE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00]
South Park food bank clients are seeing green
South Park Fresh Starts (SPFS) is a partnership project between Yard Farmers and the Providence Regina House Food Bank in South Park.
The purpose of the program is to distribute vegetable plant starts to food bank clients. We provide educational materials in both Spanish and English, opportunities to ask questions of professional growers, and supplies for growing vegetables inside.
SPFS is a program designed to supplement the produce available to local food bank clients. With more people finding themselves in tight economic situations, the Providence Regina House Food Bank in South Park has seen their amount of patrons sky-rocket to record setting numbers. Talking with community members made me realize that there was a lot of untapped agricultural knowledge in South Park. In fact, it wasn’t long ago that most of this neighborhood was farmland. Seeing this trend and understanding the local history, all while trying to imagine creative solutions, it occurred to me that I already had the skills to help.
Next door to the food bank is a small greenhouse that had gone unused for several years. With some help from Kathy Pryor, the Sustainable Communities Advocate at Washington Toxics Coalition, we were able to get the greenhouse in working order. Currently we have more than 1600 plants growing, with the opportunity for more on the way. In about a month we will start distributing these on Saturday mornings during the regular food bank hours.
Food Banks typically have a difficult time obtaining fresh, nutritious produce from donors, so this project is attempting to fill that gap by empowering clients to supplement their diet with hyper-local, healthy vegetables.
-Todd
ECOSSolutions launches April 30th
ECOSSolutions is a new Information Series we’re launching to help local businesses and communities with sustainability issues. We’ll have sessions about once a quarter to talk about ways businesses can save money and improve their sustainability efforts. Our first session is scheduled for the end of this month at the South Park Neighborhood Center, and the topic is Hazardous Waste Management. We’ve got a great lineup of experts from King County, the Industrial Materials Exchange program, and Total Reclaim/EcoLights Northwest. They’ll give us a little background on their programs, talk about how to deal with various types of hazardous waste, and explain ways to save a lot of money on proper disposal through existing programs. It should be a relaxed atmosphere where people can ask direct questions about any hazardous waste challenges they’re facing.
We’re excited to kick off this new program and we’re hoping for a good turnout from local business owners and staff. Please join us if you are interested in the topic: April 30th, 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. It’s early, but we’ll have coffee and pastries to help get your day going.
-Aldan
How are we doing?
What has ECOSS done for you? Have you received a spill kit from Todd or Alex? Have you attended one of Audrey’s trainings on Sustainable Coatings? Did you see us out in the middle of Cloverdale last year during Parking Day, or tabling at Green Drinks? By reviewing our organization (including our staff and services), we are better able to serve you. We are constantly brainstorming new program ideas to bridge the gap between the needs of the community and the services other organizations already provide. Thanks in advance for taking the time to give us feedback.
2-for-1 admission to the Seattle Green Festival!
ECOSS staff and friends invite you to join us at the Green Festival at the WA State Convention Center this weekend. (A few of us are even volunteering for waste sorting on Sunday night to make sure that nothing gets landfilled that shouldn’t have to!) In fact, if you haven’t already bought your tickets, we have a stack of 2-for-1 admission coupons! If you want to get your hands on one of these coupons before we run out, e-mail Audrey!
Or, download a free admission coupon when you sign up for Seattle Climate Action Now‘s newsletter!
Join the Pioneers of Seattle’s Green Economy
Let’s get the first thing straight – we know that you’ve begun to tighten your belt—we all have. With the economy in recession, we understand that you are even more conscious about where your money goes and are probably looking for ways to eliminate non-essentials, and likely for ways to save on the essentials. If you’ve been listening to the news, it also looks like the clouds over our economic forecast will persist even longer than a Seattle winter. The sad irony is that unfortunately during times of economic hardship, the needs of our constituents rise dramatically as funding becomes more scarce. This is especially true in the case of ECOSS, as the majority of our clients are small or medium sized businesses and families who were probably already struggling before the economy took a turn for the worse. Those lucky enough to have retained their jobs are doing the work of many, and are now too busy to keep track of their compliance needs or complex environmental issues. And at home, it is no different—no one should have to make the tough choices being made every night at dinner tables across the region. But now is the time to strengthen the small business sector and financially stressed families – so when stocks begin to rise once again, when our currency regains its value, when the United States is once again a beacon of light, hope and promise – these vital contributors to American society can also emerge stronger and more secure. The Emerald City has always been a leader in both the green movement and in advancing awareness of social justice issues – and your membership dollars will go directly to programs that allow ALL Puget Sound residents to contribute to and benefit from the redevelopment of our resources and our awareness. Your membership donation is an investment in your community and a contribution to the health of the environment.
Through your tax-deductible membership contribution, you provide critical funds to keep the organization strong and healthy – and you receive great member benefits from ECOSS and other members of the community, including:
- ECOSS’ Quarterly Newsletter
- Monthly E-news
- Advance Notice of Events
- Discounts to Events
- Acknowledgement on the ECOSS Website and Newsletter
- Invitation to Exclusive Member and Donor Appreciation Event
- 10% discount coupon to ecohaus, the Northwest’s premier green building supply provider (individual members)
- 50% discount to Sustainable Industries Magazine and discount on advertising (business members)
We only ask for your contributions a few times a year. We ask for your membership to provide the necessary funds to keep our programs up and running so we can continue to be a voice for a clean environment and urban redevelopment. We are strong and make a difference in our community because of the partners we have in businesses and individuals like you.
Your letter is in the mail. If you have been a member in the past, please consider renewing. If you have never donated before, there has never been a better time. You can also join online. If you can’t contribute at this time, please consider volunteering your time or talent at the organization.
Thank you for all you do,
-Elise and the Staff at ECOSS
Did you know?
It was recently announced that 2008 was the coolest year on Earth since 2000. Does that mean global warming is a problem of the past? I don’t think so!
85% of folks who listened to President Obama’s State of the Nation address last night feel more optimistic about our country’s direction. Amid a flurry of promises to “emerge stronger” from the banking and mortgage crises and to improve systems of heath care and education, President Obama also pledged to invest $15 billion a year to develop technology for green energy.
And perhaps most importantly, your ECOSS newsletter is in the mail! Among other things, we will tell you about stormwater, brownfields, and how to make a rain garden. Let us know what you think when you get it! Email Elise if you want to sign up to receive our quarterly print updates.
A trip to the (greener) salon
Hold your breath, folks – I do not have sustainable hair. I don’t shave my head, nor have I been cultivating dreads. In fact, I like having long hair that gets washed every day and gets highlights every couple of months. For the last few years I’ve been using Aveda products and felt good about their commitment to the environment and corporate responsibility in general, so when my stylist, Michele Meyers, told me she was leaving and would no longer be at an Aveda salon, I panicked at first. She told me that she was going to be using another organic line of color and hair care products, though, so I was willing to go with it. This weekend, I went to see her at her new digs, Salon Julian in West Seattle, and was super impressed. Organic Color Systems is also sulfate-free like Aveda, but is also completely paraben-free and much gentler and healthier for both the client and the stylist. True story: When Michele was applying the lightener, I caught myself closing my eyes in preparation for the stinging and burning of being so close to the chemicals, and there was no smell. When she finished, I had the exact same results as always without any of the lingering chemical processing smell. While Michele is waiting for all her products to come in, I am thinking about trying another environmentally-friendly brand, Sidlab, based in Portland, but the Organic Care Systems products she used smelled like freshly cut fruit. Amazing. Even more amazing is that Michele and her coworker Laura are offering 20% off for new clients through the end of March if you mention this blog! (New clients booking with Michele Meyers or Laura Graziadea only).
While the absolute best environmental choices may work for some of us, sometimes it is more reasonable to look at minimizing our impacts if completely abstaining is out of the question – which brings us to manicures. For those of you who can still afford a mani/pedi in our current economic climate, ECOSS comes to the rescue. Tram in our office works with local nail salons to educate and raise awareness (in English and Vietnamese) about the potential health impacts of the products used in that industry, and I asked for her best advice if you insist on having pretty nails. She said to avoid acrylics and gels because of the risk the chemicals pose to your health, and if you’re looking for polish, to choose products that are formaldehyde, toluene and phthalate-free.
-Audrey
Notes from the Development Desk
ECOSS is gearing up to begin our membership drive! Check your mail and email in the coming weeks for some really exciting partnership announcements, discounts and the opportunity to join this great organization.
Save the Date for ECOSS’ night at the Comedy Underground, courtesy of Non-Profit Comedy! Our comedy benefit show will be taking place on April 21st – the day before Earth Day! Gear up for the celebration by enjoying food, drink, and lots of laughs with us. Further details will be announced soon.