Fact Finding – On the Path to Green!

After the meeting on Valentine’s Day, emails flew back and forth gathering information as we begun to educate ourselves on what it means to “Go Green.”  Sure it was recycling and turning off lights, but what else was it?  Were there any standards?  Allison Ritchie added a link to te board regarding “green” business standards outlined by California http://www.greenbiz.abag.ca.gov/BGStandards.html. Allison thought these specifications would be a great place for us to start and they were!

Dave Braxton cited the Philadelphia Business Journal that ran Feb 8-14.   There is a one page ad called go green. There are helpful links in the ad including: http://www.pecpa.org/, http://www.sbnphiladelphia.org/, http://dvgbc.org/ and http://pennfuture.org/

 

Jim uploaded a PDF from his business called Thinking Green Brochure that his company uses to promote their environmental practices and another PDF about the EPA Green Lights program they acheived a few years back. Both good examples of what has been done.

Kenyon suggested teaming up with the Radnor Schools to see if they wanted to join our mission and to see what they are presently doing.

He also spoke with someone from Radnor Township, who referred me to an architect, who clued him in on what it means to have a “Green Building.” 

 

Kenyon wrote,

“Here is a brief summary of my research:

LEED is the industry standard for green building. For a building to be officially considered green, it should be LEED certified. For a building to be LEED certified, there is a process to get reviewed. The review process is a checklist of passive and active things that can be done to earn credits. Credits determine the level of LEED certification. Therefore, there are different levels of green building.

Also note, there is a cost involved in getting reviewed. This means that some builders may not want to pay to get certified, but may use the LEED checklist and guidelines to be as green as possible. They just can’t officially say their building is green.

Here is a link to more info re: LEED Rating System

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222”

 

Our information was growing!!  We were are our way!

 

 

Proposal for the Two Projects: LML 2008

Target Group/Organization: Eldernet and MLCC

by: Dave Braxton

 

Reason for choice: The LML class of 2008 believes that we can accomplish two programs simultaneously.  The chosen projects strike a chord with the group in such a way that we are willing to pursue this challenge with sincere effort.

 

Objectives: To produce two thorough and complete projects that will enhance the quality of life on the Main Line

 

Process: Create two teams to gather information and access the needs of the targets

Define the parameters of each project

Confer as a group the best way to pursue each project

Share resources within the group for best use of talent and desire to complete defined tasks

Get to it!

 

Estimated costs: $250 for a celebration party in June

 

Anticipated outcome: Successful completion of two quality projects while providing each member of the LML 2008 class an opportunity to discover, learn and enhance their leadership skills.

 

 

1. Target Group/Organization: Eldernet

 

Reason for choice:

Objectives:

Process:

Estimated costs:

Anticipated outcome:

 

 

2. Target Group/Organization: MLCC

 

Reason for choice: Many participants of LML08 are passionate about a green project.  It is important for the MLCC to begin a green initiative to support its members in their move towards becoming more environmentally conscious.

Objectives: To establish a “green” committee within the MLCC

Process: Contact MLCC point person (TBD) for green initiative.  Define MLCCs desires and concepts about the program.  Brain storm with our group and MLCC members to define our project.  Implement items defined.

Estimated costs: TBD, nominal

Anticipated outcomes: MLCC becomes a model “green” organization.  MLCC becomes an available resource for Main Line Businesses to Go Green too.

 

evening session #2 – make a decision, already!!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Main Line Chamber Conference Room

 

This was a long session.  Meeting first, we broke into our respective camps – Eldernet and Go Green.  Piles of paper were on our tables, as we sifted through it together to find something simplified to present.

Karen and Jim found information through the Chester County SEI.  We start thinking more broadly – like for the community.

After some time, we vote our fearless leader, Dave Braxton to present our plan.  He does his best to try to whittle all the information down, with most of our answers being, “I don’t know.” or “I’ll have to get you information on that.”

Eldernet’s presentation is very strong.  They have defined jobs.  Jeff Lenderman from the group, says that “This project is ‘teed up.’” and he seems to be right!

Our project seems like a pipe dream, a wish.  We open the floor for questions from each group.  Our “green” group doesn’t have a lot of questions for the “Eldernet” one, but boy, do they have questions for us!!!

Jeanne opens the conversation to open discussion.  It gets into a friendly banter back and forth.  Eldernet is right.  Our topic is too broad, too vague.

We fight valiantly for our cause, despite not having information that is needed. 

 

Dave, Karen, Jim, and Milena state that with the right information, we can put together something amazing!

I comment that I did not sign up for Leadership Main Line in order to do something “Teed up.”  My interpretation of the program was to do something that made me stretch.  If we did not take on this magnitude of a project, I would feel gipped.

Jeanne’s head looked like it was going to pop off.  We had no consensus – but only a further divide.  The dreamers versus the realists.  Who would win?

 

 

session 2 – The World of Nonprofits

February 13, 2008

Main Line Chamber Headquarters

 

As a chiropractor, I don’t deal with non-profit and truly did not know a lot about them.  Lucky for me, LML had Laura Otten, from LaSalle University Non-Profit Center came and spoke about The Governance of Non-Profits.  We learned all the ins and out about joining a board, and the issues that came up with it.  Many of us had never thought we were qualified to sit on a board and were excited that many non-profits had a need for people that were inspired enough to spend time and energy for a great cause.

After lunch, we noticed the presence of a giant adorable bunny and a tiny kitty on one of the tables.  It was time to “Meet the Non-Profits.”  There were two other tables with equally lovely women, but not as cute as the snuggly animals.  I quickly made my way to the animal table and scooped up a gray fuzzy baby kitty.

Paula Kielich from Pals for Life (one of our classmates, Kristen Abbott’s organization).  Paula moved many people at the table with her story about following her passion to be happy and make a difference, despite having what would some would consider a successful job.  We learned that Pals for Life brings small animals to hospitals, schools, and senior centers as a form of therapy.   While she was talking, we got to snuggle the bunny and kitty.  I almost took the kitty home, she was so cute!

 

It was time to switch tables, and we met Carole Marchand of Interfaith Hospitality Network.  Carole is an amazing woman who helps families caught up in financial crisis and by the good deeds of others and a network of giving businesses, helps people get back on their feet.  Interfaith was helped by LML by having their brochure redone.  

 

We also heard from Ruth Sperber of Eldernet.  Ruth was a great speaker who told many stories about those who helped Eldernet work and the services they supply to the Lower Merion Township.  She also added to the discussion regarding her board.

 

John Dougherty from Lower Merion Township, said that Eldernet had a new project that they wanted to get going which was lockboxes.  Lockboxes are a contraption that is put on a door that gave emergency personnel access to someone’s home, in the event that they were not heard from in some time.  The project he suggested was to aid Eldernet in developing a marketing brochure and implementation plan to place these lockboxes in Lower Merion to those residents that truly needed them.  Lynne Samson reiterated the request that Ruth had mentioned in her talk, which was developing and executing a board survey to revitalize her amazing board.

In the end, we split into groups to discuss more ideas for our project.  At our table, we discussed the volunteer directory when Karen DiVincenzo yelled out, “Hey guys, what if we did something with “Going Green” for the chamber?”  We all became excited with her idea.  We split the group again like shuffling cards, and each of our initial group disseminated to other groups.

 

Each of us tried to sell the idea of going green with the same energy as Karen.  Some thought it was a great idea, while others thought that it was too much of a project to handle and it was way too vague.

 

When we all discussed as a group at the end of the session, it was the first time we began to see a division in the class, although friendly, there were people that had strong ideas either way.  I thought it was great to be in the company of people who truly cared for the Main Line.  It was truly awesome!

 

We agreed to make a decision about the project at the next session that was a week away (YIKES!).  The assignment for home was to gather information about either side that you were interested in, and bring it in for a working meeting.