On my recent road trip, I spent some time in Northern Indiana. Amish communities dot every county, so examples of sustainability where everywhere. This time I really noticed all the recumbent bikes…they seemed to be everywhere. I also liked the road side pool/pond we drove by, complete with concrete deck, diving boards, and slides. Good stuff.

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express (resisting all urges to write a joke here) that had a message about conserving water and energy hung on the towel rack. It read:

Dear Guest, every day millions of gallons of water are used to wash towels that have only been used once. YOU MAKE THE CHOICE: A towel on the rack means ‘I will use it again’. A towel on the floor means ‘Please replace.’ Thank you for helping us conserve the Earth’s vital resources.

Pretty cool, huh? This is a great practice that really does reduce our impact on the environment, and I’m glad to see a large hotel chain taking some initiative.

In Goshen, IN, I saw something I’d never seen before. A sign asking drivers to turn off their engines while waiting for the train to pass. This is a no brainer - you’re already at a complete stop. I’ve waited for trains on Rivers Avenue, so maybe a sign like this would work there too. It would at least make a few people more aware of environment…every little bit helps. Where else around town do people get stuck waiting on trains? Maybe we could get the city or county to put up these signs.