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Meeting Jacki Baer from Fields to Families

Jennifer Norman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:47:54 +0000

Zoe and I had the absolute pleasure of volunteering a few hours of our time for Fields to Families. I was introduced to this non-profit through two of Chad’s coworkers, who are on the board, and I instantly wanted to help. After looking at my schedule and capabilities, I decided helping at a booth at the Mt Pleasant Farmer’s Market would fit.

Jacki Baer is the founder – I wouldn’t guess her age, but I would guess she has the energy of a woman in her thirties. Jacki is passionate and meticulous. Zoe and I loved getting to know her and her organization. To witness her informing inquiring patrons that Fields for Families delivered over 80,000 pounds of fresh produce to the needy was truly inspiring.

There are many volunteer opportunities available, from gleaning the fields with your kids, to chatting about their cause with friends. This Tuesday, June 30, Whole Foods is donating 5% of their total sales for that day to Fields to Families. Stop by the booths at local farmer’s markets too, check their blog often, and take notice of this non-profit, I hope it grows (I couldn’t resist.)

Hope to see you in the fields!

Green Social Networking…Charleston Style

Chad Norman — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:48:43 +0000

Ahhh, Green 2.0 is alive and well in Charleston!

Social Networking has transformed the way businesses and organizations connect, engage, and converse with their audience. I think connecting online is a natural fit for the sustainability movement, as it has less of an impact on the planet than face-to-face, print, or event-based communication. Plus, an anti-social greenie is hard to find!

Here at Go Green Charleston we’ve been using social web services like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr to do those same things, and have really enjoyed connecting with all of you. Other Charleston-area green organizations and businesses are doing the same thing…

Here’s a roundup of local green Facebook, Twitter, and other social goodness:

Local Green Facebook Groups and Pages

Local Green Twitter Feeds

In addition, there are other local green outposts on the social web. The Coastal Conservation League has an amazing YouTube presence. You can check out Charleston Alternative Energy, the Alt. Energy Meetup‘s online community. Fields to Families has been using Flickr to share photos online, as well as Charleston Moves, Half Moon Outfitters, and Go Green Charleston.

Local green blogs are another great place to network with local greenies. Blogs don’t typically work like social networks, but they do bring communities of like-minded individuals together around a common interest. Here are some of the local green blogs that we’ve been reading…

As you can see, Charleston green social roots run deep – something that certainly bodes well for a local sustainable future. Take a look at some of the sites above, get connected, and enjoy our thriving local scene!

If you know of a local green organization or business that is using the social web to connect with its audience, please let us know.

Blog Action Day: Giving Green to Those Without

Chad Norman — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:05:06 +0000

As we stress out about our 401(k)s taking a beating due to the economic crisis, there are millions of Americans who have been living with their own personal financial crisis for years. Life below the poverty line in the richest nation in the world is a difficult reality — one that is even more challenging for those living in even less stable areas of the world.

As you can tell, Blog Action Day 2008 has me thinking about those who are less fortunate. I know poverty is off topic for Go Green Charleston, but here are some thoughts anyway…

Like me, many of you reading this blog are probably not one of the millions of people dealing with poverty each and every day. We try to avoid eco-unfriendly bottled water, while others desperately seek it in order to stay alive. We dream of installing solar panels, while others risk their lives and freedom illegally tapping into power grids. We seek out local organic produce, while others rely on genetically-modified food staples flown in from around the world. I know sustainable living is important all of us, but when cast in the light of world poverty, it can look more and more like a luxury item.

I’m sure a lot of you have taken some green actions around your homes that have saved money. Installing CFL’s, driving a hybrid, using cloth napkins, harnessing alternative energy, and using a clothesline can all generate serious savings. So if you’ve done some of these sustainable, earth-saving actions, why not celebrate by giving some of those savings to those who could use it?

If you feel like giving green instead of going green, here are just a few of the local organizations working hard to fight poverty each day here in the Charleston-area:

Cheers to the Blog Action Day crew for putting the blogosphere’s attention on poverty. Sometimes we get so focused on an issue of personal passion, like sustainable living, that we often lose sight of others. Today’s event has brought people together from around the world to offer different perspectives on this issue, and I can only hope that you’ve all learned as much as I have.

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This post is part of Blog Action Day 08 – Poverty

Hey, Kids are Green Too!

Chad Norman — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:49:35 +0000

Getting our kids interested in sustainable living is important to us, as the good green habits they develop early in life just might stay with them. Most green activities are fun and full of science, so our boys love getting involved when they can. There are also great youth-focused organizations our there like LEEP, Lowcountry Earth Force, and the SC Aquarium. Now we have another local resource to help inspire our kids.

The apparently sleepless Drew and Suzie Webster, of Everygreen Concpets and Charleston Green Fair notoriety, have launched EverGreen Concepts Jr – a website to help kids get more interested in going green. They’ve got some green crafts, green tips, and their own show: Eco-Patrol. I can’t wait to see where the site goes from here…be sure to check it out.