What a Day

Great News from the COW meeting today!  The group received a grant from the  SEP, which means that the digester is no longer a figment of our energetic brainstorm meetings but a reality in progress. This summer the team will be working to build a 1/5 scale digester that  will be powered by food resource provided by our very own Sheraton hotel. The employees at the hotel are stoked to be involved in this initiative, going to show that these ideas are on their way to the main stream! 

Wegmans, the giant of the east, is also interested in the idea and we hope to see a digester functioning next to every Wegmans in the future. 

Lindsay had the great idea to use this blog to gain support for the Climate meetings that will take place in December in Coppenhagen.  We will be sure to keep you updated on any initiative pertaining to political causes.

Very importantly, though, today's meeting generated an idea that could get everyone involved. Including you.  The CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) of New York could become a valuable resource for our digesters. The farmer raises his produce organically, thus any scraps from the farm are organic. That material may go through a digester and the resulting effluent is also organic, which means that it is qualified to be used as fertilizer for that organic farm. Talk about  cradle to cradle genius. But the important part of this idea is that it involves Community.  The consumer that purchases produce from the farmer can have a hand in this by supplying his or her own scraps. That consumer is learning about the innovative way to dispose of valuable food scrap and is now thinking about the life cycle of his or her food. And that farmer is helping an interdisciplinary university initiative.  Gee, everyone could get involved. Lets have your cousin's friend's brother jump on this idea while we are at it. 

Building a community is an important part of sustainability and it is becoming an  important part of living. In this day and age we can accomplish anything on the internet.   We can buy clothes, order food, swap building plans, purchase insurance, manage our banking, and educate ourselves. In that regards do we ever need to leave the wall outlet? YES. The one thing that we cannot do via internet is build a relationship with a community and learn how to live.  By getting involved we are opening our eyes to the realities of the world and escaping this Wall Street disillusionment that has corroded some of the foundations of this country. You and I have the power to mitigate this, right here in Syracuse, by pitching in and rebuilding a community. Small steps, but large results. So check out that farmers market down on Waverly. Support the CSA in your area. Or even just help us compost in the dining halls. Whatever you decide, the community applauds you. And hey, food's involved. I'm there. 

With your daily dose of zen,

-Elysa