Greenheart Beat: July 2012
Connecting People and Planet Inside the Office
By: Kat Kocisky, Work and Travel Administrative Coordinator
SUSTAINABILITY
Keep the below office conservation tips in mind during your work day:
1) Artificial lighting accounts for 44 percent of the electricity use in office buildings. Turn off the lights when you’re leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can.
2) For draft documents – use scrap paper already printed only on one side. Make sure it’s flat and doesn’t have staples, paper clips, or notes stuck to it though!
3) Use scrap paper printed only on one side for taking notes instead of new sheets.
4) Use a mug or biodegradable paper cups for your tea/coffee/drinks instead of plastic or styrofoam cups.
5) Share ideas and keep improving – while greening your office you might find better ways of reducing waste, water or energy – share your ideas with others, and with the Greenheart Beat!
Sources: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/sustain/staff-students/rorytips/ and http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/03/10_ways_to_go_g.html/WELLNESS
Yoga in the Greenheart Center
Stretch it out on Friday, August 3 at noon in the Greenheart Center for a 30-minute session with yogini, Andrea Dennis. Come as you are, all are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend!
Fun yoga facts:
* Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung was one of the first Westerners to study yoga in depth. His comments on developing higher consciousness in the East helped introduce the West to yoga concepts and practices.
* Studies show that yoga reduces the risk of heart disease by improving arterial flow. Similarly, studies show that yoga also helps treat diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma.
Source: http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-yoga.htmlITP on Tuesdays & Greenheart Transforms Book Club
This is no ordinary book club. We start with a 45-minute ITP session to better unwind and relax from the workday, then dive into discussion, which is always inspiring, and informative.
See below for more details:
5:45-6:30pm: The ITP Kata, a series of light stretches and poses developed by George Leonard and used within Integral Transformative Practice. (Optional)
6:30-7:30pm: Book Club discussion
Location: Greenheart Center: 746 N LaSalle, Chicago, IL | 60654 | Garden Level
RSVP: jrobinson@greenhearttravel.org or call 312-264-1656
Join us for an evening of inspiring discussion during Greenheart Transform Tuesday night book club. Every other Tuesday, a selected member of the group presents on an individual book or topic, sharing their thoughts and insight from each selection. Come prepared to learn about various topics ranging from consciousness and spirituality, to climate change and personal transformative practices.
Source: http://emanuelkuntzelman.com/events/greenheart-transforms-book-club-2 (a list of books discussed in the past, and on the list for future meetings can be found here, as well!)Brown Bag Lunch
CCI’s Brown Bag Lunch is the perfect way to connect with your colleagues in other departments, and a good excuse to get away from your desk to eat without spending a lot of money. Stay tuned for the next one! They happen monthly in the Greenheart Center.
SERVICE
Gardening Volunteer Opportunities
Have a green thumb, or want to cultivate one? Check out the below, upcoming dates for a chance to get your hands dirty. Sign-up sheet is called: Summer Volunteer Sign Up_Garden Project.xlsx and is found here: W:\Data\CCI General\CCI Staff Events\2012.
Wednesday August 8th from 4-7pm at Orozco School Garden, at 17th and Damen
Friday August 10th (time TBD) at Xochiquetzal Peace Garden at 23rd and Wolcott
We’ve received interest in The Resurrection Project in Pilsen, and will have more information on this opportunity very soon. In the meantime, learn more at: http://www.resurrectionproject.org/About-Us/TRP-History-Mission-and-Vision/Our-History-and-Future.html.
Volunteer in Chicago and Beyond!
For more information on individual volunteer opportunities in Chicago and cities nationwide, check out http://www.volunteermatch.org/
Just type in your city, state, zip code, and key words (i.e. environment or mentoring) and see what’s out there!
Keep getting involved, and share your stories. We’ll be back at the end of August!
- The Greenheart Beat
