The Flow Campaign 4/10/2011 Issue 5

   4/10/2011-4/16/2011    Issue 5

Community Vitality This week we are focusing on Community Vitality which is the idea that true happiness comes from the connections and relationships we build with the people around us in our homes, our neighborhoods and our work places. Most working adults spend the vast majority of their waking time at the workplace.  People who work forty hours a week spend more time with their coworkers than they do with their family and much more time than with their friends.  Therefore, it is essential for us to make our work environment community a more pleasant, meaningful place. So what are some actions we can take to make our work places more pleasant and more enjoyable?  Here are a few ideas that can transform the experience we have at our workplaces. Firstly, eating is fundamental to the human experience and many people working at full time jobs do not either eat properly or eat with others.  Eating with your coworkers is one of the first steps to take to establish and grow a more pleasant work environment.  When eating with coworkers I would first start by eating on the work campus when appropriate as this will tie the experience with the workplace. Secondly, get rid of your headphones or other personal devices that separate you from your surroundings.  Audio clues are so important to relationships, but body language is even more so.  The act of putting on isolating devices sends a strong signal to others that you do not care to interact and that you don’t value the ambient discussions and hubbub of office life.  Thirdly, come In to work early.  When you are relaxed and rested the day at work is a more pleasant experience as you do not need to be running around and catching up with duties or actions that need to be done.  When you have plenty of time every other action becomes easier and with less effort.  Also, when you come in early you can spend that time chatting with coworkers, getting the best coffee and of course impressing the boss. Lastly, listen more.  Coworkers are starving for attention and if you are a person whom they can talk to about small, and the most important, things they will pay you back in favors, friendship and respect.  Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: Sustainable Industries This week’s book recommendation is: Not On Our Watch by Don Cheadle, John Prendergast Sign up for the weekly newsletter.		Brian Kahn:  Getting Back to Our Founding Values Community, Governance, Cultural www.townhallseattle.org Monday, April 11, 2011 | 7:30 – 9pm   Seattle for Japan Benefit Community, Material www.seattlegreendrinks.org April 12, 2011      5:30PM  - 9PM   Jane Fonda, Inspirational Luncheon Community, Culture, Health www.ywcaworks.org April 14, 2011 Noon-1:30PM

Sustainable Seattle Receives $60,000 Grant From Russell Family Foundation

March 30, 2011

SUSTAINABLE SEATTLE RECEIVES $60,000 FROM RUSSELL FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR RAIN GARDENS CONSTRUCTION IN FIVE SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOODS

Sustainable Seattle

Phone: +1.206.622.3522 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +1.206.622.3522      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Email: laura@sustainableseattle.org, amy@sustainableseattle.org, nathan@sustainableseattle.org                                                    

SEATTLE—Sustainable Seattle, in collaboration with Creatives 4 Community, Home Grown Organics and Stewardship Partners has received a $60,000 grant from the Russell Family Foundation for a project called “Sustainable Rain.”  The project includes the construction of rain gardens, storm water training and green infrastructure demonstrations in five Seattle neighborhoods.  The project is looking for participation from local businesses, residences and other publicly visible sites in West Seattle, Central District, Beacon Hill, Duwamish and White Center.

The Russell Family Foundation has a long history of funding innovative, local projects and programs and was a natural choice for Sustainable Seattle according to Amy Waterman Project Manager with Sustainable Seattle.

“Russell Family Foundation has been a great supporter of projects in our region that lead to sustainable communities.   And they have provided support to Sustainable Seattle in the past.  They have also specifically supported rain garden projects in our region, including some with our partner, Stewardship Partners.”

Sustainable Rain's goal is to create demonstration rain gardens and create educational opportunities around sustainable business in each neighborhood that will benefit the business owner, youth in the area, the broader community, and the Puget Sound.  One business or organization in each neighborhood will be selected for free installation of a rain garden as well as a free Whole Environment Building (WEB) assessment, a tool for local businesses to assess their sustainability efforts and operate more cost effectively, while managing their “nine domains of happiness.”  

“Rain gardens are one of the easiest ways we can make the built landscape function more like the natural systems that preceded it, reducing the risk of floods and the amount of pollution washed into Puget Sound and our lakes,” says Eldan Goldenberg Director of Operations at Sustainable Seattle.  

Sustainable Rain will also be having community meetings in each of the five neighborhoods providing training on storm water management, rain gardens, and other sustainable business practices.   There will also be funds available on a competitive basis for members of the community to design and install their own rain gardens towards the end of the one-year project.   

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Sustainable Seattle

Founded in 1991, Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound, nationally and internationally.  Sustainable Seattle’s mission is to be a positive catalyst and resource for positive change. We accomplish this mission by working with diverse individuals, communities, businesses and government agencies to build awareness, assess progress, and take action on collective sustainability goals.