Developing a Plan – Creating the Green Team

The Co-op’s green team (from left to right: Stevie Wallace, Gretchen Weimer, Kaila Alford, and Adam Jupp. Not pictured: Adam Standley)

Welcome back to this 5-part series on sustainability at Sno-Isle Food Co-op. If you are just joining us, this is part 2 of 5, jump over to How do we ensure sustainability is a driving force at the co-op? Now that you have read how we keep this objective in mind – let’s dive into how we created a plan for the future.

In 2015:  The GM finished their 10-year Business Plan which included 2 elements:  B Corp Certification and the Challenge of a Zero Carbon Footprint.

Co-op Goal and Vision:

Learn how, strive for, maintain, market and teach how to become a Zero Carbon foot print business

Our Plan:

Create a research team that works towards finding tools and information it takes to have zero or negative environmental impact through cutting our carbon foot print.

Immediately: GM and Board of Trustees to brainstorm ideas, plan goals with outlines and reach our goals whether they be minimizing impact, zero carbon footprint or negative carbon foot print.  Monthly meetings will be made with reports that measure our success.

2017:  The Co-op began the Journey of becoming B Corp Certified

2018:  The Co-op began the process of figuring out how to measure our waste including recycle, landfill, compost and donations

By September of 2018, the Co-op started the research team for our Zero Carbon footprint goal.  The Green Team consists of 5 employees who come together monthly for the following:

1.      Learn about how to measure the Co-op’s carbon foot print

2.      Research ways to decrease it

3.      Create Goals and ways to do so

4.     Educate ourselves and our employees

5.      Seek out knowledge and resources from our community

6.      Share our knowledge and resources with our community

Now that we have created the plan, join us for our next feature on Making Meaningful Changes.