SEEDS Newsletter • May 2020 Empowering Sustainable Communities
Chair Message
Dear Friend:
SEEDS is still here. We are holding virtual meetings constantly, brainstorming about how to help our community in this very difficult time. Some key people in SEEDS who usually produce our newsletter have been involved on the front lines of the pandemic, and cannot give time to it at present. Thus this short “postcard” to our SEEDS friends.
This pandemic highlights the importance of conserving resources, appreciating what we do have, and coming together to support our community as best we can. The crisis has brought out much goodness, innovation, and heroism. Many of us are learning to be more self-reliant and reaching out to others who are having a hard time coping. Let us all use this time to think of sustainable ways to go into the future. Let us open ourselves to new possibilities and ways of thinking and doing.
Thank you to those who are working on the front lines for the rest of us. And, thank you to all the individuals, organizations, and agencies that are reaching out and helping others who cannot keep working. This is an extraordinary time. I hope we come out the other end having learned from this experience, by building a safer, kinder, more equitable future.
A NOTE ON SAFETY, RESPECT, AND SCIENCE
I have been impressed with the cautions taken by the employees at my local stores. To protect them FROM ME, I wear my hand-sewn mask. That is what these masks are for. They are not great at protecting the wearer from others. Anyone who does not wear a mask in public is putting others at risk.
The employees trying to do their jobs on the front lines deserve everyone’s respect and gratitude. So please, everyone, assume you are a disease carrier. Think of protecting others from you as your patriotic duty if that is what it takes to motivate you. In the long run, it will help you and everyone else to carefully open up our lives again.
It is easy to get confused about what to do and not do with conflicting messages bombarding us. I adhere to the science whenever and wherever I can. I try to siphon off the political rhetoric. I hope you are doing the same.
Katharine Dodge
A letter from our Executive Director Olga Trushina
My favorite time of the week is the time I spend with my family outside. Whether it’s hiking, watching my children fly a toy drone, or doing experiments on our porch (ahem, the solar oven), outside activities give us a needed break from current events that show up everywhere: on our news feed, on our trip to the grocery store, during Zoom conversations...
I keep reminding myself that we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place, beautiful outside and within. It is said that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but with NEPA you can. In addition to our magnificent forests and rivers, one of which was named “River of the Year”, NEPA is the place of dedicated mask tailors, salient food donators, clean-road keepers, and sustainable growers. Our community is what makes me confident that—while these are difficult times—everything will be alright and we will persevere.
We at SEEDS have been working for the last 10+ years to transition our energy economy to a local, clean, resilient, and advantageous system that provides the greatest possible benefit to our community. This year will be no different, but it will happen virtually. We have cool educational content planned for the rest of the year, including fresh programming, a solar forum, and a sweepstake, just for fun. So if you haven’t already, sign-up to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to never miss a beat!
O. True
More Ways to Support SEEDS!
• Lake Region IGA Supermarkets donate 1% of your purchases to local charities through their Lake Region Community Dock Foundation.
Sign up for a new card, and choose SEEDS as your charity. Or visit www.lrcdf.org to link your existing Preferred Customer Card to SEEDS. • Have you “liked” us on Facebook? If not, click HERE.
If so, please “invite your friends” to like us too!
If you are not a member of SEEDS, please consider joining us today!
Our annual membership dues are only $10, and you will continue to receive our newsletters, invitations to our educational forums and other events. Please make your check payable to SEEDS of Northeastern PA and mail to SEEDS, 1030 Main Street, Honesdale, PA 18431.
You may become a more active member and join some of our project circles. If you are interested in hearing more about SEEDS and our programs, please contact our Executive Director at Olga@SeedsGroup.netor call 570-245-1256.
