Please take a moment to read what your Green Action Team has been up to the last couple months in your market. Thank you, Mike Kruse, for putting this summary together!
The Green Action Team met in November to talk about events held for National Recycling Day in many of CMA’s different markets. The following is what was shared…
Richmond CMA created a video showing how they recycle in different parts of their dealerships, from tire and oil recycling in the shops to ink and toner cartridge recycling in the office. They even collect coffee grounds for garden composting!
Charlottesville CMA hosted a recycled ornament contest. Technicians were invited to use scrap metal and other used materials to demonstrate their creativity and holiday spirit. Congratulations to Rob Hudgins and Charles Wright who tied for first place.
Lynchburg CMA hosted a lunch-and-learn with subs from Jersey Mike’s, fruit and veggie trays, and an info table showing the materials that can be recycled at their dealerships.
Valley CMA also hosted a lunch-and-learn with subs from Jersey Mike’s. They created fliers with information on the materials they recycle for the breakrooms of each Valley CMA dealership and delivered them along with lunch!
Martinsburg CMA hosted a lunch-and-learn in their new breakroom. With a video display on the big screen, they showed all the materials they can recycle.
The Honda Dealership in Winchester hosted a lunch-and-learn event with food from Chick-fil-A. The event included information about the materials they recycle, stickers, and a $100 gift card giveaway.
Not to be outdone, Subaru in Winchester collaborated with Orchard View Elementary School to build a recycling program there. They also built a shadow box out of recycled materials. The shadow box has a wood pallet frame with a cardboard backing and displays recyclable and compostable items. The collaboration with Orchard View Elementary is very exciting. More information about this is below.
After reviewing these many events for National Recycling Day, Judi Anderson said how impressed she was with what the Green Action Team had accomplished. I asked her about that, and she said, “The efforts of the Green Team this past month have truly stood out, surpassing the incredible work they’ve already accomplished together. We are grateful for each member’s dedication and contribution, which has made a significant impact all year long.”
Fast forward one month to the December Green Action Team call, where we were honored to be joined by students and staff from the Orchard View Elementary School.
Winchester Subaru has partnered with Orchard View to start recycling at their school. They started a club with 25 kids called the Green Action Team. The school has been so inspired by the work Winchester Subaru is doing that they named their sustainability group after CMA’s sustainability group – the Green Action Team!
The Orchard View Green Action Team had its first meeting last week. They are doing a scavenger hunt to look for sustainability opportunities. Opportunities to donate instead of throwing away or use biodegradable containers instead of plastic, and opportunities to conserve water and energy. After winter break, they will create actionable projects to bring to the school.
Judi said, “This is our first experience having a Green Team, and to think that we could have started doing this at your age. Just think of where we’d be right now if we started in elementary school! You guys are doing such a great thing!”
Liza shared that one of the big inspirations for CMA’s green team was her son’s green team in high school. In 9th grade, they were getting lunch in styrofoam containers, with plastic forks, in plastic bags. By the end of his senior year, he and the green team members had worked with the school to stop using all of those single-use disposable products. “I saw what the kids at his school did to make a difference, and I said, man, we could definitely do some of that at CMA.”
So green team inspiration has come full circle, from a high school in Charlottesville to CMA to an elementary school in Winchester. You can’t always predict where your positive efforts will lead, but it’s worth discovering!
The meeting ended with a round of recycling Jeopardy, in which the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at Orchard View Elementary defeated the adults to prove that there is definitely hope for the future!
Next on the Green Action Team’s agenda are sustainability audits, which will start in January. Until then, Happy Holidays all!
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