Happy Earth Day Cohere!
I saw a great quote on a Facebook friend’s wall this morning. It said, “Environmentalism isn’t about saving the planet. The planet will spin on with or without us. Environmentalism is about saving ourselves and our future selves.”
When put that way, no action seems to small, too cheesy, or too radical. If we think of celebrating Earth Day not because the planet cares, but because if we don’t we doom future generations to a struggle for survival, it suddenly takes on an entirely new meaning.
You may not know this, but the global coworking movement cares deeply about sustainability. In fact, it’s one of our core values. We do this not because it’s hip or trendy, but because we know that efficiency is a smart business strategy and because we’re hoping to inhabit this planet for a while.
Coworking by its very nature, is more sustainable than working alone. Instead of 20 freelancers, all sitting in their well-lit homes, running the coffee pot and the air conditioner (or with the recent weather, the heater), we all come together in one place to work. This consolidates energy consumption and keeps member utility bills low.
We also support the local economy by sponsoring local entrepreneurial events and buying our coffee through direct trade with Fort Collins’ roaster Jackie’s Java. We also have a robust recycling and composting program, managed by our staff, that ensures we contribute as little as possible to the solid waste stream.
As always, if you have suggestions about ways we can reduce our impact on the planet and create a cleaner, greener Fort Collins for us all to enjoy, don’t hesitate to bring it up!
Earth Day graphic produced by the Kars4Kids car donation program
Image via alicepopkorn