Beyond Travel: Living Sustainably

KEEPING NEW YORK STATE GREEN 

Endure. Maintain. Continue. Preserve.  These are some of the words frequently used in unison with sustainability. The Green Heart NY program has a built in sustainability element to ensure that we all work together to continue making NY greener and keep it that way for generations to come.

We are focused on the continual growth of the Green Heart NY program. Look for increased partnerships under the green heart logo. As new green certification programs arise and become established and new members complete certifications that are already in place, a circle of sustainable practices will be reinforced and rewarded thereby inspiring others to become involved. As travelers plan green getaways to enjoy the our natural wonders and green destinations, they can be secure in the knowledge that their memorable vacation left a lighter footprint and helped energize and support other green vacations and practices in New York State!

We are also focused on what the people of New York are doing on a daily basis to support the State’s environment. This is the inaugural year for a new statewide award recognizing New Yorkers for their everyday actions towards being Green. The award and honorary title of “Greenest New Yorker” will be presented this year at the Earth Day launch of the Green Heart NY program. We hope to motivate all New Yorkers to strive to be the “Greenest New Yorker” of the years to come. Here are some great ideas on how to do just that, from this year’s Greenest New Yorker entries:

	“From building a low impact new home where the water source is a cistern fed by a small spring, making paper from unwanted used colored paper and how to make felt out of old wool sweaters, rugs out of old rags or blue jeans, cards decorated with potato stamps, wrapping paper from paper bags, old business cards made into gift tags, using the ribbon from last year's gifts.”  – Nomination entry for Lynn Leopold, Ithaca, NY
	“I have been educating hoteliers and travelers about one of the most overlooked pollutants found in a hotel room the disposable plastic laundry bag.”  – Joyce Finnegan, Rome, NY
	“I was not much of a Greenest New Yorker until my family and I moved to New York in December. Since then, the light bulbs in our house are econefficient ones, we recycle plastic and paper whenever possible and have gone even further to reuse many things and not waste.”  – Nancy Pipp, Middletown, NY
	“Every year I have a yard sale with items I no longer use rather than discard them. I bring reusable bags to the stores where I shop.”  – Eleanor Hack, Green Island, NY
	“We've installed 15 watt light bulbs (down from 40 watts) on our chandeliers to minimize energy consumption, and we've installed energy efficient MR 16 lighting as accent lighting within our restaurant. [Simply Crepes Café]”  – Pierre Heroux, Pittsford, NY
	“I own the Natural Method Yoga Studio, where I teach my students that sustainability is just an extension of their yoga practice. I consciously & consistently do my very best EVERYDAY to lower my family's footprint, & try hard to inspire my friends & neighbors to do the same.”  – Laura Harrison, Amsterdam, NY
	“She buys local and organic and contemplates each purchase she makes to balance triple bottom line goals. She challenges people to know where things come from and why they are important.”  – Nomination entry for Audra Herman, Cohoes, NY
	“He is the hallmark of thinking globally and acting locally, Asit designs high-performance green buildings and sites throughout the state from his Manhattan office and tends to his organic farm in Rennselaer County, NY on weekends.”   – Nomination entry for Asit Parikh, New York, NY
	“I recycle plastics, metal, papers, medicines, batteries fastidiously; I shop my groceries at co-op and try to buy organic whenever I can afford; I rarely buy new clothes and instead use thrifty shops…”  – Yayoi Koizumi, Ithaca, NY
	“I have been "living green" for many years, and I strive to teach others how to do the same. I'm a triathlon (swim-bike-run) event organizer - each year I produce the Musselman Triathlon (Geneva, NY), Fly by Night Duathlon (Watkins Glen, NY), and Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon (Portland, OR). Through these events, I have created sustainable race production methods that are innovating the way sports are produced in this country.”  – Nomination Jeff Henderson, Geneva, NY
	“Wood is my primary heat source. But the wood we use as fuel comes primarily from old wood stacks that have been ignored when a property transition takes place and the new owners don't want it.”  – Gus Guley, Binghamton, NY
	“Eight years ago, my wife & I purchased a parcel of distressed farm land in Tioga County. Together with a lot of hard work and ideas we built a beautiful 18-Hole Golf Course call Hollybrook Country Club. We took the brown barren land and transformed it into gorgeous & green Tee Boxes, Fairways, & Greens.”  – Mark Stevens, Spence, NY