How can we help the environment while helping those in need?
Guest Responder: Erin Stephens, Lakeview Pantry Director of Volunteers
Recycling, global warming, carbon footprints, energy efficiency, buy local…whew! These terms have entered our environmentally-conscious lexicon with a vengeance. Well, at least they have entered mine. I don’t know about anyone else, but I get overwhelmed by the scope of the ecological reparations my generation has to start planning.
There is one green term, though, that has the opposite effect on me—bicycling.
First, let me introduce myself. My name is Erin Stephens and I recently began working for the Lakeview Pantry as the Director of Volunteers. My job prior to this one was as the Event Volunteer Coordinator for the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. I was very lucky to work in an environment that taught me how effective bikes are for everyday errands and transportation. I also learned that you never have to convince people how fun it is to ride a bike!
Well, this same efficiency and fun can easily be applied to volunteer work for the Lakeview Pantry. Some of the biggest lessons I am learning from my job here is how much energy is required for food distribution, counting both the manpower and fossil fuels used to move and transport it. While I would never want to remove the human connection to food distribution (someone has to stock the shelves, examine the produce, and interact with the customer), we can do something about the amount of gas and oil we burn through transporting our food.
For example, help us pick up our daily donations from local stores with your bike and a trailer. You will be amazed at how much cargo a person can transport. Are you still not comfortable riding amongst all those cars? Well, travel in a pack during a bike-trailer themed bag drive! Also remember, bikes get noticed on the streets. Any time you are riding on behalf of the LVP, you are helping to promote our organization and non-profits can use all the free PR they can get.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas to incorporate cycling or alternative transportation into the Lakeview Pantry volunteer program. This world needs more innovative and ecologically responsible ways to equalize societies’ access to food. I personally think the volunteers of the LVP community are just the minds to start this type of action, so get out there and ride!
For more information about volunteering for Lakeview Pantry, contact Erin at 773-517-4813 or email erin@lakeviewpantry.org.
Recycling, global warming, carbon footprints, energy efficiency, buy local…whew! These terms have entered our environmentally-conscious lexicon with a vengeance. Well, at least they have entered mine. I don’t know about anyone else, but I get overwhelmed by the scope of the ecological reparations my generation has to start planning.
There is one green term, though, that has the opposite effect on me—bicycling.
First, let me introduce myself. My name is Erin Stephens and I recently began working for the Lakeview Pantry as the Director of Volunteers. My job prior to this one was as the Event Volunteer Coordinator for the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. I was very lucky to work in an environment that taught me how effective bikes are for everyday errands and transportation. I also learned that you never have to convince people how fun it is to ride a bike!
Well, this same efficiency and fun can easily be applied to volunteer work for the Lakeview Pantry. Some of the biggest lessons I am learning from my job here is how much energy is required for food distribution, counting both the manpower and fossil fuels used to move and transport it. While I would never want to remove the human connection to food distribution (someone has to stock the shelves, examine the produce, and interact with the customer), we can do something about the amount of gas and oil we burn through transporting our food.
For example, help us pick up our daily donations from local stores with your bike and a trailer. You will be amazed at how much cargo a person can transport. Are you still not comfortable riding amongst all those cars? Well, travel in a pack during a bike-trailer themed bag drive! Also remember, bikes get noticed on the streets. Any time you are riding on behalf of the LVP, you are helping to promote our organization and non-profits can use all the free PR they can get.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas to incorporate cycling or alternative transportation into the Lakeview Pantry volunteer program. This world needs more innovative and ecologically responsible ways to equalize societies’ access to food. I personally think the volunteers of the LVP community are just the minds to start this type of action, so get out there and ride!
For more information about volunteering for Lakeview Pantry, contact Erin at 773-517-4813 or email erin@lakeviewpantry.org.
posted by Lakeview Pantry at 9:47 AM
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