‘Green Orleans’ will offer programs to help people reduce impact on environment

ALBION – A new organization has formed to help local residents preserve the environment and reduce their carbon footprint.

Green Orleans will be leading a meeting on Jan. 26 about municipal composting. That session at 11:30 a.m. will be at Hoag Library in Albion. Brian Murphy from NOCO Enterprises LLC will lead the discussion that is open to the community.

Green Orleans is a grassroots organization open to residents seeking a more sustainable lifestyle. The group would like to offer monthly programs.

“We understand that most of these ‘small actions’ may not make a major difference, but we do believe that the more of us who try, the greater the difference we can make,” said Tom Robinson, one of the leaders of the group.

Robinson is a retired school counselor at the Medina school district, and a long-time Medina resident.

“I have gotten involved with this group as I have become more concerned about the environmental changes in recent years and the potential adverse effects these changes may have on my grandchildren,” Robinson said. “My responsibility is to do whatever I can as an individual to assure the inhabitability of our area and the world in which we live, as extreme as that may sound. I hope that others who are so concerned will also do what little bit that they can do as well.”

Green Orleans suggests the following simple steps to help reduce environment impacts:

• Consider making fewer short trips in your vehicle by planning better and combining your errands. For example, going to the grocery store, pharmacy and gas station in one trip. This may reduce your mileage and the amount of your carbon emissions.
• Consider ride sharing for meetings, events, church, etc.
• When you go out to eat, take your own reusable container for any leftover food
• Take reusable bags into all types of stores – not just the grocery store

If you are interested in becoming part of Green Orleans, the group suggests attending the Jan. 26 meeting.

For those who are interested, but cannot attend the daytime meetings, you are encouraged to contact either Sister Dolores O’Dowd at sda_albion@rochester.rr.com or Kim Remley at 585-589-5053 (leave message). Robinson urges people to share other ideas on sustainability.