When we decided to look at our company and all the green practices we already had in place and see what else can be improved, it seems like the most natural thing to do. But setting out on a journey requires a very stern commitment to stay on course against all obstacles. Of course we all want to be eco-friendly and go green, but a lot of times after you stopped to take stock of what you have and see what can be improved, you begin to take the necessary steps, and although people around are very supportive, they may still tell you “but what you are asking for just can’t be done” or “it is not yet out there on the market, wait some more”. Thankfully, we have some really amazing people on our team here who refuse to hear no, and they always find a way to make things work and get the green solution we needed. From converting our entire fleet of trucks to run on biodiesel to everyday things like switching to eco bubble, to finding away to have our employees get their cup of water or coffee in an earth friendly way. Every little thing counts, adds up, and can inspire people around to change their own habits. This is what keeps on inspiring us to continue to improve every day.
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”
– Henry Ford
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Our humble experiences taught us that we really can be the change we want to see in the world, and all it takes is having a vision, a goal, and to believe that it is possible. We are always in the process of learning, and we love looking around our community and see that people everywhere are taking inspirational initiatives, big and small, like the group of parents, educators, business and non-profits in the community of Lawndale, CA who created a very unique school that is such a breath of fresh clean air!
We know that moving is more than moving boxes from point A to point B. We are on the phone with our clients every day, hearing moving stories of why they need to move, of all the tasks revolving around the move like change of address notices, arranging to clean the old and new home and, many many more. One of the most important ones is finding a new school for their children. So we are beyond happy to see that people in the Los Angeles community took such an incredible initiative and created the Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale, CA, hopefully a forbearer of more acts of communities working together to bring in new consciousness.
“Obstacles cannot crush me; every obstacle yields to stern resolve.”
– Leonardo Da Vinci
ECHS is a free public charter school that operates independent of a traditional school district, and is open to students throughout LA. County. Its mission is to “inspire students to discover their own sense of purpose, to equip all students with the knowledge and skills to graduate from college, and to empower them to become quality stewards of their community and world”. This award winning institution, founded in 2000, is ranked in the top 3% of Public High Schools by U.S. News & World Report, and was one of six public schools selected to compete for a presidential commencement address from President Obama as part of the president’s and the Department of Education’s Top High School Commencement Challenge.
ECHS extends learning beyond the classroom walls: students participate in outdoor educational challenges to develop self-confidence and leadership skills, they complete community service, have outdoor education field trips, and are encouraged to take internships. The school initiated the Green Ambassadors Institute, and its students formed the Green My Parents movement.
The school’s extraordinary results helped it not only win awards but also receive this year’s Science Grant from the Ahmanson Foundation and support from Global Green USA, one of NorthStar Moving®’s own green community partners. ECHS celebrated it’s expansion at the beginning of this school year with the grand opening of Environmental Middle School, and it’s future definitely looks bright green.
To learn more about this unique school visit their site, and I would recommend clicking on every video you can find there, because the energetic spirit that these kids have is tangible in each one.
