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Health & Fitness

Earth Day 2013: How did I get here?

Denise Carleton, Executive Director of Reaping Nature Educational Outreach Foundation, shares how one person inspired her work to educate others through a shared passion . . . recycling.

I didn’t grow up with the knowledge of recycling or how to protect the environment at home, in my community, or in school.  I don’t think I even knew there was such a thing as Earth Day.  There are, however, many memories from my childhood that would be considered environmentally-friendly that have stayed with me.

I remember my mom jarring and pickling vegetables from our garden in upstate New York, munching on salted garden-picked cucumbers on the porch roof of a childhood friend, delighting in bright red radishes from a family member’s garden in Vermont, ice skating on an inlet of the frozen Barnegat Bay, skiing the slippery slopes of Whiteface Mountain, and swimming carefree in the Jersey Shore’s ocean surf.  The very thought of these memories bring a smile to my face.  I can see and taste the vegetables, hear the ice under my skates, feel the cold wind on my face, and smell the salt in the surf.

None of these memories involved recycling or environmental stewardship, or the thought that one day I would educate others about how they can recycle, be a steward of Earth, and why it's so important.

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Earth Day is a very busy and special time of year for me.  Each year, excitedly so, requests, including this blog, grow.  Every year I am honored and filled with anticipation from these requests.  But how did I get here?

It’s simple . . . I was inspired by one person.

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Twelve years ago my family was transplanted to a foreign city and state . . . Alpharetta, Georgia.  Not long after getting settled, I started noticing the habits of my neighbors.  Okay, that sounds odd, but I did. In particular, I noticed that my neighbors next door kept an awful lot of “trash” in their garage.  I soon became perplexed, okay . . . yes, nosey, so I asked about it.

My neighbor, Kris, explained that her family wanted to make sure that their recycling was, in fact, recycled.  See, she had witnessed their recycling being thrown in the back of a trash truck.  She had made the decision to take her family's recycling to a local drop-off center to ensure its proper handling.  She was very environmentally-conscious and shared her knowledge with me.  I was motivated by her words and passion, and was game to try something new . . . recycling all that I could.

Quickly I noticed how the “trash” of my family diminished.  I started to feel empowered.  I was also having fun.  Kris and I would take trips to that local drop-off center.  It was really cool to recycle and to talk to the people working there.  Yes, I will admit that these trips were reinforced with a glass, or two, of wine afterwards, and the friendship that was growing . . . a dear and wonderful friendship that is now twelve years strong.

The power of one is amazing and can be life-changing.  It has been my incredible experience over the years to know that I have had the same impact on others that Kris had on me.  It’s what drives me forward and lets me know that my work is not done.

So for Earth Day 2013, I not only reflect on my journey and getting here, and I look forward to who else I can “grow.”

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