Breathing into Being

The second I sense that I need to talk to someone in an open environment, meaning not with a specific platform, pressure enters and I sound ridiculous even to myself, or I clam up and say nothing- particularly in a group setting or party. It's exasperating! A tape plays in my head, "You're terrible at small talk, you can't do this." I get so busy listening to this con that I can't marshall my tongue to move or my brain to come up with a question. Sometimes, I practice a question beforehand, particularly for gatherings or parties, so I have some generic ice breaker at hand like, "What are your plans for the weekend, spring break, the holidays, etc." Sometimes I'm so busy playing that loser tune, even the prep question alludes my holely brain. Sometimes I stumble into meaningful conversation, but at heart I remain unsure of how to easily enter conversation about the ideas that interest me. 

Yesterday, I confessed my discomfort in asking for donations because it feels like sales- I'm terrible at sales, not a salesperson, blah, blah, blah. My friend eyed me over once and then said, "That's not true. Kim, you're very good at selling an idea you're passionate about. You've sold me before!" With that statement  and alternative perspective ringing around in my head, I went to an exhibit today that was in part in existence because I helped championed it.

Truth is I championed something because I couldn't find anyone else to do it. I asked other champions to hang with me and see what they could do with their ideas. Today I saw that the work of other people came out of that breath I was willing to blow months and months ago and realized what can happen when I half heartedly attempt to keep a beautiful thought alive- like at museum exhibit and a card game!

Now for less tape playing and more breathing... keep going!

That cool card game that got made as part of Upgrade Athens Co.

from the Discovery Museum exhibit of the Green Revolution

Upgrade Athens

Chris Chmiel has a clever, fun, and yet meaningful way to engage Athenians in saving energy-- playing a game for five million dollars! What's not to love? We loose, we still reduce our energy habit. We win, $$$.

The trick is to get everyone to play and to play in earnest. For details on the game, see the Georgetown University Energy Prize (GUEP). The application is due in days. If we get selected, the game starts 1 January, 2015. There is loads to do in the meantime so put on your thinking cap!

My five freezing winters in Japan made me value things like insulation, double paned windows, and the need to squeeze every bit of warmth possible from yen spent on fuel. Living through a nuclear meltdown, also in Japan, made me aware of the costs of energy in so many more ways. So, life experience makes me an easy sell. I'm guessing we need to figure out how to reach the less receptive crowd to win this game. Like most adventures in life, the fun is in the doing, the connecting, and the just seeing how the bar can be moved.

When I listened to Chris' presentation, he made the point that the most obvious impact on energy consumption, is to focus on energy efficiency. How efficient are you? It's time to get an energy audit.

Here's the spiel he sent me about the next stage:

If GUEP approves the application, Athens County will move into the Stage 2 (July-November, 2014) development of an action plan for 2015-2016.  The plan must specify how we will work together to reduce utility use in residences, public buildings and schools throughout the county.  Of particular interest will be efforts to provide resources and information to residents that help reduce or control rising household utility costs.  This effort will engage an array of partners, including local schools and higher education institutions, private businesses, non-profit organizations and local technical expertise.

To help county residents, businesses and organizations current with competition activities, the initial planning committee is developing a web site:  http://athensguep.org.  

Consider where you can help Athens upgrade-- home, work, school, church, institution? Individuals could start here-- Thousand Home Challenge. I'm wondering about someone's nightlight? It might be a good idea to schedule a home energy audit (Columbia Gas 1-877-644-6674).

Sunrise Tuscan Chicken & Food Talk

My second day at the Real Food Real Local Institute included a shout out to a local Athenian, Abby Cornwell whose entrée Sunrise Tuscan Chicken was submitted to Michelle Obama's Let's Move's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge earlier this year. Abby is the State of Ohio winner. She and her mother will be traveling to the White House for a "State Dinner" with Michelle Obama (see it here).

I connected with Ohio University Food Studies initiative leader, Theresa Moran. She mentioned several local events on the theme (keep an eye out for more events in the fall) and recommended readings like Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson. 

Did you know that Athens is one of the hubs of hipness in Ohio?

Tourism Ohio talked about branding work and the economic impact of tourism trends in Ohio based on food, history, and unique distinctive experiences. Their current marketing themes linclude "Sharing a 30 mile meal" and "Too much fun for just one day." 

The key note speaker, Anthony Flaccavento, spoke about local food as a movement. His term about the "vaguely concerned, sporadically motivated" was about cultivating the next layer of food citizens. One success tactic that he has seen across the USA, Community Supported Agriculture groups brining fresh produce to work sites. We talked about trusting the experience of good food to speak for itself, but the trick is finding easy ways to get the food into people and then allowing them to form their own opinion without ruining it by preaching. 

Athens County Commissioner and local farmer Chris Chmiel spoke about Athens County and Athens City participating in energy conservation and energy competition, Georgetown University Energy Prize, worth $5 million dollars to the community that wins. Athens, Ohio, is throwing its hat into the game which begins 1 January, 2015,  and it will be wagered for two years, stay tuned. Locals can find information on renewable energy through ARECC.

Abby Cornwell's winning Ohio entry for Healthy School Lunch contest!