Sometimes it Takes a Little Validation

For the past couple of weeks I have been facilitating and participating in one of USEE's Community Discussion Groups, namely the Choices for Sustainability one. The group is small and consists of different people from various backgrounds and places with diverse efforts of making sustainable choices. Each person brings their own individual experiences and colorful discussion to the table.

The discussion groups are a great way to get to know your community a little better. Not only do you directly connect with the people in your community by talking with other group members every week, but you also learn the ins and outs of what services other people are using. For instance, in Choices for Sustainability we talk about the different resources that are available through out the Salt Lake Valley to help us all make more sustainable choices. After three weeks of discussion, I have already learned a lot about the different businesses around the valley that provide sustainable options for various products and lifestyle choices.

One of the best things about the discussion groups, however, is what we learn and the way that we are all influenced by reading the articles provided by the course and the discussion that we hold thereafter. Both my mom and my step-dad are in the Choices for Sustainability discussion group with me and it has been interesting to watch them learn about the issues presented and to see the choices they are making as a result. Being immersed in many of the issues for years through my job, school, and a lifelong general interest, my parents have heard much of this before. But as they read through these articles and discuss them with our community group, their language and behaviors are changing. This past week's discussion was about sustainable food choices. During that discussion, I watched my parents' language move from considering a garden (but more often than not deciding not to have one due to various factors) to "When we have a garden...."

What are some sustainable choices that you recently have made, or want to make?

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