Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, March 16, 2008 Retirement community shows its green side By Julie Muhlstein, Herald Columnist What's been called the oldest profession has grabbed so much attention that little has been made of a fresh batch of sins. Let's leave the story of disgraced New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer where it belongs, in last week's headlines. We're on to a new week, this one marked by the wearin' o' the green. Speaking of green, concern for the environment is showing up in unexpected places, including the Vatican. Dare I call it the doin' o' the green? Polluting is among several offenses a Roman Catholic Church official listed as "new sins" in an interview published March 9 in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper. Bearing the headline "New Forms of Social Sin," the interview with Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti outlined aspects of modern life that church officials see as an affront to God. Along with harming the environment, Girotti decried economic injustice, genetic experimentation and drug abuse, according to the Associated Press. It's good to hear that engineers are working on solar energy for some Vatican buildings. However, I can't help but point out a teensy-weensy contradiction in the church's newfound environmentalism. Forgive me, but -- um -- is this the same Roman Catholic Church that still seriously frowns on the use of artificial contraception? Too many people on our fragile planet, isn't that one whale of an environmental issue? Just a thought. Anyway, I'm no one to talk. I'm a Catholic mother of three children. My late husband and I more than replaced ourselves, leaving carbon footprints all over the place. Quick, time to change the subject -- or at least move it from Vatican City to Everett, where another unexpected place is embracing earth-friendly practices. The Garden Court Retirement Community in south Everett recently began recycling its food waste. "We recycle scraps of all the food from the kitchen, all the scrapings, everything left on the plates," said Alicia Bright, maintenance director at Garden Court. The community has 148 apartments and more than 30 residents in assisted living. Garden Court works with Cedar Grove Composting, a Seattle-based company with a compost facility on Everett's Smith Island. The retirement community's kitchen staff puts food waste into biodegradable bags, which are discarded in an outside compost bin provided by Cedar Grove. The compost company makes a weekly pickup. Other garbage and recycled items are handled as usual, by Waste Management. Cedar Grove Composting came for a short training s ession and "everybody wanted to participate," Bright said. "We now have a 'green team,' a committee in the building." That team includes some senior residents. "I like to think our seniors are very progressive," said Jamie Jewell, resident service director at Garden Court. "As far as I know, we're the only retirement community actually doing this." Susan Thoman, director of marketing at Cedar Grove Composting, said that while food waste recycling is well under way in Seattle, it's just getting started in Snohomish County. "They're leading the pack," Thoman said of Garden Court. The cost of recycling is generally about half what customers pay for regular garbage collection, she said. Optional biodegradable bags add to the cost. Food waste -- not just veggies and fruits, but bread, pasta, all of it -- is turned into compost and compost-based soil, which is sold to commercial landscapers and to the public. "We'd love to see more of the public come; they're welcome," Thoman said. Workers at Garden Court are pleased that the greener kitchen has been accepted with enthusiasm. "We do have this green team, and residents are an instrumental part of it. They come up with wonderful ideas," Jewell said. What she's seen goes against any notion that environmental concern is only for the young. "Let's get rid of these stereotypes. A lot of these folks have grandchildren. They really are concerned with what's going on in the world," she said. Bright also sees environmental zeal among residents, sometimes more than she'd like. "They want to recycle their old Kleenex. We don't have to go that far," she said. At 55, Bright is encouraged that elders are setting a green example. "If younger ones don't see us doing it, how are we going to get them to do it?" she said. "Everybody has a part in it." Unlikely as it seems, even the Vatican. Columnist Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460 or muhlstein@heraldnet.com.

1. Emory’s owner fears fire was arson 2. Monroe honking case makes it to state Supreme Court 3. Vatican ponders the souls in space 4. 81 veterans' names, 81 meaningful lives honored in Snohomish 5. Hope dims that Olympics will boost region 6. Student hit in crosswalk to return 7. Smokey Point to celebrate end of roadwork 8. Death on Edmonds waterfront ruled a suicide 9. Help for young moms may continue 10. Semifinal slate sealed on ‘Dancing With Stars’ 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Bazaar Fever • Hawks proud of historic season • Olson always put Edmonds first • Honoring student veterans • ‘Wheedle' author comes to Lynnwood bookshop • Mavs build early lead en route to easy win • Prep football games of the week (state playoffs) • Tears of laughter, tears of grief • Death on Edmonds beach likely a suicide • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million