One of my pet peeves is the "Faux Green" movement - that is, people who jump on the environmental bandwagon without really getting the point.
Case in point: A while back, Madison Magazine sent out a media kit promoting its Going Green Expo in Madison.
The media kit was pretty and eye-catching. Inside the 10-inch square cardboard box was another box, this one about 8 inches square and made from a beautiful green paper about the weight of a heavy tagboard, complete with an elastic band and beautiful paper button as a fastener.
And inside this box was a 6-inch square wirebound notebook with a heavy cardboard cover and a plastic and cardboard ballpoint pen affixed inside. There also was a postcard invitation made from a handmade paper.
The whole thing appeared, of course, quite green: The paper used for the invitation was imbedded with wildflower seeds. The directions said to simply soak the card in a bowl of water for a day, then plant under a thin layer of soil. The notebook and pen were made of recycled materials, and the "presentation folder" was made from 100-percent post-consumer waste and ecological pigments and varnish.
But it was a bit perplexing. Nowhere on the invitation did it mention what the Going Green Wisconsin Expo was, or when it would happen. The invitation included a name, phone number and e-mail to contact, but no pertinent info. Also perplexing was the fact that it was sent to me under my maiden name, which I haven't used in more than nine years. The address label also had a Madison ZIP code instead of Monroe's. Some PR person was being pretty lazy that day.
But even more perplexing, and infuriating, was the amount of natural resources that went into producing a meaningless press kit. Sure, it was a nice little notebook and a beautiful little box and my daughter will enjoy it for about a week before it is thrown away, but it was a total waste. A simple e-mail with pertinent details would have been more effective, and far more "green."
If you want to promote a green lifestyle, promote the beauty of less and the sustainability of making wise choices. Each media kit surely cost several dollars - it would have better served the Going Green Wisconsin Expo cause to donate that money, along with the $4.60 it cost to mail each media kit, to a charitable environmental organization.
The whole thing was a waste of money, a waste of resources and a big waste of time. So much for "going green."
• • •
Monroe High School student Nicole Heinen is on her way to a vocal music camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts - thanks to a little community support.
Nicole, 16, is a gifted soprano with a passion for opera and classical music. When accepted into the prestigious summer program at Interlochen, she jumped at the chance. Her story was featured in the April 7 edition of The Monroe Times.
Nicole's mother Rebecca Cherney said individuals and businesses contributed about $2,000 to help offset the more than $5,000 expense for Heinen to attend the month-long camp. She said the family is very thankful for the monetary donations and words of encouragement the community offered her daughter, and is especially thankful to Joanne Hawthorn and Amcore Bank for establishing a fund to collect donations. Coming up with the tuition and uniform fees would have been a financial hardship for the family, but Rebecca said they are committed to helping Nicole achieve her dreams of becoming a professional opera singer.
Nicole leaves for her month-long musical adventure June 21. Rebecca said the family will be leaving early - like 1 a.m. - to make the seven-hour drive to Interlochen. She added anyone who wants to hear Nicole sing before she leaves can do so this Friday night at the Firemen's Festival in Orangeville.
Good luck, Nicole!
• • •
Dick Anderson, Woods Tech teacher at Darlington High School, reports that a crew from Wisconsin Public Television came to the school in late May to do a story and interview on the covered bridge four students built as a class project. Anderson said the crew was there for three hours and "covered the students working and problem solving on this years bridge as well as visiting where it will go and then a trip to see last year's 44-foot long bridge." They are expected to return to get footage of this year's project being moved. The In Wisconsin segment will air later this summer or fall on Channel 21 in Madison.
- Mary Jane Grenzow is the features editor for The Monroe Times. She can be reached at mgrenzow@themonroetimes.com
Case in point: A while back, Madison Magazine sent out a media kit promoting its Going Green Expo in Madison.
The media kit was pretty and eye-catching. Inside the 10-inch square cardboard box was another box, this one about 8 inches square and made from a beautiful green paper about the weight of a heavy tagboard, complete with an elastic band and beautiful paper button as a fastener.
And inside this box was a 6-inch square wirebound notebook with a heavy cardboard cover and a plastic and cardboard ballpoint pen affixed inside. There also was a postcard invitation made from a handmade paper.
The whole thing appeared, of course, quite green: The paper used for the invitation was imbedded with wildflower seeds. The directions said to simply soak the card in a bowl of water for a day, then plant under a thin layer of soil. The notebook and pen were made of recycled materials, and the "presentation folder" was made from 100-percent post-consumer waste and ecological pigments and varnish.
But it was a bit perplexing. Nowhere on the invitation did it mention what the Going Green Wisconsin Expo was, or when it would happen. The invitation included a name, phone number and e-mail to contact, but no pertinent info. Also perplexing was the fact that it was sent to me under my maiden name, which I haven't used in more than nine years. The address label also had a Madison ZIP code instead of Monroe's. Some PR person was being pretty lazy that day.
But even more perplexing, and infuriating, was the amount of natural resources that went into producing a meaningless press kit. Sure, it was a nice little notebook and a beautiful little box and my daughter will enjoy it for about a week before it is thrown away, but it was a total waste. A simple e-mail with pertinent details would have been more effective, and far more "green."
If you want to promote a green lifestyle, promote the beauty of less and the sustainability of making wise choices. Each media kit surely cost several dollars - it would have better served the Going Green Wisconsin Expo cause to donate that money, along with the $4.60 it cost to mail each media kit, to a charitable environmental organization.
The whole thing was a waste of money, a waste of resources and a big waste of time. So much for "going green."
• • •
Monroe High School student Nicole Heinen is on her way to a vocal music camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts - thanks to a little community support.
Nicole, 16, is a gifted soprano with a passion for opera and classical music. When accepted into the prestigious summer program at Interlochen, she jumped at the chance. Her story was featured in the April 7 edition of The Monroe Times.
Nicole's mother Rebecca Cherney said individuals and businesses contributed about $2,000 to help offset the more than $5,000 expense for Heinen to attend the month-long camp. She said the family is very thankful for the monetary donations and words of encouragement the community offered her daughter, and is especially thankful to Joanne Hawthorn and Amcore Bank for establishing a fund to collect donations. Coming up with the tuition and uniform fees would have been a financial hardship for the family, but Rebecca said they are committed to helping Nicole achieve her dreams of becoming a professional opera singer.
Nicole leaves for her month-long musical adventure June 21. Rebecca said the family will be leaving early - like 1 a.m. - to make the seven-hour drive to Interlochen. She added anyone who wants to hear Nicole sing before she leaves can do so this Friday night at the Firemen's Festival in Orangeville.
Good luck, Nicole!
• • •
Dick Anderson, Woods Tech teacher at Darlington High School, reports that a crew from Wisconsin Public Television came to the school in late May to do a story and interview on the covered bridge four students built as a class project. Anderson said the crew was there for three hours and "covered the students working and problem solving on this years bridge as well as visiting where it will go and then a trip to see last year's 44-foot long bridge." They are expected to return to get footage of this year's project being moved. The In Wisconsin segment will air later this summer or fall on Channel 21 in Madison.
- Mary Jane Grenzow is the features editor for The Monroe Times. She can be reached at mgrenzow@themonroetimes.com