Category: Green Machine

Posted on by camptowanda

The Green Machine

Why is every day Earth Day at Camp Towanda?

1207_Towanda_2961Naturally, being at camp is green in itself… being aware of the outdoors and the environment; appreciating the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside, the sunshine, rain, night sky, morning dew or just a bird chirping.  Camp is naturally what green is about.

Although Towanda in general has been environmentally minded for years, we have turned up awareness…and everyone is getting involved.

We recycle containers, newspapers, batteries and boxes, and we have recycling bins throughout camp.

IMG_9580Our campers partake in the GREEN MACHINE competition which gets everyone involved. Staff carpool and we all pitch in with litter, recycling, conserving energy, identifying water leaks, not wasting food and making sure everyone stays hydrated throughout the day.

We even have a compost pile!

Our pool is solar heated and our hot water is efficiently maintained!

Many of our Arts & Crafts projects incorporate recycled materials.

Camp already uses mostly fluorescent bulbs, and as our current incandescent and CFL stock is depleted, we will replace with LEDs.

1207_Towanda_3650And of course there is our Gardening Club with Stephanie, where we grow our own vegetables which are used in our Culinary Cooking Class!

There is so much you can do at home. Check out Jared’s Green Machine Tips here.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Posted on by camptowanda

Jared’s Green Machine Tips

As many of you know, Jared is our resident recycling expert. He keeps us green and honest involving all things at camp with our Green Machine program, getting everyone to want to recycle, turn off lights, check for running water and much much more.  He also runs our greenhouse and orchestrates all of our other green initiatives that keep our little corner of the world in its natural, beautiful form.  Here are his top tips for things you can do to help our environment, your school, community and home.

  • Turn off (like off off) your computer and phone once in a while (they need to rest too!)
  • When you shave or brush your teeth it’s okay to turn the faucet off when you’re not rinsing the razor or physically have the brush in your mouth.
  • Recycle! If you do recycle already, awesome! But there’s always room for improvement…check out what programs your town offers. Find out more about single stream recycling where you can combine plastics, metals, glass, paper and cardboard in one bin!
  • If your school or office doesn’t recycle…get them to recycle!!!   Looks great on any resume to start a recycling program…and you’re contributing to saving the planet.
  • Collect your used batteries and return them to BestBuy! They actually have a bin at their entrance for this exact purpose!
  • Eat as local and seasonal as you can….ask for the local or seasonal dishes or if there are none encourage your favorite restaurants to follow suit…if the people demand it the people will get it…and you’ll be feeling a lot healthier too!
  • If you don’t have a garden it’s time to plant one…whether it s a few pots in your window or a dirt patch in your back yard….gardening is one of the most rewarding activities.
  • Compost!  Yes that’s right…make your own dirt!!!!   Here’s some easy tips on how and what to compost! http://www.composting101.com/what-to-use.html
  • Invest in and install renewable resources! Present an idea to your schools and offices and family to go green and set the example for the future. In most cases the capital you invest will profit in under five years! PROFIT! Plus, when the next hurricane or snow storm comes around you’ll be cozy and comfortable in your own sustainable home.

    For more Gardening and Earth-Friendly tips, check out our Pinterest boards at here.

    Got a tip!? Share it with us in the comments below.

    Happy Earth Day everyone!