Sound Waters is first!

This month’s Sound Waters was our first Whidbey Green Seal certified event. If you haven’t yet heard, the Whidbey Green Seal was launched last July and so far 40 organizations have been certified. Churches, non-profits, businesses, schools and government offices may apply online at www.sustainablewhidbey.org/projects/greenseal. Applications include a checklist that will steer organizations toward reducing waste, saving energy, conserving water, reducing toxins and supporting the island community.  Your organization can check off whatever applies and see if it scores high enough for certification.

But wait! There’s more!

The 17th Annual Sound Waters Conference coordinated by the WSU Beach Watchers of Island County became the first to qualify as a Whidbey Green Seal event, which is a new category. Sound Waters crew planned carefully to reduce waste. After hosting 530 people in a day-long conference with over 60 classes, lunch and snacks, they generated only nine pounds of garbage. The rest was recycled or composted. A parking area close to the entrance was designated for carpools. And those traveling by bus got prizes.

These and other efforts made Sound Waters the perfect event to spotlight this new aspect of the Whidbey Green Seal. For more information on planning a Whidbey Green Seal event, contact Cathy D’Almeida at cathy.dalmeida@gmail.com

Maribeth Crandell
city of Oak Harbor