The eco vibes were strong at the Capitol on Monday with organizations and individuals congregated for the Climate & Energy Project's WEALTH Day summit.
On the agenda: a policy briefing and presentations on Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transportation, and Health. But we spent most of the day set up at our booth, talking to people who share our interests. We learned of organizations in Topeka we didn't know about (Bethany House & Garden) and got insight from ones we already admired (KC Can Compost). We met folks from Dodge City to Kansas City, high-school freshmen to senior citizens. We got lots of interest in TerraCycle and lots of questions about toothpaste tablets. And we got a little bit of face time with one of our state reps!
The event helped showcase how many people around the state care about sustainability and how they come at it from a variety of angles. They have different priorities and fall anywhere on the spectrum of environmental commitment. Some people don't need a soap-refill service because they make all their soap themselves. Others are looking for advice on how to wean their family off bottled water.
We should make sure the environmental conversation—at all levels—is welcoming to everyone on that spectrum. We want to push the envelope while being understanding of barriers and appreciating anyone making an effort at positive change.
Because even in business or in government, it's ultimately people who have the power. Connecting with them, bringing everyone on board, is the way we will build WEALTH and sustain it.
