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For Earth Day, Members of the Woolpack Share How Charity Begins at Home
Last year for Earth Day, staff members from throughout Woolpert and its family of companies shared some of the ways that their work helps protect and improve our global environment. This year, we asked our staff to share a picture or two that illustrates what they do away from the office to advance sustainability and protect the planet.
Thanks to all who participated and to all who contribute to making the world a better place every day!
Marsha Tucker, Interior Designer, Virginia Beach
I am happy to be a member of the Woolpert Green Team, advancing sustainability efforts across our industries. Because the city of Chesapeake stopped providing recycling support, I am recycling at home with a service. I also am getting involved with local efforts at the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach. Happy Earth Day!
Dan Michalec, Innovation Portfolio Manager, Dayton
Over the last two years, we’ve been building a DIY skatepark in an underserved neighborhood in North Dayton. What was once an overgrown and abandoned city park—littered with trash and illicit activities—is now a clean and safe spot for skaters of all ages and skill level. As a lifelong skater, it’s been rewarding to see the site’s transformation and give back to the community. We plan to keep expanding and growing the spot. Remember: Use the trash cans.
Tori Sullivan, Aviation Engineer in Training, Indianapolis
Another easy and very helpful way to contribute to the environment is to compost. I add yard waste and produce scraps to my friends’ compost barrels.
Maria Muia, Senior Aviation Planner, Indianapolis
The aviation industry’s impact on global warming is roughly 2.5% of global annual CO2 emissions, which in my opinion is 2.5% too much. So, I try to be the raindrop in the rain barrel of change. I can’t do much as just one person, but maybe if we all chip in, the sum of the efforts can influence that pendulum toward change.
John Hall, Environmental Planner, Kansas City, Mo.
I try to do something for the environment once a year. Last year, I retired my gas-powered lawn tools. This year I bought a rain barrel and started composting. I am a believer in small changes making big impacts for the environment. Happy Earth Day!
Greg Sanders, Senior Aviation Planner at Jviation, a Woolpert Company, Cincinnati
We use Queen City Commons for our household food waste and other compostable material. We don’t have space in our yard for a full-blown compost pile, so we have a bucket and drop off our waste at our local pet/garden store a few blocks away.
Rick Busch, Aviation Consultant, Denver
For years my family has been growing a large container garden, and in the past two years I switched to a hybrid Honda CRV and a battery-powered lawn mower. An interesting side note for an aviation consultant like me—when we moved here 25 years ago, we got a truckload of crushed concrete pavement for landscaping in the backyard and for use as a base for our container garden. We were told the concrete came from pavement at the old Stapleton Airport, which was being demolished.
Kate Johnson, Employee Experience & Communications Manager, Dayton
After buying a new home, we had to take care of a dying tree but replanted another tree very close by to make sure we kept balance and protected our environment's resources! Now it's a fun family project. My 3-year-old loves to water it, and we're excited to watch it grow alongside her.
Morgan Einspahr, Environmental Planner, Denver
I also am a proud member of the Green Team at Woolpert! At home, my family practices regenerative agriculture, which focuses on the health of the ecological system. It’s just cool! The kids help with planting seeds in the greenhouse. We grow our own food because it’s much healthier and it reduces emissions for transport and trips to the grocery store. And it’s so much fun!
Greg Monnig, Aviation Project Manager, Dayton
For the past three years, I have been getting bare root tree and shrub seedings to plant on the farm. I get them from Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual tree sale. It is a fun way to start some native plants without spending a fortune. I did 200 the first year which way too many because you need to keep them watered a lot that first year to get established. The past two year I planted 30-40 seedlings, which is much more manageable. I recommend putting a fence cage around the plants to keep the deer out. Also it helps to do Honeysuckle clearing in the woods to allow the native trees more room to grow. All my table scraps got to my chickens. They are eggcellent at composting, and I get the benefit of eggs.
Jeff Borowiec, Aviation Planner, College Station, Texas
Even something as traditional as a garden helps protect the Earth. I planted this garden earlier this month, and it has a few different types of tomatoes and two kinds of peppers.
Tony Davis, Aviation Planner, Bel Air, Md.
My son helped build this bridge as part of his Eagle Scout project. The bridge helped complete a walking/bike path around one of our local parks.
Didi Tacovic, Geospatial Specialist, Dayton
My daughter and I joined a Woolpert team a few years back on Earth Day for a Five Rivers MetroParks Cleanup Event. This year in Dayton, Greg Monnig is again leading a Woolpert team at a MetroParks’ Adopt-A-Park event this Saturday. And in Denver, Aviation Engineer Rachel Leigh is leading a team at the annual Earth Day Cherry Creek Cleanup. It’s great to get out and help wherever we can!
