My Story of Converting to Green
By Jay Holgate
Green Express Couriers

In 2005, three major storms collided and it completely changed my life and my perspective on the world. When my heart and mind changed, I made radical changes to my courier business. The reality for all of us is that the world is fine until a problem affects you directly. Then you make changes. This is my story of how I became involved in Atlanta's environmental world.

Strike One- In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the northern gulf coast killing almost 2000 people, and destroying 81 billion dollars in homes and businesses. As the people of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi fled inland to Atlanta they were greeted by gas gougers who had bumped gas prices to over $3.50 per gallon. It disturbed me that as churches were volunteering and making resources available to help families that had lost everything; some unscrupulous businesses were trying to profit in their time of crises.

Strike Two- When the price of gas increased over a dollar a gallon in a short period of time, it created panic in Atlanta. Everybody started buying gas in case we had a shortage. I was leaving to go out of town on a Friday and three gas stations were out of fuel and at the fourth one, I had to wait 15 minutes in a line of cars with highly stressed out people to buy high priced fuel. At that very moment, sitting in that hostile line, I told myself I would do what I could to get my company away from dependence on fuel.

The following week, for my drive home from work, I put down the top on my car on Highway 400. When the traffic went bumper to bumper and stop and go, the fumes from all the cars and trucks were intoxicating. The smell of diesel and idling cars is a terrible smell. It's hard to enjoy a car, the fresh air and freedom when you're choking on dirty air.

Strike Three- Not long after my experiences with high priced fuel, gas shortages, and dirty air my wife and I started to seek out other areas for a better quality of life for our family. We soon changed our diet to get away from the preservatives and dairy products. We became a lot more conscious of clean water and clean air. In the process, I decided I was going to change my company. We changed to Green Express with an environmental message reflecting our core belief in doing the right thing.

We started buying hybrid Toyota Prius cars; we moved away from paper and started e-billing, and started taking office waste to recycle centers.

Our Progess: So far this year, Green Express has reduced our paper consumption in the office by 75%. Through our hybrid cars, we have reduced consumption of gasoline by 650 gallons saving $1700 in fuel costs. By switching from traditional courier vehicle to hybrids, we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 30 tons. So, we have reduced 30 tons of emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane from Atlanta's air. Atlanta is excited about going green and we have picked up over 60 customers in a couple of months. Green Express is growing and plans on bringing on more hybrids by the end of the year as more new customers come on board.

NEW!!! Start an account with Green Express by asking to participate in the "Earth Share Giving Program." Green Express will make a $1.00 contribution to Earth Share of Georgia for every package ordered for delivery!

For more information on Green Express Couriers and to start an account
call: 770-394-3131 or go to http://www.greendelivers.com/.

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Member Organization Spotlight: Trust for Public Land
A major focus of The Trust for Public Land(TPL), an Earth Share of Georgia's member organization, is on the BeltLine initiative in Atlanta as part of their Parks for People Program. The BeltLine is Atlanta's once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop an integrated network of urban parks, linked together by a multi-use trail and transit system. Surrounding the 22-mile loop of historic railroad tracks known as the BeltLine, this initiative is a massive urban revitalization undertaking unlike any other opportunity in the country, and The Trust For Public Land is proud to be leading the parkland acquisition efforts on the project.

Funding for BeltLine parkland acquisition will be provided by a combination of public financing mechanisms, including a $1.6 billion Tax Allocation District (TAD) bond program passed in 2005 under the leadership of Mayor Shirley Franklin, a $60 million Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority Bond Fund, a Bond Anticipatory Note, providing funding prior to TAD bond availability, and a joint capital campaign in partnership with BeltLine Partnership, the PATH Foundation and TPL.

Currently, the Atlanta Development Authority is working on a vision document entitled the "Work Plan," which will provide a detailed project outline for the next five years. Required by City Ordinance, the Work Plan will be voted on by the City Council on July 3, 2006. The plan will include key components that will be financed within the first five years of the project. BeltLine parkland acquisition, which emerged as a top priority through the community engagement process, is targeted to receive $119 million.

TPL has had great success in parkland acquisitions along the Beltline, and we are working towards our goal to create 6 new parks and expand 2 existing parks. Thanks to the support of our national organization, TPL Georgia has been able to use $19 million in TPL capital to acquire land before TAD funds become available. Trees Atlanta, another an Earth Share of Georgia member group, is working in conjunction with the project to establish the world's longest arboretum around the Beltline.

For more information please visit:

Trust For Public Land
Trees Atlanta
The Beltline Partnership

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Join Trees Atlanta each and every Saturday morning from 9:00 AM - Noon for hands-on tree planting, maintenance and greenspace projects. It's fun! It's free! It's a great way to meet new friends and get to know Atlanta! For an updated list of events and volunteer opportunities visit: Trees Atlanta

Chattahoochee Nature Center has many exciting volunteer opportunities listed on their website: Chattahoochee Nature Center. If you would like to become a volunteer please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information at (770) 992-2055 x 223 or via email at Volunteer Coordinator.

To get more involved in your community park, or to become a volunteer with Park Pride, willing to work for the greater good of Atlanta's parks and green spaces, give us a call! We are always excited to put a new, fresh player into the game. Please contact Nicholas Williams, Director of Community Building at (404) 817-7963 or via email at Nicholas@parkpride.org.

For more volunteer opportunities at our many member organizations please visit:
http://www.earthsharega.org/getinvolved.htm<br%20/>.

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This e-newsletter's eco-tips are dedicated to FOOD and how your food choices affect your health and environment.

Switching to a vegetarian diet is a powerful way to help protect our environment. The United Nations recently released Livestock's Long Shadow-Environmental Issues and Options, which concludes that the livestock sector (primarily cows, chickens, and pigs) emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to our most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. It is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases - responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalents. By comparison, all transportation emits 13.5% of the CO2. It produces 65% of human-related nitrous oxide (which has 296 times the global warming potential of CO2) and 37% of all human-induced methane (which is 23 times as warming as CO2). It also generates 64% of the ammonia, which contributes to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems. Buying organic, locally grown food also reduces global warming emissions and helps protect the environment.

* Organic: Buy organic products.
* Local: Buy food (and drink - ideally tap - water) from local companies whenever possible. Each pound of local food you purchase prevents a quarter pound of global warming (C02) emissions. Support your area's Farmer's Market. If possible, grow your own fruits and vegetables using organic gardening practices. You can find local farmer's markets, community supported agriculture, restaurants that cook with regional cuisine, and food cooperatives through Local Harvest. Or visit Georgia Organics website to find local organics, events and the local food guide.
* Vegetarian/Vegan Diet: Consider becoming a lacto-ovo vegetarian (no meat but some eggs and dairy products) or vegan (no animal products).
* Green Calculator: Learn about the effect your diet is having on the environment with the Eating Green Calculator.
* Unprocessed Food: Eat unprocessed/unpackaged food whenever possible.
* Smart Seafood: If you purchase seafood, consult Smart Choices to select environmentally smart seafood. Also, learn more about avoiding mercury in your seafood at NRDC.
* "Dolphin Safe" Tuna: Only purchase tuna labeled "dolphin safe".
* Shade-Grown Coffee: Buy Earth Share of Georgia shade-grown coffee(scroll down on first page) to protect desperately needed migratory bird habitats. This "fair trade certified" coffee is also shade-grown.
* Free-Range: If you eat meat, buy "free-range" raised animals.

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Don't miss the 2007 Atlanta Audubon Society's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour, Saturday, September 8, 2007, 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Ticket price is $15 day of or $12 in advance and for AAS members. Advanced tickets are available at the Ashe-Simpson Garden Center, Hastings Garden Center, Smith & Hawken at Peachtree Battle, Pike Family Nurseries (4020 Roswell Road and 2101 LaVista Road locations). For locations and more information please visit: http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/.

Fall 2007 Campaign events start soon! If you have a workplace campaign with Earth Share of Georgia, call now to schedule a speaker for your campaign event! If you would like to sign up your company for a workplace campaign with Earth Share of Georgia please call (404) 873-3173.

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