BOEING EMPLOYEES for ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
(BEES)
PROJECT IDEAS
CSA - (Community Supported Agriculture)
Have you tasted a home-grown carrot recently? Sampled a luscious blueberry grown just up the road? Enjoyed lettuce, beets, tomatoes, onions, snap peas, sweet potatoes, eggs that weren't grown thousand of miles away? There are great farmer's markets that sell delicious, fresh produce from this very fertile area, but you can also subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture share that guarantees you a box or two of your choice of fruits and/or vegetables every week.
The Boeing Summer 2010 CSA through growingwashington has started and registration is now closed, but there are many other CSA's and farmer's markets where you can fresh, delicious, and sustainably-grown produce.
For more general info about CSA's in this area (including a directory of all the farms from Whatcom county in the North to Thurston County in the South), check out these links: www.pugetsoundfresh.org/csa.htm and www.pugetsoundfresh.org/pdf/2010-PSF-Farm-Guide.pdf.
Check out the growingwashington program and photos of the amazing fruits and veggies at:
http://www.growingwashington.org/foodbox/index.php
How much does it cost? Depends on the size of the box and how many Boeing subscribers sign up. Below are the prices before the discount:
Small vegetable box: $24/week, 8 items
Large vegetable box: $36/week, 12 items
Small fruit box: $16/week, 4 items
Large fruit box: $24/week, 6 items
Fresh cut flowers: $144 for 18 weeks
How does it work? Each week, you can choose exactly what you want in your box by selecting online from a list of the available produce. You'll get a reminder each week - if you forget to order, you'll get the "Farmer's Choice". The boxes are delivered to the pickup point of your choice (Everett Activity Center delivery is on Thursdays).
What if I go away for a couple of weeks? You can work with the farm to double up on a week's delivery or arrange for someone else to pick up the food. You can also choose to donate your box to a food bank for the time you are away. There is an assumption however that you commit to pay for the whole season.
What if I don't want an entire box for myself? Share with a coworker or neighbor.
What if I forget to pick up my box on Thursday? The boxes will be left at the Activity Center until Friday afternoon, then the food will be taken to a food bank or distributed to the staff to avoid a mess over the weekend (this never happened last year).
What if I don't want to lose my prime parking space by driving over to the Activity Center at lunch on Thursday? Pick up your box on the way home, or coordinate with other subscribers in your building to take it in turns to pick up the boxes.
What if I ride my bike or carpool to work? You don't have to use the Everett Activity Center as a pickup point - there will be several other pickup points that might be more convenient for you.
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Other projects:
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Encourage more carpooling, sharing rides, reducing driving by connecting more people that live near each other to drive together. Look for maps in the 40-92 and add your label to see who lives near you and might be interested in carpooling
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Encourage employees and cafeterias to reduce waste (ideas here), offer lower impact foods and utensils
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Reduce electricity consumption with campaign to turn off lights, vending machines, monitors, etc
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Explore water conservation ideas.
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Go on tours as a club (ideas include Islandwood Environmental Education Center, a wind farm, a local farm, environmentally-focussed businesses,....). Send us your ideas...
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Interest groups - connect with existing groups or form our own, such as electric cars or alternative energy or ??
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Hold recycling events (electronics, household items, etc)
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Introduce glass recycling on site
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Initiate a solar community project
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Introduce organic/shade-grown coffees at coffee stations
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Establish buying club for environmentally responsible products and services (for example local fruits and vegetables)
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Explore fluorescent light bulb recycling with company and communities
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Distribute reusable shopping bags at Family Day Events.
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Educate employees and families about the global impact of food choices
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Research into and analysis of environmental choices (ie use analytical talent at Boeing to investigate life cycle impacts)
Have an idea for a project? Let us know at