Encounters

This past Earth Day, I had the pleasure of participating in a clean-up at Anacostia Park. Now I know what your thinking, "How can THAT be pleasureful?!" but it really was. Outside of me getting to know Styrofoam plates and the tips of black and mild cigars way too well, I met some young people that take part in the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC).

ECC is a non-profit that works with at risk young adults (17-24) in Washington, DC. They teach the ECC participants about the environment while giving them life skills. The program lasts a year and, according to one of the program managers, there is a waiting list to get into the program. To teach the participants about the environment they do neighborhood clean-ups, discuss the importance of environmental protection, and hold workshops so the participants can get green job skills.

During the clean up I talked with a 21 year old girl named B (not her real name) and asked her how she felt about the program and why she joined. She told me the program saved her life! B had been in and out of jail (12 times) as a young adult. She said she had no motivation to do anything but get money illegally and hang out. But then she got tired. She said she never really thought about what she was going to do with her life until she got in ECC, and it has kept her off the streets. Once she finishes the program she going to get her GED (which ECC will help her with) and start running her own ice cream trucks. She said she wanted to be a better person for her sister, who is starting to go down the same path as her. DAYUM!!!!

Dude, programs like this really get to me. There is one thing to save the environment, but to do that while saving a life...... I could really really appreciate that. There are so many young people lost in this world, and if teaching them about the environment helps them find themselves then I would say that's a win win for all of us.

Brown Tip
Give Back!

If it's the environment, mentoring, helping old folks, whatever you are good at, do something! In these hard economic times people really need to see peoples goodness and showing it doesn't cost anything.