Bold & Audacious: Sarah Elizabeth Ippel

As the creator of the Academy for Global Citizenship, a Chicago Public Charter School under Mayor Richard Daley's Renaissance 2010 initiative, Sarah Elizabeth Ippel walked a bold and audacious path to secure the Chicago Board of Education approval.  The school's mission is to empower students to positively impact the community and world beyond. In pursuit of this mission, AGC is committed to:

• serving the whole child
• modeling academic excellence
• developing inquirers
• cultivating international awareness
• fostering environmental stewardship
• facilitating collaboration within the community

While studying philosophy in Cambridge, England, Sarah Elizabeth began her sojourn to understand global educational philosophies and world languages that took her to 77 countries across six continents.  It became apparent our nation's school system is broken and in need of a major overhaul to a program that teaches students to thrive, rather than survive. 

At 23 years old, Sarah Elizabeth submitted her first proposal to the Chicago Board of Education for AGC to a firm NO along with some laughs from board members.  The third proposal was the charm and AGC received the big YES on October 24, 2007.  AGC welcomed their inaugural kindergarten and first grade students in August, 2008.  One grade per year will be added until 8th grade is reached in  2015 -2016.

With 80% of the students from impoverished households, AGC serves 100% organic breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack each day.  In addition to nurturing the body with healthy food and the  mind with innovative education, the spirit is energized at 4:00 p.m. with a yoga practice.  AGC curriculum is rigorous and students receive 36% more educational time annually including biliteracy development for all students.  Each graduating student will experience an international field trip.

Sarah Elizabeth's makes no little plans, aims high and embraces audacious thinking.  The time is NOW to address our nation's and world's urgent demand for change.  It takes courage and tenacity to bring visions to reality - Sarah Elizabeth Ippel is Bold, Audacious, Courageous and an Amazing individual.  To learn first hand about this incredible woman, watch her TED Video, This is Ann.

Elemental Impact is honored to name Sarah Elizabeth Ippel the March, 2011 IMPACTOR.

Ei | ZWZ Make it Easy for the Press

The media is enthusiastic about Elemental Impact's initiatives, especially the Zero Waste Zones!  To make it easy for the press to access pertinent information 24/7, the Ei Team created the Press Info page.

On the page, press releases, past media, quotes, milestones and Ei|ZWZ Leadership profiles are organized in simple to navigate and download format.

With major announcements planned for the early summer, Ei|ZWZ is preparing for the anticipated media inquiries.


Stay tuned as blog posts will feature prominent articles, stories and other media outlets.

Ei Owns Intellectual Property!

Thanks to John Harris and Greg Chafee with Morris, Manning & Martin, Elemental Impact received the official Certificate of Registration from the United States Patent and Trademark Office on March 10 for the Ei logo and name. In addition to the website, Ei now owns intellectual property!


It is the vision and generosity of individuals like John and Greg and firms like MM&M that make it possible for non-profits like Ei to achieve milestones such as trademark status.  


THANK YOU JOHN & GREG!

Ei Hiring Program Assistant

With the National Restaurant Association''s announcement of their Ei | ZWZ collaboration (read ZWZ Blog post, ZWZ Garners National Support for details), Elemental Impact is ready to take projects and initiatives into the next ACTION stage.  A part-time program assistant position is open that has strong potential to develop into a full-time position with incredible career opportunities.


Click here for the Ei Program Assistant profile.  The goal is for the position to be filled with a dynamic individual by early April.


Please spread the word so the perfect person learns about the opportunity.

The Media Attempts to Dim the CFL

CBS Atlanta ran the following news story on March 01:

Consumers Forced to Buy Dangerous Light Bulbs End Of Incandescent Bulbs Forcing Consumers To Buy Bulbs With Mercury

Recent regulations will make incandescent light bulbs a part of our history and replace the standard household light bulb with Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs.  Due to the mercury content in the CFL bulbs, CBS Atlanta reporter Adam Murphy attempts to sensationalize the danger of the minuscule amount of mercury.


Chuck Boelkins, industrial ecologist with the Sustainability Division of the GA Department of Natural Resources, came to the rescue with practical advice when a CFL is broken:  1> get children out of the room 2> open windows to air out the area 3> turn off the heating/air conditioning system 4> do NOT use a vacuum cleaner, instead sweep up with a broom and dispose of the broken bulb in a sealed plastic bag.


With CFL bulbs 75% more energy efficient and lasting longer, the facts stated in the report include it takes the mercury in 100 CFL bulbs to equal the mercury in one fever thermometer. 


Consumer Margaret Brackett sums up the scenario with simple truth, "It's one of those things we're just aware of and it's just a small caution when there's such a great benefit," 


There is one sad death that comes along with the farewell to the incandescent light bulb:  Good-bye to the Easy-Bake Oven, in its current incarnation.  Let's hope Hasbro research & development scientists are well on their way to introducing an Easy-Bake Oven for the young bakers growing up in the new CFL bulb world..

A Man of Controversy; A Man of Action

Jake on the right handing out bags
at a Panther game

Jake Wilson loves a challenge and understands being controversial is at times a necessary characteristic when it comes to changing human behavior.  As the Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful (KMB) Executive Director, Jake has developed and implemented an amazing series of recycling programs since KMB launched in late 2003.  Each year since inception KMB has received the Keep America Beautiful (KAB)President's Circle Award.




"If you are not pissing someone off, some of the time, you are not doing your job properly" is a Jake Wilson quote.  The "Get Your Butts off Charlotte Streets" and "Get Your Ash off Charlotte Streets" street banners/billboards, part of the Swat-A-Litterbug program, ruffled more than a few feathers with Charlotte public officials. 


Controversial and effective, the program is designed to stop smokers from disposing of ashes and butts on Charlotte streets,  Collaborating with the City of Charlotte, KAB and KMB, Jake devised a program where each entity provided 25 cigarette urns in the downtown area for smokers to use.  With a total of 75 urns, the city government now saves money as it takes less time for custodial workers to empty urns than to sweep sidewalks and streets.  

The Swat-A-Litterbug has a call-in feature where citizens may report a vehicle license tag when an occupant is seen throwing trash (cigarette butts/ashes and fast food/beverages, the most common offense) on Charlotte streets.  The caller gives the time, location and item tossed.  Next the vehicle owner receives a notice from the NC State Patrol Commanding Officer stating future such conduct may result in a fine.  Another program feature is distributing around 300 disposable ashtrays per month to promote "keep it in the car".


As Jake has the knack of creating Win-Win scenarios, most of his programs draw accolades rather than controversy.  The Event Recycling at Speed Street earned a 2009 EVIE Award for Best Green Event.  Panther Tail Gate Recycling is a prime example of Jake's facilitating talent at work with the Carolina Panthers, Bojangle's and Charlotte Center City partnering on the successful initiative.  During the 2009/2010 Panthers home games, tailgaters recycled more than 30 tons of bottles and cans, with over 30% of the waste stream diverted from the landfill.

The Recycle and Win Patrol

The Recycle and Win program “catches” residences with contaminant-free recycling bins and rewards them with $100 Harris Teeter gift cards.  Coca-Cola employees follow the recycling collector in a “wrapped” Prius, go through recycling bins with the program sticker, and give county residents the $100 gift card reward.  With an 18% increase in recycling rates, the successful program is staged for expansion to Raleigh, NC, Charleston, W VA, and possibly New Orleans


Mecklenburg County is fortunate Jake Wilson calls Charlotte home.  With his boundless energy dedicated to environmental causes, Jake is a gift to humanity.  Ei names Jake Wilson as the February, 2011 IMPACTOR.  Thank you Jake!

Taking Sustainability to the Next Level

The inaugural International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium (IFSS):  An opportunity to meet national and international heroes and learn how the foodservice industry is ready to catapult into new dimensions of sustainability.  


Co-sponsored by Kendall College and the National Restaurant Association, through its Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative, IFSS promises to be an exhilarating event.  Limited to 150 attendees, IFSS will focus exclusively on the more complex sustainability issues such as emerging technologies, green building and perhaps the most highly nuanced subject of all – sustainable food.

“The IFSS will provide foodservice professionals with the information and tools they need to make critical decisions about complex sustainability issues,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “We have identified sustainability as a key industry imperative in our multi-year strategic plan, and are committed to educating our members on how to increase environmental efforts and boost their bottom line. This symposium is set up to give attendees the objective information they need to find the answers that work for them.”

“For the last several years, I’ve traveled the country talking about sustainability as a journey composed of baby steps,” said Christopher Koetke, dean of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and Laureate International Universities Vice President of the Center for Culinary Excellence. “The IFSS is an opportunity to take a giant educational leap that will support your sustainability journey for years to come.”

IFSS is scheduled for May 24-25, 2011 in Chicago, immediately following NRA Show 2011.  For more details visit the IFSS site.