On the QT | The Official Newsletter of GWA October-November 2016 | Page 3

— Continued from page 1

GWA MEMBERS HAVE THE SOLUTIONS
Indeed, I was astonished by how specific I could be, providing answers to AASHE members’
issues such as the folks in Missouri, who needed help building an easy-to-clean, easy-to-move,
fox-proof chicken coop. Yes, I know someone in the Southeast who specializes in that. Or the
thesis-advisor whose student needed help locating resources to overcome resistance to installing bioswales in front of the campus’ LEED-certified building. How about talking to a universitybased, GWA colleague who was successful in doing just that? Yes, I can give you a contact I met
through a Region II meeting and point you to the free webinars hosted on a GWA institutional
member’s website.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Earlier this year, the GWA Sustainability Committee purchased a membership in AASHE
in order to share some of its resources with GWA members and to help it find new outlets for
its creative work. There are plenty of opportunities waiting for all GWA members. Here are
just a few:
•

AASHE’s Student Summit brings together many passionate young people who are deeply
committed to consciously gardening, farming and living in ways that are
respectful of the land—a market GWA is trying to reach.
• Colleges and universities are urged to participate in the Sustainability Tracking,
Assessment & Rating System, called the STARS certification program, which focuses
attention on one of GWA’s key concerns and member strengths—sustainable
landscapes.
• Numerous networking and speaking possibilities for GWA professionals with diverse skills
are available at both the annual AASHE conference and member colleges.
• Job openings and internships at member colleges, businesses and non-profits related to
sustainability are updated weekly in the AASHE Bulletin, which offers many story ideas
each week. You can have a copy sent to you by entering your email address in
the box at the bottom of the its web page.
• GWA members who need to locate specialized speakers, consultants and others
relevant to their work will find many avenues to pursue.
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
GWA is building a bigger tent. AASHE brings together a large reservoir of untapped jobs,
story ideas and outreach to young adults. Right after our own fabulous 2016 conference in
Atlanta, GWA President Kirk Brown and I headed out to the AASHE Conference in Baltimore,
where he did his usual quick-change of hats, appearing as both John Bartram and Frederick
Law Olmsted. North Creek Nursery’s Claudia West joined us later that week, when GWA hosted
a networking meeting.
Kirk, in his role as board liaison to GWA’s Association Outreach Committee, believes that this
connection offers nearly limitless potential for engaging a motivated, educated and passionate
young professionals at the beginning of their career with issues relevant to international
sustainability. “This stude