The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2018 April Villager | Page 16

Page 16
April 2018
SpringRidge Staff, Residents
Enjoy Earth-Friendly Practices
By Kerry Phillips
Earth Day is an annual event
observed worldwide on April 22
that raises awareness and support
for protecting the environment.
At SpringRidge at Charbon-
neau, an active retirement com-
munity, residents and staff are
dedicated to doing their part to
preserve the Earth for future gen-
erations.
“Food is an important part of
residents’ life. We’ve found that
by working with vendors that
utilize local farms, we’re able to
ensure residents have access to
fresh, healthy food choices year-
round while reducing our carbon
footprint,” explained Food Ser-
vices Director Danny Fernando.
“The fuel required to transport
food across the country has been
shown to have a negative impact
on the environment.”
SpringRidge resident Harper
Poling also knows how an auto-
mobile can negatively impact the
Earth. According to an article in
national Geographic, perhaps 80-
90 percent of an automobile’s en-
vironmental impact will be due to
fuel consumption and emissions
of air pollution and greenhouse
gases that drive global warming.
Harper now owns a Chevro-
let volt Hybrid and is elated with
how little gas he’s had to purchase
in the past year.
“It was the right car for me,”
said the 87 year old. “I’ve bought
10 gallons of gas in the past year!”
Harper is also able to charge
his volt in a convenient area on
the SpringRidge campus that is
within a few steps of his resi-
dence. He, and his wife, Jacque-
line, moved to the community
four months ago and are thrilled
with their decision.
Although many of the com-
munity’s residents own cars, they
often prefer to take advantage of
SpringRidge’s curbside transpor-
tation service which is included
in the monthly fee. A full-time
program director plans a calendar
chockful of exciting outings and
excursions to a variety of venues
ranging from museums to festi-
vals and local restaurants. Plus,
the shuttle also provides trans-
portation to grocery stores, phar-
macies, churches and other loca-
tions. Residents no longer have
to drive to these places on their
own which can help reduce air
pollution.
In addition, “going green” by
supporting farmers and vendors
in and around the Wilsonville area
and reducing fuel consumption,
SpringRidge fosters an Earth-
friendly environment through its
programs and activities.
Residents have access to plant-
ing boxes where they can grow
herbs and vegetables. Planting
one’s own food keeps the natural
world healthy and offers the gar-
dener a wealth of health benefi ts
such as improved heart health and
hand strength and dexterity.
In honor of Earth Day, resi-
dents will also create terrariums
which will serve as a reminder of
how our ecosystem works and the
importance of it maintaining its
natural, self-sustaining balance.
SpringRidge will host an in-
formative presentation by Tod
Blankenship, parks supervisor
with Wilsonville Parks and Rec-
reation, to further provide insights
about Mother Nature. He’ll be
discussing Integrated Pest Man-
agement (IPM) in the Wilsonville
parks and green spaces. As part
of the workshop, he’ll share how
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Harper Poling enjoys driving his Chevrolet Volt Hybrid.
the agency is working to preserve
the area’s natural system and how
chemical pest control treatments
are being reduced and eliminated.
“Education is the fi rst step in
being a good citizen of the Earth,”
said SpringRidge’s Executive Di-
rector Garth Hallman. “From
recycling to preserving our beau-
tiful grounds which is situated
on 10 acres of the natural beauty,
the entire SpringRidge family is
committed to conservation and
preservation of resources now
and into the future.”
SpringRidge at Charbonneau
is located in one of Oregon's most
desirable master-planned resi-
dential communities. The Sprin-
gRidge at Charbonneau campus
offers a comprehensive menu of
lifestyle options including CARF-
accredited independent living as
well as assisted living and mem-
ory care services at SpringRidge
Court. For more information or to
schedule a person