This month on the blog, we’re taking a deep dive into each department and aspect of PMG, starting with our sustainability efforts. Today, we’re talking to Laura Miller, who started most of the green initiatives that we love here at PMG. Keep reading to learn more!
What is your position at PMG?
Grants Manager
How long have you been with PMG?
I believe it is 9 ½ years?!
What sparked your interest in starting green initiatives at PMG?
I had started a “Green Team” at my children’s elementary school, and I began thinking, why don’t we have a Green Team at PMG?
Have the Green solutions you have implemented gone how you expected or have there been some curveballs? How did you handle them? Did they make a positive effect in the long run?
Definitely, the curveball was the pandemic. Our Green efforts had been gaining momentum, and we were all in the office together, keeping each other accountable. Suddenly we were isolated and extremely stressed, and priorities were rearranged. It has been a process to come back to the office, to get back into good habits, to break bad habits of just throwing everything in the garbage.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned during your time at PMG working to make us more sustainable?
You have to put your money (or really your feet and your hands) where your mouth is! It’s easier to throw everything away; it takes effort and a bit of sweat equity to take the recycling to the convenience center, or to wash dishes rather than using disposable kitchenware. As time has gone on, more PMG colleagues have joined the Sustainability partnership and brought great ideas and energy, so it really feels like a team effort.
Where do you hope to see PMG’s green initiatives go in the future?
I am so excited that we are moving into using metrics for quantitative tracking of resources we use such as electricity, water, and office supplies. That will give us data about where we are doing well and where we need to improve. I am also thrilled that the Green Solutionaries program is looking at many different aspects of sustainable conferences.
We are so thankful for Laura and her commitment to PMG and our sustainability efforts!
