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Go green with MIFA
BRIDGES O2E Experience
MIFA and BRIDGES partnered together to help MIFA become more green. The plan was to calculate the carbon footprint of the MIFA Transit program and to offset those emissions with commitments from MIFA's staff, volunteers, donors, and friends. After working with the BRIDGES Future Builders over three days during the last month, we have learned a lot about how MIFA’s programs effect the environment and how we can be better stewards of the environment. We broke this partnership into three main activities, described below.
BRIDGES comes to MIFA On June 10, 2009, about 65 students from BRIDGES’ Future Builders program came to MIFA.They toured the MIFA facility, investigated the MIFA Transit program, and created Father’s Day cards and gift bags to go to MIFA Meals on Wheels clients for the upcoming holiday.
MIFA goes to BRIDGES On June 24, four members of the MIFA Green Team, our employee group spearheading the effort for MIFA to be more environmentally friendly, visited BRIDGES to take the Ordinary to Extraordinary tour. While at BRIDGES, students led us through 13 exhibits that showcase ways for an individual or organization to use more sustainable materials and techniques.
Bridges returns to MIFA On July 8, we had another visit from about 65 students from BRIDGES. This time they set up the exhibits on our turf, and shared their message with all of our employees.
The students calculated the carbon emissions produced by MIFA Transit (687,660 pounds per year), and showed us ways that we could offset that output. Within the first day, 19 employees pledged to make changes that would result in the reduction of carbon emissions by 168,417 pounds per year!
Thanks to the hard work of the BRIDGES students, MIFA has a better understanding of sustainability, and more importantly, we have a manageable goal to attain. With more pledges from staff, volunteers, and friends, we will be able to offset all 687,660 pounds of emissions produced by MIFA Transit.