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Champions of Green Growing
As a chef, he always believed food quality was important; however, becoming a parent reemphasized how vital it is to eat well and feed others well.
“Young people are our future. The more educated they are, the better prepared they will be for the
challenges ahead,” Wheeler explains. “It’s also about allowing children to find a connection with nature, allowing them to acquire the wonder and awe on their own.” She formerly served as Ecological Educator at Lackawanna College where she developed and taught K-12 school programs and summer camps. As a mom, she teaches her own children daily, admitting, “Their awe and wonder reminds me of my own curiosity as a child.” She has also been involved with the PA Association of Environmental Educators and is pursuing a Sustainable MBA in Green Development. –Erika A. Bruckner
ages
A longtime local food advocate, he says, “We draw connections between our plate and our planet; one cannot be happy and healthy with out the other.” According to Rothman, “Our food systems in America are very broken. Big agriculture grows mono-crops treated with chemicals, so they hold up well in travel and on shelves. This, along with the way animals are raised in mass lots, is killing our soil, waters and us. Recently, many Americans are waking up to this. Many of us now realize that it is cheaper to pay your farmer than your doctor.”
“I think my love of nature stems from playing outside as a child and enjoying all of nature’s wonders,” says Wheeler. She founded Branching Out Earth Education Services as Wheeler Excavating’s newest way to promote sustainability. “I believe education is the foundation for change. You can’t solve anything if you don’t understand the problem or the solutions.” Example educational programs include green building, outdoor recreation, habitat discovery, sensory hikes and water investigations.
Amanda Grace Im
es. His local chapter has hosted farm-to-table celebrations, demonstrations at the Monroe Farmers Market and healthy eating initiatives in schools.
michelle wheeler
Day Job: Sustainable Business Consultant with Chad Wheeler Excavating L.L.C. Resides: Sterling Family: Husband, Chad; Daughters, Emily and Sabrina June 2014
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