friday takeout

We want to wish you all a happy, happy Earth Day! Earth Day has been celebrated for more than 50 years as a way to envision change and inspire actions that help our planet. Since our term began in September, Kara and I have been lucky to watch sustainability projects take root all across the College and northeast Iowa community. Some of our favorite projects include the Composting Pilot Program at Dubuque Town Clock Business Center, our recent Calmar Campus Waste Audit, sustainable holiday workshops at the Calmar and Peosta campuses, and our weekly green tips, to name a few! This year's theme for Earth Month is "Invest in the Planet."

Wendy Knight is investing in the planet by pledging to use cloth napkins at the dinner table, and Joy Sim is making an investment in local food by purchasing a CSA share! You too can invest in the planet through sustainable actions, like carpooling to work or starting a backyard compost bin, investing in sustainability with your pocketbook by purchasing products with less plastic packaging or factoring in solar installation on your new build project. There are many exciting projects happening this weekend that you can also get involved in to invest in our planet. Check them out!

• April 23, 9 a.m.-Noon | Compostapalooza at Winneshiek County Fairgrounds

• April 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Party for the Planet, at the Mississippi River Museum

• April 30, 9 a.m.-Noon | SolarPLUS Fair at Winneshiek County Fairgrounds

Steve Smith

Executive Director, Computer Information Systems | Calmar

A person who doesn’t know they have greatly impacted my life is ________________________. Please explain.

Random elevator lady. I was at a rather large conference in Dallas and after a session the elevators were packed with attendees heading to their rooms. We all started calling out our floors to the person nearest the buttons. I called out mine as well. After a while the button-pusher's friend commented, "Wow! So many pleases and thank yous." Easy reminder to all of us that we had forgotten our manners. I think about that lady a lot.

What lie were you told as a kid?

I'm going to flip this around - I often told my kids I had been struck by lightning in a your-dad's-a-legend joking kind of way. My oldest took it as that, while my youngest, however, didn't get the nuance and reiterated that story to teachers and classmates. She's still mad that she had to hear from a teacher that her dad, more than likely, had never experienced 300 million volts coursing through his body.

Would you own or use a self-driving car?

Absolutely. Do you like watching movies, sleeping, reading, drinking alcohol, etc. on planes? Now do that on your way to work, school, your kid's first 5th grade band concert (remember the alcohol thing from earlier? You're going to need it there).

What item do you buy the most of at a bulk store?

Costco Salmon burgers. Boom!

How do you feel about people and/or yourself cursing?

Much to the chagrin of Julie Uhlenhake, I #$⨚!% love it.

What fashion trend do you regret?

Anything Angel Snyder's husband, Sean, wears if he gets out of the house without her helping him coordinate. He's a mess (Hi Sean!).