This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. So much has changed and there is so much more to do. The phrase reduce, reuse, recycle has a nice ring to it and really hits home for many people.
The concept of sustainability has become a major concern for people as well as businesses. How do we keep our Co-op sustainable? Yes, the wonderful staff does their best to provide local, organic products that have limited impact on the world, reduce our carbon footprint, and make us smile. As Co-op shoppers we support this type of sustainability with our dollars. We buy what we like and what we think is important. So, if we think that organic blueberries are good for us and the world we buy them. We may not buy the canned soup made from tortured baby seals and the waste products from nuclear warfare. These choices seem simple to many of us.
However, sustainability affects the Co-op in another way. All of the owners of the Co-op have a say in what happens at the Co-op. We all get to vote for those running for a seat on the board, approve by-law changes, and attend meetings. While many of us are too busy to serve on the board or go to meetings, there is something that we can do. In the near future the Co-op will send out a survey to all owners about the Co-op. You can throw the survey away, or better yet recycle it, and let the 300 or so owners who usually respond provide the feedback that the board and staff will use to move into the future. That is the easy thing to do. Or, you can take a few minutes and tell us what you think.
The VFC is at a critical point in its life. We made the move to the new store five years ago and from all reports it looks like it was a good idea. Last year the Co-op made a small profit and this year it looks like there will be enough of a profit to begin to consider patronage dividends.
On another front the VFC has developed into a leader in our region and in the co-op world. We have a very strong staff and the most loyal group of owners; with these strengths come responsibilities. While sales at the Co-op continue to grow, that is not true everywhere else.
With this survey you have the opportunity to tell the board and the staff what you think our future might look like. You can tell us what works well and what needs tweaking. But don’t stop there. The members of the board work hard but we represent you. Tell us what you think the future should look like. I challenge you to dream, think big. When they were rebuilding Chicago after the cow/fire thing Daniel Burnham said “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood…”
Let’s do the same thing for the Driftless region. Who knows where we might end up? So, let’s all go out and pick up some litter, ride our bikes, plant a tree, and return the owner surveys.
Steve Tippins,
VFC Board Member