The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) will host its fifth biennial "Green Living Event" from 1 to 3 pm on April 15, just in time for Earth Day, which will occur a week later. ASHA will educate its 250 staff and special invited guests on how to be better stewards of their environment at work, while getting to work, and at home. ASHA employees will be asked to make a voluntary pledge to become greener in all aspects of their lives.
The event will be held at ASHA's Gold LEED National Office, 2200 Research Boulevard, Rockville.
Recently, ASHA was among a group of organizations that have been named winners of the EcoLeadership Award by the Alliance for Workplace Excellence. The award honors companies that recognize the importance of environmental sustainability by demonstrating commitment to practices such as waste minimization, energy demand and supply, water conservation, and employee engagement and communication.
At its Green Living Event, ASHA will welcome local and national organizations that will exhibit and speak about environmentally friendly practices such as:
- Worm composting and rain bucket collection by Amicus.
- How to increase recycling efforts. (Montgomery County representatives will remind employees about tax incentives for energy conservation.)
- Becoming a hybrid car owner. (First-person testimonials will be given.)
"ASHA's Green Living Event helps us become more green at work, more green at home, and more green in between," ASHA Executive Director Arlene Pietranton says. "Supporting environmental sustainability is in keeping with ASHA's workplace culture and I'm happy our employees and surrounding organizations have embraced this event."
Roots Market and Great Sage, a restaurant specializing in organic and locally-grown foods, will be on hand. Local businesses Honest Tea and Whole Foods will offer tastings; Whole Foods will also give away recyclable grocery bags.
ASHA's Green Living event will also serve as an opportunity for ASHA employees to give back to their community as they help the environment. For example, ASHA employees have been collecting used blankets—blankets that would otherwise be discarded and take up landfill space—for donation to House With a Heart, a local "doggy retirement home" in Laytonsville, MD.
Also, tours of ASHA's Gold LEED-certified National Office will be offered every half hour. Invited guests from neighboring organizations who take the tour will get a rare treat. ASHA was the first nonprofit association in Maryland to receive Gold certification when it was certified last year.
About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 135,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders.