By Hanna Muegge
(Photo Credit: Hanna Muegge)
Day 2 of our local MPAs Ambassador training started off on a great note. While sharing a delicious continental breakfast with today’s speakers, Rikki Dunsmore, Cindy Walter, Kip Evans, Kerry Nickols, Jan Freiwald, Paul Hobi and Dennis Long, we jumped right back into talking about all the great ideas we had come up with the previous day.
Our first presentation was brought by Cindy Walter, co-owner of the local sustainable “green” restaurant in Pacific Grove called Passionfish. Passionfish Restaurant was the first green restaurant here in the Monterey Bay Area. Cindy’s talk was more than a pitch for sustainable business practices, but a story about one person’s experience with the changes that have happened to our local marine habitats. Born into a fishing family, Cindy has always relied on the ocean for a source of food, income, and fun. As she recollects her memories, “…my brother and I used to crawl along underneath the [Monterey Old Fishermen’s] Wharf competing to see who could make it all the way to the end of the wharf without falling into the water. Usually you wouldn’t make it very far, because the wharf pilings were lined by huge sea lions.. (Cindy Walter),” I was inspired by the ways she was able to incorporate the ocean during her childhood.
Nowadays, Cindy and her husband own Passionfish in Pacific Grove as well as own a nice plot of land in the Carmel Valley. In her garden she owns several bee hives which provide a wealth of beauty for not just their own garden, but even the neighbors have seen a bounty of change in their own gardens. Bees play an extremely important role in the health of our terrestrial communities. Besides being a bee keeper, Cindy makes all her own natural products, for example–toothpaste, shampoo, face wash, shaving lotion, moisturizer, body cream, honey, first aid cream, cough drop, the list goes on.
It was great to hear first hand how someone is trying to change the business norms by making her own business the most sustainable possible. Everyone can make a difference, and it all starts by flipping the switch. Change the way you use your energy sources. Here are some ideas of best sustainable business practices–recycle, decrease energy use, reuse office paper, use paper vs plastic bags, use paper straws and only on request, invest in energy efficient lighting, stop using anti-bacterial soaps, and use natural ingredients for cleaning products.
Thanks Cindy Walter for sharing some great ideas and your success stories!
Motions for Oceans 