Starting something new can be hard. I’ve been thinking about this blog for months, stalling, almost frozen by the fear of not doing it right. It made me think of how hard starting, expanding or even maintaining a sustainability program can be. 
“I wasn’t sure where to start.” That’s exactly how I felt about writing this blog, and it’s exactly what I often hear from many of your how to how to begin, or expand, your sustainability efforts. It can be challenging for ground roots program to capture the attention of senior management, or even worse, feeling the pressure of doing it just right, can be paralyzing. Sometimes, we suggest ideas that are either dismissed or judged as not feasible. Other times we just have a hard time getting to ideas that aren’t considered mission critical – they just keep slipping down on the To-Do list. We all face challenges, even companies that we view as leaders in sustainability, deal with issues like ROI and short payback criteria.
When I wanted to get past my own delays in initiating this blog, I reached out to NHBSR member, Robin Eichert of PeopleSense Consulting (and an incredible blog author!) and asked her for ideas to overcome my “writer’s block. “ She suggested that I just write down my thoughts, even individual sentences and then see how they fit together. This simple encouragement and new perspective got me going; exactly what we want for you in your CSR efforts! .
The power of NHBSR comes from each of you. Without your perspective, we’re missing an opportunity to learn. We’re all at different places in our sustainability/CSR journey, so regardless of your level of experience, your perspective can help someone else.
Our new initiative, Just One Thing, is meant to give us all the encouragement we need to move sustainability initiatives past our roadblocks. We’re asking for you to share stories, efforts and challenges, hoping that your story is just the motivation a fellow member needs. I believe connecting with each other, sharing ideas and encouragement will provide the support to move sustainability forward in New Hampshire. Additionally our Sustainability Mentor Committee is developing a network for NHBSR members to connect with to answer questions and provide a new perspective.
So take a moment, jump whatever hurdle is holding you back – (lack of time or feeling what you have to say isn’t noteworthy?) and just jot down a quick email to me describing the initiative. Or grab your smartphone and make a 30-second recording about something you or your company has done recently. Maybe you’ve started a recycling program in your office? Launched a green team? Spent a day volunteering for a local nonprofit? Or perhaps you’ve seen even small impacts of your effort to lower operating expenses, engage employees or meet the needs of a wonderful community group?
Email your stories, in whatever form, to me! You can also fill out our short survey. Who will lead the way? The first five people to send/submit their "Just One Thing" story will receive free admission to a NHBSR Social of your choice. Let’s see how many member stories we can gather!
