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New Valley Business Makes Green Living Easy - Santa Ynez Valley Journal “Green” is the new buzz word. Even more is that so in the last five years with the impassioned debates over whether or not our globe is really warming, and if so, why? We may never have either question answered to anyone’s satisfaction, but regardless of our opinion there is one thing we can all agree upon: as a human race, we are consuming the earth’s natural resources at an alarming rate. With that fact, conservation is a non-partisan concern and “living green”, in spite of the temperature, has become an issue in the forefront of our minds. However, in spite of the bombardment of eco-friendly products, most of us don’t really know how to live green. We recycle our plastic, glass and hazardous waste, but…what else can we do? That’s where Gretchen Heine and her business, Eco-Errands, come to the rescue. A native of Madras, Oregon, Heine has had a heart for conservation since before it was trendy. As a girl she read Thoreau and Annie Dillard and made an idol of Anne Labastille, a woods-woman who lived off the land in the Adirondacks. Heine’s defining moment in her journey to become a conservationist was at age 13, while on a hunting trip with her dad and three brothers. She watched a fawn suffer at the hand of her family and, at that moment, knew she was destined to experience the world different than how she was raised. Heine began a degree in environmental science at Cal State and went on to a two year stint as an outreach coordinator for the outdoor company REI in San Diego. Her role was to get the community involved in environmental preservation -- tree planting, beach clean-up, etc. “It was wonderful to watch the kids light up after they had planted something that would outlive them,” Heine said. Heine, her husband Tim, and two daughters, Annabella 7, and Siena 1, moved to the Santa Ynez Valley in April. “Santa Ynez is really like a second home; it is so much like where I grew up,” Heine explained. She felt it was the perfect place to bring together her organizational and conservation experience and to offer something that’s never been done before: a service that literally “greens” your life. “I think there is often too much information about how to be more environmentally friendly, and we become overwhelmed, even paralyzed, with where to begin and how to continue,” she said. That’s where her business comes into play. Eco-Errands is a licensed and insured business designed as part personal assistant, part conservation consultant. It has the busy individual in mind, with services focused on an overall improvement in our health. Eco-Errands has a comprehensive range of packages, including green dry cleaning, organic food delivery, pet care, green house cleaning, Green Your Holidays, travel planning, virtual assistant, gift buying, event planning and corporate incentive packages.Eco-Errands also has special packages like the one for moms-to-be that includes a green baby shower, organic food delivery, and non-toxic house cleaning service -- perfect for when little ones are crawling and putting everything in their mouth. The green housecleaning service includes a caddy starter kit filled with organic, non-toxic, biodegradable products to use everyday in the home. For those who are more do-it-yourself, Heine offers a personal consultation to help identify easy adjustments in our daily life. Things such as biodegradable toilet paper, bio-friendly kitty litter, detergents, soaps and shampoos, paper products, choice of dry cleaners and even resources for post-consumer office supplies can be recommended for any home or office situation. Heine’s philosophy is that small changes really do make a difference. It’s simply a matter of knowing what to change and how. Heine’s favorite aspect of her business is sustainable event planning. For the upcoming holiday season she can “green” your holiday party, or turn your wedding into an unforgettable, eco-chic day. “I think it’s one of my best services -- entertaining with an unexpected twist.” For Heine, that could mean biodegradable invitations imbedded with wildflower seeds -- plant the whole invitation in your garden and wait for it to come up in the spring! She also offers Eco-Errands gift certificates that make an excellent hostess, holiday, or wedding gift or a special gift for the new mom or mom-to-be. Longtime friend and former colleague Devaki Murch said of Heine, “Her passion for life and commitment to the environment inspires her to create new and innovative ways to live mindfully.“As a young mother with two children, she set as her objectives creating a sustainable future that extends beyond our generation to the next,” he said. “Eco-Errands is bound to be the next buzz in the shift towards creating environmental awareness in our everyday lives.” Heine is also branching out with the non-profit sector, getting involved with the Santa Barbara Environmental Coalition, Surfrider Foundation, and Santa Barbara Seafood and Harbor Festival, and she is launching an effort to “green” Boo at the Zoo. Eco-Errands plans to adopt-a-beach in Santa Barbara, and Heine continues to set an example by purchasing a Terra Pass, and by teaching her children about our connection to nature so that they too can invest in its preservation. “I just do what I love.” Said Heine. What she loves is to be an educator, a personal eco-assistant, and a provider of an easy remedy for the daily to-do list for those of us with good intentions toward environmental conservation but a concomitant lack of time, resources or know-how. A greener, more balanced life -- that’s something we can all agree is good for everyone. |
