One of the more popular activities at the Terrace is the weekly Discussion Group. Discussion categories include show and tell, personal reflection, history, and current events. A recent topic of discussion was environmental changes both naturally occurring and manmade. The topic inspired group members to research ways in which they could reduce their environmental footprint.

Suggestions include:
Reduce use of plastic. Plastic fills up landfills, ends up in waterways and oceans, and wreaks havoc on wildlife. Reduce or eliminate its use, and especially that of single-use plastic. Refuse to use straws and ask that food services provide paper straws for customers that insist on having a straw. Use refillable drinking bottles, mugs, or cups for all beverages. Use containers from home for dining room leftovers or carry-out orders. Use canvas shopping totes instead of paper or plastic. If plastic bags are used, recycle them at the local Walmart, or reuse them for waste.

Reduce use of electricity. Turn off the lights when leaving a room. Set the thermostat one to three degrees cooler in the winter, and one to three degrees warmer in the summer. Use “less dry” automatic dryer settings that sense when clothes are dry rather than setting the timer. Wash only full loads of laundry and full loads in the dishwasher.

Reduce water usage. Again, wash only full loads of laundry. Energy efficient washers, including new washers at the Terrace, sense the weight of the clothing, adjusting water levels accordingly. This water-saving feature, along with intermittent agitation and soaking, cleans the clothes, using less water and energy. Take shorter showers, running the water only when the shower is in use. Turn off the water while brushing teeth, turning it on when ready to rinse.
Recycle paper and cardboard, including envelopes and shredded documents. Recycle glass and metal. Recycle plastic. The local recycling program accepts plastic types numbered from 1-7, including Styrofoam containers used at the Terrace. Rinse glass, metal, and plastic items prior to placing them in recycling receptacles.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Make a smaller footprint on the environment.