Environment Day

The November installment of Leadership Wilmington was another success filled with learning, exploring, and collaborating. We started our day at the Chamber, learning from the Forte Institute about how our communication styles are adapting to our current work environment, and how our peers are likely perceiving us. I told my classmate that my Forte updates continue to look into my soul, shedding light on exactly how I feel, and thus leading me to believe my peers must be perceiving me in the way indicated. What a learning opportunity that we’ve experienced through Forte – and I’m excited to see how we will continue to trend.

Next, we carpooled across town to the fabulously beautiful New Hanover County Arboretum. We received tours from Kevin Cassel and Sherrel Bunn, who led us through the roses, camellias, Japanese Garden, Koi Pond, herb gardens, hanging moss, live oaks, and more. We learned about opportunities to preserve nature, the purpose of rain gardens, when to trim our own bushes, and why those of us without a green thumb may have a chance by learning through their programs. Did you know visiting the Arboretum is FREE 365 days a year? It’s the perfect spot for a private stroll to contemplate your day and process thoughts. It builds a fantastic backdrop for family pictures. It will impress your next guests who come to town, so be sure to include it on their itinerary.

We then jumped in cars and meandered back towards downtown and settled on the banks of the Cape Fear River at the CFPUA Sweeney Plant. We set up camp in their classroom for the better part of the day (thanks CFPUA!) and we first learned from Riley Alber from Wilmington Compost Company. Our group is a talkative bunch, who asked a ton of questions, but Riley was happy for the interaction and excitement. His passion has driven him to start a company that teaches and offers composting to residents and businesses in our area. We learned how important it is for us to consider our waste and where it travels once it leaves our homes. Reach out to Riley to learn how easy it is to have Wilmington Compost Company do the hard work for you while you receive fertile, black gold compost for your garden!

Thanks to a delicious lunch from Tropical Smoothie Café, we nourished ourselves while we discussed our current progress for Work on Wilmington. Have you registered to volunteer on Saturday, April 20? Do it now! Then, we learned about how manufacturing effects the environment, the many acronyms of the industry, and how Corning Incorporated ensures that they are leaving a legacy (and not a giant messy footprint) for our environment. Leadership Wilmington alum Jennifer Adams taught us about chemicals that could be released from manufacturing plants, and how the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality ensures the air we breathe is as beautiful as the sites we see in NC. Erin Tremblay from CFPUA then taught us all about the various water treatment plants that provide water to us in Wilmington. We were all happy to hear that they are separated from sewer treatment plants! CFPUA has invested incredible resources into cleaning our water, especially after GenX was found from the years of contamination from manufacturing plants upriver. We learned how carbon filters and elaborate processes throughout the Sweeney Plant are cleaning our drinking water and GenX levels have dramatically decreased. Competition among the group broke out during our Jeopardy Game in which Team A dominated Team B after a successful Daily Double.

We ended our time at CFPUA with a tour of the plant with Kevin Denson and Allan Southerland, watching water come into the plant and each of the filters water flows through to ensure it is safe for us to drink. As the day was ending, we headed back to the Chamber where we walked out on the dock (yes, our chamber is riverfront) to enjoy an afternoon cruise with Wilmington Water Tours! Perhaps you see our gorgeous skyline when riding along the bridges between New Hanover and Brunswick Counties, but have you seen it from the water? My goodness, we are blessed to live in a beautiful place! Captain Doug Springer discussed the environment surrounding the Cape Fear River, and how it’s important for us as leaders to protect our waters so that our grandchildren can have as beautiful a place to live, work, and play.

What a fantastic day!