Karen Totino opened Green Conscience Home and Garden last July with the mission to do more than just provide sustainable products. She wanted to serve as an educational outlet to provide those committed to changing their lifestyle, the resources and information necessary to do it all the way.
I wanted to educate and inspire people to act in a more sustainable fashion and give them things they may not think about; new ways to approach problems, said Totino.
She said she offers seasonal educational seminars, usually once or twice a month. Some have been well attended, some have flopped, but all are one step closer to growing her business while remaining true to her mission, which makes it worth it. Workshops are free unless they require making something, when attendees are charged for materials.
A hands on workshop is coming up on Saturday, April 17, when people can pay $55 and build a 55 gallon recycled rain barrel.
`Even though we have plentiful water in this part of the country, a rain barrel can diminish part of the runoff that occurs and goes into storm drains, then lakes and streams. We fit a food grade barrel with an adapted spigot and people can collect overflow free of debris and use it to water plants, wash the car, whatever they want,` said Totino. `A lot of people will like it because it can reduce their water bill and if they’re watering plants, gardeners like it because rainwater helps things grow better.`
Totino’s also offering a free workshop to teach people how to build and grow an organic vegetable garden. On Wednesday, April 14, she’ll have two guests talk about how to properly use raised beds, companion planting, seed saving, composting, attracting beneficial insects and strategies or tools that can be used to garden organically.
`A lot of people go in their backyards and try to plant vegetables and fail miserably because they don’t know what they’re doing, especially if they don’t want to use synthetic chemicals, and most people don’t,` said Totino. `It’s always helpful to reach different people and the more people who have access to these resources, the better.`
Totino’s rise to small business owner was an evolution, she said, with her originally owning an organic lawn care business and wanting to take it a step further our of frustration. Now her retail showroom features sustainable nontoxic interior finishes, organic and sustainable lawn and garden products and a small selection of home accessories and gifts.
`When I started the lawn care company, I was frustrated that people didn’t have a choice and I thought people might make different choices if they were educated about the danger of pesticides on their lawn,` said Totino. `I’m hoping to shape people’s behavior. I can educate them but if they don’t have the products or resources, it’s not helpful to implement change, so this is trying to cover two bases at once.`
Totino said she wasn’t always so environmentally conscience and didn’t grow up in a household that was focused or even thinking about living organically. It was when she started her own family that she started making choices on her own and she wants others to consider them too.
`I think people should consider [sustainability] for their own personal health and their family. Products are usually a higher quality and last longer than something that’s toxic and cheaply made. I think people will be surprised that they don’t really have to sacrifice aestheticsand things aren’t expensive as they think,` said Totino.
Green Conscience Home and Garden has a Facebook fan page, a newsletter and a Web site, www.green-conscience.com, for people to stay up to date on events. Totino said she also plans to more regularly update the Web site’s blog over the summer to provide even more information and assistance outside the store.
“
