Countertop Composter

I have been trying to decide what compost unit to buy for the last several months. We don’t have tons of room in our backyard, and I wasn’t sure how big of a composter I should buy do to our large family. This past weekend I visited the Museum of Science and Industry’s Smart Home Exhibit (see: msichicago.org) and was amazed at this great kitchen countertop composter they had on display. When the tour guide said it takes 10 days to break down the compost and you can include meat, dairy, paper, and pet waste – I was sold!! Plus the unit looks nice, added bonus.
Checked out the website and it’s awesome! See: http://www.naturemill.com/video_histChan.html
or www.naturemill.com

Add up to 5lbs a day, it provides the “hot composting” conditions: mixing, air flow, heat, and moisture using only 5watts of energy or $0.50 per month. The energy released destroys odors, pathogens, and seed germination. The compost is later transferred through a trap door to the lower cure tray chamber, where it continues to compost while you add fresh waste items to the upper chamber. Provides home gardeners with a source of rich, organic fertilizer.
• Leader in indoor home composting • Bug free, worm free • Compact sleek design • Fits inside any standard kitchen cabinet
• Recycled & recyclable: stamped with the “5” triangle recycling symbol
• Size and Weight: 20”L x 12”W x 20”H (51 x 30 x 51cm); 17 lbs (8kg)

I am feeling more and more confident that within the next year, we should be able to reduce our garbage (for a family of 6) to less than 1/4 of a 32 gallon can per week. So we could potentially go a whole month with only 1 can. At $3 per can for disposal, that is at least $100 garbage savings per year from our current spending. Not to mention the cost savings on not having to purchase top soil anymore!! Win Win…for my family and the planet.

If you get one let me know!! I’m interested to hear how much trash reduction people experience. This is cool for kids to witness as well. My son is stoked about recycling and composting.

Note: Sun Chips is expected to put out a compostable chip bag for next year. Excellent, eat chips then compost the bag. Much better plan than our current system. If you know of other companies doing biodegradable packaging, please post.

Chamber Director set to break record for Shopping Local

In light of these difficult economic times, shopping locally is even more
important to the vitality of our communities.  Rich Bysina, Winfield Chamber
of Commerce Executive Director sent out a message that today, a day which
marks the 34th anniversary of the Winfield Chamber, he was going to conduct
business with 34 Winfield Chamber members – in an effort to Shop Local and
support our community.  He was inspired by an article that I had written in
the Winfield Word (an official Village of Winfield publication).  I was
pleased and inspired by his efforts. What a great story, to showcase community pride and dedication to his work as a Chamber Executive Director.  It is his job after all to support the area businesses.  If more would follow his lead, the ripple effects would result in a greater ability to sustain our communities through these difficult financial times.

Rich is not expecting his task to be complete until around 7pm, when I talked to him at 4:30pm he was at business #27 waiting to get a massage at The Lightheart Center.  If you are around town today and happened to “catch him in the act” of doing good community service – please post and let me know.  I hope when he is done he will post a break down for us of his experience.

Thanks Rich for promoting community pride.  I challenge anyone to break this record of transacting business (shopping) at more than 34 local businesses.

Angel Oakley

———- Rich Bysina Email re: plan to set the shop local record———-

From: Rich Bysina
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 5:34 PM
To: Many
Subject: Guinness World Record?

Tomorrow morning, Friday, January 9th, I’m going to personally visit and
conduct a business transaction at 34 different Winfield Chamber member
businesses. The reason? I explained it in Chamber News Update #3, sent out
earlier today, which stated:

Partially inspired by Winfield Village Trustee Angel Oakley’s “Shopping
Local Makes a Big Difference” article in the last 2008 edition of Winfield
Word (official publication of the Village), as well as by the U.S. Chamber’s
annual State of American Business address that was webcast yesterday from
Washington, D.C., I’m going to kick off our Winfield Chamber’s 34th
anniversary year tomorrow, Friday, January 9th, by helping to promote local
Chamber businesses.
It will be done with a “Shopping Local” blitz that will surpass the record
established by yours truly four years ago, when I visited 30 businesses and
made 30 separate transactions — in one day!  STUFF photographer, Tim Morris
of TMO Video, will cover part of this blitz, which will appear in the
February edition of Winfield STUFF.

Rich Bysina, Executive Director
P.S. When this feat is successfully completed – scheduled more or less
sometime around 7:00pm tomorrow evening – I will challenge any other Chamber
in the area to break this record. Note: I did this four years ago with 30
Chamber businesses.

————————- Shop Local Article ————————

Below is a paste of the article I wrote in the Village of Winfield
newsletter:
Shopping Local Makes a Big Difference

While big chain stores and online retailers lure customers in with big
savings, there are some additional cost factors we should consider before we
take our dollars outside our community.

#1. Keep money in Winfield.
Studies have shown that local business redistribute up to 70% of every
dollar received back into the community.  Locally owned merchants
redistribute much more than chain stores. The difference is attributed to
three factors: a higher local payroll at the independent stores (unlike
chain, none of their operations are carried out at out-of-town
headquarters); the local stores purchased more goods and services locally;
local stores tend to donate more; and the local stores retained a much
larger share of their profits within the local economy.

#2. Support community groups.
Nonprofits receive an average of 350% more support from local business
owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses, by way of donations
and volunteerism.

#3. Get better service.
In a local business, you know the person behind the counter, and they know
you. They have a deep understanding of the products they’re selling, and
they take time to serve their customers.

#4. Create and keep good jobs.
Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally, and small
businesses account for the vast majority of job growth. Locally owned
businesses are far less likely to pull up stakes and move operations to
another city or country, taking their jobs with them.

#5. Promote competition and diversity.
A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based on the needs
of their local customers and not on a national sales plan, guarantees a much
broader range of product choices.

#6. Help out the environment.
Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases, requiring less
transportation, and they generally set up shop in commercial corridors
rather than developing on the fringe. This means less sprawl, congestion,
habitat loss, and pollution.

#7. Embrace what makes Winfield different.
Supporting our small retailers, restaurants, and service providers preserves
our village’s character.

#8. Put your taxes to good use.
Local businesses in neighborhoods need comparatively less infrastructure
investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to
nationally owned stores entering the community.

#9. Vote with your dollars.
Based on other studies conducted, if each Winfield household redirected just
$250 of planned spending to locally owned merchants, the local economic
impact would reach nearly $1 Million, of which $130K – $700K would be
redistributed locally.

#10. Invest in the community.
Local businesses are owned by people who live here, work here, and are
invested in the community with much more than just their dollars.

Reach out and support our local businesses – as they benefit, we will too.
Make Winfield a desirable place to open up a business.  Join the campaign –
Shop Local – Spread the Word. Together We Can build a stronger more vibrant
community despite these hard economic times. Contact Angel Oakley for more
information about how you can help: aoakley@villageofwinfield.com.

Team of Rivals

I’d like to make Team of Rivals, next month’s read for me.  After reading the review, it appears to be a great book.
The premise is to surround yourself with people who think differently than you do. However, the name of the book makes the concept seem more calculated than I believe it to be.
Recently, someone told me this concept was a bad idea. I can see how one might think this, however, I personally really appreciate banter and opposing view points. If we are able to listen to one another and really understand where the other person is coming from we have an opportunity to bridge the divide.  If we only surround ourselves with like thinkers we become isolated “same think.”

So to all my family, friends, and colleagues, thank you! Know that I always appreciate your feedback – especially when it is from another point of view.   I never mean to offend nor am I easily offended – just looking for thought provoking friendly banter.

An extra special thanks to those that keep me grounded and inspire me…you know who you are…I appreciate our diversity.

all the best,
angel

Atlas Shrugged – Book Discussion

Currently reading Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.  I’m interested in feedback from others on this book.
Since I’m tackling the Unabridged version, it may take me a little while to get through it, but I’d welcome comments/discussion – anytime.

———

A little about the book and Ayn Rand:

With this acclaimed work and its immortal query, “Who is John Galt?”, Ayn Rand found the perfect artistic form to express her vision of existence. Atlas Shrugged made Rand not only one of the most popular novelists of the century, but one of its most influential thinkers.

Atlas Shrugged is the astounding story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world–and did. Tremendous in scope, breathtaking in its suspense, Atlas Shrugged stretches the boundaries further than any book you have ever read. It is a mystery, not about the murder of a man’s body, but about the murder–and rebirth–of man’s spirit.

* Atlas Shrugged is the “second most influential book for Americans today” after the Bible, according to a joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club

Circle of Influence – What We Believe

As individuals, we are the product our circle of influence. How we choose to process what we see, read, and hear is critical. If people believe anything they are told over and over – we become pawns in the game of life. So it is important for us to choose our circle of influence wisely. Someone recently told me “You can trust no one.” My philosophic view: it’s not about to Trust or Not to Trust – it’s about understanding (by asking, listening, and acknowledging how their experience may impact their perception). I often believe that even the seemingly worst of individuals have some rational for what they do – often their circle of influence promotes/fuels their behavior. Does this make them evil? This is a great question to really debate. Try numerous different scenarios – and see how this may challenge your existing views. If anything it should remind us to forgive and BE MINDFUL of the manipulative minefield we live in.

grace and blessings,

angel

The Village Business Directory is actually a Chamber Publication.

Question: I thought I remember seeing somewhere that the new village trustee had something to do with the Winfield Buyers Guide.  Are there laws that elected officials have to follow about making money off of the village?

Angel’s Answer: To answer your question, yes, I am involved in the Winfield Buyers Guide also known as the Business Directory.  This is a Chamber publication (the Chamber and my business make a modest amount for the time and effort that goes into the book). I didn’t offer to do it to make a large profit, I offered to do it to enhance the image of the Village.  Two years ago when I started producing it, it was my vision to make it more than just a listing of businesses by incorporate as much Village information as possible to add value for the residents. If residents keep it/use it the businesses benefit.

When I proposed what I wanted to do with the book, I was told by the Chamber that we could not afford it – my response – don’t worry I’ll take the financial responsibility to make it work and I did.

The only participation the Village has is to provide information (although I write most of it and they proof it) and order some extra copies to send out as a welcome packet.  The cost the Village contributes for the extra 600 books it orders doesn’t even cover the printing.  This book is funded by the area business (advertisers).

It’s a labor of love and I’ve continued because people tell me they really appreciate it. The officers and postal workers tell me it is the best map we have available in this town. I will do what I can to continue to make it more useful.

Additionally, I had a lot to do with the revised Stuff Publication, however, the countless hours on this publication were strictly volunteer.

-Angel

Winfield Trustee Motivation

What motivated me to serve.

Nearly 3 years ago I left a great corporate job to grow my own consulting firm and have the flexibility to work from home and be with my children more. Being a local business, I joined the chamber. I made recommendations on how to improve things. Their response, sure have at it. This is how I ended up creating the Winfield Buyers Guide/Directory (starting in 2006) – which many told me I couldn’t get enough support in Winfield to create. In my efforts, I got out there and met with nearly 200 local business owners. I introduced myself and talked with them about their business, the chamber, and the village. I began to understand the political climate because there were some people that wouldn’t even talk to me because I said I wanted to talk to them about the Chamber. They didn’t know me, but they judged me as a Chamber Member…this was something initially I found strange.

I was then appointed to the Communications Commission, I believe because I worked closely with the Village to include them on the directory – making it a joint effort between the Village and Chamber for the benefit of the residents – more relevant/useful information. It became the welcome packet for the Village.

It was through my work with the area businesses that I felt called to get more involved. So I have been increasingly involved over the past three years, and during this time I’ve found that people have confided in me from all sides.

I have the skills to make a positive difference – this I have no doubt. My intent is to revitalize hope – reengage the people – and get things done more quickly.

How does this effect me…it’s personally rewarding to help people, I enjoy serving (my teaching/training/mentoring experiences have been some of the most rewarding work I have ever done). Additionally, our services are suffering based on insufficient tax funding. The answer (while complex) isn’t simply to propose a referendum asking residents for more money (which they don’t want to pay)…we need successful business in town; we need to be pro-business in our decisions in order to support our existing businesses and provide a successful environment for future businesses; and we certainly need to work with appropriate entities to complete and fill the existing residential developments.

I don’t want higher taxes, but I appreciate our shared services and those that work/volunteer for them. So while I will do everything I can to support these services, resident tax increases should be a last resort.

I’d like to hear from you….please reply with your first and last name, address or connection to the village, and your comments.

Groups and labels

Fundamentally, I have issues with groups and labels. I believe individuals have to be looked and as individuals. Groups are usually created because individuals are drawn together based on one major issue they agree on. Sure I’ll take a controversial issue like religion…Christian believe in Christ, but really this is probably the only statement that you could get EVERY Christian to agree on. Groups can do great thing, but they can also cause great controversy.

In my village, there is a political action committee called Winfield United. While some say they do great things for the village, some have also said they are terrible and have ruined our village. Some people have asked my opinion of Winfield United wanting to know if I’m for them or against them. My response is: they fall under my general feeling regarding groups. I just can’t bring myself to generalize and say all are this or all are that. I hold each person responsible for their actions. Some have a theory that this group consists of puppets controlled by puppeteers. I’m not sure that I buy the power of puppetry, but if one really is a puppet, they are responsible for allowing themselves to be so.

On a positive note for Winfield United they do provide volunteers for great things around town like painting, planting, and such. My kids love jumping in the Moonwalk at the Critterium and they really liked the penny carnival at Good Old Days too. For these civic efforts I am thankful.

A Vision Of Change – Winfield

Recently, I was appointed to fill an open Trustee position on the Village of Winfield Board. While I know many of the Winfield Stakeholders, there are some I don’t know. While this message is for everyone, it is especially for those that I don’t know.

If you’re wondering: Who is Angel Oakley? What skills does she bring to the board? What can we expect from her? What are her motives? How did she get appointed unanimously? What is her position on various issues…..the underpass, downtown development, comprehensive plan, zoning, annexation, Roosevelt road, police, fire, taxes, services, growth, hospital, parks, budget, etc. While I will be posting on these shortly – My initial response is get to know me: come to a meeting and introduce yourself; feel free at any time to send me an email; post a question or comment to any of my blog posts (with this I just ask you include your real name – first and last); or call me. Ask to Join my LinkedIn or Facebook? Identify yourself with real name and address, and I’ll accept you. Read my bio; Read my blog posts…www.angeloakley.com – here you will find some insight, but again get to know me.

My approach – I did not get involved in the village to condemn the mistakes of others, I’m here to learn from the past in order that we not become destined to repeat history. “Insanity” has been defined as, “doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.”

I am also not here to defend the decisions of others. I am simply trying to understand the thought process behind their decisions, which involves getting to know each person (that I don’t already know), as well as talking with them about the information they had before making their decision. When I feel I have received adequate information – meaning that I could clearly articulate the positions on various sides of the debate then I will feel I can fairly and justly suggest solutions and vote with full confidence that I am really representing good for the greater whole.

Until this time, I will and can express my current opinion on certain issues, but I will preface that the solutions I support in the future may very well be different based on information I am provided in my search. When I vote on something I certainly am open to expressing my reasons/rational.

I will tackle each of these issues in future posts in an attempt to represent all sides. The position I take on these issues will always be based on what will benefit the greatest number of stakeholders (from the information I have available to me).

I support Open Government! So, get to know me – help me make the change Winfield needs. Collective Insight is Needed! I’m willing to help…Take me up on it.

Angel Oakley’s Professional Bio

Angel’s innate marketing acumen has enabled her to provide businesses of various sizes and disciplines an unique insight into their marketing plans. As a strategic planner, she can walk others through the exploration process, uncovering their purposes and goals. Her marketing career began more than 14 years ago in sales. Angel’s ability to hit her sales goals, build teams, and provide group leadership moved her quickly through the management ranks.

During her 9 years in the Property and Casualty insurance industry, Angel played a pivotal role in building brand equity for Monitor Liability Managers, as they grew from $40 to $250 million in annual revenue. She transitioned them into a new identity and then built on the brand assets. During her leadership, they were recognized as being the marketing pioneers of all the subsidiaries within the W. R. Berkley Corporation.

As Chief Marketing Strategist and Co-Founder of Unicatis Creative Marketing Group, Angel leveraged her years of marketing management experience to help clients develop and execute their strategic marketing and sales initiatives. She understands what it is like to walk in their shoes. With fiscal responsibility and ingenuity, she can easily work within tight budget restraints, devising solutions that fit.

A mother of three, Angel says: “My little angels are my toughest clients. They want it all, and I want to give it to them. But my job is about guidance and providing them with a foundation that will make them successful in years to come.”

Angel graduated Summa Cum Laude from Judson College with a B.A. In Management and Leadership and Management Information Systems. Graduating with highest honors did not start there, Angel also received certifications in Marketing Education, where she was named Student of the Year, and she was certified in Web Design from the Illinois Institute of Art.