Save the World?

Can we save the world? Yes (theoretically), and so we claim we intend to.

Can any one of us do it alone? No, and so we ask Norwood to join us in the effort. We are not caped crusaders with super powers, but ordinary human beings.

Our Earth is becoming unfriendly to biological life, and we are responsible for escalating that process. Together, we can make changes that will slow climate change, remove toxins from our daily lives, and help ensure that all people have food, shelter, water, and a chance to live well.

Together Yes, Inc. is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable
practices and community building in Norwood, Massachusetts. Sustainability includes: environmental, economic and financial, health, and social concerns.

We understand that what we do in Norwood also has effects on the state, region, nation, and world. Given that we now have access to much of the rest of the world, thanks to the Internet, we cannot ignore the impact our rate and habits of consumption have on the Earth and its inhabitants.

Our main forum is our website: www.tgryes.org, where we share information, ideas, and advice. There are no ads or popups, and people are invited to send in their thoughts as often as they wish. Many will appear on the site if the writer gives permission, and all will be responded to. Please visit the site often to learn what you can, and participate to teach what you know.

Together Yes welcomes Norwood residents and businesses, as well as civic and youth
organizations, to join as members. This can be done from the site, or by sending an email to: sustain@tgryes.org.

While we need a healthy membership so we can continue our work (and apply for grants and other funding), anyone can participate.

There are no dues or fees for membership, and there are no meetings. We communicate with each other largely through email. Soon, we will have a P. O. box, and will be able to accept postal mail as well. There is no phone number to call, as we are all volunteers and can’t give out our home numbers.

Together Yes sells no shares, invests no money, and is tax exempt. We are truly nonprofit, in every way. The money we have for supporting community/neighborhood initiatives and for maintaining our forum comes from donations, grants, and fund-raising events.

We are not under Norwood town management, though we actively seek collaboration wherever reasonable, with an eye to maintaining our autonomy. Our Board of Directors includes Vic Babel, Susan Clare, and George Michalec, all Norwood residents.

Our organization was born from the growing knowledge that carrying reusable shopping bags and recycling alone aren’t going to be enough to get us through and promise a future, livable Earth to our descendents. We need to steadily and incrementally increase our sustainable practices, and this won’t be done without education, both of us and from us.

We began to admit that we want to “save the world.” We say it with a humble smile, because we know not one of us is powerful enough to do it. Nonetheless, have you ever heard spoken such a worthy goal? Please join us, by beginning to say it yourselves. With a wry smile, to be sure, but without embarrassment. The raised eyebrows will open a chance to talk it up and encourage others to want, and work toward, the same goal. And, we need all of us (okay, at least a lot of us) to move forward, because the answer to whether we can save the world is: together, yes.