Doing this blog has given me so much insight into all the little businesses and women that I did not know we're doing such big things in this community. Meet Whitney Davis- your local compost queen!
When Whitney first started making changes to live a more sustainable lifestyle, she cut up some stained kids' clothes and used them instead of paper towels. She told a few of her friends and sent them photos. They soon also made the change and posted about it on social media.
Photo Credit:Charlie Samuels
From there, she saw a ripple effect of her friends who also decided to make the change. She credits that one post with potentially over 20 other families making the same change. When she became drawn to composting and started having conversations with others, She saw the same ripple effect happening. She moved to Saratoga over 4 years ago and kept feeling she had to do something about the lack of composting options. After some serious surrender and faith, I knew I was as good any anyone to provide a solution, be an example to my kids, and raise awareness on how we all can be better.
Q. 1 When did the entrepreneur bug bite you?
My closest friends will always talk about my history of endless business ideas. As a kid, I did everything from trading posts to a newspaper route to mowing lawns. Since then, I have explored a variety of ideas from selling fancy donut holes to opening an art-based thrift store to starting my own estate sale company. I have always loved the idea of having something that was my own where I could have flexibility, make my own decisions and create something from the bottom up. Each idea started the same. I would get excited, do a ton of research and hit a mega road block that would kill it all. I could not get passed one major detail of how to carry it from an idea into a tangible business while making it profitable. I imagined what my true daily routine would be with each business and ended up realizing it was not as glamourous as I had originally hoped for.
Loving Earth Compost was something that started out almost as an accident due to a failed community composting project I had worked on with a local not-for-profit. I knew there was a need and was determined to fulfill it in our community. I realized with this “failure” I could turn it into a business doing something I loved. It checked all my necessary boxes: flexibility, independence, passion, doing something for the greater good. I said yes and have not turned back since.
Q. 2 How did your love for the environment come about?
During this past decade of my life, my passion, lifestyle and priorities has morphed beyond what I could have imagined. Early on in life, I discovered that I was a natural caretaker and loved helping people, animals, causes, etc. Fourteen years ago, I became an occupational therapist with a focus on adult rehabilitation. I was dedicated, empathetic and determined to help my patients live their lives with happiness and independence. After becoming a mother, I feel like my priorities shifted. I felt this magnetic pull towards nature yet everything I was reading and surrounding myself with was telling me I needed to buy more, work more, be more.
I knew change needed to happen, so I made the decision for action, even if it was uncomfortable or inconvenient. I got curious, started reading, asking questions and trying to be the best example for my kids. I wanted to beliefs to match my actions. Once I began composting, I was absolutely amazed at the process. I saw it as a tangible action that I that minimized my carbon footprint while creating this essential nutrient-rich soil. My lifestyle continued to change with buying mostly thrift clothing and home goods, repurposing items, limiting buying non-essential items and eating more ethnically sourced foods. I developed a deeper connection to humanity and our earth. I felt called to be an advocate and protector.
My duties evolved when I moved to Saratoga Springs and became involved with people and Sustainable Saratoga, a local environmental not-for-profit. It was incredibly gratifying meeting people that loved caring for the protection of our environment as much I as did. It has been amazing to see the how a community is able to rally behind a cause and advocate for our sustainability and protection of our planet.
Q.3 Who were the women mentors that encouraged you or inspired you?
When I moved to Saratoga, I became involved in a local environmental not-for-profit. Through a few meetups, I met Susan Carpenter (Conscious Refill), Jill Fecteau (Earth Sunflower) and Racheal Thomas (Daisies and Dahlias) and was blown away by their strength and determination. I was empowered by these women who whole-heartedly believed in sustainability and preserving the beauty of our planet. They were able to turn their passion into a business while making a difference in our fight to end climate change. After having a conversation with them, I realized I had the same potential.
Q.4 What do you want local Saratogains to know about you?
I am originally from a small midwestern city known for its cornfields and being the flattest city in the United States. Due to my husband’s work, we have lived in six different cities in over 10 years. I knew very little about upstate New York until I traveled here for a SPAC concert. Little did I know, a year later, his job would relocate us to this amazing area. With everywhere I have lived, I have never been surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, forests, water and wildlife this area offers. I had never seen a chipmunk or woodpecker before! Since living here, I have met some of the most amazing human beings and could not image living anywhere else. This is the first place that has felt like home for my family and I. That is one reason I have felt so invested to offer solutions for residents and protect our environment.
Q. 6 How do you balance your entrepreneur life with friends/family that don’t understand the challenges we experience?
Finding the perfect work-life balance will always be something I struggle with. Like a pendulum, sometimes I’m so busy I have a million checklists floating around. Other times, I actually have the time to relax, breathe and be a present mother, business owner and human being. As the main person running Loving Earth, there will always be work to be done. I try to be intentional about when I choose to work versus when I choose to be with my family.
Q.7 What Is the mission of your business/job?
Our mission is simple: to provide an environmentally-sustainable service to the community of Saratoga and the surrounding areas. We strive to help reduce our carbon footprint on this planet by reducing the amount of carbon emissions caused by food waste in the landfill.
Q.9 Finally - What is a quote that inspires you !
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” -Mahatma Gandhi
( I love writing these blogs and featuring these amazing ladies, I do ask if you could give them a follow or like on their social media as support, Women supporting Women )
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