Miramar Farms

Hope is a strategy. I was talking with a family member recently, someone I love and trust deeply, and as we talked about some of the latest challenges in our lives, he quoted that long-referenced business guidance: “Hope is not a strategy.” I laughed companionably at first, but then I said, no, actually, I think hope is a strategy. To be hopeful is to believe in unseen possibilities and to envision a better future. I am not suggesting hope alone is all we need, but it certainly sets in motion the mindset needed to tackle the enormous challenges we face. At Miramar Farms we are truly grateful to work with an outstanding array of teams that are tackling the biggest issues you can imagine—from the health of the planet to the health of a community to the health of an individual. They are designing sustainable packaging, creating more livable and equitable communities, and tackling an enormous range of human and environmental health challenges. They are full of hope. Thank you to all the dreamers, big thinkers, doers, and helpers. We will be here for you when you need to take a breath, ground in nature, and do the hard work of mapping out a plan for the future. We are partners in hope. “TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” ―?Howard Zinn

Feel like you can't do anything? Do something. On Monday it was Earth Day. I was in Austin flying back to San Francisco and they had booths with information and activities for kids throughout the airport. There was a festive atmosphere. It’s just a little hard to feel festive when you consider the state of the planet these days. A couple of years ago I was talking to a climate scientist friend. I was starting to feel a little helpless in the battle to stop the most extreme impacts of climate change. And he said something that shifted my perspective. He said, “Do something.” What he meant was: Stop wringing your hands about your inability to save the planet all by yourself and move forward by making whatever contributions you can. “Do Something.” So we did. At Miramar Farms, we've leaned into making our farm a demonstration of renewable and regenerative practices with our Conservation and Climate Farm Plan (thank you San Mateo County Resource Conservation District). We've developed sustainable meeting standards and reduced our food and materials waste to nearly zero (thank you California SB1383 Organic Waste Law). ? So, let me pass on these wise words to you: Do Something. And if you don't know where to start, start small with your personal habits. We ask guests of Miramar Farms to do four things to support our sustainability efforts. Maybe these offer a starting point for your personal behavior, as well as gatherings and time in the office: 1. Use a reusable mug and/or water bottle. 2. Encourage and/or organize carpooling/ridesharing. 3. Minimize the use of paper flip charts. 4. Avoid plastic trinkets as meeting gifts or doodling toys. 5. Be thoughtful about the amount of food and drinks you need to avoid waste.