Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Caroline Chomanics. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Caroline, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

IDEAS For Us (IDEAS) began when a group of passionate university students made the choice to stop talking about environmental issues and begin the very difficult work of solving them. Founded in June of 2008 at the University of Central Florida (UCF), IDEAS began as a student-led organization called I.D.E.A.S. – an acronym that stood for Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions. With a major focus on action, I.D.E.A.S soon gained recognition by fellow students for their tenacity and dedication to solving environmental issues on campus.

In time, on and off-campus media recognized the student group for their impact and the concept organically spread around the United States. In 2011, IDEAS For Us officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called IDEAS For Us and their work received the Champions of Change award from President Barack Obama. In 2012, IDEAS began the lengthy process of becoming an official NGO of the United Nations and from 2013 – 2016 they held consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In 2016, that status was upgraded and IDEAS now holds special consultative status and is a recognized observer organization of UNFCCC.

Caroline, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Caroline Chomanics is Chief Operations Officer to the global environmental non-profit and NGO IDEAS For Us and Program Director of the urban agriculture program Fleet Farming. She has a Degree in Landscape and Horticulture Technology from Valencia College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Urbanism from Rollins College. She was Horticultural Specialist and Live-In Caretaker to Nehrling Gardens, a historic botanical garden in Gotha, Florida for four years. She has led a “lawns-to-farms” food movement in Orlando, Florida while also being able to lead over 2,000 environmental action projects in over 30 countries related to energy, water, food, waste, and ecology to advance global sustainability with IDEAS For Us. In her spare time, Caroline engages the community in environmental education in the topics of native landscaping, edible landscaping, and environmental practices.

IDEAS For Us (IDEAS) is a 501(c)(3) grassroots environmental non-profit organization and accredited NGO of the United Nations. IDEAS creates global environmental solutions through local action related to energy, water, food, waste, and ecology. Our mission is to develop ideas, fund action, and also scale solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our vision is to contribute to a future where humanity thrives in harmony with nature and also in peace with one another.

Our Focus is to Develop, Fund, & also Scale Environmental Solutions Within the 5 Pillars of Sustainability: Energy, Water, Food, Waste, and Ecology. IDEAS is active in both developed and developing nations. Every project and program we launch shares the collective aim to help people, heal the planet, and grow prosperity at the community level through the education, engagement, and empowerment of those we serve.

Since 2008, we have taken action in 30 counties and engaged thousands of volunteers worldwide. Our projects aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) created by the United Nations to advance sustainability worldwide.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My first experience with the environmental world was a special one. In my small town of Gotha, Florida, I found myself wandering cemetery streets and passing horse farms to find myself trespassing in a forest. I rode my bike down a forested garden path with a Large white 1880s house in the distance. I was approached by the Caretaker of the property who offered to give me a tour. I discovered that this magical secret forest was actually a historic botanical garden called Nehrling Gardens. Expanding 7 acres, this was the home and botanical mecca once cultivated by scientist, naturalist, ornithologist, and horticulturalist Dr. Henry Nehrling. I immediately fell in love with the native gardens full of ornamental plants. The Caretaker shared with me that he was leaving at the end of the month, and with no experience but an eagerness to learn and grow, they invited myself and my brother to move into the grounds, living in Dr. Henry Nehrling’s old historic home, and in exchange for our help in the garden live there for free. I was awestruck with a feeling that my brother and I were called into this field of horticulture, almost in an extraordinary clandestine way. After this newfound love of my life, I knew that it was time to get to work, hands-on learning at Nehrling Gardens and starting Horticulture school at Valencia College. Through my school, I found an internship on a local farm that led me to being hired as Program Director to Fleet Farming and later teaching myself skills such as grant writing, accounting, event planning, and donor stewardship to rise to the position of Chief Operations Officer. There are many stories within this story of long, physically demanding days with brutal Florida heat, blood, sweat, and tears of both joy and exhaustion. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. What we are building together, as an IDEAS For Us collective across the world, is creating the world that I want to live in. Every single day.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Here at IDEAS For Us, we know that ideas are changing the world everyday. Contributing to the global sustainability and regeneration movement is the single most important thing that the human population can do to improve the lives and future of all life on the planet. Keeping this important driving philosophy in mind, IDEAS For Us brings together community members from all backgrounds to engage in public eco-action events that improves their local environment for both the planet and its people. The togetherness that our activities inspires invites all generations to engage in exciting projects from mangrove restoration to beach clean ups to Florida native tree plantings, and more. We teach hands-on about sustainability and environmental practices to offer our community the knowledge to become positive stewards of our precious Earth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ideasforus.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasforus.global/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDEASForUs
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2775544/admin/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/ideastweetsus
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IDEASForUs

Image Credits
IDEAS For Us Inc.