05/22/2026
As we continue reflecting during Laudato Si' Week, today’s stories highlight the importance of caring not only for the Earth itself, but also for the living creatures and ecosystems that depend on it.
From renewable energy and sustainable gardening to creating habitats for pollinators, these simple but intentional choices remind us that caring for our common home begins right where we live.
CHM Finance Director Bill Ganoe helps reduce energy use and support renewable energy through both solar power and electric vehicles. His backyard solar array includes 12 panels mounted on a pole that quietly generate electricity and reduce his monthly electric bill by approximately $40–$50.
Bill has also been driving fully electric vehicles since 2014, beginning with a Ford Focus electric vehicle used primarily for commuting to HMC and now a Tesla Model Y with a range of more than 300 miles. Both vehicles are charged at home using electric vehicle charging equipment in his garage.
CHM Chief Operating Officer Karen Eden and her husband, Dr. Troy Eden, recently added solar panels to their chiropractic office building in DeWitt. Solar energy helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and provides a cleaner, renewable source of power for the future.
CHM Communications and Development Director Joyce Bieber planted two raised garden beds at her home this year as a way to grow fresh vegetables while becoming more connected to the rhythms of nature and the food we eat. Raised garden beds can help conserve space, improve soil quality, reduce weeds, and make gardening more accessible and manageable for many people.
Her yard also includes milkweed and other pollinator-friendly plants that provide important habitat and food sources for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators essential to healthy ecosystems. Creating spaces that support pollinators is one simple but meaningful way to help protect biodiversity and care for our common home.