Sustainable Best Practices

Creating Healthy Change One Community at a Time

"There are no swings, no slides, no playgrounds at the Stoddert Terrace housing complex. Some children cool themselves in plastic swimming pools next to streets where cars careen up and down. Others ride bicycles across desert lawns that haven't known grass in years. Still others take turns pushing one another in rusty shopping carts over ground so covered by broken blue and green glass it almost looks decorated, like the floor of a fish aquarium. Danger feels imminent, expected, sanctioned." (1)

At some point, each of us has been eyewitnesses to an injustice or infraction. While it is common to hear grumbles over the country’s current state of affairs, many grievances about the economy, health care, or education reform fail to make it beyond the dinner table or water cooler. But a remarkable few do stand on behalf of the issue at hand. What is it that turns these individuals from passive bystanders into everyday heroes? How do the simple actions of children, parents, and community members catapult us into movement?

In questioning this issue I began reaching out to communities who, in their own small way, have contributed to a much larger societal issue, as in the case highlighted here, which began with something as simple as building a playground.

Last October, I was fortunate to participate in a KaBOOM! community build right here in Washington, D.C.(2) KaBOOM! uses the Asset-Based Community Development model to assist communities in building playspaces across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It is through the participation and leadership of everyday people that communities are able to create playspaces that serve both to increase children’s access to play, as well as inspire communities to take on much larger projects in the future.

While I have participated in amazing community builds in the past, I felt a particular connection to this project. Having lived in D.C. for several years, I was all too aware of the perception of Southeast as an area that is plagued by poverty and crime. Though in some instances these concerns may be real, they often overshadow the positive attributes of the community. On the day of the build I talked with many of the project leaders and community members. What unfolded was a vivid portrait of how small steps can lead to dramatic changes.

Founded in 1997, the Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE) (3) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of health and wellness for all people. Working to eradicate health disparities and aid vulnerable populations in attaining optimal health, in 2006 SHIRE convened the Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Collaborative in Ward 8, an historically disadvantaged community in the District of Columbia. One of the strategies employed by the organization was a campaign to get children outdoors and active. SHIRE held focus groups for families and a common theme began to emerge: before families could be convinced to send their children outside to play, the issues of safety and environmental hazards needed to be addressed. Community members spoke of the trash and drug paraphernalia that littered their outdoor spaces. Residents shuttled neighborhood kids to parks by car to avoid having them cross over the railroad tracks on foot while trying to get to the playground. The problem was clear: the children of this community had no safe place to play.

Flash forward to 2009, when SHIRE teamed up with the People’s Co-Op in the Elvans Road community. Together they worked to build a community playground, reduce their crime rate, and confront issues of health and obesity. A grant application was submitted and awarded to the community. The initial planning committee consisted of 19 families, residents, and community members. They worked together to raise additional funding, recruit volunteers, and pool community resources. Even the youngest members of the community were enabled to participate in the process, conducting a "Design Day" in which they drew their dream playground. Those same drawings would later inform the type of equipment, color scheme, and landscaping in the final playground erected by community volunteers.

While the need for a safe place to play was the initial catalyst for change in this community, it resulted in a multitude of positive outcomes. A resident of Elvans Road Co-Op for 47 years, Ms. Clara reported that the project had a unifying effect. Adults in the neighborhood were brought together around a common cause and the dynamics within the community began to change. They went from having only a handful of attendees at community meetings to having a solid group of regular residents asking, "What can we take on next?" The residents have started a community newsletter and are in the process of planning a community garden to be designed and built by the local community.

Though the changes that have occurred in the Elvan Roads neighborhood are remarkable, they did not come absent hard work and dedication to the cause. The initial proposal to build a playground was not met with overwhelming support by all members of the community. There was a small group of individuals who felt the project would never come to fruition. Reasons ranged from not being able to raise the money or recruit enough volunteers to the children not really wanting to use the playspace. Still, the planning committee persisted. When the build day arrived, 333 people stood on a vacant lot ready and willing to get the job done. They assembled equipment, tightened bolts, and shoveled mulch. Just six hours later, they stood before their new playground.

Today the playground stands as a primary-colored reminder of what the community was able to accomplish. Yet, it also represents the previously unknown resources available to this Ward 8 community. Construction crews, military men and women, church members, universities, businesses, and children alike all heeded the call to lend their support to the project.

Each of these individuals gave of their time, money, and labor to make a difference in their community. Why? Dr. Shields-Harris, director of the Children’s Health Project of D.C., summed it up well, as she mixed concrete by hand. "I believe in the importance of play and I prescribe play for my patients. How can I ask them to go out and play if I know that there aren’t any safe places to play in the community?"

On some level we all want to contribute to a greater good, to stand up for something we believe in, and—as in this case—provide a healthier childhood for our children and future generations. So whether it be a playground, a community garden, or working toward some larger policy change, the individuals who are able to transform injustices into action can do so because they have adopted Ghandi’s inspiring mantra, "We must be the change we seek to see in the world!"

References

1. Lonnae O'Neal Parker. (1995, August 04). No place to play: At Stoddert Terrace, deaths of 2 children are seen as painful proof of a city's neglect. The Washington Post, Final Edition.

2. KaBOOM! http://kaboom.org.

3. Summit Health Institute for Research and Education. http://www.shireinc.org/.

Living Roof

Here is a very basic video about constructing a living roof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zCyyF01CL4.

Alarming Environmental Facts

In the past three decades, one-third of the planet's natural resources base have been consumed.

In the United States, we have less than 4% of our original forests left.

Forty percent of waterways in the US have become undrinkable.

The U.S. has 5% of the world's population but consumes 30% of the world's resources and creates 30% of the world's waste.

If everybody consumed at U.S. rates, we would need 3 to 5 planets.

There are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals in commerce today.

Only a handful of synthetic chemicals have even been tested for human health impacts and NONE have been tested for synergistic health impacts.

In the U.S., industry admits to releasing over 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals a year.

The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago.

We each see more advertisements in one year than a people 50 years ago saw in a lifetime.

In the U.S. our national happiness peaked sometime in the 1950s.

In the U.S., we spend 3-4 times as many hours shopping as our counterparts in Europe do.

Average U.S. house size has doubled since the 1970s.

Each person in the United States makes 4 1/2 pounds of garbage a day. That is twice what we each made thirty years ago.

For every one garbage can of waste you put out on the curb, 70 garbage cans of waste were made upstream to make the junk in that one garbage can you put out on the curb.

Green Cities Report Assesses How Key Cities in America are Combating Climate

Washington, DC (May 7, 2009)- A new report released today called Green Cities is one of the first assessments of exactly how 40 of the country's largest cities are trying to limit their carbon footprints and take the steps needed to raise these efforts to the next level. The report was initiated and conducted by Living Cities, a long-standing collaboration of 21 of the world's largest foundations and financial institutions.

Based on conversations with the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field, the report is an effort to showcase and support the innovative ways in which cities are creating an equitable green economy- one that connects low-income people and under-invested urban communities to the economic mainstream. According to the featured survey included, it is here where cities have generally fallen short.

Don Chen, Program Officer at the Ford Foundation, addressing the latter point, notes that, "This report shows that cities are leaders in using green strategies to advance economic recovery efforts and create better jobs. But it also signals the urgent need for these efforts reach more people- including low-income and working families - to build stronger communities for the long term.

Living Cities' is also serving as a resource to inform the usage of federal dollars available through stimulus funds and the workforce dollars associated with investments in the energy efficiency sector. The Green Cities report is focused on building energy retrofits, green workforce development and transit-oriented development, three areas also identified as priorities by local leaders and to which the recently passed stimulus bill brings extraordinary new resources.

Ben Hecht, Living Cities CEO, notes that, "The emerging green economy can and must deliver opportunities to low-income people and communities, from lower energy and transportation costs, to good jobs and career paths. We are working with city governments, nonprofits and businesses who share that vision." 
Key insights culled from the Green Cities Report include:

* Most cities are starting to seize the challenge and opportunity of addressing climate change... but findings also reveal a deeply concerning trend: Few Cities are prioritizing the needs of low-income people and communities as part of their green strategies and programs.

* This is a 'right now' issue. Four in five big cities report that sustainability is among their top five priorities and more than half of the big cities are either currently creating a sustainability plan or have already finished creating one.

* More than three-quarters of big cities have, or will soon have, detailed plans on how they will reduce greenhouse gases.

* How much big cities are investing in reducing greenhouse gases varies widely
Several cities report that they have a single staff member dedicated to these issues, while others report they have several dozen.

* More than two-thirds of cities reported that state and federal governments have little or no impact on their work.

* Rising energy costs have driven increases in public transit ridership in virtually every city in the survey and a significant number of cities reported they're investing in one or more of four central strategies to boost mass transit.

* Cities are building more efficient buildings and nearly have of cities have programs subsidizing insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and weatherization.

* About one in four cities have green building mandates that go beyond city buildings and apply to private construction: usually commercial and, in a few cases, residential.
* Nearly all cities want to attract green-collar jobs and industries
In fact, one in three cities have partnered with area colleges and created green-focused training programs.

* One in six report they have programs that place trainees in green jobs

In recent years, American cities have made sustainability a priority- and they've put dollars behind their pledges. Living Cities asked officials about the staff and funds they've committed to the work. Nearly all said it was a challenge to come up with hard and fast figures: fighting climate change is typically handled by staff across many agencies and programs, rather than just in a single department. Nonetheless, most cities were able to at least make an educated guess as their resource commitment. Reports about budgets are similarly varied, with responses falling between $75,000 and $15 million. Most cities reported budgets of between $150,000 and $500,000.

Living Cities Green Report is timely as cities are beginning to grapple with the recession and its impact on budgets. Most said they expected their commitment to battling climate change to remain strong noting that retrofitting city buildings and greening a vehicle fleet can actually save cities money and pave the way to a new green economy.

Cities surveyed (ranked by population): New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Columbus, Austin, Fort Worth, Memphis, Charlotte, Baltimore, Boston, El Paso, Milwaukee, Seattle, Nashville, Denver, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Louisville, Portland, Oklahoma City, Tucson, Albuquerque, Atlanta, Miami, Oakland, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Saint Paul, Cleveland.

Living Cities collaboration also includes other critical features that advance the larger "green economy" agenda including the nation's first "Green Stimulus Boot Camp" to be held, May 31-June 2 at Harvard University, where leaders from 14 cities and states will convene for intensive training and peer networking to discuss their leading edge efforts to create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through large scale building retrofit initiatives.

Using recycled tires for playground surfacing

The following is a link to an article about using old tires for playground surfacing.  http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090419/NEWS02/904190310

While I think it is a great idea to keep old tires out of the landfill and use them for another purpose, I am concerened about the safety of the rubber itself.  There have been reports about leaching of chemicals out of the rubber.  I am also not convinced that shredded or crumb rubber is accessible.  It does not compact and stay in one place.  If the rubber can be contained and a layer of unitary surface put over it, I would think that would be a better alternative.

Youth Serve

Check out the following link for an abundance of resources about youth volunteering.  There are some great case studies on what youth are doing to be good stewards of the earth.

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001zhxuv_ANN9BVYVtX2Z_cC2PRmctEH6s-KMC9aE57CJMiileFebgaYx27hgltX1az9Kezl6EBuzUE4dnrXed7Ql6NGQ9EV_R9HpzPKV4oXVM_M--SJdIDPiNalr-pBUkIjdkaAR4_QAw%3D

Greensburg's Green Playground

Great video of a green playground

2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey

Cone is pleased to share with you our newest research, the 2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey, which explores the environmental attitudes and shopping behaviors of American consumers during today’s economic crisis.  Conducted at the end of January 2009, the new survey provides real-time data to support corporate environmental communications efforts. 

Key findings from this morning’s press release include:

• Purchasing: 34 percent of American consumers indicate they are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today, and another 44 percent indicate their environmental shopping habits have not changed as a result of the economy


• Interest: 35 percent of Americans have higher interest in the environment today than they did one year ago


• Expectations: 35 percent of Americans have higher expectations for companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products and services during the economic downturn

Additional information can be found within this morning’s press release (below). You can also access this survey and all of Cone’s research by visiting www.coneinc.com/research.

If you would like to discuss the findings in more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Yohannan
Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility
jyohannan@coneinc.com
617.939.8350

CONSUMER INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL PURCHASING NOT ECLIPSED BY POOR ECONOMY More than one-third of consumers are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today

BOSTON (February 18, 2009) – Despite the dire state of the economy, 34 percent of American consumers indicate they are more likely to buy environmentally responsible products today, and another 44 percent indicate their environmental shopping habits have not changed as a result of the economy.   Fewer than one-in-10 (8 percent) say they are less likely to buy.  This is according to the results of the 2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey released today.

Even amid the recession, American interest in the environment has not waned, and as a result, many consumers are inclined to hold companies accountable for their environmental commitments today and in the future:

• 35 percent of Americans have higher interest in the environment today than they did one year ago;


• 35 percent of Americans have higher expectations for companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products and services during the economic downturn; and,


• 70 percent of Americans indicate that they are paying attention to what companies are doing with regard to the environment today, even if they cannot buy until the future. 

“The fact that consumers continue to be interested in the environment and mindful of corporate efforts, even in the midst of a grueling recession, is evidence that this is more than just a passing trend,” says Jonathan Yohannan, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Cone.  “Environmental responsibility is not just an expectation in times of prosperity.”

Environmental Messaging Largely Immune to Consumer Distrust
As consumer confidence in companies dips to record lows, trust in environmental messages remains surprisingly resilient.  Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Americans say they trust companies to tell them the truth in their environmental messaging.  There is one caveat:  Most consumers (85 percent) believe companies should communicate their environmental commitments year-round.

“Earth Day is right around the corner, and we’ll likely see many environmental campaigns hit the marketplace to capitalize on the event,” says Yohannan.  “But companies must think beyond this singular occasion to develop authentic and long-term commitments, even as they weather the recession.  Environmental communications continue to be credible touch points through which business can regain or sustain consumer loyalty and trust.” 

About the survey:
The 2009 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey presents the findings of an online survey conducted January 29-30, 2009 by Opinion Research Corporation among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,087 adults, comprising 518 men and 569 women 18 years of age and older.  The margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ± 3%. 

For a copy of the survey fact sheet, please contact Sarah Kerkian (skerkian@coneinc.com) or visit www.coneinc.com/research.

About Cone:
Cone (www.coneinc.com) is a strategy and communications agency engaged in building brand trust.  Cone creates stakeholder loyalty and long-term relationships through the development and execution of Cause BrandingSM, Brand Marketing, Corporate Responsibility and Crisis Prevention and Management initiatives.  Cone is a member of the Omnicom Group.

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DC Environmental Film Festival - A MUST SEE!

(Orignially posted 3/16/09)

Here is a listing of the remaining films playing during the DC Environmental Film Festival continuing this week and ending on March 22. Posted here are all the films that have to do with sustainability. Happy watching!

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

7:00 p.m.

American University, Center for Environmental Filmmaking

An Evening with Chris Palmer, Director, Center for Environmental Filmmaking,

LAUGHTER, COMEDY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM (Film Clip-

Illustrated Lecture)

Environmentalists have failed to take advantage of one of the mostpowerful tools available: humor. As advertisers have long known, humorous messages havethe power to grab viewers' attention and engage their imagination. Humor can communicatea serious message in a compelling and upbeat way that can motivate people to change theirbehavior. In this entertaining presentation, Chris Palmer, American University professor,stand-up comic and award-winning film producer, uses funny film clips to show how we canmost effectively use humor to promote conservation. Chris is President of MacGillivrayFreeman Films Educational Foundation and CEO of VideoTakes, Inc., an award-winningfilm company.

FREE

American University, Wechsler Theatre, Mary Graydon Center,

4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW (METRO: Tenleytown–AU. Shuttle bus service to AU)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18

6:30 p.m.

Carnegie Institution for Science

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO (France, 2008, 109 min.)

Washington D.C. Premiere The world leader in genetically modified organisms (GMOs),

Monsanto is one of the most controversial corporations in industrial history. This centuryold

empire has created some of the most toxic products ever sold, including polychlorinated

biphenyls (PCBs) and the herbicide Agent Orange. The leader in genetically modified seeds,

engineered to resist its herbicide, Roundup, Monsanto claims it wants to solve world hunger

while protecting the environment. In the light of its troubling past, can we really believe these noble intentions? Misleading reports, collusion, pressure tactics and attempts at

corruption: the history of Monsanto is filled with disturbing episodes. Behind its clean,

green image, Monsanto is tightening its grasp on the world seed market, striving for market

supremacy to the detriment of food security and the global environment. Based on an investigative

report by French journalist Marie-Monique Robin, The World According to Monsanto

puts together the pieces of the company's history, calling on hitherto unpublished documents

and numerous first-hand accounts. Directed by Marie-Monique Robin. Produced by ARTE

France and the National Film Board of Canada.

Panel discussion with Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director, Center for Food Safety;

Michael Hanson, Senior Staff Scientist, Consumers Union and Ken Cook, Environmental

Working Group, follows screening.

FREE

Carnegie Institution for Science, Elihu Root Auditorium,

1530 P St., NW (METRO: Dupont Circle, Q St. exit)

6:30 p.m.

National Building Museum

THE GREENING OF SOUTHIE (USA, 2007, 81 min.) What happens when you’re

asked to build the city of tomorrow… today? Set on the rugged streets of South Boston,

The Greening of Southie is the story of a revolutionary Green Building and the men and

women who bring it to life. From wheat-board cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring

to dual-flush toilets, The Macallen Building is something different––a leader in the emerging

field of environmentally friendly design. But Boston’s steel-toed construction workers aren’t

sure they like it. And when things on the building start to go wrong, the young development

team has to keep the project from unraveling. Funny and poignant, this is a story of bold

ideas and unlikely environmentalists, and points to the future of how we live. Directed by

Ian Cheney. Produced by Curt Ellis.

Introduced by Elizabeth L. Wilkie, Associate Public Programs Coordinator, National

Building Museum. Discussion with director Ian Cheney follows screening.

Tickets: National Building Museum (NBM) Member Series Tickets (online only):

$10 for all 3 EFF films shown at the NBM. (See Recycled Life, page 48, and Designing a

Great Neighborhood, page 11.) NBM Member tickets for single films may be purchased

at the door for $5 using cash, check, or a credit card. Please note there is a $10 minimum

for credit card transactions. General Public Tickets (online or at the door): $10 per film.

Registration available online at www.nbm.org or by calling 202-272-2448.

National Building Museum, 401 F St., NW (METRO: Judiciary Square)

7:00 p.m.

American University, Center for Environmental

Filmmaking & REI

Student Short Environmental Film Festival

Outstanding student films include a new film from American University’s Center for

Environmental Filmmaking, 2008 winners from National Geographic Channel’s “Preserve

Our Planet” College Film and PSA Contest and 2008 winners from the National Council

for Science and the Environment Youth Video Contest.

ECOVIEWS: RECLAIMING THE BAY (28 min.) Sneak Preview This stunning

and informative documentary focuses on efforts to save the Chesapeake Bay. The program

was conceived, produced, scripted, shot and edited by graduate students enrolled in

Environmental and Wildlife Production at American University. Students from two motion

graphics classes created the animated interstitials. The program is scheduled to air on

Maryland Public Television in April during Chesapeake Bay Week.

THE EXPERIMENTAL GENERATION (5 min.) A series of college students

reminisce about their first time: how they learnt about ‘it’ (both in school and outside), how

families reacted to ‘it’, how and why they do ‘it’, and why ‘it’ is so important. Directed by

Alex Jeffries, University of Los Angeles. First Place Winner of National Geographic Channel’s

“Preserve Our Planet” College Film and PSA Contest.

STOP! THINK GREEN AND SAVE (5 min.) Witness this stop-motion based creative

journey into the everyday life of a college student made entirely from still images. Directed by

Tyler Depke, Hope College. Second Place Winner of National Geographic Channel’s “Preserve

Our Planet” College Film and PSA Contest.

STUDENTS OF CONSEQUENCE (5 min.) Presents the African Bush-meat Project,

where High Tech High students from San Diego, California go to Tanzania and offer their

help against illegal commercial Bush-meat trade through DNA Bar-coding. Directed by

Megan Morikawa and Zachary Sheffer. Overall Winner, the National Council for Science and the

Environment’s video contest, “Voices and Visions from the Next Generation of Conservationists.”

TORTOISE TRACKS – THE MOVIE (5 min.) Follow students from Lancaster

High School in California as they seek to raise awareness and youth involvement in the

preservation of the California State Reptile: the Desert Tortoise. Filmmakers are Corrine

Cowan, Katelyn Louton, Cris Molina, Alex Munney and Eena Singh. Winner for the age group

15-18, the National Council for Science and the Environment’s video contest, “Voices and

Visions from the Next Generation of Conservationists.”

OUR WORLD, OUR FATE: A LOOK AT THE IMPORTANCE OF

BIODIVERSITY (5 min.) Explores the impact a healthy ecosystem has on our

environment through the local example of the Anacostia Watershed. Filmmakers are

David Bonanno, Cameron Etienne, Aaron Harrington, Dylan ReBois and Emilie Wolfson

of the University of Maryland. Winner for the age group 19-22, the National Council for

Science and the Environment’s video contest, “Voices and Visions from the Next Generation of

Conservationists.”

Hosted by EFF and American University Professors Chris Palmer and Sandy Cannon-

Brown. Panel discussion follows the screenings. Each of the panelists will share how he

or she turned a passion for the environment into a filmmaking career. Panelists: Chuck

Dunkerly, producer/director, National Park Service; Danny Ledonne, a graduate student

at American University and an independent filmmaker and Jennifer Shoemaker,

Coordinating Producer, National Geographic’s “Wild Chronicles.”

FREE

American University, Wechsler Theatre, Mary Graydon Center,

4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW (METRO: Tenleytown–AU. Shuttle bus service to AU.)

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

10:00 a.m.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library

LIQUID ASSETS (USA, 2008, 86 min.) Washington, D.C. Premiere Listen to the story

of essential infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. These systems — some

in the ground for more than 100 years — provide a critical public health function and are

essential for economic development and growth. Largely out of sight and out of mind, these

aging systems have not been maintained, and some estimates suggest this is the single largest

public works endeavor in our nation’s history. Exploring the history, engineering challenges,

and political and economic realities in urban and rural locations, we gain an understanding

of the hidden assets that support our way of life. Locations featured in the documentary

include Washington, D.C. Directed by Stephanie Ayanian and Mark Cooper. Produced by

WPSU-TV.

Introduced by Eric White, Manager, Multimedia Services, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Memorial Library. Discussion with filmmaker Stephanie Ayanian and a representative

of D.C. Water and Sewage Authority follows screening.

FREE

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, A-5 Auditorium,

901 G St., NW (METRO: Gallery Place–Chinatown or Metro Center)

5:30 p.m.

Dumbarton Oaks Landscape Arts Program of Harvard

University & Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

GARDEN CYCLES BIKE TOUR (USA, 2008, 39 min.) Chronicling a two

thousand-mile, three-month-long bicycle trip made by three Washington-based, twentysomething

friends, this documentary explores the budding environmental agriculture and

local food movement. Traveling from the mid-Atlantic up into New England and Canada,

they discover people and communities, finding solutions to the environmental excesses of

industrialized agriculture. In July of 2007 they headed out from D.C. and visited sites in

Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City. August saw them travel to sites

throughout New York State and up to Montreal, Canada, where they turned around and

headed south to Vermont. September finds them visiting sites in Massachusetts and

Providence, Rhode Island and trekking back to our capital city. From inner-city gardens,

rooftop vegetable plots and suburban farms, they uncover the reality, and challenges, of the

new American farmer. Directed by Lara Sheets, Liz Tylander and Kat Shiffler. Produced by

Victor Barcelona.

Introduced by Barbara Gordon, Associate Curator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture

Garden and John Beardsley, Director of Garden and Landscape Studies, Dumbarton Oaks.

FREE

Dumbarton Oaks, Main House, Music Room, 1703 32nd St., NW

(Metrobuses: 32, 36, D6)

FRIDAY, MARCH 20

12:00 noon

Solar Household Energy, Inc. & Solar Cookers International

MANDA

The Story of Stuff

I think all of you would appreciate the message put forth by this animation. It has definitely changed my way of thinking of my carbon footprint and the impact we all make on the earth.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Interesting facts

http://connect.kaboom.org/?page=blogs/view&BLID=225

Wastewater Collection

The Boys & Girls Club in Fallbrook had an interesting idea as to materials used for the paint / concrete wastewater: used kiddie pools! As opposed to using new materials to construct a collection site, we were able to wash out tools into some cheap, plastic kiddie pools instead. Obviously, you'd probably want to use pools that you don't intend on using as pools ever again, but I thought this was a fast, cheap solution that made use of materials already on site!

ToolBank program a great way to increase the green factor - and save green doing

Thanks to the Home Depot Foundation and to URS Corp for recently including ToolBank USA in the sustainability conversation. The Atlanta ToolBank (http://atlanta.toolbank.org) has supported KaBOOM! by providing tools for dozens of playgrounds every year - and ToolBank USA would like your help to recreate that impact in your town!

In a nutshell, the ToolBank program is a library of tools available solely to charitable organizations for use in service projects. This means that local nonprofits, neighborhood associations, public schools, places of worship, and greenspaces NEVER have to wonder if they'll have enough equipment. The availability of huge quantities of tools increases sustainability by

• massively increasing volunteer impact,


• reducing purchasing and maintenance costs,


• increasing the number of volunteers who can participate.

At ToolBank USA, we call this 'tool abundance.' Atlanta volunteers never wonder if there will be enough tools at the site, and KaBOOM! in Atlanta tells us that ToolBank tools have dramatically increased their program capacity.

Thanks to funding from The Home Depot Foundation, ToolBank USA (www.toolbank.org) is now seeking leaders in cities outside Atlanta to build ToolBanks of their own. Please contact ToolBank USA at the numbers below. Thank you!

Mark Brodbeck, CEO
ToolBank USA
www.toolbank.org
404-963-2551

Creating an easy garden that the children can design

Looking for an easy way to garden with children. Check out the following link to a presentation that explains how easy it is to garden with Filtrexx Gardensoxx.

The soxx was used on Lian's Tampa build for a maze, several paths and an edible garden. The soxx are a mesh containment unit filled with compost - the soxx allows for easy design and the compost is earth's own secret growing mixture.

Stay tuned for more pictures!

http://www.filtrexx.com/GardenSoxxGardenDesign.pdf

How about a Sensory Garden!?

One great site enhancement project that you can choose is a Sensory Garden. Not only does this project go along with the theme of building sustainable playspaces, but it can also act as a great Service Learning tool for the youth in your community. Below I have included a short list of plants that would be a great starting point for your very own Sensory Garden. I also encourage you to reach out to your local resources, and find which "sensory" plants would be best in your area/region. Enjoy...

PLANTS FOR A SENSORY GARDEN

Acacia smallii � Sweet acacia. Has very fragrant yellow puff-ball flowers in the spring. (Note: this tree does have thorns, so it would need to be lifted over head level)

Abutilon palmeri � Indian mallow. This shrub has velvety-soft leaves.

Aloysia triphylla � Lemon verbena. The leaves of this shrub smell and taste like lemons.

Chrysactinia mexicana � Damianita. This small shrub has very aromatic foliage.

Dalea capitata � Sierra Gold. This ground cover has foliage with a delicate lemony scent.

Hyptis emoryi � Desert lavender. A large, narrow shrub with a pungent fragrance.

Larrea tridentata � Creosote. What a heavenly fragrance after summer rains!

Leucophyllum laevigatum � Chihuahuan sage. The flowers of this shrub provide a delicate scent in the late summer and early fall.

Leucophyllum pruinosum � Sierra Bouquet. This shrub blooms in the summer and fall with flowers that smell like grape bubble gum.

Muhlenbergia capillaris � Regal Mist. The narrow leaves of this ornamental grass are slick and waxy. It also has plumes of soft, misty flowers in the fall months.

Osmanthus fragrans � Sweet olive. The tiny flowers on this shrub have an incredibly sweet fragrance!

Salvia leucantha � Mexican bush sage. This shrub blooms in the fall and spring with velvety-soft purple flower spikes.

Salvia clevelandii � Chaparral sage. This large shrub has very aromatic foliage.

Tagetes lemmonii � Mount Lemmon marigold. This shrub has extremely aromatic foliage.

Tagetes lucida � Licorice marigold. The foliage of this shrub smells and tastes like licorice.

Zephryanthes candida � Rain lily. The narrow leaves of this small plant are slick & shiny.

TV Goes Green!

On the NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" last weekend, they talked about Fox's "24" becoming the first carbon neutral TV show. Though I have never seen "24", I was intrigued...

Here's a link to a NY Times article detailing their efforts: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/arts/television/02twen.html

Here's another link to a Newsweek article: http://www.newsweek.com/id/72535

Great local efforts to check out (school gardens)

http://realschoolgardens.org/en/realgardens.html

http://www.schoolyards.org/

http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/

Materials Selection

In any given service project, a series of materials will be used to carry the mission forth. Decisions on what materials to use and how they will be used safely and effectively is paramount to any sustainable project.

What should a project team do to minimize the purchase of new tools and equipment while ensuring appropriate tools are available in the right numbers and how should supplies and materials be selected so that they are:

1. environmentally appropriate and sustainable in terms of the quality of the product, the packaging, the distance shipped, etc.; and


2. practical and suitable for the site location, weather conditions and end-users? How can a project team make decisions about selecting project materials that are appropriate for a project and safe for volunteers and the environment to be using?

Examples from the internal working group:

• Create a checklist for sustainable materials


• Select long-lasting tools


• Consider local materials and carbon footprints


• Consult EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program


• Borrow tools from a local organization

Project Choice

Communities across the country can make smart, earth-friendly decisions early in the process, simply by choosing service projects that make less of an impact on the earth. What considerations should typically be made for the design and location of your service project to minimize its environmental impact? How can communities access plans (by site needs, by numbers of volunteers, by skill of volunteers) for community projects?

Examples from the internal working group:

• Make sure project locations do not hinder other activities that may go on in the area


• Complete asset mapping -- consider the budget, maintenance, timing, reasonable projects for volunteers, and number of volunteers


• Confirm desires of the surrounding community


• Include recycled materials if it makes economic sense

Energy Use

We are interested in developing guidelines to assist folks who are conducting and leading service projects to minimize energy use whenever possible. Consider all the places you might utilize or tap sources of energy. Please share your thoughts or best practices you have seen or employed that can help to conserve energy during the planning, implementation, maintenance and use of your finished product.

Examples:

• Consider volunteer transporation options (car pooling, bussing, individual responsibility)


• If landscaping, building a rain water collection system and developing plans with site owner to utilize system for watering plants to conserve water use


• Utilize manpower instead of power tools to complete tasks


• Borrow tools instead of buying them


• When selecting vendors, consider their carbon footprint/environmental stewardship


• Installation of a solar-powered lighting system


• Consider modes of energy use by project activities: manufacture, transport, operations, life-cycle

Your project may also include programming or campaigns that can further illuminate or educate on relevant issues

• Encourage a community energy conservation campaign


• Develop a service-learning curriculum to pair into the rain water collection system that is being used to water the plants


• How do decisions effect the carbon footprint?

Site Readiness

So much thought and effort goes creating a service project with impact. One of the most important things a project manager can do is to prepare a site well in advance, engaging the right people to make sure the project goes on without a hitch. And keeping a project sustainable yet safe takes some savvy know-how even before the project begins. With careful planning it can be done.

How do you help a local project partner prepare a site responsibly to ensure volunteer safety, site readiness, and environmentally-responsible site preparation?

Examples from the internal working group:

• A local lab can run soil tests for a reduced price


• Discuss site history/characteristics with the local community


• Use site preparation early as service learning


• Consider storm water runoff, erosion, and drainage


• Have an early meeting with local departments to confirm permitting process

Community Engagement

The concept of community is a fluid concept. Understanding the dimensions of this concept will enable those in the community to better target their efforts and work with community leaders and members in developing meaningful strategies that will have a lasting impact.

What types of community needs assessments and direct community involvement in planning and decision making can best ensure that a service project will continue to pay dividends after it is done, considering how it will be used carefully and cared for over time, ensuring the longest possible lifespan of the project?

Some examples from the internal working group:

• Identify key stakeholders and engage the groups in creating sustainable projects early in the process


• Encourage communities to think about the environmental impact the project will have


• Identify various pockets of the community and assertively work to include and invite people from the different pockets. Your project can be a bridge to the different sectors.


• Think about the amount of time individuals can devote to your project. What assets do they have that they can share?

Project Partner Selection

Choosing the right project partners is a crucial part of any service project, and to be a true sustainable partner the organization has to hold several key attributes.

What needs to be true about a local project partner to ensure that they have the capacity, resources and the enthusiasm to ...

1. ... lead a successful and sustainable volunteer project; and


2. ... to maintain what you create together over time?

Volunteer Supplies

No matter how big or small your project is there are many ways you can lessen your environmental impact. However, larger projects can have a greater impact, especially in the realm of volunteer supplies. How can the basic needs of large teams of volunteers be met in ways that create the least waste?

Examples from the internal working group:

• Mandatory use of paper plates/cups vs. styrofoam


• Food collection container next to trash cans for compost


• Use corn-based or other highly biodegradable tableware


• Serve pot-luck or site-prepared meals


• Use plastic reusable large jugs of water


• Have clearly-marked recycling bins if plastic bottles must be used


• Contact local tool banks, construction companies, etc. to get tools donated


• Provide incentives to people who bring their own water bottle, gardening gloves, etc.

Reuse/Recycling

We hear the three "R's" - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle all the time and oftentimes complete our own recycling at home or the office. What kinds of activities or practices can organizations do to raise awareness and ensure that supplies and equipment is reused or recycled?

This could be as simple as having recycling dumpsters handy and reusing drinking cups to making it more of an overall community program. Some examples include:

• Have volunteers/teams guide sorting projects


• Work with local organizations to recycle paint and brushes, etc.


• Reuse buckets as planters


• Use local mulch from city trees that have been cut down


• Tie in with other community events (e.g. Nike shoe recycle day)


• Use other organizations/resources (such as ecocycle)

How can volunteer teams create effective and practical plans and execute on these plans for the reuse and recycling of all excess materials, as well as all other material used during the project?

Educational Fixtures

One of the most powerful and meaningful ways to convey the a project's sustainable message is with ongoing education about the practices that are being utilized in the project and the impact that the project is making on the environment. What educational fixtures should be added to a project to explain the sustainability practices or environmental or sustainability issues that are relevant?

• Include environmental signage


• Sustainable tracks signage


• Where collecting rainwater, add a sign about the watershed and the importance of water conservation


• Paint murals/post signs that explain the idea of a community garden and impact it will have

What types of educational pieces can be implemented on an ongoing basis that raises awareness of sustainability?

Examples:

• Creating recycling bins that tells the story of recycling


• Develop a living classroom


• Create a community Web site with educational facts

Your responses should include the answers to:

• Why are we doing this?


• Why should people be involved?


• Why should they encourage other people to adopt these practices?


• How can I make a difference?

Team Organization

Please describe your engagement in service projects.

1. How often do they occur?


2. Who manages them?


3. Is it the core of what you do or an ancillary (but important) part of your organization?


4. How are volunteers organized?


5. How are projects decided and managed?

Guidelines

Do you have any sustainability guidelines or standards?

Your Volunteers

How would your volunteers use a sustainability best practices guide?

Defining Sustainability

How do you define sustainability?