Another Green Monday: Riverfront Farms
On Wednesday evenings, friends gather for a potluck at Riverfront Farms in West Central, 2606 W. Boone, and DTE recently had the joy of experiencing first-hand the power of this special place. Started in 2007 as part of Project HOPE’s at-risk youth and gang prevention program, the neighborhood-wide community gardening market program is becoming a catalyst for local, organic food, youth employment, and demonstration site for alternative green technology. Below are some photos from the evening and thanks to 11-year-old Michael Wasson, Andrew Larson from One World, and Patrick Malone from Project HOPE, for the tour.
Wasson and Malone.
Once a vacant space in West Central, now a beautiful example of urban agriculture.
Larson hanging out on the stage, cob oven to the right.
Awesome.
Endangered tree? Last Monday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will consider giving federal protection to the whitebark pine tree which would make it the first endangered tree species in the Northwest if it is indeed listed. Whitebark pine is found near the tree line in the high Cascades and northern Rockies. Read more HERE.
Hawaii has the right idea. And it has nothing to do with their chill attitudes. A few weeks ago Newsweek profiled Hawaii as a workable template to end America’s dependence on oil. According to the report, "the effort launched in 2008 when Hawaii set a goal of getting 70 percent of its power from clean sources—including more efficient technologies and renewable fuels—by 2030. That’s led to personnel sharing with the Department of Energy, as well as big investments in solar and wind. And according to energy administrator Ted Peck, the Aloha State is now on track to halve its emissions within a decade." Read more HERE.
The green kiss of death at the polls. There was a time not too long ago when every candidate for every office had to include environmental issues in their stump speeches some how - even if they didn't buy in to it. Not the case anymore. And it's a global problem. Two high-profile politicians, former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd are victims of a global backlash against environmental issues. Some say it's cyclical, others are worried. Read more HERE.
