This past Friday, we had an incredible time coming together as a community for the We Believe in Portland cleanup event. It was a reminder of how important it is for us, as Portlanders, to be stewards of the city we love. 🌲
We learned a few things during our cleanup adventure:
• The people of this city are all roses, not thorns (Though we love our Thorns, too!)
• Portland shines bright and happy, even when the clouds roll in ☁️
• And perhaps most importantly… John Dolan absolutely rocks an orange wig!
It was a day full of laughter, teamwork, and the shared commitment to keep our city beautiful. Thank you to everyone who joined us—we couldn’t have done it without you!
Stay tuned for more good times and meaningful events with AMA PDX. We’ve got more opportunities ahead to connect, give back, and make Portland an even better place to live.
Thank you AdoptOneBlock!
#WeBelieveInPortland#AMAPDX#CommunityImpact#PortlandCleanup#CityWeLove
It was a great day for Portland's community Jacob Ashley. My only regret that day was giving Courtney Meidenbauer, MBA RD major side eye for not recognizing a Depeche Mode song at the after-event (where the orange wig happened). That probably says more about my age than hers! 😀
The Seed of Change
In the heart of a bustling city, where concrete outweighed the touch of nature, lived a little girl named Maya. Her world was as small as the cramped apartment she shared with her parents, yet her heart as vast as the sky. One day, while navigating through the cluttered streets with her mother, Maya stumbled upon a struggling sapling, its green struggling against the grey of the sidewalk.
Moved by its resilience, Maya decided to nurture it. With the little pocket money she saved, she bought a small watering can. Every morning, before the city awoke to its usual chaos, Maya would sneak out to water the sapling. Her singular act of kindness went unnoticed in the beginning, but the sapling began to thrive, transforming into a beacon of green amidst the drab urban landscape.
Inspired by Maya's commitment, her neighbors started planting their seeds, caring for neglected patches of earth around them. Over time, these acts multiplied, sparking a green revolution in the community. The city block, once a concrete jungle, blossomed into a lush oasis, providing a sanctuary for people and wildlife alike. Maya’s single, seemingly insignificant act of caring for a sapling triggered a ripple effect, changing her community for the better.
### Essay: The Power of One Act and Its Ripple Effect
One simple act, motivated by kindness, compassion, or concern, can trigger a series of events far beyond the initial gesture. This principle, often referred to as the "ripple effect," demonstrates the profound impact that a single action can have on the world. The story of Maya and the sapling exemplifies how a modest act of caring can inspire an entire community to change its relationship with the environment.
The ripple effect operates on the premise that we are all interconnected. Maya's decision to nurture a struggling sapling not only transformed her immediate surroundings but also altered the attitudes and behaviors of those around her. What began as a solitary endeavor evolved into a collective movement, highlighting the intrinsic power individuals hold in shaping their communities.
This phenomenon isn't restricted to environmental change. Acts of kindness, big or small, can influence others to pay it forward, creating a chain reaction of positive outcomes. Whether it’s through volunteering, lending a listening ear, or merely planting a tree, the essence of the ripple effect lies in its ability to amplify the impact of a single act across time and space.
In conclusion, the story of Maya and her sapling serves as a poignant reminder: never underestimate the power of one act. It’s through these small, yet significant, gestures that we can collectively instigate substantial changes in our world. The ripple effect is a testament to the strength and potential of human spirit and action, encouraging us to take that first step, however small it may seem.
Imagine transforming hidden blemishes of our urban landscapes—those old, forgotten underground tanks—into the heart of community joy.
With a bit of expert intervention (shoutout to Tri-State!), these once-unused plots become the backdrop for children's laughter, family picnics, and neighborly chats.
This is not just a cleanup; it's a canvas for community masterpieces.
Each step from uncovering these hidden tanks to cultivating vibrant green spaces is a testament to creativity and community spirit in action.
It’s a story of turning environmental woes into wins, proving that with a little ingenuity, we can craft the communal oases of tomorrow.
#UrbanRenewal#GreenSpaces#CommunityBuilding#EnvironmentalInnovation#TriStateSuccess
The Town of Elkton was awarded a $155,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for Phase II of the Downtown Marketplace project to improve greenspace. The funding focuses on improving downtown greenspace and tree canopy cover and providing outdoor recreation and engagement amenities such as pathways, sitting areas, a sensory play area, a pollinator garden, and a native tree identification path. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gPwBQbP5
Co-founder Urban Fae Forests | Soil Remediation & Food Production on Urban Lots | Ph.D. Candidate in Sustainability Education | M.S. Sustainable Food Systems | Transforming Urban Ecosystems for a Greener Future 🌱
Barry Lopez's Rediscovery of North America lives rent-free in my head.
I will never own a physical copy. Whenever I get one, I think of someone else who needs to read it and give it away.
He writes, "A sense of place must include at the very least, knowledge of what is inviolate about the relationship between a people and the place they occupy, and certainly, too, how the destruction of this relationship, or the failure to attend to it, wounds people."
This relationship inspired the organization I co-founded, Urban Fae Forests, which I work on with every spare minute and every spare dime.
This relationship is what I want to work on restoring every single day. Our connection to place and sense of belonging has been broken. The trials of daily life, and an economic structure that focuses on shuttling us as quickly and conveniently as possible between work and shelter, do not nurture belonging. They do not foster querencia.
As a result, we are surrounded by wounds in our ecosystems and wounds in our own hearts and souls. Healing this will take monumental individual and community effort.
So, I co-founded an organization to plant microforests to heal and beautify the land. I come on this app every day and seek work that will help people connect with the land they walk across as they go about the business of living. Whether they are farmers who deserve to run their farms with integrity and compassion, or urban dwellers who deserve the shade of trees and small woodland paths to break up the walk to public transit, we all deserve ecosystems we can connect with and find rest in.
Everyone, can not live in a cozy cottage next to a mountain stream.
There are not enough mountain streams.
But, everyone can be surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Common land has to be a priority.
Reclaiming the scarred vacant lots and vast monoculture lawns of industrialization to provide space for local people to connect to local ecosystems is the path forward.
As we co-create beautiful functioning ecosystems, we will begin to heal the disconnection and form bonds with the planet where we finally realize we are home. We are nature.
#communityconservation#urbanecosystems#ecosystemregeneration
Walking SA attended the Conservation SA 'Civil Society Lunch with the Premier'- a lunchtime discussion with the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, about the needs of civil society to provide for healthy democracies.
As a member of the conservation council, Walking SA were invited to participate in the discussion. Key takeaways are:
* The need to strengthen civil society to find common ground and not enable divisive interests to prosper at the expense of the common good.
* The role of nature, heritage and culture as fertile ground to bring people together and to ensure a sustainable and equitable future.
* The need to reprioritise government spending to invest in the very things otherwise taken for granted - think re-distribution of wealth, preservation of natural resources and wild places, and environmental and cultural stewardship.
Walking SA is proud to be part of critical discussions shaping the future of South Australia such as these.
Find more about our advocacy: https://lnkd.in/gsZSucdk
Showcasing a National Treasure with the Great Rivers National Park
Alton could be a city where the Mississippi River is seen for what it truly is: a national treasure. Where Alton is a go-to family-friendly outdoor recreation for the entire Midwest. Where the riverfront, the Clark Bridge, Marina, and the historic downtown area have the potential to attract tens of millions of dollars each year for local businesses and tax revenue.
How do we get there? The Great Rivers National Park, a 144-mile designated recreation park corridor that would include 135,000 acres and be a beacon of sustainability.
It may sound like a big idea and that’s because it is! A project on this scale can only be possible with local, state and national interests and partnerships, with Congress being the final decider in whether an area should be added to the National Park System or whether some other action might be appropriate. No one entity can do this alone and it won’t be a quick process. But AltonWorks believes that the potential is there. With research, collaboration, brainstorming and teamwork, the region could be significantly enhanced by combining the natural assets into one fully managed national park.
We know we’re dreaming big but we believe in Alton, and we believe in the future of Alton. Follow along as we highlight steps in our long-term idea to create the Great Rivers National Park and what it might mean to the city.
#AltonWorks#AltonIllinois
Have you ever wondered what the search for a new home looks like from a dog's perspective when access to pet-friendly housing is in short supply? This blog from our partner at Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative gives a sense of the stress it can cause the Emilys and Simons of this world. SCAS continues to work on improving access to pet-friendly housing as one of its priorities.
https://lnkd.in/eRnPDBNX
Global Marketing Rapscallion | Ex-Disney & Fox | Crafting Strategic Campaigns & Compelling Content | Digital Innovator | Team Builder, Adaptable & Agile
1moIt was a great day for Portland's community Jacob Ashley. My only regret that day was giving Courtney Meidenbauer, MBA RD major side eye for not recognizing a Depeche Mode song at the after-event (where the orange wig happened). That probably says more about my age than hers! 😀