Ohio Facilities Construction Commission’s Post

I was cheeky; I was audacious; I “led with my chin”, 😉. The line up was settled, there were 14 speakers; a mixture of Government, Councils, Academia/Research & 5 Community Groups talking to their efforts & well deserved pride in their results. “Ask & ye shall receive” is a very, very old phrase… I asked, “is there room for one more, it’ll be worth your while”. I received an initial, “like your energy; we’ll see what we can do”. That transformed into, “we’ve made a slot, you’ve got 10 minutes; please be conscious that there’s a lot of speakers & we want to fit everything in”… Those that turn up, change history….is a phrase I’ve heard more than once. I turned up: it was SO well worth “the price of admission”, 👍🏻, Green Adelaide Chris Daniels. There were 15 speakers; I was the second last. I did a lot of listening, to a lot of varied subjects & angles. The common topic? Trees & the shade they provide. I took a very different approach in my presentation… I talked about “double shading”; seeding or planting native broadleaf groundcovers on street verges at the same time as planting the trees. I showed data of up to a 32 degree Celsius difference between bare & compacted street verges compared with the combination with a green “living” mulch of (mostly) low growing saltbush under established street trees. My take home message? Street trees take a very long time to provide their shade & affect temperatures on a substantial scale; a living green understorey/mulch can provide powerful temperature reductions within 6-12 months. Combine the two though; understory & street trees & you get the best temperature reductions. Take home message in one sentence? “Street trees good, double shading better”. PS for those of you who know me; I got my 10 minute slot across in 7 1/2 minutes….😂 Outrageous, 🌱. Gayle Dallaston Tim Pilbrow, PhD

It's a great time of year to get ahead of the plants you no longer want to take up space in your garden! Check out this quick read for tips for some of the most common nuisances.

By choosing to invest in existing building stock you not only contribute to the fight against climate change but you also help to preserve stories and culture for future generations, and support important heritage skills that are vital to many communities. Imagine.. traditional buildings doing all that by just being there. It’s worth it.

"La Placita Oaxaqueña’s success matters not only to Lopez and her neighborhood, but to businesses and communities across California. Making the sale of fruits and vegetables cost effective to corner markets and convenience stores could unlock access to wholesome food for millions in low-income communities across California and improve health outcomes. As of 2015, nearly 3 million low-income Californians lived too far from a full-service market to access affordable nutritious food, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. For urban communities, that means more than one mile and for rural communities, more than 10 miles." Check out this great article highlighting our Healthy Neighborhood Market Network program that is largely supported by City of Los Angeles's Economic Workforce Development Department. It's been over 10 years since the inception of the program and we continue to evolve to increase impact in the communities we serve. https://lnkd.in/gRu7yVK6

If anyone wants to see a short video highlighting just a little bit of what we’re up to, check it out below

A win for community organising and the arid lands - Buffel grass has been declared a weed across the Northern Territory! Buffel grass is a major threat to biodiversity, transforming landscapes and altering fire regimes. This landmark decision is the result of decades of relentless advocacy and community organizing. A victory is not just for the community but for the desert plants and animals that desperately needed this outcome. Now, to get on with stoping the spread! To understand the issue and possible solutions check out the Arid Lands Environment Centre’s position paper, Firestorm - Understanding the risks and seizing the opportunities to better manage buffel grass across the Territory. - https://lnkd.in/g_3XmeNw

PufferTouch at the World Forum on Natural Capital Pufferfish spherical displays played a starring role in this special event from the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which aims to unite conservation and global advocacy. The Scottish Wildlife Trust, champions of nature conservation, are hosts of the World Forum on Natural Capital Conference, which brings together key partners like the United Nations and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, along with business and government leaders. Their mission: to educate the world on the profound impact and dependencies of our natural environment. Pufferfish's cutting-edge PufferTouch units played a pivotal role in achieving this goal. These innovative spherical displays served as captivating centrepieces, sparking engaging conversations and fostering meaningful dialogues among attendees. Bruce Wilson from the Scottish Wildlife Trust lent enthusiastic support, saying, "Pufferfish were invaluable in helping us deliver key messaging to our delegates." Our larger spherical display took centre stage, while smaller units became interactive talking points, encouraging guests to explore, interact, and learn. With our PufferTouch units, we empowered the World Forum on Natural Capital to educate and entertain their guests in an incredibly interactive way, making a significant impact on their mission to raise awareness and drive action for a more sustainable future. Join us in harnessing technology for positive change, and learn more about how you can craft a powerful narrative with PufferTouch: https://bit.ly/3sc8TgW #SustainableFuture #NatureConservation #InteractiveEducation #NaturalCapital #Innovation

#ICYMI Did you miss our 2023 report that delves into the profound impacts of outdoor recreation on communities like Burns Lake, Fernie, Revelstoke, Squamish, and Tofino? The report unpacks 25 interviews with land managers, economic development officers, and leaders of outdoor recreation groups, among other roles to explore community, environmental, and equity topics. From economic input to environmental stewardship, read the full report to explore the intertwined relationship between nature, culture, and community vitality. 🌿 Read the report: https://lnkd.in/gYvXqE7q

In our new blog, founding member of Sisterhood Gardens Jamie Marie Chan, Ed.D. shares the story of how the transformational community garden came to be. Learn more about how the garden helps advance environmental justice below:

📢 Growers, foodies, allotmenteers, and nature lovers of Bristol - I need your help! Bristol allotments could be changing for the worse - under new proposals by Bristol City Council, the cost of keeping an allotment plot could be more than doubling - a decision that has rightly alarmed many passionate food growers and food justice campaigners across the city (including myself!) So much of my work, including my film Rooted in Bristol, has centered the importance of allotments for not only growing food but for the benefits on mental health and a sense of belonging for those of us from migrant communities: https://lnkd.in/ebPSkkYz Other proposed additional fees include everything from applying for permission to keep hens and bees, to erect a greenhouse or shed, or requesting permission to install a pond – despite the huge benefits these have for wildlife and nature across our allotments. But the absolute worst proposed rule change for me is that all trees, except dwarf root stock fruit trees, must be removed. The implications for this are huge, both environmentally and financially - there is no justification why any of these changes should be considered during not only a cost-of-living crisis but also an environmental and biodiversity crisis! 🌳 Please help me support and campaign for food justice across the city by completing these actions - together we will call on Bristol City Council to co-create a system that takes our views into account and follows a democratic, participatory process! ✏ Sign this petition to object to the changes: https://lnkd.in/eRSxwM9Z 📜 Complete the council's consultation survey by the 22nd Jan: https://lnkd.in/ewrbSeb6 💡 Share on your networks!