UB Greensfelder’s Post

What’s in a name? My company name, SOD Studio, if you haven’t guessed it already, comes from my initials – Simone O’Donovan. And although they’re not particularly impressive, they are meaningful. Growing up, I was embarrassed of being both from the bog area in the midlands of Ireland AND the fact that my initials meant a sod of turf. So much so that I tried abbreviating my initials to SO, but it didn’t catch on. ☘ In later years, I quickly realised that the O in my initials was a source of pride and an indicator of my ancestry. Simone O’Donovan technically means “Simone grandson of Donovan.” 📚 What this indicates is the fact that I’m from the 10th century Donovan clan – a fact that I was not so willing to write out of my history after all. 🌿 A sod of turf on the other hand, has now come to represent the biodiversity of Ireland’s bogs. 20% of the landscape in Ireland is made up of bog and is estimated to store over 1,000 million tonnes of carbon. Carbon capturing in places like the Irish bogs or the Amazon rainforest is essential to life on earth. Suddenly, my association with a sod of turf became something I didn’t want to shake off either. So here we are: 20 years later and I’ve named my company SOD Studio. What’s in a name, you ask? A lot. #sustainabilitymarketing #impactcommunications #climatecommunications #regenerativecommunications

We understand that to deliver a lasting impact, we have to focus on the long-term from the outset. That is why our partnerships with Procter & Gamble and all the communities supported through the #RimbaCollective are with a 30 year horizon in mind. We need to act fast to prevent further impact on the planet and restore what has been lost, but this also needs the right partners and the knowledge that this is a marathon.

A Statement of Care re: Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture Over the past 12 months, a consortium of Black-led agrarian organizations, businesses, and individuals in metro Atlanta, doing business as The Collective, have been convening to maximize the potential of the human, financial, and experiential capital of the community with the goal of Black Food Sovereignty. At the initial meeting of this consortium in August 2023, it was determined that the first priority would be the planning of how best to revitalize Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture (TLW) for short and long-term success in two (2) main areas: 1) Organizing and creating strategic partnership with TLW Board of Directors to ensure that grower input and consideration is reflected in Board activities; and 2) Galvanizing the consortium to support the revitalization of the TLW Collegetown Campus up to a standard that is on par, or better than its previous iteration. Since April 3, 2024, The Collective has offered, and has been providing material, labor, and technical support to the TLW Board toward operations at the TLW Collegetown Campus located at 324 Lawton St SW, Atlanta, GA, in the Ashview Heights community of Southwest Atlanta. During this time we have offered a pathway for TLW to be revitalized and have identified some solutions to some of the challenges TLW is facing. Two of the solutions we have formally proposed to the Board of Directors are 1) the resignation of current Board Chair, James Harris, effective immediately, and 2) Selection of an Interim Executive Director within 60 Days. We have requested a reply from TLW by the close of business Friday, September 6, 2024. In September 2024, we will share another update with you. In the near future, we’d also like to provide the opportunity for you, the public, to share your voice and ideas about what a) Truly Living Well means to you, and b) what your vision of success is for TLW. The Collective will also share more details about our ideas as Our goal is a strengthened TLW that is community and practitioner informed, and led. We hope that TLW’s current staff, leadership, board of directors, partners, supporters, funders, etc. are watching and listening. The time for positive change is now. #communityinformed #communityled #practitionerinformed #practitionerled #TheCollective #TLW #BlackFoodSovereignty

what's your thoughts on robotic mowers in the industry.

No successful business is possible without the dedication of its employees and management to make it what it is today.

🚀Exciting Industry News Alert!🌳 idverde's acquisition of Acorn Environmental Management Group marks a significant milestone in the landscaping and arboriculture sector. As a leading green services provider, idverde’s capabilities just got a major boost, particularly in arboriculture—a critical segment in our industry. By integrating Acorn's expertise, including tree surgery, arboriculture consultancy, rope access, and ecological mitigation, idverde is well-positioned to deliver more comprehensive and self-reliant arboriculture services. This fusion sets new industry standards and offers enhanced services to both existing and future clients. For businesses and homeowners alike, this means potentially lower costs and increased efficiency in managing green spaces! Notably, the acquisition supports current industry trends emphasizing sustainability and ecological consciousness. The merger underscores the increasing importance of eco-friendly landscaping solutions and proactive vegetation management. More so, combining forces significantly elevates their status on the European arb business landscape, promising expanded opportunities and innovative solutions in environmental management. This is a powerful move for our industry, demonstrating how strategic acquisitions can propel market leaders to offer superior service delivery. What are your thoughts on this exciting integration? How do you see it impacting your projects or business operations? Let's discuss! 🌐 For more insights and updates, visit us at [Garden Edge](https://gardenedge.company). #LandscapeIndustry #Arboriculture #SustainableLandscaping #GreenServices #idverde #Innovation ----------- Engage with the post by discussing how this acquisition might influence future landscaping trends and share your experiences or expectations from such industry developments.

Grants for productivity and slurry management items are available now in England through the latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. The deadline to apply is on 17th April 2024. Farmers, foresters and contractors active in either sector can apply for one grant from each of three themes: 1) Between £1,000 and £50,000 towards productivity items such as direct drills and real-time forage analysers 2) Between £1,000 and £50,000 towards slurry items such as robotic slurry pushers 3) Between £1,000 and £25,000 towards animal health and welfare items such as automatic milk feeders for lambs.

Where is your seat at the kitchen table? Owners often ‘drop the plate’ when passing the farm business onto the next generation. From miscommunication, lack of planning and open conversations – Pinion advisors tackle the good, the bad and the ugly of next generation planning. Listen here to learn how to empower the next generation of farm heirs: https://okt.to/wynUaV

Attention nursery sales people: Start taking more videos of your plants. It is way more impactful. Leave the photos in a file for your email blast. (Jk, put the videos there too)

From Vision to Reality: Elk Grove City Council Approves Plan for New Zoo After more than two years of imagination, analysis, and outreach performed by local, state, national, and international professionals, the Elk Grove City Council voted Wednesday night to approve the development of a new zoo in Elk Grove with the Sacramento Zoological Society.   Considered one of the most consequential development projects ever proposed in the City of Elk Grove, a new zoo presents a transformational opportunity to deliver wide-ranging benefits to both the City and the greater Sacramento region.   “Our commitment today is a force for good and will be a catalyst for new economic growth and collaborations that will support conservation and education efforts for generations to come,” said Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. “While there is still more work to do, tonight’s action sets us on a course toward a truly remarkable future.” The project will now move into the next phase of the design process to develop construction documents for the project. Given the complexities of the project, the City expects that process to take some time. Running parallel with this process would be the Sacramento Zoological Society’s efforts to pursue individual, corporate and partnership funding as required by the financing plan. Completion of this fundraising work, and participation by the region in this effort, is critical to the project schedule and its ultimate completion. An economic impact study commissioned for the project anticipates one-time construction impacts worth $425 million dollars and work on the project could result in more than 2,400 jobs. For more information about the project, to sign up to receive project updates, or to view a virtual simulation of the new zoo, visit www.elkgrovecity.org/zoo.