Sierra Club's Outdoor Adventure for Urban Youth

Groups - Inner City Outings - Sierra Club I was doing some research on environmental groups outreach and diversity programs and came across the Inner City Outings or ICO programs run by the Sierra Club. To my surprise, I discovered that there are some 50 volunteer run groups around the country that develop outdoor programming for inner city or urban youth. This program has been up and running since 1971. Someone needs to call the Sierra Club and have them give a contract to my girl, Rue at Outdoor Afro, because I have never heard of any of the programs. Apparently, the challenge has been that it requires a tremendous amount of time, energy and volunteer resources to run a successful program. Kudos to those programs that are up and running. I do think that there is room for the Sierra club, through strategic partnerships with church groups, Girls and Boys Scouts troops, community centers, urban farmers and school districts to raise awareness and increase participation in these programs. Studies have shown that 30 minutes of gardening per day does more to relieve stress than most activities that our youth engage in to chill, this probably extends to any form of connecting with nature. Anyone got any ideas? To learn more, click on the link here.

I planted this weeping redbud about 4 years ago. Neighborhood kids adore it!

Oh and Happy New Year!

Great American Backyard Campout Blends Outdoors, Family Fun and Science

Great American Backyard Campout Blends Outdoors, Family Fun and Science How cute is the young lady that writes this blog?! You go girl, represent the female and black scientists out there! Camping in your backyard or a family member's backyard is a great idea! A great way to pique your family's interest in the outdoors and help them to overcome their fears. If your neighborhood is safe or conducive to this activity, why not trying a mock campout indoors. Grab the sleeping bags or blankets, make in indoor tent, pack up some snacks and put some nature music in the mp3 player and/or nature videos on television. Tell scary stories and drink some hot cocoa or lemonade. Your family is sure to beg you to try the actual outdoor experience at an real live campsight. Check your local natural history museums, as they sometimes hold overnight camps for the family in their facilities.

The Nature Conservancy: Engaging Urban Youth

Highlighting Employees in the Community-Brigitte Griswold The Nature Conservancy I was conducting some research on The Nature Conservancy and came across this story as part of their dialogue on diversity. If any of you have attended any community "eco" meetings, you know that the green movement is light on shades of brown and black. It's good to know that some in the environmental community are paying attention to the need to be present in the lives of folks from all backgrounds and to have persons of color present and engaged in their organizations. After all, don't scientists and environmentalists often speak to the need for bio-diversity to maintain a healthy ecology. This same principle applies in human nature and organizations, especially as our nation and world become more ethnically diverse and move from developing nation status to booming economy status. These are the last people that you want to leave behind in the conversation around the importance of balancing economy with ecology. I will continue to read and learn more about The Nature Conservancy and other environmental organizations efforts at walking the talk. In the meantime, "Kudos" for the steps taken thus far.

This Week In The Garden: Edibles and Beautifuls

Enjoy the latest blooms and fruits in my partially edible landscape. Edible - Broccoli, Figs and Daylilies. Coneflowers are an herb aka Echinacea.

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So exciting.....a tiny broccoli head!

The figs are getting fatter!

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Look at this black beauty of a daylily.

These Peach Butterfly lilies have freckles like me!

These vanilla scented lilies are showstoppers!

Butterflies love these purple coneflowers.

Purple Coneflower for Supper.

Coneflowers and Daisies Cohabitate

White lilies make a statement at night.

Fragrant lilies greet me by the patio.

Permaculture Comes to the Inner Ring Suburbs

As you know, I am incorporating permaculture principles into my garden. There are many aspects to permaculture, but the one that I have taken to heart is "obtain a yield". This means to be sure to get a positive return on your investment of resources and energy. While, I have been getting plenty of tangible and intangible returns on my gardening activities - beauty, exercise, creative expression, I thought I would experiment with gardening to generate even more tangible and tasty returns - food! I have always wanted to plant food, but the shady nature of my yard and the terrible soil made that a challenge, so I was limited to tomatoes, herbs and peppers. This year, I am still planting my old standbys, including a pink heirloom Brandywine tomato plant, but have incorporated throughout the garden, broccoli, kale, sunflowers, lettuce, peas, a fig tree and a blackberry vine. The requirements were that the plants must be hardy, but also beautiful. So here you see some of my selections. Please stay away Mrs. Groundhog! Photos from the top 1) This is not an edible, it is a honeysuckle plant that yields hundreds of white fragrant flowers later in the spring, but it serves as a privacy screen on my front patio and currently is home to a Robin and her two babies! 2) These are brocoli plants mixed in with some grasses in my side yard border 3 and 4) Strawberry plants hang out with peachy petunias 5) Close up of the broccoli plants (the leaves are tasty too) 6) Gorgeous purple kale plants sunning on the patio, waiting to be grounded 7) So exciting! A sunflower seedling grows for me. I came home everyday and looked for it to pop up. I planted these into the new curbside bed I dug up this year. I will be a burgundy sunflower. 8) This is a ficus or a fig tree, I put it in the curbside garden late last night as a focal point. Pray that it will actually grow figs! If not, it is still gorgeous. A tip for apartment dwellers: My father grew some spicy hot jalapenos near a sunny window last year and still had peppers growing in October! So there is hope, if you have no sunny window, there are community gardens popping up all over the place for you to obtain a yield for yourself and the community. Also, pick up the latest copy of Urban Farm Magazine, it has some great articles for the urban farmer and community gardeners. http://www.urbanfarmonline.com/

This Week In The Indoor Garden

My houseplants have been delivering gifts of spring. Check them out! They can't wait for warmer days ahead. 1) Bird of Paradise 2) Pelargonium or S. African Geranium 3) Trandescantia Pendula

A Bird's Nest In A Pear Tree

I was at one of my favorite mid-town green eateries, Tastebuds, when I decided to take a look at the pear tree that I discovered last summer. I discovered it last year growing near a chain link fence in the back an urban parking lot, adjacent to a highway. It was pear palooza. Check out its winter profile, tucked in top branches you will see the outline of a bird's nest. It's nice to have an appreciation for beauty of a plant in all of its forms.

Leading The Way Into The Wilderness: Re-Engaging Black Folks With Nature

One of the best ways to engage folks in the environmental movement is to expose them to the wonders, beauty, mysteries and secrets of their ecological surroundings. Recently I volunteered to organize a hiking trip this summer for my church.  I am so excited to have the opportunity to immerse church members in the spirit of God's natural places and foster a zeal  for "creation care". The hope is that this trip will open the door for a greener church. Not that I am some great experienced hiker, but what I lack in experience, I make up for in enthusiasm and the ability to collaborate.(My career choices in high school were Park Ranger or Banker, I chose banker because I despise uniforms). The good news is that I have the remainder of winter and spring to plan for the excursion and I get to play park ranger for a day!

In Cleveland, Ohio, we are blessed with two park systems, a national park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) and our local, state run park system, The Cleveland Metroparks. I am more familiar with CVNP as I have been on its grounds on several occasions, including, a camping trip with my son when he was in elementary school as part of an urban outreach program, diversity training through my job and last summer as part of an early Sunday morning "beat the heat" hike in celebration of my very green birthday. I was a little apprehensive when I initially showed up for that hike, as I was the only black person present - out in the woods, on a back road.....I know. Scary. For a micro-second, I thought about turning around. As I got out of the car with my game face on, I could sense the other hikers asking themselves, "Who is this black girl?" Luckily, my apprehensions dissipated as I absorbed their cheery greetings and advice. The rangers (a decent number are women) are very friendly at CVNP and it runs a very popular Underground Railroad re-enactment. I plan to do a lot more hiking this year, so in addition to planning for our church trip, I am also scoping out some opportunities for individuals or smaller groups. Anyway, the Metroparks system is home to our zoo and spread out over wide swaths of the Greater Cleveland area. I am leaning towards using this park system, as it is closer to home and provides nature guides and customizable programs for groups. I will incorporate environmental education and appreciation into our programs that day. The plan for now is to split the group of 100 hikers into two groups, one group will take a more leisurely, educational hike, while the other will take a more difficult five mile trail, which won't feature as much conversation. Both hikes will last about 1.5 hours. We will all then meet back at a shelter (they are reserved a year in advance, so pickings will be slim), eat, rest, fellowship and thank God for the natural blessings he shares with us. We will play games using creature care and nature related quotes from the bible and knowledge gleaned from the hiking trips. Nature guides will discuss other hiking opportunities offered by the park system and I will handout a few copies of the book by African American park gurus Audrey and Frank Peterman, "Legacy of the Land'. This book chronicles their 10 week journey through the national parks of 40 states and shares little known information about our historical ties to the park system (Buffalo Soldiers were some of the first park rangers). Copies of the DVD "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" by Ken Burns will also be given to winners of the games. I am getting excited just talking about it!!! So are you ready to get off of the couch and into the green woods? Here is a sampling of the variety of ways that you can engage with your local park:

• Dog lover hikes (bring your best friend)
• Art classes - nature as your muse, materials
• Birding (bring a mug full of hot coffee and learn more about these tiny dinosaurs)
• Music - jazz, blues, reggae and country are enjoyed at outdoor festivals and park lodges
• Gardening - learn about native plants that can be incorporated into your plot of land
• Rainbarrel workshops - lower your water bill with these babies
• Homeschooling programs - every child needs exposure to nature
• Women only hiking - network and learn new skills
• Snowshoeing - I heard that this is quite a workout
• Running programs - how cool would it be to run through the woods? (at least in this century)
• Farmers markets
• Urban hikes - for those of you without vehicles, catch a bus or bike to an urban trail near you
• Underground Railroad hikes - get a new appreciation for what our ancestors endured to be free
• Movie nights - bring the kids, some blankets and snacks and enjoy nature related movies

The good news is that the park systems would loooove to see you. There are several initiatives to attract more diverse visitors, which is wise give the direction of demographics in this country. To get started I recommend that you pick up the Peterman's new book and visit their website Pickup and Go, which will help you plan a trip. You can also go the following websites:

• State Parks Online
• National Park Systems
• Outdoor Afro
• Pickup and Go!

I really like the idea of having culturally edited information, because as African Americans we can have certain historically based concerns when it comes to being in wooded areas, in addition to specific concerns, such as issues with insects, our hair and our desire to look good - even in the woods baby!

So go on and plan your hiking trip, so you can be the Harriet Tubman of your family, place of worship, school or social organization and lead our folks to experience the wonders, joys, mysteries, beauty and respect of the natural areas that God has blessed us with.

Scenes From The Winter Garden

In the last few years, I have gradually added plants and structures that add winter interest to the garden. Photo 1) Annabelle Hydrangea looks great all year. The crunchy flowers seen here are great for fall dried flower bouquets and Christmas tree ornaments. Photo 2) Here in the side garden, my arbor, tossed about by the wind for the second time. If you use your imagination, you can see how nice it would have looked behind the sunflower stalks and rustic vase. The two round objects are frozen pumpkins. I'm adding another arbor in the front garden this spring, it will support native trumpet vine and grapes. Photo 3) In moderate weather, birds love to bathe and cats love to drink out of this birdbath. I keep it up in the winter for its shapely structure and reminder of the spring to come. Photo 4) Minature boxwoods. They add a bit of height in the winter and spring to my front border garden. Completely disappear in the summer and fall behind blooming plants. Photo 5) This is the weeping native redbud that sits on my tree lawn. In the spring it is covered with pink blossoms, and later fills out with large heart-shaped leaves. It will grow to about 10 feet. The crooked branches provide winter appeal.

Feeling the Heat: Climate Change Has Become a Reality for Germany - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

Feeling the Heat: Climate Change Has Become a Reality for Germany - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International One always hears reports of developing or brown nations feeling the heat of warming global temperatures. Unfortunately, for some reason, this news appears to fall on deaf ears. African countries are hurting, what else is new? Why should I care? It's all about me, right? Kind of like the same attention that crime, drug supply, low academic achievement, unemployment and poverty receives in America; that is until these issues are faced by folks in suburban locations. Well, I think we may have found our climate change counterpart of the suburbs. It turns out that folks in the hinterlands of Europe are now feeling the heat of global warming. OMG! Someone call Nancy Grace! This article outlines how subtle changes in our environment can affect our way of living and should encourage you to observe your natural world, notice changes and connect the dots. Perhaps, with a few more Germany's reporting in on how climate change is threatening their economies, this issue will be taken more seriously by the general public and their political representatives. That is unless the lobbyists for the status quo, generate a corresponding increase in congressional subsidies.

Obama Lands, Climate Talks in Serious Disarray - ABC News

Obama Lands, Climate Talks in Serious Disarray - ABC News This hasn't been the best week for President Obama, let's hope things can turn around for him with some good news today in Copenhagen. Quick summary of where things are to date:

- African nations heated up over lack of progress in agreeing to reduce carbon emissions
- Goal of a new carbon emissions agreement between nations (Kyoto expires 2012) is vaporizing
- Quest by developing nations for payment to develop and grow economies sustainably, gaining traction
- U.S. proposes to put $100 billion towards this effort, developing nations feel this isn't enough
- A 2 degree rise in global temps will put the planet and specific geographic locations in serious jeopardy
- Proposals under discussion will reduce global temp increases to only 3 degrees, so we are still underwater
- China agrees to be more transparent in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and explain increases
- Very likely that no legally binding agreements will be produced at this summit
- Looks like you are on your own folks

Click here to view this well organized, easy to read and comprehensive guide to climate change, published by the World Wildlife Fund.

I wonder if there are any Worst Case Scenario books for climate change?

More Environmental Grants From The EPA

Are you looking to fund an enviromental education and awareness initiative? You have until December 15th, 2010 to apply for up to 100 grants from the EPA to finance your education project. Grants may be as large as $200,000, but will be more in the range of $25,000. Pass this on to a teacher or school administrator, if you are not directly seeking funding. One will find tips on applying for grants and a list of other EPA grant programs. Goodness knows, we could all benefit by learning more of the need for stewardship of this good earth.

The Glean In My Eye For Free Food

I don't know what's happening, but without even trying, since reading the book "The Scavenger's Manifesto", I have been spotting free fruit everywhere. The category of scavenger that seeks free harvests in an urban setting is an "urban gleaner". I haven't been looking for free food, but perhaps my subconscious picked up on the vigilance message from the book. Pictured here is the ripe bounty from a pear tree behind a warehouse, an apple tree next to a gas station and a lush grapevine dangling above the trash bin and parking lot of a pizza place! I have parked in all three locations often, but never noticed these fruits until recently. One could speculate that I had never parked in these places in the fall, so that would explain the sudden sightings, but that would be no fun at all.

This Week In The Late Summer Garden

It has been a busy week folks, during which time I managed to catch a bad cold, so I am running on cruise for a while. I did want to share some photos from the garden this week. So here you go. Top to bottom: A fat mum from the garden center to jazz up the curbside garden a bit, a sparkly sedum that's on its job this time of the year, tomatoes doing their best in my partly shady garden, one pepper, one of many self-planting flowers-this morning glory likes the crevice on my stairs!

This Week In The Late Summer Garden

Shapely, colorful foilage of geraniums, mum, garden decor as filler, more mums in the curbside garden and a rare late blooming daylily that greets passersby near the sidewalk.

If I was an "urban gleaner", I would be all over the tremendous pear tree located behind the parking lot of this midtown building and above a large innerstate highway. I have parked under this tree for a couple of years and just noticed all of the perfect pears. There were hundreds of them, right in the middle of the city, in the most unexpected of places. I learned in the book "The Scavenger's Manifesto", that an urban gleaner is a person that seeks these specific types of urban harvesting opportunities in the city. If any gleaners are curious, this bodacious fruit find is located in the Taste Buds building parking lot on 30th and Superior. Taste Buds is a popular family run restaurant in this area that offers several vegetarian and vegan options and is going green. The owner is also an artist. I wonder if she knows about the pears?