All Posts Tagged With: "Ecosystem Restoration"

Earth Party tries to inspire people to be aware of our environment and cognizant of local programs that preserve our local ecology and encourage global responsibility for our planet. The Earth Party offers numerous sustainability initiatives and ways of offsetting carbon principally focusing on community based solutions that lead to social, environmental, and economic stability. They choose the groups they work with based on their commitment to these values and our natural ecology, hoping to bring people together who are motivated to preserve the life systems that preserve us. Also, through The Carbon Store they sell products to offset carbon and lessen your carbon footprint.

Baltimore Bird Club is a chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, the Baltimore Bird Club provides a series of links on its website — other local birding groups, birding blogs, interactive games, and issues of the club’s downloadable newsletter.

Green Roof Plants is located at Emory Knoll Farms in Street, Maryland. Proving over 100 varieties of plants Emory Knoll has extensive experience with roofing systems, soil mixes, climates, and working with manufacturers and designers. The farm also supports sustainable design by having solar pumps for all water needs in the greenhouse and photovoltaic panels for most electric needs.

Holistic Life Foundation is a registered non-profit that was found in 2001 by graduates of the University of Maryland College Park. The Foundation offers youth development and after school programs that include yoga classes hosted at the Druid Hill YMCA, mentoring workshops with a one on one approach, environmental advocacy with hands on watershed restoration and community clean-ups.

Verde Landscape Design is located in Baltimore and specializes in native plant landscaping. They’ll tell you what’s best to help shape your property and better support the surrounding ecosystem. They are a small and independently owned. Joyce Kelly owner and designer is focused on providing “creative sustainable and environmentally conscious landscaping.” They currently do not have a website but feel free to email or call them at 443.631.4001 or enelverde@gmail.com.

When I first got interested in sustainability, one of the simplest and most empowering definitions I ran across was from the Brundtland Commission Report, “Our Common Future,” published in 1987. The full report is available on-line. The definition reads:”Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Found in Chapter 2 of the report.)

I am thrilled to see that my alma mater, University of Virginia School of Architecture, is bestowing the University’s highest honor on the commission’s chairwoman, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland. As part of the award ceremonies for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture, she will speak on the campus on Friday, April 11, at 3:00p.m.

Her bio is impressive. She has long been a world leader in sustainable development and health, and was the youngest and first woman prime minister of Norway. The University of Virginia’s press release has a good overview.

It is striking that the ideas and recommendations contained in “Our Common Future” are just as relevant today as they were – twenty! – years ago. They were truly ahead of their time, although leading scientists and experts knew then what the rest of us are only now waking up to. Rather than fret about “it’s too late,” we should all re-read this powerful document and renew our commitment to doing what we can.

It’s full of thoughts like these (remember – written twenty years ago!): Continued

Clean Water Action is a national organization that works to assure supplies of clean, safe, and affordable water, prevent health-threatening pollution, build an economy of environmentally safe jobs and businesses, and empower people to take charge of our environmental future. It organizes strong grassroots groups and coalitions, and campaigns to solve environmental and community problems, and to elect progressive and pro-environment candidates at an entry level.