Sunday, January 11, 2015

Sustainability Snippets

Written for Healthy Indoors Magazine - September 2014

There are so many things I’m excited about this month, I couldn’t choose just one topic. We’re down to a balmy 102 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona and I’m counting the days until I can wear boots and a sweater.

So in the spirit of weather, here’s what’s on my HOT list for the month.

On September 19th, metered parking spaces around the globe will be transformed into miniature parks. It’s not a day to necessarily be anti-automobile, but rather a day to be pro-people. What if our cities were designed for people first, rather than cars? How important are small, green spaces within the urban fabric? PARK(ing) Day brings these questions to light.

This will be our 6th annual PARK(ing) Day in Phoenix, I’ve been the organizer for four years now and involved since year one. What started out as a very grassroots effort with a handful of people, has grown every year, garnered lots of press and has warmed the city up to the idea of parklets. Last year we even got some national exposure. You can check out photos from our past Phoenix PARK(ing) Day events HERE. If you’d like to bring more parklets to your own community, check out Pavement to Parks for ideas and resources.

After PARK(ing) Day, I’ll be jumping on a red-eye flight with my 15 year old son Zane to attend what will hopefully be the largest march on climate change to date. Numerous events are planned through the weekend, culminating with a two mile march through the streets of New York City on Sunday, September 22nd.

The march will take place prior to a UN summit on the climate crisis which world leaders will be attending. I’ll be writing about our experience at the march next month, so stay tuned…

The Better Block Project is all about revitalizing a neighborhood block in a grassroots way. It’s like a real-life charrette to envision real change in a neighborhood. On September 27th it’s happening in downtown Phoenix. Vibrant communities are created one block at a time. You can learn more about The Better Block Project HERE.

Here’s a list of some interesting things to check out:
·         Amazing nature art
·         People St

Until next month…

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
― Anne Frank

Love and Laughter,

Ms.  Champion


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