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Community Centers

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What's a Community Center? | Children International | Global Community Centers | Child Sponsorship in Africa, India, South America, & USA

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Community Centers are a core part of the Children International poverty-fighting approach. Here's what makes them so powerful.

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Eco-Friendly Malls

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Go green: Eco-friendly malls leading the way

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Explore the many eco-friendly measures that Singapore’s high-tech shopping malls apply to save the earth. Shop at these places while appealing to your ecological conscience.

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Eco-Friendly Mall

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Until recently, shopping malls could not aspire to be green all over. Homes and schools can be green and eco-friendly, office and hospitals too. But not malls. It's as if greenness and malls were two mutually exclusive concepts, an oxymoron that will prove hard to reunite.

Take the classic case of Walmart for example. The retail giant launched its renewable energy campaign in 2005, nine years ago, but so far it still has to prove its energy policies are being put to good use, and not just

Even a mall's layout is deliberately designed to keep us walking round and round, and never leave the premises. That way we are encouraged to continue shopping. And if you haven't noticed, there are no clocks in malls (except for the ones that are for sale of course); they want us to lose all sense of time inside and make yet another purchase.

In this age where the mend-it-if-it's-broken philosophy has been replaced by throw-away mentality, malls are great places in which to reconstruct an always brand-new us.

Energy Use in Malls

Philosophy aside, malls are undoubtedly energy-intensive places. As much as 85{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab} of a mall's energy use is devoted to air-conditioning and lighting. Air-conditioning becomes a significant factor especially in tropical and desert settings. Meanwhile, lighting always has to mimic daylight so that retail goods always look good and to keep everyone in a happy, purchasing mood.

What about those forever-running escalators? They reportedly use about 7,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year , and that's just one escalator. Elevators have their huge share of energy use as well. Water usage by customers, tenants, and employees day in and day out is another story

Clearly, the goal is to make us dependent on malls and live our lives there-regardless of the carbon footprint entailed. While that's not a bad thing, things can still made to be better.

Attempting Eco-friendly Shopping Malls

All these might seem like little gimmicky attempts to correct that hopeless oxymoron of a mall, but together they make a difference. Owners and stockholders are realizing that making the environment their bottom line doesn't have to mean diminishing returns for their business.

Here's a nice template of eco-friendly shopping malls . The design and implementation are good enough, but the day-to-day operations remain to be seen.

Last case in point: when furniture company Ikea discontinued its popular shelving system Expedit last February, everyone hated the new design that featured thinner dimensions. The company's reason was that the extra millimetre shaved off will remarkably save on material resources, specifically wood, which the company already sources from FSC-certified suppliers. That just shows that sustainability in malls is possible, even if it means going against the grain of public opinion.

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Inside Eco-friendly Shopping Malls - BEE

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Until recently, shopping malls could not aspire to be green all over. Homes and schools can be green and eco-friendly, office and hospitals too. But not malls. It's as if greenness and malls were two mutually exclusive concepts, an oxymoron that will prove hard to reunite. Take the classic case of Walmart for example.

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Eco-Friendly Cities

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Pollution and carbon emissions aren't fun for anyone, so here's a list of cities that have nature and green living in mind. No city is perfect, and many have a long way to go before reaching ultimate sustainability. But these cities are benefiting both quality of life for its people, and the conservation and protection of our earth and environment.

If you're ever visiting any of these amazing towns, let them inspire you to reduce your own carbon footprint and become an eco-friendly traveler. Even planting just a few trees can make your own city a better place to be. Here are the 10 most eco-friendly cities:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen has been voted the most eco-friendly city in the world several times because of its commitment to developing green ways of living and sustainability. Biking is incredibly popular in this town, and it aims to have half of its people cycling to work or school this year.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is progressive and green in more ways than its famous "coffee shops." It's notorious for being the city where there are more bikes than people (bikes are literally piled over each other in the streets!), and holds the title of the most bicycle-friendly capital city in the world. Not only does biking ensure a healthier population, but it reduces carbon emissions and pollution significantly.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is cleaner than any city I've ever visited. Litter rarely lines the sidewalk; the streets are always well-maintained, and the air is clear, crisp, and bright. Stockholm is famous for its cleanliness, lack of heavy industry/pollution, and an amazing public transportation system. Not to mention the Swedish countryside... it's breathtakingly beautiful.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is a crazy, wild town but it's also known for its alternative view on keeping things green. Berlin ties green spaces beautifully into the urban landscape, and has more parks than any other city in Europe. Check out the Alternative Berlin Green Tour to learn about all the ways Berlin's communities are passionate about recycling, resourcing, and creating a sustainable environment.

Portland, Oregon

Portland isn't just about beautiful views and great coffee shops; it's also a bustling town filled with environmentalists, hippies, and people who love nature and all things earth-friendly. As a result, it has grown to become one of the greenest places to live in the world, offering 92,000 acres of green space in and 74 miles of hiking and running trails.

San Francisco, California

It's hard to not be aware of nature when you're living in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Surrounded by blue waters, a clear blue sky, and miles of California's natural parks and forests, San Francisco is one of the greenest cities in the U.S. Half of its population either walks, bikes, or uses public transportation to get to work. As one of the most progressive, tolerant, and forward-thinking towns on the West Coast, San Francisco is a good leader in the environmental movement for the rest of America.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is taking the lead for the entire continent of Africa by making major environmental strides, like using energy from South Africa's first commercial wind farm, transforming the city to provide for bike routes, and supporting farmers markets.

Helsinki, Finland

Leave it to Scandinavia to be the cleanest (and happiest) place in the world. Helsinki also makes it to this list because like Copenhagen and Amsterdam, the city makes it easy for its commuters to cycle through the city and use public transportation which reduces air pollution.

Vancouver, Canada

People flock to Vancouver for its proximity to the mountains and nature, so it's not surprising that it's one of the most environmentally-minded places in the world. Vancouver scores well with regards to C02 emissions and quality of air, and is considered the hometown of Greenpeace.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland often seems like something out of a fairytale: utopic and beautiful and pure. But it's also one of the cleanest places in the world. Reykjavik has hydrogen buses in its streets, and all of its heat and electricity comes from renewable geothermal and hydropower sources (like the rest of the country!) To learn more about where you should go during a trip to Iceland, read this.

The post The 10 most eco-friendly cities appeared first on tentree.

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Pollution and carbon emissions aren't fun for anyone, so here's a list of cities that have nature and green living in mind. No city is perfect, and many have a long way to go before reaching ultimate sustainability.

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Community Gardens

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WRCGN | Waterloo Region Community Garden Network

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WRCGN | Waterloo Region Community Garden Network

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Music and Arts in a Community

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Paint, Pianos and Togetherness: How art is helping a community

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Montpelier's New Bus Depot

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1 Taylor Street is the site formerly known as the "Carr Lot" property. It is located on the east side of Taylor Street in the City of Montpelier at the confluence of the North Branch and Winooski Rivers. It is approximately one acre in size. It was purchased by the City in January 2014 and is currently leased by the State of Vermont for state employee parking during the legislative session. It is centrally located in the downtown business district and adjacent to the State's Capitol Complex. The City of Montpelier in will begin to transform what was once a scrap yard and train depot into a state-of-the-art transportation and housing center starting in June of 2018. In addition, the shared use path will be extended through this parcel out to Main Street, providing easy access for bicyclists, walkers and runners and connecting the existing path from Junction Road through the downtown and along Stone Cutters Way. Thirty new residential housing units will be constructed on the upper floors of the transit center providing residents with easy access to transportation and the downtown. This project is funded through a Federal Highway Administration Grant, a Federal Transit Administration Grant, the City of Montpelier and a partnership with Housing Vermont and Downstreet Housing and Community Development for the housing aspect of the building.

As part of this redevelopment project, the City held a ground breaking ceremony on May 29, 2018. Senator Patrick Leahy with the help of the late Senator James Jeffords, secured the grants for the projects totaling over $8 million. Senator Leahy spoke at the event highlighting the critical transportation and housing needs that face Vermont. Mayor Anne Watson also addressed the crowd in celebration of the major milestone. The project's construction management firm, DEW Construction, will begin mobilization for construction during the last week of June 2018. The multi-modal transit center will be leased by Green Mountain Transit and serve as the public bus hub for the downtown area. The housing is a mix of affordable and market-priced units, and funded in part with a state grant through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.

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1 Taylor Street is the site formerly known as the "Carr Lot" property. It is located on the east side of Taylor Street in the City of Montpelier at the confluence of the North Branch and Winooski Rivers. It is approximately one acre in size.

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Peering into the future is a favorite exercise for planners and designers. From the Chicago 1893 Columbian Exhibition to New York City's two Worlds Fairs (1939 and 1965) and beyond, the future was optimistic and filled with cool technology and architecture. But not all views of the future were so hopeful. George Orwell's dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (published in 1949) looked 35 years forward and painted a not-so-rosy vision of the future.

In 2017, 1984 (the year) is a distant memory. But what do we think the future will look like 30 years or so from now? And what will City: 2050 be like?

Population: 2050

City: 2050 will be more dense, larger and older.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, United Nations, Pew Research and other sources, the U.S. will grow to 438 million people by 2050 - up 35% from our 2017 population of 326 million. (Global population grows to 9.7 billion by 2050.) And upwards of 75% of future Americans will live in cities and urbanized areas (up from 50% in 2008). In other words, by 2050 there will the same number of Americans living in cities as there are in the entire nation today!

Lifespans and the median population age are projected to increase. The UN predicts the U.S. median age will be 41 years old by 2050, up from today's 37. That might not seem like a lot, but the rise in median age is directly attributable to second-fastest growing segment of the population - those 65 and older. And those future seniors are today's Millennials and Generation Z-ers.

Mobility: 2050

City: 2050 will be more multi-modal and less reliant on cars:

Walking - Denser cities make walking a viable mode for many people once more. City: 2050 may actually resemble walkable neighborhoods common in the early to mid-Twentieth Century. And that includes today's suburbs, which are exhibiting renewed interest in traditional urban principles of mixed-use, walkability and density. By 2050, many of those suburbs will be 100 years old (or older) and will have evolved into stand-alone, mixed-use, urbanizing areas and employment centers;

Automobiles - Should current trends continue, 2050 car ownership should decrease in favor of car sharing, autonomous vehicles and other disruptive technologies. And our lives will not rely solely on cars for mobility;

Planes, Trains, and Loops - Airports will still be part of our long-distance travel plans, but there will be other options. High-speed rail projects are accelerating (pun intended) across the U.S. and other forms (the Hyperloop?) have the potential to offer travelers unique and competitive options. Dense population centers make these modes more viable; and,

Flying Vehicles - City: 2050 will witness the beginnings of the autonomous flying car. This is not science fiction, research is already underway in numerous countries for this next leap in mobility. The U.S. Department of Transportation is currently working on the technical guidelines for this new technology. And in less than 3 years, "Uber Elevate" should be operational in both Dubai and Dallas. Flying cars may not be available to everyone by 2050, but they could be one of many future transportation choices.

Architecture: 2050

It is not unreasonable for a building to have a lifespan of 30 years or more. So today's new buildings currently under construction will be important components of our built environment in City: 2050. Architectural design will undoubtedly change over the next 33 years, so expect our cities to be a mix of old and new, just as they are today. What other changes can we expect?

More Mixed Use - Expect fewer monolithic (single-use) buildings. Today's office buildings may transition into vertical "neighborhoods" with 3 or more uses in each building. Today's 25-story office towers could transition into a combination of office, residential, retail and even educational spaces. It's already happening in the world's most populous cities;

New Office and Retail - Given the basic human need for interaction and social connections, offices may still exist, but perhaps in a mixture of traditional office, co-working spaces, telepresence, hoteling or any combination thereof (and more). And retail? Well, it is no secret that the retail sector is currently undergoing a massive transformation. How it reinvents itself is still up for debate, but there should be a continuing need for retail spaces that bring people together. Maybe even a return to more specialization and the local store (bakery, wine shop, etc.), combined with drone delivery services; and,

Parking Garages - Even the humble parking garage is poised for change. Today, Gensler is advising clients to future-proof new garages by building flat floorplates with taller floor-to-floor heights - at least 11 feet for future residential, and ideally 15 feet to accommodate just about anything from residential to office and beyond. As car ownership and use decreases, and if local zoning regulations follow suit, demand for on-site parking will experience a parallel decrease. Today's garage is the bones of City: 2050's mixed-use building.

Infrastructure: 2050

Supporting 438 million Americans will require massive reinvestments in our current infrastructure - water, sewer, storm drainage, electrical power, telecommunications, etc. And if we rely on today's delivery systems, our carbon footprint will actually increase, even with denser development patterns. American infrastructure must evolve to be more efficient, flexible, and decentralized.

Take electric power. Today, thousands of homes already generate their own power through solar, wind or geothermal, and are selling unused kilowatt-hours back to the grid. This is attractive to homeowners and it helps decentralize our aging power grid, which experts agree is vulnerable to cyber-attack. Decentralizing even a small portion of the grid could have significant cost-savings and environmental benefits over construction of new power plants. And the ongoing improvements in solar cell efficiency make this more attractive every day, especially given our desire for more digital devices that require recharging. But expect resistance (again, pun intended) from power companies to a future decentralized grid.

Improvements in rainwater harvesting and small sanitary sewer "batch plants" can have similar positive impacts on drainage and sewer systems. At the same time, new investments in our legacy infrastructure will still be required in order to provide reliable water, sanitary sewer and storm drainage services.

Conclusion: 2050

At the end of the day, there is no singular vision of what cities will look like in the future. Take a look around - cities in 2017 are unique and different. Expect that same level of diversity and local vernacular, combined with an overlay of new technology and opportunity.

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City 2050: What will your city look like in 2050?

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Peering into the future is a favorite exercise for planners and designers. From the Chicago 1893 Columbian Exhibition to New York City's two Worlds Fairs (1939 and 1965) and beyond, the future was optimistic and filled with cool technology and architecture. But not all views of the future were so hopeful.

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Farming

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10/22/19 The UVM Farmer Training Program and Helping Pollinators on 'Across The Fence'

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From the blog

Ever since my Tesla Model S was delivered in March 2013, I'd been thinking about flying to California to tour the place where CEO Elon Musk is revolutionizing the electric car industry.

Read full post

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Ever since my Tesla Model S was delivered in March 2013, I'd been thinking about flying to California to tour the place where CEO Elon Musk is revolutionizing the electric car industry. Read full post

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Poverty in the US is measured in terms of the federal poverty line. The poverty line is a threshold level. In other words, a level of income which you are either above (out of poverty) or below (in poverty). The poverty line varies for how many people are in a household. In 2018, the federal poverty line was $12,140 for an individual, $16,460 for a family of two, $20,780 for a family of three, and $25,100 for a family of four.

Where does the poverty line come from?

It sounds odd to say, but the poverty line is all about food.

First developed in 1965, just as the war on poverty was getting underway, the poverty line is based on the idea that at the time a typical family spent one third of its monthly budget on food. Mollie Orshansky, an economist working with the US Social Security Administration, used the US Department of Agriculture's estimate of how much a minimum nutritional diet would cost in 1965, and then multiplied it by three to get the budget that a family would need in order to get by. Her goal was to find out the minimum a family would need to survive for a couple months in the case of an emergency. To this day, the poverty line is generated the same way: the USDA publishes the estimated cost of a minimally nutritional diet, then that is multiplied by three - and then we assume that families can live with this little income for years on end.

Even if you accept a monetary measure for poverty (more on that below), this approach has some real problems.

For starters, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the portion of a family's budget spent on non-food items like housing has skyrocketed since the 1960's. In 2016, Americans spent closer to 12% of their budget on food, rather than the 33% that the poverty threshold assumes [1]. This means that a family earning three times the cost of a minimal healthy diet today is only covering 36% of their monthly expenses, and as a result probably going hungry. Even a family earning twice the poverty line is probably not getting by. To get a real measure of how much a family needs to earn, you should multiply the cost of the minimal healthy diet by eight, not three.

The general absurdity of the national poverty guidelines is widely recognized. But changing them would have far-reaching political implications on social welfare programs, so there is little chance of improvement any time soon.

In the meantime, a growing movement has been looking beyond the very idea that income is the best way to understand poverty in the first place.

Poverty is multidimensional

This is all about the US poverty line - but it isn't the only poverty line out there. The World Bank and United Nations measure poverty as $1.95 a day, for instance. This is what comes up when folks talk about the Sustainable Development Goals and ending global poverty and extreme poverty.

In recent years though, more and more researchers and policy makers have been realizing that poverty is about more than just income.

Take that World Bank measure of $1.95 for instance. Very few Americans live with less money than that ( though some researchers would argue that a surprising number still do). Does that mean that someone sleeping on the streets on a cold winter night is not struggling with poverty? Poverty is about access to housing, food, healthcare, good schools, safe communities, and a living wage. Poverty is about rights, about participation, about discrimination. Poverty is multidimensional.

What are those different dimensions of poverty? This is the newest frontier in anti-poverty work today.

In 2017 and 2018, ATD Fourth World partnered with Oxford University to conduct a groundbreaking study in this vein: identifying the multidimensional aspects of poverty with the real experts on poverty, those who live it every day and who work alongside them.

Using a research approach called "Merging Knowledge," we organized over 20 peer groups in six areas across the US, ranging from major metropolitan areas like New York and Oakland, to rural areas like Appalachia and the Navajo reservation outside Gallup, New Mexico.

The result is a new approach to understanding poverty by looking at nine key aspects of poverty:

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The Poverty Line: How is Poverty Measured in the U.S.?

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Poverty in the US is measured in terms of the federal poverty line. The poverty line is a threshold level. In other words, a level of income which you are either above (out of poverty) or below (in poverty). The poverty line varies for how many people are in a household.

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One of the first things that locals will tell you about moving to the state is that the cost of living in Vermont is higher than the rest of the country. As someone looking to move the Green Mountain State, that may raise some questions about what that might really look like in the day-to-day. The cost of living is higher, and it is something that people within the state are working to find innovative solutions for. There are many people who move here, spend their lives here, and they find the life that they always wanted. People come here for the lifestyle that they get to lead each day, full of babbling streams, green meadows, and majestic mountains. The experience of a Vermont summer turning into a Vermont fall is what people live for, and for many it is worth every extra penny to set down roots here.

What Can You Expect When It Comes To Cost of Living?

Most of New England and New York State has a higher cost of living than the rest of the country. Much of this is tied into the energy costs, housing costs, and grocery costs. While Vermont is higher than the rest of the country it is very much at an even average with the states within the same geographic region. The overall cost of living in Vermont is 16% higher than the national average. That can be broken down into more specific categories, groceries are 11.% higher, health costs are only 5% higher, housing is 27% higher, utilities are 29% higher, and transportation is 7% higher. Utility costs are certainly the largest variant in the cost of living difference, and that is for good reason. The snowy winters and the costs of heating your home is something that every Vermonter much factor into their budget. Yet, there are a variety of alternative fuel options, many of which can drive your utility costs down. Some choose to heat their homes with electric or gas based heat, some choose the wood stove or pellet stove option, and many have the ability to choose a combination of both. Throughout the state, there are large strides being made to find alternative, renewable, and more cost-effective energy sources. Many have turned to or are examining wind, solar, and hydropower. Cities like Burlington, Rutland, and Montpelier have in place or are actively working towards, alternative energy. Housing is another high cost when it comes to expenses in Vermont, and some areas are better than others. You will find smaller towns and more rural areas will have much lower housing prices, and homes near larger cities like Burlington are higher priced.

How Does That Factor In With Earnings?

When it comes to true affordability in Vermont, it is best to consider what earning potential there is and how that will factor into the cost of living. The national average for the Median Household Income is $53,046, and Vermont is slightly higher at $54,168. When you look at the Family Median Income the national average is $64,585 and Vermont is $67,274, thus, the good news is that there is some potential to earn more than the national average. The unemployment rate in Vermont is low, at 3.7%, and the majority of careers in Vermont are in management, business, finance, sales, office, or administrative support. Many of these are professional services such as web design, architecture, law, and healthcare among others. While many work in construction, extraction, maintenance/repair, production, transportation, or material moving. The majority of estimated household incomes are between $60,000 - $150,000, and many of these are dual income households.

Where in Vermont Is The Best Place to Live and Earn?

The challenge in finding a career that will put you above the national earning average is location. In Vermont, most jobs with higher salaries are based in areas with higher home values. Burlington is the economic center of the state, providing the most job potential and the highest salary potential. Yet, housing costs within the city are 50% than the national average, a considerable jump from the overall numbers for the state. Many households and families have found that the communities in the surrounding areas are certainly more affordable than Burlington, and the commute to be reasonable. Communities like Williston, Essex, Essex Junction, South Burlington, Shelburne, Winooski, and Colchester are all within a 20-minute drive and are very family friendly. Many who live in the area are willing to go farther afield to Richmond, Hinesburg, Jericho, Underhill, Charlotte, Milton, and the Champlain Islands. These towns are around 20-35 minutes from Burlington, and do not have a suburban feel, but rather fit into the small town community that many people are looking for when they come to Vermont. Many Vermonters find work around other smaller cities throughout the state. Montpelier, Rutland, St. Albans, Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury, and the Bennington areas are all potential areas for earning and living in Vermont.

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Cost of Living in Vermont: How Does It Stack Up Against The Average Salary? - Movoto

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One of the first things that locals will tell you about moving to the state is that the cost of living in Vermont is higher than the rest of the country. As someone looking to move the Green Mountain State, that may raise some questions about what that might really look like in the day-to-day.

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There are many health benefits of owning a pet. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship. Most households in the United States have at least one pet.

Studies have shown that the bond between people and their pets can increase fitness, lower stress, and bring happiness to their owners. Some of the health benefits of having a pet include:

Decreased blood pressure

Decreased cholesterol levels

Decreased triglyceride levels

Decreased feelings of loneliness

Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities

Increased opportunities for socialization

However, pets can sometimes carry harmful germs that can make us sick even when the pet appears healthy. The diseases people get from animals are called zoonotic (zoe-oh-NOT-ic) diseases. Below are some tips to help you and your family stay healthy while enjoying pets.

Pick the Right Pet

Before adopting a new pet, make sure that it is the right one for you and your family. Do some research beforehand about the specific needs of the animal. Ask yourself these questions before getting a pet:

How long will this animal live?

What does the pet eat?

How much exercise does the pet need?

How large will it become?

How much will it cost for veterinary care?

Do I have enough time to properly care for and clean up after the pet?

What type of habitat does this pet need to be healthy?

What type of exercise does this pet need?

Are pets allowed in my house, apartment, or condominium?

Are there young children, older people, or people with weak immune systems who will care for or be around the pet?

Children 5 years of age and younger, people with weakened immune systems, and people 65 years of age and older are more likely to get diseases spread between animals and people (also known as zoonotic diseases). Pregnant women are also at a higher risk for certain animal-related diseases. Before getting a new pet, keep the following in mind:

Households with children 5 years of age and younger should not have pet reptiles (turtles, lizards, snakes), amphibians (frogs, toads), or backyard poultry because of the risk of serious illness from harmful germs spread between these animals and young children.

People with weakened immune systems should take extra precautions when choosing and handling pets. Talk to your veterinarian for help picking the best pet.

Pregnant women should avoid adopting a new cat or handling stray cats, especially kittens. Cats can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis-a disease that can cause birth defects. If you are pregnant, you do not need to give up your current cat, but you should avoid changing cat litter.

Pregnant women should avoid contact with pet rodents to prevent exposure to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, which can cause birth defects. If you're pregnant and have a pet rodent, avoid direct contact and have someone else clean its habitat.

Stay Healthy Around Pets

Wash Your Hands

Whether you are playing with, feeding, or cleaning up after your pet, it is important to wash your hands to help reduce the risk of getting sick from germs pets can carry. If you or a family member are concerned about illness, talk to a doctor and mention the animals you've had contact with recently.

Always wash hands:

After touching or playing with your pet

After feeding your pet or handling pet food

After handling pet habitats or equipment (cages, tanks, toys, food and water dishes, etc.)

After cleaning up after pets

After leaving areas where animals live (coops, barns, stalls, etc.), even if you did not touch an animal

Before eating and drinking

Before preparing food or drinks

After removing soiled clothes or shoes

Running water and soap are best for hand washing, but you can use hand sanitizer until running water and soap are available. Adults should always assist young children with hand washing.

Keep Your Pet Healthy

Whether you have a dog, cat, horse, parakeet, gerbil, bearded dragon, or other fun pet, providing regular, life-long veterinary care is important for keeping your pet and family healthy. Regular veterinary visits are essential to good pet health. Talk to your pet's veterinarian about how to keep your pet healthy. Provide your pet with a good diet, fresh water, clean bedding, and plenty of exercise. Keep up with your pet's vaccines, deworming, and flea and tick control. Some pets can carry ticks that can spread serious diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever to people. In areas with plague-including some rural areas in the western US-fleas can be a risk to both animals and their owners.

By keeping your pet healthy, you help to keep yourself and your family healthy. Contact your veterinarian if you have any questions about your pet's health or if you think your pet may be sick.

Practice Good Pet Hygiene

In addition to hand washing, practicing good pet hygiene can help prevent the spread of germs between pets and people. Keep pets and their supplies out of the kitchen, and disinfect pet habitats and supplies outside the house when possible. Never clean supplies in the kitchen sink, food preparation areas, or the bathroom sink. Pets can contaminate surfaces in your home with germs-you don't have touch pets to get sick from their germs.

Always remove your dog's feces (poop) from your yard and public places by using a bag, and dispose of it in proper areas. Dog and cat poop can contain parasites and germs that can be harmful to people. Keep children away from areas that might contain dog or cat poop to prevent them from getting roundworms and hookworms. Cover sand boxes so cats don't use them as a litter box. Clean the cat's litter box daily to lower the chances of exposure to harmful parasites. Remember, pregnant women should avoid changing a cat's litter box if possible.

Teach Children How to Interact with Animals

Pets can teach children compassion and responsibility. However, children 5 years of age and younger should be supervised while interacting with animals to ensure the safety of the child and the pet. Teach children to wash their hands right after playing with animals or anything in the animals' environment (cages, beds, food or water dishes). Don't let children kiss pets or put their hands or other objects in their mouths after handling animals.

Adults should supervise and be extra cautious when children 5 years of age and younger have direct contact with farm animals, including animals at petting zoos and fairs.

Keep Wildlife Wild

Although they may look cute and cuddly, avoid touching wild animals to reduce the risk of illness and injury. Don't encourage wild animals such as raccoons, prairie dogs, or wild rodents to come into your home by feeding them. You might find a young animal that appears to be abandoned and want to rescue it, but often its parent is close by. If you are concerned about the safety of a wild animal, contact a local wildlife rehabilitation facility

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There are many health benefits of owning a pet. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship.

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It is a crisp Friday evening in the center of my hometown, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Three flag football games are taking place on the large field in front of James H. Eldredge Elementary School. Younger flag football teams start before the sun sets while the older teams play under the lights. Parents, relatives, and classmates cheer for the athletes from their seats on the bleachers, or from the grassy hill flanking the field. It's now 8:00 p.m. and one of the more competitive age groups, the eleven-and twelve-year-olds, are playing.

" Ready, hut!"As the quarterback of the Vikings, I take my time in the pocket, waiting for the play to materialize. My favorite receiver, Patrick, breaks away from his man and he catches the pass, and breaks towards the end zone. " Go, Patrick, go! " yells our coach. He has enough momentum to beat the final defender to score the touchdown.

In my hometown and in cities and towns across the country, flag football has emerged as a fun and safe way for kids and adults to play football. The rules are very similar to "tackle football", but the elimination of contact makes it safer. A 2016 study by USA Football found that participation had increased among children aged six and fourteen in flag football more than in any other sport. Many young players and their parents have high hopes that one day flag will become a professional sport as popular as the National Football League itself.

​The explosion of flag football in East Greenwich is representative of the sport's growth nationwide. Participation in the East Greenwich Flag Football League (EGFFL), an affiliate of NFL FLAG, has risen from less than 50 kids in its first season in 2014 to over 220 in its most recent season. The president and vice president of the EGFFL, Mike Gormley and Dan Koppen,came to my school so they could be interviewed by Sports Illustrated Kids. Gormley has been involved with the league since its founding in 2014 and Koppen played in the NFL for nine seasons, winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots and playing his final years with the Denver Broncos. He has been involved in flag football for one season.

"There's a lot of things in football that you learn that will help you in life," says Kopppen. "[Like] teamwork, discipline, accountability, trust."

Meanwhile, Gormley explains, "One of the things I love about flag is it's not for just star athletes. Everybody can play and everyone participates and everyone gets a touch."

Just like Koppen, other former and current NFL players are involved in flag programs around the country, such as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson. When Peterson was a member of the Saints, his son and Brees' son were on the same team, with the star players as coaches. Brees told The Wall Street Journal in October, "I feel like football is something that is truly American. It would be terrible if it goes by the wayside because people are afraid to play it because they don't think there is a better option." Referring to flag football, he said, "This is a better option."

​Koppen, for his part, agreed with Brees. "I think [he's] correct," says Koppen. "I don't know if flag is the answer long term, especially when you get into [the] high school, college, professional ranks. I do agree that the sport's important. I think it's important for life, life lessons as well and I think they're just trying to grow and put it out there as much as they can and they realize that maybe some parents are reluctant to let their kids play [tackle] at an early age."

Flag leagues around the country are growing at a rapid pace, including co-ed leagues with players ranging from age six to 14, over-35 leagues for adults, and unified leagues, as well. Because of safety concerns, particularly awareness of the dangers of concussions, parents may not allow their kids to join local Pop Warner football leagues or high school programs. Instead, kids can redirect their football-playing interests towards a flag league.

"I think flag is a great way for parents to still introduce the game of football to younger kids without the contact part of the sport," says Koppen.

Promotion of flag football by current NFL players, such as two New York Jets teammates, quarterback Josh McCown and linebacker Demario Davis, will also help the sport grow. This past November, McCown and Davis coached the "Fort Hamilton Turkey Bowl", in which military members from Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, New York played an organized game of eight-on-eight football.

Other players continue to share their support for the game, as Browns receivers Rashard Higgins and Ricardo Louis as well as Browns safety Ibraheim Campbell surprised kids at a flag football practice at a recreation center in late September.

Former NFL stars, including Chad Johnson, Justin Forsett, Terrell Owens and Michael Vick, are now involved in the American Flag Football League. After watching his son, Hayden, play the sport, Jeff Lewis was inspired to create the league. He worked as a bond trader and hedge fund manager in New York for thirty years before moving to the AFFL. On its website, the AFFL is described as "a first of its kind pro league" that "combines the energy of a rapidly growing youth sport in America with world-class, elite athletes."

A debut AFFL game in June sparked some interest in the emerging league. The captains were Owens and Vick.. Vick led his team to a 64-41 victory over Team Owens. Evan Rodriguez, who played in the NFL for three seasons as a tight end, was named the game's MVP after catching four touchdown passes from Vick. Throughout the game, players sported high-tech flags with wireless radios and magnets in them, which the officials used to determine exactly where the flag was pulled.

"With the speed of folks and the non-injury aspect, I think it's something that can become very popular," Gormley said about the AFFL. Koppen agreed: "Usually when you've played football and when you're done, those pads go back up onto the shelf. You don't put those pads back on. For older players and past players, it might may a good way to play the sport that they love because they're never going to put their pads back on."

Back in East Greenwich, the various winning teams of the week are celebrating their victory on the sideline. Meanwhile, the losing team's coach huddles his players together to break down the strengths and weaknesses of the team during their loss. The EGFFL will once again conclude a successful night of flag football, and went on to conclude an outstanding season, building the path for years to come, just one of many organizations around the country doing the same thing.

Photographs by (from top): Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images; Hunter Martin/Getty Images; Gene Duncan/Disney/Getty Images

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It is a crisp Friday evening in the center of my hometown, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Three flag football games are taking place on the large field in front of James H. Eldredge Elementary School. Younger flag football teams start before the sun sets while the older teams play under the lights.

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How playing sports benefits your body ... and your brain - Leah Lagos and Jaspal Ricky Singh

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Jan. 10 was Homeless Awareness Day at the Vermont Statehouse. Providers and advocates from all over the state were honored and recognized, a memorial vigil was held on the Statehouse steps where several legislators and the governor addressed the crowd. Washington County advocates carried signs with the slogan, "End Homelessness in Washington County by 2020."

Although this was the day that the Senate passed the marijuana bill, many of us were there to show our support for ways to help the growing homeless populations in Vermont.

New funding to provide cold weather seasonal housing in last years budget, largely due to the advocacy of several central Vermonters including Rep. Mary Hooper, are now meeting basic needs for homeless folks at the Bethany Church in Montpelier and the Presbyterian Church in Barre overseen by the Good Samaritan Haven.

This would not have happened without real coalitions of dedicated volunteers, church leaders and housing staff working together along with legislative financial support.

I think this huge deep freeze we all have been experiencing this snowy and frigid January makes us more aware of how important it is to have a roof over our heads, heat, water, food and a bed to sleep in. As poverty expands in this time of record stock market numbers for the affluent, more and more folks are falling through the cracks.

Jobs are hard to come by for those without computer skills or a basic education. Families are often pulled apart by the financial woes of the most vulnerable. If you add substance abuse, mental illness, sexual abuse/identity issues, there are many good people who just don't fit into some of our most outdated social norms through no fault of their own.

It is not just a question of "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps" as many successful Vermonters would like to believe. Many need and want supportive services just to survive. With some help, they may also find real jobs. It was extremely heartening to learn of many experiments around the state that are actually working cooperatively at the community level to provide these needed services.

Some of the testimony included the fact that homelessness is often criminalized. Some municipalities are adding ordinances that call public urination a crime while at the same time there are no public bathrooms available after 5 p.m. Mobile home parks are closing often without giving any viable options for young families in a very tight rental market, particularly in Chittenden County. What are folks expected to do when there are no other options?

A bill, H.412, was being discussed in the House Housing and General Affairs Committee to establish a homeless bill of rights and prohibit discrimination against people without homes. This could be a great way to stop the stigma of homelessness.

Although there is much more need, particularly financial resources, to fill in the cracks, Vermonters are currently meeting these very basic needs in several innovative ways. "Housing First" is a national model that Vermont is replicating.

Work with landlords, hospital discharge planners, social service and health care providers is happening to come together to make our state more accountable for all citizens. Find housing first and then work with the person/family to solve alcohol and drug abuse problems when the anxiety of not knowing whether one will have a home or not is no longer a problem. Above all else, love and caring can often solve problems and keep folks out of the hospital emergency rooms and the criminal justice system, help them pay their rent and not have another melt down.

But all this will take money and many of our legislators are working on funding. Sen. Sirotkin of Chittenden County stated that he is wanting to revise the issue of charging a $2 per day occupancy fee on all hotel and motel stays to support housing initiatives. He noted that this tax would be paid primarily by out-of-staters, about 90 percent, while the 10 percent of Vermonters who stay in hotels can usually afford the fee as they do when they stay out of state.

Love and compassion are what is needed now!
Mary Alice Bisbee lives in Montpelier.
Read or Share this story: http://bfpne.ws/2DiEajS

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Opinion: Vermont can do more to end homelessness

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CLOSE Jan. 10 was Homeless Awareness Day at the Vermont Statehouse. Providers and advocates from all over the state were honored and recognized, a memorial vigil was held on the Statehouse steps where several legislators and the governor addressed the crowd. Washington County advocates carried signs with the slogan, "End Homelessness in Washington County by 2020."

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Vermont Business Magazine There's a $7,216 cost difference between owning a car in Michigan ($15,314.53) and New Hampshire ($8,098), finds a new study from personal finance website GOBankingRates.com. Vermont ($10,739.32) is also much cheaper than Michigan, but in the middle of the pack nationally. The study considered the costs of six key factors affecting the expenses of owning a vehicle in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia.

1. New Hampshire: $8,098

One-time purchase costs: $25

Annual ownership and usage costs: $2,691

"New Hampshire," the study says (see table of all states below), "is the cheapest state to own a car by far, with the total costs of buying and owning a car for three years coming in at $1,182 less than the next-cheapest state (Missouri at $9,280). New Hampshire is one of just four states that levies no sales tax on vehicle purchases. It also has low insurance premiums ($941 annually) and low maintenance and repair costs ($337 a year)."

21. Vermont: $10,739

One-time purchase costs: $2,046

Annual ownership and usage costs: $2,898

"Vermont residents pay some of the lowest prices for car insurance. The average $942 Vermont car insurance premium is $383 less than average insurance costs of $1,325, providing enough savings to make up for more expensive gas, car maintenance, registration fees and vehicle sales tax."

As of today, Vermont's average gasoline price is $1.97, the US average is $1.99, New Hampshire is $1.87, New York is $2.08, and Massachusetts is $1.89. And it doesn't matter if you are a Vermont or New Hampshire resident when buying a car in either state, because there is no sales tax applied at the time of the purchase, but it is when you register it in Vermont.

Outside of the sticker price of purchasing or financing a new set of wheels, GOBankingRates.com evaluated the following expenses to generate a national ranking:

Car sales tax

Title fees

Registration fees

Average annual car insurance premiums

Annual gas expenses

Average car maintenance and repair costs

"The common costs of owning a car outside of the car payment quickly add up -- our survey found that the average costs of owning a car for three years is $11,227," said Elyssa Kirkham, lead reporter on the study for GOBankingRates. "Typically, car owners should keep their costs low -- around 15 percent of their income for the car payment, insurance, gas, and so on -- which is trickier in states with higher car costs."
From most to least expensive, here is the complete state ranking: Additional Insights:

New Hampshire, Oregon, Alaska and Montana are the only states that don't levy sales tax on vehicle purchases

Missouri's average gas price of $1.59 per gallon is the lowest in the nation

These western states claim the highest gas prices in the country: Hawaii, California, Alaska, Nevada, andWashington.

8 of the 10 least expensive states to own a car are coastal states.

Methodology: To generate these rankings, GOBankingRates surveyed and totaled the cost of buying and owning a car for three years in all 50 states and D.C. This total included six key car expenses: For title and registration fees are based on car statistics, GOBankingRates assumed a car value of $33,543, an average weight of 4,000 lbs and a model year of 2014. Car sales tax and title fee were counted once each, while recurring annual costs of registration fees, insurance premiums, gas expenses and car maintenance were each counted three times for three years. This generated the total costs of buying and owning a car in each state, and states were ranked according to this total to find the least and most expensive. GOBankingRates

1. Car sales tax, based on rates provided by CarMax.com and calculated on the average car transaction amount of $33,543 in August 2015 as reported by the Kelley Blue Book.

2. Title fees, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

3. Registration fees, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures, calculated annually.

4. Average annual car insurance premiums, sourced from Insured.com's 2016 report on car insurance rates by state.

5. Annual gas expenses, based on an average of historical regular gas prices in each state sourced from AAA's Fuel Gauge Report. The expense was calculated based on the assumption of a driver filling up a 14-gallon tank once a week.

6. Average car maintenance and repair costs in each state, sourced from CarMD's 2014 State Repair Cost Rankings.

LOS ANGELES, March 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- GOBankingRates
GOBankingRates.com is a leading portal for personal finance and consumer banking information, offering visitors the latest on everything from finding a good interest rate to strategies for saving money, investing for retirement and getting a loan. Its editors are regularly featured on top-tier media outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Business Insider, Daily Finance, Huffington Post and more. It specializes in connecting consumers with the best financial institutions and banking products nationwide.

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Cost of owning a car in Vermont about US average, NH is cheapest

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Vermont Business Magazine There's a $7,216 cost difference between owning a car in Michigan ($15,314.53) and New Hampshire ($8,098), finds a new study from personal finance website GOBankingRates.com. Vermont ($10,739.32) is also much cheaper than Michigan, but in the middle of the pack nationally.

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Entrepreneur Leaves Banking to Sell Sports Cars

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Former banking executive Douglas Dolton found a way to turn his passion for sports cars into a booming, vrooming business.

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Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal power can provide energy without the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels.

In any discussion about climate change, renewable energy usually tops the list of changes the world can implement to stave off the worst effects of rising temperatures. That's because renewable energy sources such as solar and wind don't emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

Clean energy has far more to recommend it than just being "green." The growing sector creates jobs, makes electric grids more resilient, expands energy access in developing countries, and helps lower energy bills. All of those factors have contributed to a renewable energy renaissance in recent years, with wind and solar setting new records for electricity generation.

For the past 150 years or so, humans have relied heavily

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Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal power can provide energy without the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels. In any discussion about climate change, renewable energy usually tops the list of changes the world can implement to stave off the worst effects of rising temperatures.

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16 Inventions to get us off of fossil fuels

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16 Inventions to get us off of fossil fuels

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Much of the world's energy is sourced from fossil fuels.

Several innovators and companies have developed inventions to help get the world off of non-renewable energy.

For example, the HomeBiogas 2.0 turns food waste into gas, producing up to three hours of cooking gas.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

1. This whirlpool turbine can power dozens of homes in rural areas. It generates energy 24 hours a day. And can be installed in most rivers and canals. Free-flowing water powers up the generator's turbine. It's even safe for fish to pass through!

4. The HomeBiogas 2.0 turns food scraps into gas! Bacteria digests the waste and turns it into biogas. The appliance can take up to 6 liters of waste per day... And can produce up to three hours of cooking gas. It can even make fertilizer!

7. The GoSun Grill is powered using sunlight. Reflectors focus the sun's light rays onto a metal tube... Creating cooking temperatures up to 550° F. The food goes directly inside the cylindrical tube.

10. The Ecocapsule is a micro housing pod. And can house two people for up to a year. It has all the necessary amenities: Kitchen, bathroom, and storage space. It's powered by solar cells and a wind turbine. It even collects and filters rain for drinking water.

11. The Saphonian is a bladeless wind turbine. It imitates a bird's wing or a fish's tail. And was designed after a ship's sails. Going bladeless could be cheaper than making traditional turbines... And it doesn't interfere with magnetic or radar waves!

12. The Hydralight lantern is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional gas-lit lanterns. It runs on salt water and an energy cell. And uses the charged particles in the water to create electricity. The lantern is simple to use... Just a single dip in salt water... And it can give off over 250 hours of light.

13. This floating wind farm in Scotland is the first of its kind. Don't worry; it won't float away. It's held in place by suction anchors on the seabed. And can power 20,000 households for a year.

14. This sewage is being turned into biodiesel. The carbon content in human waste is converted into energy. The engineers say biodiesel can be used in regular diesel car engines... With little or no modifications.

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16 inventions getting us off fossil fuels and into renewable energy

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Much of the world's energy is sourced from fossil fuels. Several innovators and companies have developed inventions to help get the world off of non-renewable energy. For example, the HomeBiogas 2.0 turns food waste into gas, producing up to three hours of cooking gas. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

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A new study - co-authored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson and UC-Davis researcher Mark A. Delucchi - analyzing what is needed to convert the world's energy supplies to clean and sustainable sources says that it can be done with today's technology at costs roughly comparable to conventional energy. But converting will be a massive undertaking on the scale of the moon landings. What is needed most is the societal and political will to make it happen.

Justin Warren and Mark Shwartz

The researchers' plan calls for wind and solar power to contribute 90 percent of needed energy.

If someone told you there was a way you could save 2.5 million to 3 million lives a year and simultaneously halt global warming, reduce air and water pollution and develop secure, reliable energy sources - nearly all with existing technology and at costs comparable with what we spend on energy today - why wouldn't you do it?

According to a new study coauthored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson, we could accomplish all that by converting the world to clean, renewable energy sources and forgoing fossil fuels.

"Based on our findings, there are no technological or economic barriers to converting the entire world to clean, renewable energy sources," said Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering. "It is a question of whether we have the societal and political will."

He and Mark Delucchi, of the University of California-Davis, have written a two-part paper in Energy Policy in which they assess the costs, technology and material requirements of converting the planet, using a plan they developed.

The world they envision would run largely on electricity. Their plan calls for using wind, water and solar energy to generate power, with wind and solar power contributing 90 percent of the needed energy.

Geothermal and hydroelectric sources would each contribute about 4 percent in their plan (70 percent of the hydroelectric is already in place), with the remaining 2 percent from wave and tidal power.

Vehicles, ships and trains would be powered by electricity and hydrogen fuel cells. Aircraft would run on liquid hydrogen. Homes would be cooled and warmed with electric heaters - no more natural gas or coal - and water would be preheated by the sun.

Commercial processes would be powered by electricity and hydrogen. In all cases, the hydrogen would be produced from electricity. Thus, wind, water and sun would power the world.

The researchers approached the conversion with the goal that by 2030, all new energy generation would come from wind, water and solar, and by 2050, all pre-existing energy production would be converted as well.

L.A. Cicero

"There are no technological or economic barriers to converting the entire world to clean, renewable energy sources," said Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering.

"We wanted to quantify what is necessary in order to replace all the current energy infrastructure - for all purposes - with a really clean and sustainable energy infrastructure within 20 to 40 years," said Jacobson.

One of the benefits of the plan is that it results in a 30 percent reduction in world energy demand since it involves converting combustion processes to electrical or hydrogen fuel cell processes. Electricity is much more efficient than combustion.

That reduction in the amount of power needed, along with the millions of lives saved by the reduction in air pollution from elimination of fossil fuels, would help keep the costs of the conversion down.

"When you actually account for all the costs to society - including medical costs - of the current fuel structure, the costs of our plan are relatively similar to what we have today," Jacobson said.

One of the biggest hurdles with wind and solar energy is that both can be highly variable, which has raised doubts about whether either source is reliable enough to provide "base load" energy, the minimum amount of energy that must be available to customers at any given hour of the day.

Jacobson said that the variability can be overcome.

"The most important thing is to combine renewable energy sources into a bundle," he said. "If you combine them as one commodity and use hydroelectric to fill in gaps, it is a lot easier to match demand."

Wind and solar are complementary, Jacobson said, as wind often peaks at night and sunlight peaks during the day. Using hydroelectric power to fill in the gaps, as it does in our current infrastructure, allows demand to be precisely met by supply in most cases. Other renewable sources such as geothermal and tidal power can also be used to supplement the power from wind and solar sources.

"One of the most promising methods of insuring that supply matches demand is using long-distance transmission to connect widely dispersed sites," said Delucchi. Even if conditions are poor for wind or solar energy generation in one area on a given day, a few hundred miles away the winds could be blowing steadily and the sun shining.

"With a system that is 100 percent wind, water and solar, you can't use normal methods for matching supply and demand. You have to have what people call a supergrid, with long-distance transmission and really good management," he said.

Another method of meeting demand could entail building a bigger renewable-energy infrastructure to match peak hourly demand and use the off-hours excess electricity to produce hydrogen for the industrial and transportation sectors.

Using pricing to control peak demands, a tool that is used today, would also help.

Jacobson and Delucchi assessed whether their plan might run into problems with the amounts of material needed to build all the turbines, solar collectors and other devices.

They found that even materials such as platinum and the rare earth metals, the most obvious potential supply bottlenecks, are available in sufficient amounts. And recycling could effectively extend the supply.

"For solar cells there are different materials, but there are so many choices that if one becomes short, you can switch," Jacobson said. "Major materials for wind energy are concrete and steel and there is no shortage of those."

Jacobson and Delucchi calculated the number of wind turbines needed to implement their plan, as well as the number of solar plants, rooftop photovoltaic cells, geothermal, hydroelectric, tidal and wave-energy installations.

They found that to power 100 percent of the world for all purposes from wind, water and solar resources, the footprint needed is about 0.4 percent of the world's land (mostly solar footprint) and the spacing between installations is another 0.6 percent of the world's land (mostly wind-turbine spacing), Jacobson said.

One of the criticisms of wind power is that wind farms require large amounts of land, due to the spacing required between the windmills to prevent interference of turbulence from one turbine on another.

"Most of the land between wind turbines is available for other uses, such as pasture or farming," Jacobson said. "The actual footprint required by wind turbines to power half the world's energy is less than the area of Manhattan." If half the wind farms were located offshore, a single Manhattan would suffice.

Jacobson said that about 1 percent of the wind turbines required are already in place, and a lesser percentage for solar power.

"This really involves a large scale transformation," he said. "It would require an effort comparable to the Apollo moon project or constructing the interstate highway system."

"But it is possible, without even having to go to new technologies," Jacobson said. "We really need to just decide collectively that this is the direction we want to head as a society."

Jacobson is the director of Stanford's Atmosphere/Energy Program and a senior fellow at Stanford's Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy.

Media Contact

Louis Bergeron, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-1944, louisb3@stanford.edu

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The world can be powered by alternative energy, using today's technology, in 20-40 years, says Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson

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A new study - co-authored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson and UC-Davis researcher Mark A. Delucchi - analyzing what is needed to convert the world's energy supplies to clean and sustainable sources says that it can be done with today's technology at costs roughly comparable to conventional energy.

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Stress Relief Petting Zoo - Ebony Robinson reporting 9/24/2018

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A housing campaign launched two years ago by area nonprofits and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission with the goal of building 3,500 new homes is falling short of its target for affordable housing - 700 new permanently affordable homes by 2021.

Brenda Torpy, CEO of Champlain Housing Trust, said 191 permanently affordable homes have been built over the past two years, 32 percent short of the 280 homes that needed to be built over the first two years of the campaign to hit the ultimate goal of 700 new affordable houses by the end of 2020.

Demand has generally exceeded supply for housing of all kinds in Chittenden County, including rentals, resulting in bidding wars for single-family homes and a vacancy rate in 2018 of just 1.7 percent. Market analysts usually look for a rate closer to 5 percent.

Champlain Housing Trust and Housing Vermont joined with the regional planning commission to launch the Building Homes Together Campaign in 2016.

Torpy said Wednesday at a press conference that while overall construction goals for the campaign are being met, the inability to meet the affordable housing target is cause for concern.

Brenda Torpy, chief executive officer of Champlain Housing Trust. (Photo: Courtesy)

"There's a tremendous, pent-up need for housing that is affordable to low-income individuals and families," Torpy said. "We need to increase the affordable production if we want communities that are inclusive to all."

More: Cambrian Rise: A big Burlington neighborhood in the making

More: Dissecting the cost of housing in Vermont

More: Tight Burlington housing market leads to bidding wars, exodus to smaller towns

Vermont's affordable housing future

In an interview on Friday, Torpy said she was encouraged by the way the Building Homes Together Campaign had brought together so many organizations and community leaders to address the housing crisis in Vermont.

"There's tremendous public support," she said.

Torpy said the "next piece" is to have more public funding for housing so communities that are willing to build affordable housing will have the resources to do it. The state bonded $37 million for affordable housing last year, but Torpy said that will be entirely spent by next year.

Chris Donnelly, director of community relations for Champlain Housing Trust, said Friday that most of the affordable houses are being built by the housing trust and Housing Vermont.

"We partner together and with Cathedral Square, those are the three primary entities," Donnelly said.

About 60 percent of affordable rental housing being built is financed through a federal tax credit program, with the remaining 30 to 40 percent financed by "a whole stack of sources, ranging from the Vermont Housing Conservation board to the federal program, a community development block grant," according to Donnelly.

The campaign called for increased investment in affordable housing through local trust funds at the community level and full funding of state sources like the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board.
Contact Dan D'Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT.
Read or Share this story: https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2018/10/15/vermont-housing-campaign-falling-short-affordable-housing/1614324002/

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Vermont campaign falls short of affordable housing goal by 32%

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CLOSE A housing campaign launched two years ago by area nonprofits and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission with the goal of building 3,500 new homes is falling short of its target for affordable housing - 700 new permanently affordable homes by 2021.

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I hope you enjoyed getting a taste of my heart and vision behind opening GraceFull by watching our video.

My husband and I are self funding GraceFull cafe as we have a heart for investing in our community. We have equity set aside for this venture, but not enough. The total estimated cost of our kitchen expansion is $67,000. We need to fundraise to make our dream a reality. Our Kickstarter goal is to raise $10,000 of this amount and hopefully more! We sincerely appreciate your generosity as every dollar pledged helps make a difference.

Please see more details below on our kitchen design and cost.

Kitchen design plan

With your help in funding our kitchen expansion, we have a goal of opening in January 2016. Below are more details around the cafe mission and how we hope to impact people's lives and the local community through food. I cannot thank you enough for your generous support in helping make this community gathering place a reality. If you would like to read more about my personal story as well, I'd encourage you to check out my full bio by visiting the link at the top right of this page.

GraceFull is going to be a community café based in downtown Littleton, Colorado serving breakfast and lunch. Hours of operation will be from 6:30 am - 2:00 pm, Tuesday - Saturday with operations mainly staffed by volunteers. GraceFull's mission is to bring people together over a fresh meal while providing opportunities to build new connections and find inspiration for serving their own community and world.

At GraceFull WE WILL

INVITE, WELCOME AND LOVE ALL PEOPLE

SHOW YOU THE BEAUTY IN SIMPLICITY

FOCUS ON FOOD THAT'S FRIENDLY TO YOUR OWN KITCHEN

USE WHAT WE HAVE AND LIMIT THE EXCESS

GIVE BACK OFTEN AND WITH JOY

The cafe will provide an opportunity for guests to enjoy simple, affordable and healthy meals in an engaging community setting. At GraceFull, we believe that one healthy meal made with love and shared in active community with others can prove the wisdom in the age-old adage of "less is more." The menu will change daily but will focus on providing one main meal in healthy portion sizes each day for all guests to enjoy, also helping fight the very real issue of food waste that exists today in our society.

GraceFull also has a goal of helping change the way people think about eating. Families often do not eat healthy for various reasons; whether it is lack of budget to buy fresh food, lack of confidence in their cooking ability, or lack of time. By bringing volunteers together in the kitchen, cooking with simple, fresh ingredients and providing access to the café's daily recipes and offering cooking classes; we believe that GraceFull can be part of the movement to help challenge people that we as individuals have the capability and skills to make healthier eating choices on a daily basis.

GraceFull is a place where strangers can become neighbors, serving and learning together. GraceFull Foundation will be the café's related "for-purpose" (non-profit) organization. Any realized profits from the café will be invested back into GraceFull Foundation for community outreach programs or donated to local, state and national charitable organizations. We will be hosting monthly events open to the community around our four passions which include food, finances, faith and fun. Through these events we will be offering people a chance to enrich their lives by connecting with free resources, learning something new and sharing meals together. You can visit our website to read more about how we plan to give back to the community through these events and other programs.

GraceFull will target guests in two main market segments. The first is middle and upper class individuals that have discretionary income to dine out and desire to make their dining dollars count by supporting a local organization that is giving back to the community and others. In contrast, GraceFull will also target lower income individuals by providing them with a option for a simple, yet higher nutritional meal with fresh ingredients for the same or lower price than the typical cost of fast food. Prices will be very cost accessible to both of these markets, with a fixed pricing structure of $5 for breakfast and $8 for lunch. We also believe that everyone should have access to a fresh meal, so we will have a Grace in Action program to provide guests the opportunity to "pay it forward" by buying an extra meal for someone in need to be able to enjoy.

We are all about inviting the community into our vision from the very beginning, so please visit our Facebook page and our website to stay updated on our progress. We'll share exciting news as we obtain city permits to begin renovations and kitchen installation as well as post opportunities for you to be involved at GraceFull. We will be mainly staffed by volunteers so there is a great need for our community to be involved to make this vision possible. We also have monthly community work sessions where everyone is invited in to help us with the many projects we have to get our doors open. On our Facebook page you can see fun pictures from our first two community work sessions of people coming together and giving their time to help make this dream a reality.

Risks and challenges

It goes without saying that the restaurant industry is high risk. More restaurants fail than succeed. We acknowledge that daily, but are committed to accepting that risk versus regretting never taking the chance to invest both financially and with our hearts into our local community and people's lives.

Throughout this process we continually go back to balancing this venture that has a non-profit vision and heart with the reality that we need to approach operations with a business mind to be able to keep our doors open to be able to do the work we want to do. I feel like I am the unique package that has the business background matched with a passion for giving back to the community and investing in people.

My husband and I have personal equity set aside for investing in opening the cafe, but the project costs quickly add up and we still need to secure more financing to be able to open our doors in January and maintain a reserve for operational cash flow during the first year. We have lenders in place, but would obviously prefer to limit our debt load.

Other risks include delays in construction, permitting and licensing, and building a large enough volunteer base to staff daily operations. We are already in the process of working through these issues and are confident that we will be able to overcome challenges such as these along the way.

Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

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GraceFull Community Cafe, Bringing People Together Over Food

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I hope you enjoyed getting a taste of my heart and vision behind opening GraceFull by watching our video. My husband and I are self funding GraceFull cafe as we have a heart for investing in our community. We have equity set aside for this venture, but not enough.

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Our vision is to promote a healthier, stronger, more connected community. Our mission is to provide a home in the Littleton community where people of all backgrounds can gather, eat well, and be inspired to give back.

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How we brought isolated people together - with coffee and a caravan!

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The Rural Coffee Caravan team continue to find new ways to bring people together and have developed Golden Age Fairs as a 'one stop information shop', with stalls manned by representatives of services available for older people in the area. Ann says, 'this enables 121 conversations to take place, and direct access to these services.

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Ask Mr. Young to describe his experience working in this town

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I've been a part of many communities in my life, many of them ephemeral: summer camp staff teams, wilderness trail crews, and urban houseshares with an ever-changing parade of roommates. Four years ago I moved to the tiny rural village of Worcester, Vermont, and found a unique and vibrant community that welcomed me immediately. After a decade of subscribing to Communities and scheming to start an intentional community one day, it struck me that I'd just stumbled into one by accident-one that was cleverly disguised to outsiders as a regular small town of just under 1,000 people.

Why do some towns and neighborhoods seem to embrace you in the arms of community, while others don't? Let me share a few of the things that make my village feel this way:

Every Wednesday I head down the hill to the Worcester Town Hall for Community Lunch, as does just about everyone else who's in the village at noon on a Wednesday: young mothers, senior citizens, the local loggers, and people who work from home. While the meal is officially sponsored by the Vermont Food Bank, people from every economic class attend enthusiastically. This is where you see your neighbors every week, talk to the guy you want to buy your firewood from, find a friend who can lend you their truck, wish someone a happy birthday, and hear the local news. A core group of volunteers does the cooking every week, and they always lavishly decorate the hall for every major and minor holiday they can think of. Community spirit is palpable, and every newcomer is welcomed in without hesitation. Before you know it you've learned everybody's name and feel right at home.

Worcester has a tiny gas station, a post office the size of a closet, and a little café that closes at noon. This "commercial district" (two small neighboring buildings) is home to the morning banter of all who rise early and work hard. You can find tradesmen grabbing coffee, commuters gassing up, and local hunters displaying their take. When it's not yet time for Community Lunch, this gathering place is where you go to see your friends and hear the latest news.

Vermont is the home of Front Porch Forum, a local online discussion board for each town. You must have a valid local address to be a member, and a summary of the posts lands in your inbox every day at 6 p.m. Whether you are selling a chest freezer, renting your cabin, announcing an event, or reporting a lost dog sighting, you know your neighbors will hear your words and respond.

Worcester's sense of community is founded on the village's volunteers. Community Lunch, the Fire Department & Fast Squad, the After School Play Group, the Community Garden, the twice yearly Clothing Swap, and the Fourth of July Committee are all run entirely by unpaid community members. These labors of love allow residents to serve their town and be proud of what they achieve together.

People tend to come to Worcester and stay. Many folks who started as renters love the community so much that they buy a house and settle down. When friendships and alliances form, they get to deepen and ripen over time. This is something I really missed in high-turnover communities, and it gives the town traditions deep roots.

While plenty of people commute to work in the nearby capital city, lots of folks make their living right in our town. The loggers supply everyone with firewood while being thoughtful about forest sustainability on the small private woodlots they manage. The ladies who run the café give us a place to meet and connect. I'm proud to live on one of Worcester's two community farms, where CSA members often volunteer in the fields to harvest the vegetables. Worcester is big enough to provide a living for those serving the community, and small enough that we all know these people by first name.

The Fourth of July is Worcester's day to celebrate itself. The town proudly puts on the best fireworks display for miles around, and everyone lines the street for the tiny parade. The winters are long here, so at the height of summer we come mingle on the public field in the center of town and smile giddily with community pride.

Like many New England towns, Worcester is governed by a town meeting. All registered voters may attend to elect town officers, approve (or challenge) the town budget, and discuss the school board. Even if it's only one day per year, this participation in direct democracy reminds us all that we collectively decide what Worcester will become.

Worcester has a very rural character, but it's close enough to Vermont's liberal capital city that values of acceptance prevail. It's very okay to be gay (thank goodness, because I am!), neighbors of differing economic classes tend to rub shoulders with relative comfort, and the United Methodist Church co-exists peacefully with the Green Mountain Druid Order. We're a very white town, but racial diversity is embraced when it finds its way here. Since the '60s and '70s Vermont has faced an influx of back-to-the-landers who sought a place in the traditional rural communities, and here the integration seems to have enriched both groups. It's as if everybody has decided, "Well, you choose to live in our wonderful little village, which shows good sense, so I guess you must be alright."

Reading over this list, I recognize many of the core traditions that support the success of most intentional communities. Indeed, aren't many of our intentional communities seeking to reclaim the lost small-town solidarity of yesteryear? So I suppose Worcester is an unintentional community that has partially retained its rural heritage of community traditions and partially been enriched by fresh ideas from beyond its borders.

These nine methods of community-building could be applied to any small town or city neighborhood where the residents are willing. If you're a communitarian soul living in the non-communitarian world, give one of them a try in the place where you live and see if the seeds of community take root. While intentional communities are crucial laboratories that teach us so much about how the human social fabric can work, the art of creating community spirit within mainstream towns and neighborhoods has at least as much potential to change the world for the better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Community Lunch!

Murphy Robinson is a wilderness guide and hunting instructor. When her wandering years came to an end she founded Mountainsong Expeditions in the wild forests of Vermont, where she helps people learn to be in deeper relationship with the land and each other. Your can learn about her work or send her a message at . She has also published Communities articles in the past under her former legal name, Mary Murphy.

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Nine Traditions that Draw Us Together: How a Small Town Nurtures Community - Foundation for Intentional Community

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I've been a part of many communities in my life, many of them ephemeral: summer camp staff teams, wilderness trail crews, and urban houseshares with an ever-changing parade of roommates. Four years ago I moved to the tiny rural village of Worcester, Vermont, and found a unique and vibrant community that welcomed me immediately.

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Thomas Scarangello, Thornton Tomasetti: "Dynamic - both literally and figuratively. As the cost of facilities rises, their ability to adapt - to environmental, programmatic and technological change - will be key to meeting long-term goals. A 25- to 50-year obsolescence is not sustainable."

Bob Fatovic, CannonDesign: "We're going to see shifts away from stadiums surrounded by a sea of parking and a move toward 'Stadiums in the Park' and venues that are richly connected with their community."

Dan Meis, Meis Architects: "Smaller, mobile, maybe even completely temporary. I believe the stadium of the future might be no stadium at all but rather a 'pop-up' venue that occupies important urban centers in the same way Siena's Piazza del Campo becomes a stadium for a legendary horse race twice a year."

Tom Paci, Turner Construction: "More concentration on the fan experience (family/kids' areas, upgraded food

service, interactive experiences, enhanced audio visual, etc.), and more concentration on income-producing program elements (smaller suites, more club and loge seats, super suites for game-day rental, more advertising opportunities, etc.)."

Ken Johnson, Hunt Construction Group: "More focus on the 1 percent crowd and providing more super-premium product to make sure there is differentiation and exclusivity for this fan base. Much more interactive fan experience at the sports stadium or arena to draw fans out of the house or other recreational items into the sports facility to watch a live game. More areas where there is opportunity for fans to mingle, watch the game and socialize; less hard, fixed seating."

Mitchell Ziets, Tipping Point Sports: "Smaller venues, with increased social (standing room only) spaces offering lower ticket prices to attract millennials, reduced number of suites (NFL venues excepted), creative food and beverage concepts and spaces, and more adaptable music/social spaces (plazas, club spaces) open year-round. Plus, alternative uses of practice facilities (e-sports, clubs)."

Chase Martin, The Cordish Cos.: "The sports venues of the future will be integrated into their surroundings. There will be a blurring of lines between game-day and non-game-day facilities and operations. There will no longer be traditional concession stands but rather immersive restaurants and dining options that encourage fans to come early and stay late. Unique media content will be featured in stadium to supplement the live game experience, and technology will be a driving force of stadium infrastructure."

Gerardo Prado, HNTB: "Slightly smaller venues, with fewer, better seats close to the action, enabling the energy of the fans to impact the outcome of the game, is the future."

Len Moser, Barton Malow: "Flexibility of the venue and new technologies will increase to improve the fan experience. Sports facilities will be adaptable throughout their lifespan, without returning to the experience of watching games in the 'concrete donuts.'"

Don Barnum, DLR Group: "The venue of the future won't just host eight or 24 or 82 events a year. It will be flexible and able to accommodate hundreds of events for any number of audiences. It will be green and sustainable, have its own renewable energy system and be off the grid. To ensure that all these events occur, an operable roof will be a standard device. The fan experience will be extremely customized down to the level of each individual who enters the venue."

Randy Shelly, Shawmut Design and Construction: "Technology is, and will be, huge, as are the experiences being created in-stadium. It won't be your father's stadium anymore: catering to millennials means more lounge-like experiences, with more opportunity to explore and socialize."

Jon Niemuth, AECOM: "There will continue to be a strong focus on community identity and engagement in all aspects, from fan experience to sustainability. Venue design will be less about replicating the same venue plan over and over and more about creating unique spaces that connect to fans, cities and communities."

Paula Portz, PC Sports: "We've spent at least the last 10 years focused on technology and providing patrons with the ability to connect multiple devices, stream content, and have unlimited bandwidth. So much today in film and media is virtual reality, so I would hope that the sports venue of the future changes the focus back to the playing field or court, and not so much on the smartphone."

Matt Rossetti, Rossetti: "Loss of the concept of 'upper deck' for ROI and experiential purposes. Upper seating bowls are the inverse of ROI for sports in that they produce the least revenue, cost the most and deliver very little in the way of patron experience."

Brad Schrock, HOK: "The sports facility of the future will be an ultra-connected, sustainable, adaptable and multiuse environment. In addition, the buildings will get smaller and more intimate to provide a truly unique experience."

Dale Koger, Legends Project Development: "With media rights providing so much of the revenue for each league/conference/franchise/collegiate team, in-venue technology demands will drive design, and even the bowl configuration itself, to optimize TV coverage, and thereby continue driving media rights and sponsorships higher."

Marc Farha, Icon Venue Group: "I think we will continue to see the venues associated with a master development in the adjacent spaces that keep the venue central to a live/work/play theme. We will also see the connectivity with technology as a reaction to multiple demographics and what they expect from technology and offerings to keep up with their daily lives (multitasking with work, ease of access to concessions and restrooms, etc.). That reaction to demographics is also going to force us to continue to evolve the premium seating offerings."

Tom Tingle, Skanska:
■ "Higher levels of flexibility allowing annual facility upgrades to meet demand trends.
■ Plug-and-play amenities: suite and club seat pods that can be changed per game.
■ Sustainable operations and energy usage; net zero is the norm, not the exception.
■ Sophisticated technology backbone that is easily and affordably upgraded to meet increased and changing demands."

Kacie Renc, JMI Sports: "Sports venues of the future will be more deeply integrated within their urban environments. The ticketed area will be pushed further out to incorporate plazas and streets, creating an entertainment district that offers a much richer game-day experience than one confined within the facility's exterior façade and adjacent parking lot."

Earl Santee, Populous: "My prediction is the sports venue of the future will not be just one venue or one place. It will be an entire development of multiple venues in one place. It's no longer just about one building; it's about building a community."

Bill Rhoda, Legends Global Planning/CSL International: "The average spending on technology in new facilities will grow from what is today 3 to 5 percent to upwards of 20 percent of the overall facility development costs. The continued growth of technology spending will expand beyond Wi-Fi and mobile phone connectivity as technology will impact everything from parking, energy efficiency, wayfinding to data collection, security, and food and beverage operations."

Erleen Hatfield, BuroHappold Engineering: "A lot more high tech, Wi-Fi and video integration in the fan experience and more sustainable too. Also, the future holds well-designed, more iconic buildings to attract fans."

Bill Johnson, HOK: "We need to look beyond the building as the confines of the experience. To what degree will sports and entertainment venues transform from actual structures into stage sets for media production and virtual experiences, and what will be the economic, environmental and social drivers that facilitate this change?"

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What will the sports venue of the future look like and how will it be different?

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Thomas Scarangello, Thornton Tomasetti: "Dynamic - both literally and figuratively. As the cost of facilities rises, their ability to adapt - to environmental, programmatic and technological change - will be key to meeting long-term goals. A 25- to 50-year obsolescence is not sustainable."

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Look at the pictures. This project transformed Boston.

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Our apartments in the year 2050 (2050.earth)

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Former School Building is now a Community Center - Burlington, VT

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Former School Building is now a Community Center - Burlington, VT

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A brand new community center is coming to the heart of Burlington, and owners said it's expected to serve people from all over the state.For just over $2 million, the Champlain Housing Trust purchased the St. Joseph's School from the Catholic Diocese. The building currently houses three Burlington nonprofits, including the Robin's Nest Children's Center."Many years of uncertainty, whether or not we were going to stay here," Robin's Nest executive director Tanya LaChapelle said.But now, she said she's excited for what's to come."The tenants in the building, we came together to try and find something like CHT, who can turn this into a building for the community," LaChapelle said.The building also houses the Association of Africans Living in Vermont and the Family Room Parent-Child Center.Michael Monte with the Champlain Housing Trust said it's looking forward to making the building a place the entire community can enjoy as well."We hope that this serves as a center for both the Old North End, the city of Burlington, and the region," Monte said.He said that starts with some renovations, including a brand new elevator and the addition of a community room and kitchen. Burlington's Parks and Recreation Department will also be moving into the building, a new addition Family Room director Josh Miller is excited about."Families getting exposure to what Parks and Rec is doing, the other things that are going on upstairs at AALV, I think the more people that are here the more we are serving the community," Miller said.Monte said more renovations are planned at a cost of an additional $7 million.La Chapelle said she's looking forward to what's to come."There's still a lot of fundraising to be done so the renovations can be done to this building, but we have a long-term very secure lease," La Chapelle said.

A brand new community center is coming to the heart of Burlington, and owners said it's expected to serve people from all over the state.

For just over $2 million, the Champlain Housing Trust purchased the St. Joseph's School from the Catholic Diocese.

The building currently houses three Burlington nonprofits, including the Robin's Nest Children's Center.

"Many years of uncertainty, whether or not we were going to stay here," Robin's Nest executive director Tanya LaChapelle said.

But now, she said she's excited for what's to come.

"The tenants in the building, we came together to try and find something like CHT, who can turn this into a building for the community," LaChapelle said.

The building also houses the Association of Africans Living in Vermont and the Family Room Parent-Child Center.

Michael Monte with the Champlain Housing Trust said it's looking forward to making the building a place the entire community can enjoy as well.

"We hope that this serves as a center for both the Old North End, the city of Burlington, and the region," Monte said.

He said that starts with some renovations, including a brand new elevator and the addition of a community room and kitchen.

Burlington's Parks and Recreation Department will also be moving into the building, a new addition Family Room director Josh Miller is excited about.

"Families getting exposure to what Parks and Rec is doing, the other things that are going on upstairs at AALV, I think the more people that are here the more we are serving the community," Miller said.

Monte said more renovations are planned at a cost of an additional $7 million.

La Chapelle said she's looking forward to what's to come.

"There's still a lot of fundraising to be done so the renovations can be done to this building, but we have a long-term very secure lease," La Chapelle said.

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Former school building to become new community center in Burlington

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A brand new community center is coming to the heart of Burlington, and owners said it's expected to serve people from all over the state.For just over $2 million, the Champlain Housing Trust purchased the St. Joseph's School from the Catholic Diocese.

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Tell us about your experience with this online video, click here.

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Winooski Community Development Director J. Ladd takes us on a tour of the newly opened 'O'Brien Community Center'.

www.onioncity.com

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O'Brien Community Center - Tour with J. Ladd

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Tell us about your experience with this online video, click here. Winooski Community Development Director J. Ladd takes us on a tour of the newly opened 'O'Brien Community Center'. www.onioncity.com

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Orchid is beautiful, smart, athletic, spunky, bold and proud! With so many layers to her personality, this cool lady promises that you'll never have another boring day in your life if you bring her home. She is an excellent hunter and loves to be independent, and enjoys her outdoors time at the NCAL catio. In addition, she will demand cuddles and rub all over you when she wants attention, and does not have a shy bone in her body. Come meet this diva and you will know exactly what we mean!

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North Country Animal League | Central Vermont Pet Adoption | NCAL

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We envision a world that is nurturing and compassionate towards all sentient beings. We envision a community that accepts responsibility for animal welfare and fosters a humane relationship between people and animals. We envision being a recognized, understood, and vital asset in our community.

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© Elizabeth Johnson (used with permission)

"A garden is a lovesome thing." - Thomas E. Brown

It's no wonder that community gardens are growing in popularity. Working in a vegetable garden is a lot of fun, whether it's digging for stray potatoes, pulling up funny-shaped carrots, or searching for elusive string beans. Once picked, it's hard to beat a meal made of fresh, sun-ripened produce. More and more people want to grow their own food and have a connection to the food supply chain, but many live in small homes or apartments with limited access to growing space. A community garden is a good solution to that dilemma.

If your town or city doesn't have one already, why not start a community garden yourself? Elizabeth Johnson runs a very successful and large community garden in Dorset, Ontario that was established six years ago on former industrial land. Since then the garden has become a focal point for the community, a source of seasonal organic produce for 15 households, and the recipient of many donations and grants. I asked Elizabeth (who is also my mother) to provide directions for how to start a community garden.

1. Start talking about a community garden.

Ask lots of questions. Let people in your town know that you really want to start a community garden.

2. Find some land.

Preferably it would be flat and sunny, with good soil, but the latter is not necessary, as soil can be built up over time. It's even possible to grow vegetables on concrete in raised beds, so don't overlook any possibilities.

3. Research any available grants in your area.

There are some organizations that want to support community gardens. Elizabeth's garden received a grant from Sobey's, the grocery store chain, that contained wood, three-way mix, and compost for 12 raised boxes.

4. Have a work bee.

Get everyone together who wants to participate and spend a day building raised boxes with scrap wood, or digging up ground for long beds. Elizabeth's garden has had most success with boxes that sit directly on the ground (instead of standing on short legs), since they drain better and stay moist longer.

5. Individual beds are best.

That way each person is responsible for their own. Caring for large communal beds often falls to a few dedicated people. Set aside one box for herbs, which everyone can share.

6. Start a compost heap.

The 3-bin system is good and always has compost ready to use. It's easy to assemble; you can find instructions online. Until your compost is ready, see if you can get some from your town or municipality.

7. Members can start their own seedlings at home.

That way, each person chooses and buys what they want to grow in their own box.

8. Build a fence, if possible.

It's necessary to keep out hungry critters. A 'no dogs allowed' rule may be necessary, as dogs can wreak havoc in freshly planted soil.

9. Organize a watering schedule.

Get a calendar and assign a full week at a time to garden members. That way, nobody's garden goes without water for more than a day. Set up rain barrels and hoses, or stick with watering cans, depending on the size of the garden.
As the garden grows:
10. You may need to create an informal board.

Having a secretary and treasurer is helpful. Have a few annual meetings with all members to talk about goals for the garden.

11. Invite guest speakers to give presentations.

This can be informative and inspiring for community garden members.

12. Make your space appealing.

Turn it into a place where people want to hang out. Put up a table, sun umbrella, and chairs.

13. Share community meals in the garden.

Especially at the end of the growing season, this is a wonderful way to celebrate the months of hard work and the delicious results.

It all starts with talking, asking, and digging, and grows from there.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments.

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Are you wondering how to start a community garden?

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It's no wonder that community gardens are growing in popularity. Working in a vegetable garden is a lot of fun, whether it's digging for stray potatoes, pulling up funny-shaped carrots, or searching for elusive string beans. Once picked, it's hard to beat a meal made of fresh, sun-ripened produce.