NEWS FLASH: Do you know of an organization or group (including your own) that has been involved in Environmental Action in Rainier Beach? Help us update our information on the progress and challenges related to these priorities over the past year. Information you provide will help inform the next Town Hall Meeting in January, where we will set priorities for 2010. Just enter your observations as a comment at the end of this page. Thanks!
See most recent updates here.
Overall Goal – RB Coalition seeks to support the community in the preservation and improvement of natural and manmade open spaces and parks; and the management of environmental impacts to the community
2009 and Beyond – Priorities identified at 2009 Town Hall Meeting
To help monitor and track throughout the year click here and enter any activity in Rainier Beach that is responses to these priorities
1. Social/political/environmental intersection (integration)
2. More outreach e.g., presentations at community events to reach residents and other stakeholders
3. Air pollution awareness
4. More conifer trees
5. Protect green spaces/walkways
6. Adopt-a-block
7. Promote Urban Wilderness Project
Projects to keep our eyes and ears on
* Mapes Creek/52nd Avenue Walkway (SEED)
* Toxic Beauty Project (Community Coalition for Environmental Justice (CCEJ)
* Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Learning Center (Seattle Parks, Audubon Society)
* Neighborhood Clean-up (Rainier Beach Merchants Association)
* No Idling Campaign (CCEJ)
* Green Jobs (Connections Clearinghouse)
* Sustainable South Seattle (SSS)
Environment Partners
[feedsnap, 15]http://feeds.delicious.com/v2/rss/rbcoalition/Environment[/feedsnap]
The Rainier Beach Learning Garden got off to a great start in the fall of 2009, engaging over 400 students at South Shore School and the Rainier Beach Community Center in connecting with the environment, growing and eating their own food, and developing skills of teamwork, cooperation, compassion, and responsibility.
Over the next nine months, the Steering Committee of the Rainier Beach Learning Garden, along with Seattle Tilth, will expand the garden to create opportunities for students at all Rainier Beach schools to participate in hands-on garden education while creating a locus in the community for teaching environmental stewardship, urban ecology, and healthy living. There are three open spots on the Steering Committee. For more information, contact Sharon Lerman at sharonlerman@seattletilth.org.
WHAT’S MISSING? ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW.
Here’s what we’ve heard about initiatives launched or continued last year related to our 2009 priorities:
+ Atlantic City Nursery Repurposing Project (LOS) Parks and Recreation, Harry Hoffman
+ Rainier Beach Learning Garden at South Shore School – Seattle Tilth
+ Sustain able Seattle NBRS Project/Energy Efficient Outreach Program
+ Rainier Beach Lake Park South Lake WA Shoreline Restoration
Chinook Beach Park Salmon Recovery
+ City of Seattle’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Retrofit Ramp Up program (LOS provided) SPU
+ Mapes Creek Clean Up, Rainier Beach Merchants
+ Culture, Parks Vision – Cheryl dos Remedios
+ No Idling Campaign, Toxic – Community Coalition for Environmental Justice
+ Bridge to Beach neighborhood Cleanup – Seattle Neighborhood Group, Rainier Beach Merchants
The future of the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department’s Atlantic City Nursery site, located next to the north end of Beer Sheva Park became a focus of community energy in late-2009.
Community interest was sparked at the December 3rd public hearing around two compatible ideas: converting the current facility’s greenhouses and other structures and spaces at the north end of the site to an urban agriculture use and preserving the restored wetlands along the Lake Washington shore at the site’s south end.
A group of neighbors and community members have founded the Friends of Atlantic City Nursery to steward these ideas and work with Seattle Parks Department to ensure the site is repurposed to the community’s benefit. At this time Parks is working on their proposal and will be making a public presentation in early 2010.
The Friends of Atlantic City Nursery meet again on Sunday, February 7th at noon at the Rainier Beach Public Library, open to all interested in supporting this effort.
Due to change in Seattle Public Library hours the 2/7/10 meeting will now begin at 1:00pm.