Friday, May 29, 2009

Been Green


The green movement carries a stigma that it belongs only to the wealthy and middle class that have enough money to buy hybrid cars, solar panels, wind turbines, and can afford to eat whole wheat organic. Community members of the Mapelton Fall Creek community have been "going green" long before it was the cool thing to do. Due to the conditions in Mapelton Fall Creek: lack of resources, lack of job opportunity, a lot of garbage/broken glass, vacant lots, and high energy/heating bills, people are reacting sustainable out of the need to survive. In many ways this community is a breading ground for green initiatives that most people talk about doing but never get around to implementing. Here the need for green is not about saving the trees (which is a worthy cause) but is about making the best of your situation and creating opportunity out of the mess surrounding them.
Here are some examples of people who have been practicing a sustainable life long before it was going green.
Avis is a cook who uses the empty lots to throw parties and barbecues for the community.

Tyson is a neiborhood resident who knows more about green building than most everyone and constults on green construction.

Joe King runs an unbelievable non- for profit that allows youth in the neighborhood to experience hunting, fishing, and environmental protection. His group is responsible for cleaning the section of the White River that runs through Mapelton Fall Creek.

Mike Reese is a man who pulls all kinds of materials out of the trash fixes them and sells them. He fixes and refirburshes desks and dressers and often repairs washes and driers.

Shane and Trisha are a young couple that do an unbelievable amount of garden

Boo is a gardener that plants his a garden in his own yard but also goes from neighbor to neighbor planting gardens for them.

Musa is also a gardener that has recently begun to sell his fruit/vegetables in the community. He is also implementing edible landscape.

Nancy Stenson recycles bikes.

Donald Walton is a muralist who beautifies the community and collects trash for scrap art.

and so much more...




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