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YouthBuild Celebrates 30th Anniversary on the National Mall
Today on the National Mall, YouthBuild AmeriCorps young leaders from across the country framed an energy-efficient, affordable home before it will be sent to Brownsville, TX, for a family whose home was damaged by Hurricane Dolly. The home will serve as a model for 84 additional green homes being developed in a rural Colonias neighborhood by the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville.
First Lady Michelle Obama stopped by to plant a seedling inside a rooftop gardening box while touring the YouthBuild AmericCorps energy-efficient home construction project, located in a tent adjacent to the homebuilding, the tent featured learning activities focused on green building, energy responsibility, and environmental awareness, which are all part of YouthBuild's programs throughout the United States.
Midday Muse: The True Meaning of Thanksgiving
This year, some friends are volunteering on Thanksgiving Day to cook dinner for the parents of children staying at a Ronald McDonald House. Last year other friends spent time filling boxes at a food bank the day before Thanksgiving for families in need. One of my family members also makes it a point to volunteer during holiday weekends at animal shelters, since the dogs and cats get fewer visitors over those days.
Cool Idea: San Francisco's Urban Farm
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend all day weeding garden beds, helping fix irrigation lines, and water seedlings in a 10,000-square-foot garden. But I wasn't on a rural organic farm, I was in front of City Hall in San Francisco.
Just last week, over 150 volunteers rolled up a huge swath of sod in front of City Hall, and over a few days, established this 10,000-square-foot edible garden.
Registry Roundup: Giving Back
Since my guy and I are pretty set up as far as our home is concerned, we didn't want to register for a lot of stuff. That's why we registered for a hodgepodge of art and home items on MyRegistry. We also wanted to give guests the option of donating to a charity in our names, instead of buying goods we don't need.
Cool Idea: Park(ing) Day
When I lived in a third-story apartment, I really longed for more green space, and would have definitely taken advantage of Park(ing) Day, which just finished its second annual event this past Friday. Park(ing) Day is an event where businesses, government offices, and volunteers in several corners of the world take the time to construct parks in parking spaces. In San Francisco alone, over 55 parking spaces were occupied, including this pedal-powered park, constructed and operated by Oakland, California, collective Rebar, which started the whole phenomenon a year ago, with help from the Trust for Public Land.
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Before and After: Real Simple Meets P.S. 346
The folks over at Real Simple (70 of them, to be exact) recently took part in New York Cares Day, and volunteered at the P.S. 346 elementary school in Brooklyn. In just five hours, they assembled 37 pieces of new Ikea furniture and applied their design expertise to an uninspired multi-purpose room.
Coveted Crib: James May's Lego House
Trix may be for kids, but Legos are for building. British TV presenter and journalist James May and a group of volunteers have been building a house from over three million Legos at Denbies Wine Estate in the town of Dorking, in Surrey. Construction had reached the upper floor of the house last week.
10 Great Urban Farms Across the United States
Who says that farming has to happen exclusively in rural areas? These 10 farms prove that you can grow veggies in any city in the country. Better yet, many of these farms also run substantial education programs, providing city kids with great information about where their food comes from.
Midday Muse: CARE For a Garden
This plate of figs, which is held by Palestinian Nadiya Zaqzuk, represents just a little of the bounty that her garden offers. Zaqzuk, a widow who needed a way to support her six children, can now grow vegetables and fruit in a greenhouse that the organization CARE provided for her. CARE's mission is to "tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient.
Before and After: An Airy Attic Office
The owner of a Queen Anne home in Florida decided that a home office might be the best choice for her small business. Her 700-square-foot attic space, which was recently featured in This Old House, seemed like the perfect fit, but it would require a lot of renovations. Her husband volunteered his services to realize her vision.
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