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The People's Money (2024-2025)

Play your part: Your Money, Your Community, Your Vote!

Phase 1 of 4
Idea Generation 10/10/2024 - 11/24/2024
Process phases Submit Idea!

Changes at ""We Grow Life" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life and community, transform neglected spaces and protect endangered species—and save ourselves."

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  • -{"en"=>"\"We Grow\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life, empower community, transform neglected spaces and save endangered species—including ourselves."}
  • +{"en"=>"\"We Grow Life\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life and community, transform neglected spaces and protect endangered species—and save ourselves."}
  • -{"en"=>"\"We Grow\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life, empower community, transform neglected spaces and save endangered species—including ourselves."}
  • +{"en"=>"\"We Grow Life\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life and community, transform neglected spaces and protect endangered species—and save ourselves."}
Deletions
  • -{"en"=>"\"We Grow\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life, empower community, transform neglected spaces and save endangered species—including ourselves."}
Additions
  • +{"en"=>"\"We Grow Life\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life and community, transform neglected spaces and protect endangered species—and save ourselves."}
Deletions
  • -{"en"=>"\"We Grow\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life, empower community, transform neglected spaces and save endangered species—including ourselves."}
Additions
  • +{"en"=>"\"We Grow Life\" is a citywide initiative to cultivate life and community, transform neglected spaces and protect endangered species—and save ourselves."}

Body

  • -["
    Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?
    Everywhere!
    Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.
    Youth
    Older Adults
    Public Housing Residents
    Justice Impacted People
    People with Disabilities
    Limited English Speakers
    Immigrants/ Migrants
    Veterans
    LGBTQ+ People
    Parents
    Unhoused People
    Low Income People
    Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color
    Everyone!
    Describe the challenge you want to address:
    \"We Grow\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration . We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community. \nThe \"We Grow\" initiative seeks to address a multifaceted challenge facing urban communities:\n1. The Nature Deficit: Many city dwellers, particularly in underserved communities, lack access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. This disconnect from the natural world has profound consequences:\nDiminished well-being: Studies show that exposure to nature reduces stress, improves mental health, and promotes physical activity. \nLimited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues and a sense of responsibility for the planet.\nReduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are often absent in urban environments.\n2. The Decline of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, iconic pollinators and indicators of environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Their dwindling numbers threaten the health of ecosystems and the future of food security.\n3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization can lead to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. Creating shared spaces and collaborative projects can foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.\nIn essence, \"We Grow\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation of an endangered species, including ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.
    What is the solution to the challenge?
    The \"We Grow\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:\n1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Transform neglected urban spaces: Identify and reclaim vacant lots, tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.\nPrioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators.\nFocus on accessibility: Ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.\n2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: Engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.\nEducational programs: Develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.\nCitizen science: Encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.\n3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion: \nSecure funding: Seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.\nDevelop a replicable model: Create a model \"We Grow\" waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies. \nCommunity ownership: Foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow\" aims to:\nIncrease access to nature: Provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits.\nEnhance biodiversity: Create essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity.\nFoster environmental stewardship: Empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.\nBuild community: Strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.\nUltimately, \"We Grow\" offers a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric.
    Please provide your Zip Code
    10034
    "]
  • +["
    Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?
    Everywhere!
    Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.
    Youth
    Older Adults
    Public Housing Residents
    Justice Impacted People
    People with Disabilities
    Limited English Speakers
    Immigrants/ Migrants
    Veterans
    LGBTQ+ People
    Parents
    Unhoused People
    Low Income People
    Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color
    All People!
    Describe the challenge you want to address:
    \"We Grow Life\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration. We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community. \n\nThe Problem:\n\"We Grow Life\" acknowledges multiple existential environmental issues facing urban communities:\n1. The Nature Deficit: Residents in many communities suffer a lack of access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. We walk by derelict tree beds filled with feces and garbage, rubble filled abandoned lots or subjected to increasing impact of development and new construction on an industrial scale. This harms our connection to the natural world with profound consequences:\nDiminished well-being: The lack of access to nature increases stress, degrades mental health, and discourages healthy physical activity. \nLimited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues, empathy for nature and a sense of responsibility for the planet.\nReduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are desperately needed in environmental justice areas. \n2. The Extinction of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, indicators of ecological balance and environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. The loss of monarch butterflies signals the dwindling number of pollinator species threatens the health of ecosystems, the future of food security, and the health of humanity.\n3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization leads to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. “We Grow Life” creates shared spaces and collaborative gardening projects to foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.\n\nIn essence, \"We Grow Life\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation, preservation of the most important endangered species, ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.
    What is the solution to the challenge?
    The Solution\nThe \"We Grow Life\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:\n1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Our “pollinator pathways” transform neglected urban spaces. We identify and reclaim vacant lots, neglected tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.\nWe prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators. “Plant Milkweed and They Will Come.”\nFocus on accessibility: We ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods and environmental justice areas.\n2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: We engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.\nEducational programs: We develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.\nCitizen science: We encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.\n3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion: \nSecure funding: We seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.\nDevelop a replicable model: We create a model \"We Grow Life\" monarch butterfly waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies. \nCommunity ownership: We foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.\n\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow Life\" increases access to nature to provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits. We enhance biodiversity by creating essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity. We foster environmental stewardship to empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.\nWe build community to strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.\nUltimately, \"We Grow Life\" is a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric. “Saving Monarch Butterflies, One Life at a Time.”
    Please provide your Zip Code
    10034
    "]
  • -["<xml><dl class=\"decidim_awesome-custom_fields\" data-generator=\"decidim_awesome\" data-version=\"0.10.2\"><dt name=\"text-1727190723263-0\">Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?</dt><dd id=\"text-1727190723263-0\" name=\"text\"><div>Everywhere!</div></dd><dt name=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\">Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.</dt><dd id=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\" name=\"checkbox-group\"><div alt=\"Youth\">Youth</div><div alt=\"Older Adults\">Older Adults</div><div alt=\"Public Housing Residents\">Public Housing Residents</div><div alt=\"Justice Impacted People\">Justice Impacted People</div><div alt=\"People with Disabilities\">People with Disabilities</div><div alt=\"Limited English Speakers\">Limited English Speakers</div><div alt=\"Immigrants/ Migrants\">Immigrants/ Migrants</div><div alt=\"Veterans\">Veterans</div><div alt=\"LGBTQ+ People\">LGBTQ+ People</div><div alt=\"Parents\">Parents</div><div alt=\"Unhoused People\">Unhoused People</div><div alt=\"Low Income People\">Low Income People</div><div alt=\"Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color\">Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color</div><div>Everyone!</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\">Describe the challenge you want to address:</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>\"We Grow\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration . We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community.
  • -The \"We Grow\" initiative seeks to address a multifaceted challenge facing urban communities:
  • -1. The Nature Deficit: Many city dwellers, particularly in underserved communities, lack access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. This disconnect from the natural world has profound consequences:
  • -Diminished well-being: Studies show that exposure to nature reduces stress, improves mental health, and promotes physical activity.
  • -Limited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues and a sense of responsibility for the planet.
  • -Reduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are often absent in urban environments.
  • -2. The Decline of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, iconic pollinators and indicators of environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Their dwindling numbers threaten the health of ecosystems and the future of food security.
  • -3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization can lead to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. Creating shared spaces and collaborative projects can foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.
  • -In essence, \"We Grow\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation of an endangered species, including ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\">What is the solution to the challenge?</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>The \"We Grow\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:
  • -1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Transform neglected urban spaces: Identify and reclaim vacant lots, tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.
  • -Prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
  • -Focus on accessibility: Ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.
  • -2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: Engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.
  • -Educational programs: Develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.
  • -Citizen science: Encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.
  • -3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion:
  • -Secure funding: Seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.
  • -Develop a replicable model: Create a model \"We Grow\" waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies.
  • -Community ownership: Foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.
  • -By implementing these solutions, \"We Grow\" aims to:\nIncrease access to nature: Provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits.\nEnhance biodiversity: Create essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity.\nFoster environmental stewardship: Empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.
  • -Build community: Strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.
  • -Ultimately, \"We Grow\" offers a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric.</div></dd><dt name=\"number-1727191411855-0\">Please provide your Zip Code</dt><dd id=\"number-1727191411855-0\" name=\"number\"><div>10034</div></dd></dl></xml>"]
  • +["<xml><dl class=\"decidim_awesome-custom_fields\" data-generator=\"decidim_awesome\" data-version=\"0.10.2\"><dt name=\"text-1727190723263-0\">Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?</dt><dd id=\"text-1727190723263-0\" name=\"text\"><div>Everywhere!</div></dd><dt name=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\">Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.</dt><dd id=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\" name=\"checkbox-group\"><div alt=\"Youth\">Youth</div><div alt=\"Older Adults\">Older Adults</div><div alt=\"Public Housing Residents\">Public Housing Residents</div><div alt=\"Justice Impacted People\">Justice Impacted People</div><div alt=\"People with Disabilities\">People with Disabilities</div><div alt=\"Limited English Speakers\">Limited English Speakers</div><div alt=\"Immigrants/ Migrants\">Immigrants/ Migrants</div><div alt=\"Veterans\">Veterans</div><div alt=\"LGBTQ+ People\">LGBTQ+ People</div><div alt=\"Parents\">Parents</div><div alt=\"Unhoused People\">Unhoused People</div><div alt=\"Low Income People\">Low Income People</div><div alt=\"Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color\">Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color</div><div>All People!</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\">Describe the challenge you want to address:</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>\"We Grow Life\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration. We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community.
  • +\nThe Problem:\n\"We Grow Life\" acknowledges multiple existential environmental issues facing urban communities:
  • +1. The Nature Deficit: Residents in many communities suffer a lack of access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. We walk by derelict tree beds filled with feces and garbage, rubble filled abandoned lots or subjected to increasing impact of development and new construction on an industrial scale. This harms our connection to the natural world with profound consequences:
  • +Diminished well-being: The lack of access to nature increases stress, degrades mental health, and discourages healthy physical activity.
  • +Limited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues, empathy for nature and a sense of responsibility for the planet.
  • +Reduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are desperately needed in environmental justice areas.
  • +2. The Extinction of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, indicators of ecological balance and environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. The loss of monarch butterflies signals the dwindling number of pollinator species threatens the health of ecosystems, the future of food security, and the health of humanity.
  • +3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization leads to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. “We Grow Life” creates shared spaces and collaborative gardening projects to foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.
  • +\nIn essence, \"We Grow Life\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation, preservation of the most important endangered species, ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\">What is the solution to the challenge?</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>The Solution\nThe \"We Grow Life\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:
  • +1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Our “pollinator pathways” transform neglected urban spaces. We identify and reclaim vacant lots, neglected tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.
  • +We prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators. “Plant Milkweed and They Will Come.”
  • +Focus on accessibility: We ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods and environmental justice areas.
  • +2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: We engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.
  • +Educational programs: We develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.
  • +Citizen science: We encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.
  • +3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion:
  • +Secure funding: We seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.
  • +Develop a replicable model: We create a model \"We Grow Life\" monarch butterfly waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies.
  • +Community ownership: We foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.
  • +\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow Life\" increases access to nature to provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits. We enhance biodiversity by creating essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity. We foster environmental stewardship to empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.
  • +We build community to strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.
  • +Ultimately, \"We Grow Life\" is a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric. “Saving Monarch Butterflies, One Life at a Time.”</div></dd><dt name=\"number-1727191411855-0\">Please provide your Zip Code</dt><dd id=\"number-1727191411855-0\" name=\"number\"><div>10034</div></dd></dl></xml>"]
Deletions
  • -["
    Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?
    Everywhere!
    Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.
    Youth
    Older Adults
    Public Housing Residents
    Justice Impacted People
    People with Disabilities
    Limited English Speakers
    Immigrants/ Migrants
    Veterans
    LGBTQ+ People
    Parents
    Unhoused People
    Low Income People
    Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color
    Everyone!
    Describe the challenge you want to address:
    \"We Grow\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration . We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community. \nThe \"We Grow\" initiative seeks to address a multifaceted challenge facing urban communities:\n1. The Nature Deficit: Many city dwellers, particularly in underserved communities, lack access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. This disconnect from the natural world has profound consequences:\nDiminished well-being: Studies show that exposure to nature reduces stress, improves mental health, and promotes physical activity. \nLimited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues and a sense of responsibility for the planet.\nReduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are often absent in urban environments.\n2. The Decline of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, iconic pollinators and indicators of environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Their dwindling numbers threaten the health of ecosystems and the future of food security.\n3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization can lead to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. Creating shared spaces and collaborative projects can foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.\nIn essence, \"We Grow\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation of an endangered species, including ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.
    What is the solution to the challenge?
    The \"We Grow\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:\n1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Transform neglected urban spaces: Identify and reclaim vacant lots, tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.\nPrioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators.\nFocus on accessibility: Ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.\n2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: Engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.\nEducational programs: Develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.\nCitizen science: Encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.\n3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion: \nSecure funding: Seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.\nDevelop a replicable model: Create a model \"We Grow\" waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies. \nCommunity ownership: Foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow\" aims to:\nIncrease access to nature: Provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits.\nEnhance biodiversity: Create essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity.\nFoster environmental stewardship: Empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.\nBuild community: Strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.\nUltimately, \"We Grow\" offers a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric.
    Please provide your Zip Code
    10034
    "]
Additions
  • +["
    Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?
    Everywhere!
    Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.
    Youth
    Older Adults
    Public Housing Residents
    Justice Impacted People
    People with Disabilities
    Limited English Speakers
    Immigrants/ Migrants
    Veterans
    LGBTQ+ People
    Parents
    Unhoused People
    Low Income People
    Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color
    All People!
    Describe the challenge you want to address:
    \"We Grow Life\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration. We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community. \n\nThe Problem:\n\"We Grow Life\" acknowledges multiple existential environmental issues facing urban communities:\n1. The Nature Deficit: Residents in many communities suffer a lack of access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. We walk by derelict tree beds filled with feces and garbage, rubble filled abandoned lots or subjected to increasing impact of development and new construction on an industrial scale. This harms our connection to the natural world with profound consequences:\nDiminished well-being: The lack of access to nature increases stress, degrades mental health, and discourages healthy physical activity. \nLimited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues, empathy for nature and a sense of responsibility for the planet.\nReduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are desperately needed in environmental justice areas. \n2. The Extinction of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, indicators of ecological balance and environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. The loss of monarch butterflies signals the dwindling number of pollinator species threatens the health of ecosystems, the future of food security, and the health of humanity.\n3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization leads to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. “We Grow Life” creates shared spaces and collaborative gardening projects to foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.\n\nIn essence, \"We Grow Life\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation, preservation of the most important endangered species, ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.
    What is the solution to the challenge?
    The Solution\nThe \"We Grow Life\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:\n1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Our “pollinator pathways” transform neglected urban spaces. We identify and reclaim vacant lots, neglected tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.\nWe prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators. “Plant Milkweed and They Will Come.”\nFocus on accessibility: We ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods and environmental justice areas.\n2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: We engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.\nEducational programs: We develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.\nCitizen science: We encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.\n3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion: \nSecure funding: We seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.\nDevelop a replicable model: We create a model \"We Grow Life\" monarch butterfly waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies. \nCommunity ownership: We foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.\n\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow Life\" increases access to nature to provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits. We enhance biodiversity by creating essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity. We foster environmental stewardship to empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.\nWe build community to strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.\nUltimately, \"We Grow Life\" is a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric. “Saving Monarch Butterflies, One Life at a Time.”
    Please provide your Zip Code
    10034
    "]
Deletions
  • -["<xml><dl class=\"decidim_awesome-custom_fields\" data-generator=\"decidim_awesome\" data-version=\"0.10.2\"><dt name=\"text-1727190723263-0\">Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?</dt><dd id=\"text-1727190723263-0\" name=\"text\"><div>Everywhere!</div></dd><dt name=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\">Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.</dt><dd id=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\" name=\"checkbox-group\"><div alt=\"Youth\">Youth</div><div alt=\"Older Adults\">Older Adults</div><div alt=\"Public Housing Residents\">Public Housing Residents</div><div alt=\"Justice Impacted People\">Justice Impacted People</div><div alt=\"People with Disabilities\">People with Disabilities</div><div alt=\"Limited English Speakers\">Limited English Speakers</div><div alt=\"Immigrants/ Migrants\">Immigrants/ Migrants</div><div alt=\"Veterans\">Veterans</div><div alt=\"LGBTQ+ People\">LGBTQ+ People</div><div alt=\"Parents\">Parents</div><div alt=\"Unhoused People\">Unhoused People</div><div alt=\"Low Income People\">Low Income People</div><div alt=\"Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color\">Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color</div><div>Everyone!</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\">Describe the challenge you want to address:</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>\"We Grow\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration . We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community.
  • -The \"We Grow\" initiative seeks to address a multifaceted challenge facing urban communities:
  • -1. The Nature Deficit: Many city dwellers, particularly in underserved communities, lack access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. This disconnect from the natural world has profound consequences:
  • -Diminished well-being: Studies show that exposure to nature reduces stress, improves mental health, and promotes physical activity.
  • -Limited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues and a sense of responsibility for the planet.
  • -Reduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are often absent in urban environments.
  • -2. The Decline of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, iconic pollinators and indicators of environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Their dwindling numbers threaten the health of ecosystems and the future of food security.
  • -3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization can lead to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. Creating shared spaces and collaborative projects can foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.
  • -In essence, \"We Grow\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation of an endangered species, including ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\">What is the solution to the challenge?</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>The \"We Grow\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:
  • -1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Transform neglected urban spaces: Identify and reclaim vacant lots, tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.
  • -Prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
  • -Focus on accessibility: Ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.
  • -2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: Engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.
  • -Educational programs: Develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.
  • -Citizen science: Encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.
  • -3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion:
  • -Secure funding: Seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.
  • -Develop a replicable model: Create a model \"We Grow\" waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies.
  • -Community ownership: Foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.
  • -By implementing these solutions, \"We Grow\" aims to:\nIncrease access to nature: Provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits.\nEnhance biodiversity: Create essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity.\nFoster environmental stewardship: Empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.
  • -Build community: Strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.
  • -Ultimately, \"We Grow\" offers a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric.</div></dd><dt name=\"number-1727191411855-0\">Please provide your Zip Code</dt><dd id=\"number-1727191411855-0\" name=\"number\"><div>10034</div></dd></dl></xml>"]
Additions
  • +["<xml><dl class=\"decidim_awesome-custom_fields\" data-generator=\"decidim_awesome\" data-version=\"0.10.2\"><dt name=\"text-1727190723263-0\">Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?</dt><dd id=\"text-1727190723263-0\" name=\"text\"><div>Everywhere!</div></dd><dt name=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\">Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.</dt><dd id=\"checkbox-group-1727190854919-0\" name=\"checkbox-group\"><div alt=\"Youth\">Youth</div><div alt=\"Older Adults\">Older Adults</div><div alt=\"Public Housing Residents\">Public Housing Residents</div><div alt=\"Justice Impacted People\">Justice Impacted People</div><div alt=\"People with Disabilities\">People with Disabilities</div><div alt=\"Limited English Speakers\">Limited English Speakers</div><div alt=\"Immigrants/ Migrants\">Immigrants/ Migrants</div><div alt=\"Veterans\">Veterans</div><div alt=\"LGBTQ+ People\">LGBTQ+ People</div><div alt=\"Parents\">Parents</div><div alt=\"Unhoused People\">Unhoused People</div><div alt=\"Low Income People\">Low Income People</div><div alt=\"Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color\">Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color</div><div>All People!</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\">Describe the challenge you want to address:</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191113616-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>\"We Grow Life\" is a call to action, an invitation to nurture life in all its forms. We grow vibrant pollinator gardens that transform neglected urban spaces into havens of beauty and biodiversity. We grow life itself, raising endangered monarch butterflies from tiny eggs to magnificent winged creatures, releasing them to help grow the endangered migration. We grow local communities, uniting people through a shared love of nature and a commitment to caring for these precious creatures and the waystations to sustain them. And in doing so, we grow a citywide network of pollinator pathways, where these iconic creatures can thrive once more as a model for a nationwide “Wings Without Borders” community.
  • +\nThe Problem:\n\"We Grow Life\" acknowledges multiple existential environmental issues facing urban communities:
  • +1. The Nature Deficit: Residents in many communities suffer a lack of access to open green spaces and meaningful nature experiences. We walk by derelict tree beds filled with feces and garbage, rubble filled abandoned lots or subjected to increasing impact of development and new construction on an industrial scale. This harms our connection to the natural world with profound consequences:
  • +Diminished well-being: The lack of access to nature increases stress, degrades mental health, and discourages healthy physical activity.
  • +Limited environmental awareness: Without first hand experiences in nature, it's difficult to cultivate an understanding of environmental issues, empathy for nature and a sense of responsibility for the planet.
  • +Reduced opportunities for learning: Nature provides a rich context for exploration, discovery, and hands-on nature learning experiences that are desperately needed in environmental justice areas.
  • +2. The Extinction of the Monarch Butterfly: Monarch butterflies, indicators of ecological balance and environmental health, are facing a precipitous decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. The loss of monarch butterflies signals the dwindling number of pollinator species threatens the health of ecosystems, the future of food security, and the health of humanity.
  • +3. The Need for Community Building: Urbanization leads to social isolation and a lack of community cohesion. “We Grow Life” creates shared spaces and collaborative gardening projects to foster a sense of belonging and empower residents to work together towards a common goal.
  • +\nIn essence, \"We Grow Life\" aims to bridge the gap between urban communities and the natural world, while contributing to the conservation, preservation of the most important endangered species, ourselves. By transforming neglected marginal spaces into vibrant pollinator gardens and engaging residents in the process, we can foster environmental stewardship, enhance urban biodiversity, and create a more connected and resilient city.</div></dd><dt name=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\">What is the solution to the challenge?</dt><dd id=\"textarea-1727191235485-0\" name=\"textarea\"><div>The Solution\nThe \"We Grow Life\" initiative proposes a multi-pronged solution to address the challenges of the nature deficit, monarch decline, and the need for community building in urban areas:
  • +1. Create a Network of Pollinator Gardens: Our “pollinator pathways” transform neglected urban spaces. We identify and reclaim vacant lots, neglected tree beds, unused green spaces, and other underutilized areas to create a network of pollinator gardens throughout the city.
  • +We prioritize biodiversity: Plant a diverse array of native wildflowers and essential milkweed species to provide food and habitat for endangered monarch butterflies and other pollinators. “Plant Milkweed and They Will Come.”
  • +Focus on accessibility: We ensure that these gardens are accessible to communities with limited access to green spaces, particularly in underserved neighborhoods and environmental justice areas.
  • +2. Foster Community Engagement and Education: Hands-on learning: We engage residents in the creation and maintenance of the gardens, providing opportunities to learn about pollinator gardening, monarch conservation, and the importance of urban biodiversity.
  • +Educational programs: We develop workshops, training sessions, and curriculum materials for schools and community centers to integrate monarch conservation and environmental stewardship into existing programs.
  • +Citizen science: We encourage community members to participate in citizen science initiatives, such as monitoring monarch populations and tracking their migration patterns.
  • +3. Promote Sustainability and Expansion:
  • +Secure funding: We seek public funding, crowdsourcing and grants to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of the pollinator gardens and educational programs.
  • +Develop a replicable model: We create a model \"We Grow Life\" monarch butterfly waystation that showcases sustainable gardening practices and can be easily replicated throughout the city and beyond based on building organizational partnerships with schools and city agencies.
  • +Community ownership: We foster a sense of community ownership and responsibility for the gardens, ensuring their long-term sustainability.
  • +\nBy implementing these solutions, \"We Grow Life\" increases access to nature to provide urban dwellers with opportunities to connect with nature and experience its benefits. We enhance biodiversity by creating essential habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, supporting their populations and promoting urban biodiversity. We foster environmental stewardship to empower communities to become active participants in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural world.
  • +We build community to strengthen community bonds through collaborative projects and shared experiences in nature.
  • +Ultimately, \"We Grow Life\" is a holistic approach to urban greening and environmental conservation, transforming not only the physical landscape of the city but also its social and ecological fabric. “Saving Monarch Butterflies, One Life at a Time.”</div></dd><dt name=\"number-1727191411855-0\">Please provide your Zip Code</dt><dd id=\"number-1727191411855-0\" name=\"number\"><div>10034</div></dd></dl></xml>"]
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Avatar: Inwood Butterfly Sanctuary Inwood Butterfly Sanctuary
Version created at 22/11/2024 22:37

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