For the world to change, we need people who see a need and imagine a way to alleviate it. For example, that’s exactly what Melani and Rob Walton, who are featured on our cover, did. They had been involved with St. Vincent de Paul for a while—Melani has served on their advisory council since 2013—when they noticed an adjacent, large, mostly unused parking lot. To date, the Urban Farm (as it’s called), as well as two other gardens inspired by the original project, have reaped more than 51,000 pounds of fresh produce that have been prepared and served to people experiencing food insecurity. On the topic of nature-inspired, this April 22 marks the 51st official Earth Day. This month’s issue addresses that theme not only through gardens and biophilic design, but we showcase numerous local people who share their thoughts on the day, feature a story on River Network, round-up home items made from natural materials and all-natural makeup, and more. On page 35, take our eco quiz!
