Monday Mailing
Year 20 • Issue 35 02 June 2014 1. At This Zero-Waste Grocery Store, Plastic and Packaging Aren't Allowed 2. Wetlands Wonders 3. Tips for Starting a Farm in Your City 4. LUBA Highlights Issue About Farm Rentals 5. Agora Highlight: Mainstreet Parklet 6. This Artist Is Filling In Chicago's Potholes With Mosaics 7. Food Justice Webinar: Churches & Camps~Food Growing and Greening Initiatives 8. 5 Simple Office Policies That Make Danish Workers Way More Happy Than Americans 9. 2013 Oregon Main Street Annual Report 10. WhyHunger Launches New Online Resource 11. Funding Opportunities 1. At This Zero-Waste Grocery Store, Plastic and Packaging Aren't Allowed Although recycling and more efficient packaging-waste efforts have made a dent in the amount of garbage heading to landfills, every day the average American still produces a whopping three pounds of trash, much of it from our food. So what if we could eliminate food-packaging waste before it even gets into our shopping cart? That’s the idea behind Original Unverpackt, a new concept supermarket in Germany that takes things into zero-waste territory by encouraging consumers to tote reusable containers to the store.
Quote of the Week: “This activist loves Oregon more than he loves life.” -Tom McCall Oregon Fast Fact: Oregon grows 98 percent of the hazelnuts in the United States. There are more than 3,755,000 hazelnut trees in Oregon, worth $49.5 million, grown on 30,000 acres, mostly in western Oregon.
The grocery store doesn’t sell anything that comes in a disposable box, bag, jar, or other container. It ditches the traditional supermarket model of shelf after shelf of packaged convenience foods for one that gives shoppers grains in bulk bins, attractively displayed produce that’s not shrink-wrapped or stored in tetra packs, and beverage stations just waiting for refillable bottles. The store is the brainchild of Sara Wolf and Milena Glimbovski, two Germany-based social impact innovators. They write on the project’s site that they want consumers to have a choice about how much food they buy as well as how much waste it creates. To access the full story, click here. 2. Wetlands Wonders Before the 1990s, west Eugene’s wetlands were known as the “scablands,” said Steve Gordon, a retired land use planner with the Lane Council of Governments. Most of the area that’s now home to hundreds of plant, insect and animal species was unsightly industrial land, Gordon said.
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“Nobody knew or cared about these lands out here,” Gordon told a group of government and nonprofit officials during a Saturday event on the Fern Ridge Bike Path to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of a governmental partnership to preserve and protect Eugene’s wetlands. The 3,000 acres of wetlands span from Seneca Road off West 11th Avenue to Greenhill Road, and from just north of Royal Avenue to Gimpl Hill Road off of Bailey Hill Road. Gordon said the area was prone to flooding, so instead of building an expensive dam, government agencies in the late 1980s decided to buy the land and restore the wetlands, which serve as a natural sponge to soak up excess water. To access the full story, click here. 3. Tips for Starting a Farm in Your City Consider this paradox: 49 million Americans live with daily food insecurity, 23 million live in urban food deserts, and collectively we’re all getting fatter. Simultaneously vacant lots, concrete grooves, and other desolate, empty spots dot urban landscapes, while a quarter of traditional agricultural land is severely degraded according to the UN. Enter the urban farm: a fast, smart, cheap way to bring healthy food closer to those who need it, transform ugly vacant spaces into lush gardens, and promote a healthier, greener, more connected urban community. A recently released video by the American Society of Landscape Architects uses case studies from edible-city innovators, such as Cleveland and Detroit, to offer practical advice for bringing urban farms to your backyard (or corner lot or rooftop). To access the full story and video, click here 4. LUBA Highlights Issue About Farm Rentals A dispute over rental homes on northern Deschutes County farmland has a group of property owners accusing the county of dragging its feet on an issue they say could have a ripple effect across Central Oregon’s rural communities. The property owners live along Lower Bridge Way, west of Terrebonne. They’re upset over the county’s decision last year to approve two manufactured homes as farm dwellings on Steve and Kathy Simpson’s 800-acre ranch. The structures have been on their property since the 1990s. The dispute took a new twist this spring, after a ruling by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals indicated the Simpsons’ neighbors may have a good reason to be upset. The ruling said the Simpsons and Deschutes County couldn’t prove that both of the manufactured homes’ tenants were “principally engaged” in farm activities. That’s a key point, because county code requires tenants in accessory farm dwellings to spend most of their time supporting the farm their home is on. Jerry Aplin, one of the neighbors along Lower Bridge Way, said he and other neighbors are worried the rental homes on the Simpsons’ property could lead other farmland owners to build shoddy houses or mobile homes on their land, to rent out and thereby pad their incomes. To access the full story, click here.
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5. Agora Highlight: Mainstreet Parklet The Agora Platform aims to increase the capacity and visibility of the work happening throughout rural Northwestern communities, all while connecting those projects with funding opportunities. One of its most unique characteristics is that the Platform has the ability to host community projects of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of different organizations. This month The Dalles Main Street closed funding on an exciting downtown parklet installation. A parklet is an innovative way of creating a beautiful public gathering place that provides outdoor seating, flowers and landscaping, benches, bicycle racks, and artwork in the heart of Downtown. Parklets can be a seasonal sidewalk extensions and a temporary structure. Planters, fences, and other non-intrusive barriers around the parklet help separate people using the space from surrounding vehicular traffic. The project closed on the Agora Platform in the first week in May and is already installed and fully functional for all to enjoy. For additional information about The Dalles Main Street check out their website at www.thedallesmainstreet.org. 6. This Artist Is Filling In Chicago's Potholes With Mosaics The first time Chicago artist Jim Bachor fixed a pothole, it was under the cover of night. His 87-yearold neighbor stood guard while he crept out onto the street, poured wet cement into the ruptured asphalt, and pressed in a mosaic. Since February of last year, Bachor has made five more pothole mosaics, and now he has at least two in waiting. The idea arrived during one of the worst pothole seasons ever. Chicago has been hit particularly hard--with 47,500 pothole complaints between December and March alone, the city has rolled out a pothole tracker and a new strategy to deal with the spring thaw. To access the full story, click here.
7. Food Justice Webinar: Churches & Camps~Food Growing and Greening Initiatives Pecha Kucha-style, we'll hear from eight practitioners about their sustainability and food production initiatives. * Community gardens * Incubator kitchens * Innovative communion * On-site food production for summer campers * Green buildings, and more Moderated by the pastor of Church of the Pilgrims, Ashley Goff, speakers will follow this format: 15 slides, 20 seconds a piece = 3 minute presentation Ten presenters from around the country will highlight the food initiatives and sustainable practices they are implementing as ministries of their congregation or as camp and conference centers. Each person will describe the birth of the idea (seed), challenges and best practices along the way (growth & ramification), and the tangible and intangible results (fruit). Join us to be inspired and equipped! Title: Date: Time:
Food Justice Webinar: Churches & Camps~Food Growing and Greening Initiatives Monday, June 9, 2014 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT Page 3 of 6
Reserve your Webinar Seat Now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/445289554 8. 5 Simple Office Policies That Make Danish Workers Way More Happy Than Americans You will often see Denmark listed in surveys as the “happiest country on the planet." Interestingly Danes are not only happy at home, they're also happy at work. According to most studies of worker satisfaction among nations, the happiest employees in the world are in Denmark. The U.S.? Not so much. Here's just one data point: a recent Gallup poll found that 18% of American workers are actively disengaged, meaning they are “emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive.” The same number for Danish workers is only 10%. But why are Danish workers so happy compared to their American counterparts? Here are five fundamental differences. To access the full story, click here. 9. 2013 Oregon Main Street Annual Report A copy of the 2013 Annual Report is now available for download. The report includes a message from Patrice Frey, CEO of the National Main Street Center; community highlights from our Performing Main Street and Transforming Downtown level communities; info on our 2013 Excellence in DT Revitalization Award winners; revitalization stats, etc. See below for the 2013 and the cumulative revitalization stats from our Performing Main Street and Transforming Downtown level communities: 2013 Total Reinvestment Stats Private reinvestment: $16,357,800 Public reinvestment: $15,004,061 Total private rehab projects: 159 Net business gain: 52 Net job gain: 279 *Cumulative 2010-13 Performing Main Street and Transforming Downtown Revitalization Stats Private reinvestment: $38,944,266 Public reinvestment: $43,986,615 Total private rehab projects: 513 Net business gain: 212 Net job gain: 1,129 * Transforming Downtown data from 2011-13 To access the report, click here. 10. WhyHunger Launches New Online Resource We're excited to announce the launch of our new online resource, Building Community Power: A Grassroots Approach to Building Regional Networks for Food Justice, and invite you to explore this hub for the stories, resources and impact from WhyHunger's five-year collaboration with grassroots networks.
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Meet individuals and organizations from three multisectoral networks working regionally across the nation to build food justice in their communities. Sharing stories is a powerful way to inspire, connect and spark action, and the hub is vibrant with the images and voices of grassroots leaders. Embedded in these stories are resources for strategic planning, network building, and community outreach adaptable to other community food projects, as well as outcomes and reports from WhyHunger and our partners. In the spirit of collective impact, the resources in Building Community Power are meant to be shared, explored, and adapted. We invite you to discover these stories and tools here. 11. Funding Opportunities International Reading Association Accepting Nominations for 2014 Literacy Awards <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTf5ksB8ixfdB86RYFAACSSk3W/rfp25> - DEADLINE: June 15, 2014 Two grants of $2,500 each will be awarded in recognition of literacy service projects jointly undertaken by Rotary clubs and IRA-affiliated reading councils.... Woodard & Curran Foundation Invites Applications From Environmental Organizations <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTf5ksB8ixfdB86RYFAACSSk3W/rfp20> - DEADLINE: June 15, 2014 At least two grants of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to projects that demonstrate environmental stewardship through community involvement and that promote a clean and sustainable environment.... SBA Announces Funding for SBDCs to Provide TA and Training Services to Small Firms Impacted by Business or Government Facility Downsizing or Closing The Small Business Administration seeks to make grants under the Small Business Development Center Portable Assistance Project to SBDC Lead Centers serving economically distressed areas. Click here <http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/2014%20Portable%20Assistance%20Announcement .pdf> for the application package. Projects under this award must provide technical assistance and/or training services to small businesses in communities that are economically impacted as a result of a business or government facility down-sizing or closing. The qualifying events must demonstrate negative impacts of job losses or small business instability in the SBDC Service Area. The goals and objectives of a successful application are strongly recommended to demonstrate an increase in small business success and viability through such measures as job creation and retention, increases in sales, and capital infusion. SBA is particularly interested in collaborative efforts (community, regional, statewide, industry sector, etc.) that may serve as best practices and models of such small business assistance. Applicants are encouraged to design and develop innovative programs and services to address the purpose of this Project. Efforts funded under this announcement may also produce products and methodologies that can be replicated by SBDCs in other locations nationwide. A total amount of approximately $ 1,000,000 in funding is available for this program. SBA expects to make up to 10 awards of not more than $100,000 per award. There is no matching fund requirement. However, the availability of additional funds or in-kind resources may be noted in the technical proposal. Multiple awards to one SBDC in the same funding year are allowable provided the purpose of each project is separate and distinct. The closing date for applications is June 26. Susan Harwood Training Grants-Capacity Building â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SHTG-FY-14-02 The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)announces the availability of up to $3.5 million to be awarded to nonprofit organizations for grants to provide training and educational programs for workers and/or employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and Page 5 of 6
prevention of safety and health hazards in the workplace. This grant program is also intended to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Capacity Building grants are longer-term grants that build safety and health competency. Applications for Capacity Building grants should focus on developing and/or expanding the capacity of an applicant organization to provide safety and health training, education, and related assistance to targeted audiences. Nonprofit organizations, including qualifying labor unions, community-based and faith-based organizations, and employer associations, that are not an agency of a state or local government, are eligible to apply. Additionally, state or local government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR Part 95. Closing Date: June 30, 2014. Read the Full Announcement<http://www.dol.gov/dol/grants/SHTG-FY-14-02.pdf> (PDF) Alexia Foundation Accepting Proposals for 2014 Women's Initiative Grant <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTf5ksB8ixfdB86RYFAACSSk3W/rfp27> - DEADLINE: June 30, 2014 One $25,000 grant will be awarded for a documentary photographic or multimedia project on a significant issue involving and affecting women.... Partners for Places builds partnerships between local government sustainability offices and placebased foundations. Partnership investments are between $25,000 and $75,000 for one-year projects or $50,000 and $150,000 for two-year projects with a 1:1 match. Apply by July 3. READ MORE > <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OrtonFamilyFoundatio/c1767afd71/c8bc51b994/9e2fe653e8>
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