Creating Healthy and Sustainable Communities
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on August 16, 2023, 9:09 amUse this topic to post questions and resources related to creating and maintaining healthy and sustainable communities.
Use this topic to post questions and resources related to creating and maintaining healthy and sustainable communities.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on August 16, 2023, 9:21 amActive Towns: Inspiration for Creating Inviting, Invigorating, and Inclusive Communities
John Simmerman is a veteran public health and health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience helping communities create more people-oriented places and a “Culture of Activity” through proven “All Ages & Abilities” design concepts and evidence-based behavior change initiatives.
Simmerman’s main focus now, however, is to directly inspire others by profiling the people, places, and programs making a difference globally in the effort to create what he refers to as a culture of activity for all ages and abilities through his multi-platform media efforts, which include:
Active Towns: Inspiration for Creating Inviting, Invigorating, and Inclusive Communities
John Simmerman is a veteran public health and health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience helping communities create more people-oriented places and a “Culture of Activity” through proven “All Ages & Abilities” design concepts and evidence-based behavior change initiatives.
Simmerman’s main focus now, however, is to directly inspire others by profiling the people, places, and programs making a difference globally in the effort to create what he refers to as a culture of activity for all ages and abilities through his multi-platform media efforts, which include:
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on September 7, 2023, 10:39 amFirst State Recreation Plan Comparison Report Published
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, September 6
The Confluence of States and the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals recently released the first Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Comparison Report.
The report compares the outdoor recreation plans of all the U.S. states. It explores how states approach outdoor recreation planning including the goals, objectives, and strategies in their plans.
“The SCORP Comparison Report provides a valuable tool for SCORP planners, consultants, and researchers to understand how each state defines priorities and understands outdoor recreation needs,” said Rachel Franchina, Executive Director of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals.
States must update their outdoor recreation plans every five years to receive funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
First State Recreation Plan Comparison Report Published
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, September 6
The Confluence of States and the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals recently released the first Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Comparison Report.
The report compares the outdoor recreation plans of all the U.S. states. It explores how states approach outdoor recreation planning including the goals, objectives, and strategies in their plans.
“The SCORP Comparison Report provides a valuable tool for SCORP planners, consultants, and researchers to understand how each state defines priorities and understands outdoor recreation needs,” said Rachel Franchina, Executive Director of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals.
States must update their outdoor recreation plans every five years to receive funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on October 18, 2023, 1:05 pmPLASTIC BAG LAW AND REGULATION RESOURCES
Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinances: New York City’s Proposed Charge on All Carryout Bags as a Model for U.S. Cities, Jennie R. Romer & Leslie Tamminen Tulane Environmental Law Journal 27 Tul. Envtl. L.J. 237 (2014)
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: The Plastics Industry's "Public Interest" Role in Legislation and Litigation of Plastic Bag Laws in California, Jennie R. Romer & Shanna Foley Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal 5 Golden Gate Envt'l L.J. 377 (2012)
The Evolution of SF's Plastic Bag Ban, Jennie Reilly Romer Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal 1 Golden Gate Envt'l L.J. 439 (2007)
The Most Popular Tax in Europe? Lessons From the Irish Plastic Bags Levy, Frank Convey, Simon McDonnell, Susana Ferreira Environmental and Resource Economics Environ Resource Econ (2007) 38:1–11
Plastic Bag Externalities and Policy in Rhode Island, Adam Akullian, Carolin Karp, Kemen Austin, Drew Durbin Brown Policy Review (Fall 2006)
PLASTIC BAG LAW AND REGULATION RESOURCES
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Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinances: New York City’s Proposed Charge on All Carryout Bags as a Model for U.S. Cities, Jennie R. Romer & Leslie Tamminen Tulane Environmental Law Journal 27 Tul. Envtl. L.J. 237 (2014)
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A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: The Plastics Industry's "Public Interest" Role in Legislation and Litigation of Plastic Bag Laws in California, Jennie R. Romer & Shanna Foley Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal 5 Golden Gate Envt'l L.J. 377 (2012)
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The Evolution of SF's Plastic Bag Ban, Jennie Reilly Romer Golden Gate University Environmental Law Journal 1 Golden Gate Envt'l L.J. 439 (2007)
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The Most Popular Tax in Europe? Lessons From the Irish Plastic Bags Levy, Frank Convey, Simon McDonnell, Susana Ferreira Environmental and Resource Economics Environ Resource Econ (2007) 38:1–11
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Plastic Bag Externalities and Policy in Rhode Island, Adam Akullian, Carolin Karp, Kemen Austin, Drew Durbin Brown Policy Review (Fall 2006)
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on November 1, 2023, 1:29 pmDCNR Publishes Trail Etiquette Video
Published 11/1 in DCNR Grants Newsletter
Pennsylvania’s trails are shared by many user groups, such as those on foot, horseback, or bicycles or e-bikes.
DCNR’s communications team recently released a short video called “Tips for Sharing the Trail.” The video reviews trail etiquette to help everyone have a fun and safe day outdoors.
DCNR Publishes Trail Etiquette Video
Published 11/1 in DCNR Grants Newsletter
Pennsylvania’s trails are shared by many user groups, such as those on foot, horseback, or bicycles or e-bikes.
DCNR’s communications team recently released a short video called “Tips for Sharing the Trail.” The video reviews trail etiquette to help everyone have a fun and safe day outdoors.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on November 16, 2023, 1:57 pmDefenders of Wildlife Report Shows US Locations Most Impacted by Biodiversity Crisis - published November 7, 2023
Defenders of Wildlife released a first-of-its-kind report that maps out where the five drivers of the global biodiversity crisis — habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species and overexploitation — may have the greatest impact in the contiguous United States. This work is the first to analyze all five threats together at the national scale and the first to find that climate change, rather than habitat loss, endangers the greatest number of the nation’s most imperiled species. READ MORE.
Defenders of Wildlife Report Shows US Locations Most Impacted by Biodiversity Crisis - published November 7, 2023
Defenders of Wildlife released a first-of-its-kind report that maps out where the five drivers of the global biodiversity crisis — habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species and overexploitation — may have the greatest impact in the contiguous United States. This work is the first to analyze all five threats together at the national scale and the first to find that climate change, rather than habitat loss, endangers the greatest number of the nation’s most imperiled species. READ MORE.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on December 13, 2023, 7:18 pmDCNR Publishes Updated Outdoor Recreation Numbers
Released in DCNR Grants News, published December 13
New economic data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania is growing by leaps and bounds.
The bureau’s Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account recently released 2022 data for the industry. It revealed that outdoor recreation contributed $17 billion to Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year.
That’s an increase of more than 12 percent from 2021. It makes Pennsylvania the eighth largest state outdoor industry in the country.
The same data also found that outdoor recreation creates 164,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, a more than seven percent increase from 2021.
DCNR Publishes Updated Outdoor Recreation Numbers
Released in DCNR Grants News, published December 13
New economic data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania is growing by leaps and bounds.
The bureau’s Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account recently released 2022 data for the industry. It revealed that outdoor recreation contributed $17 billion to Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year.
That’s an increase of more than 12 percent from 2021. It makes Pennsylvania the eighth largest state outdoor industry in the country.
The same data also found that outdoor recreation creates 164,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, a more than seven percent increase from 2021.
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Quote from Carol Grayshaw on January 11, 2024, 9:51 amFrom Observation to Action: How iNaturalist Spurs Conversation
- published January 8, 2024, The Revelator (Author, Tara Loban)
A lot has changed since 2008. That’s when Ken-ichi Ueda turned his master’s project at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Information into a website called iNaturalist, which allowed people to post pictures and help identify species.
Since then, iNaturalist has grown as technology has evolved — first becoming a mobile app in 2011 and eventually adding more sophisticated machine-learning models to streamline the identification of plants and animals. READ FULL ARTICLE.
From Observation to Action: How iNaturalist Spurs Conversation
- published January 8, 2024, The Revelator (Author, Tara Loban)
A lot has changed since 2008. That’s when Ken-ichi Ueda turned his master’s project at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Information into a website called iNaturalist, which allowed people to post pictures and help identify species.
Since then, iNaturalist has grown as technology has evolved — first becoming a mobile app in 2011 and eventually adding more sophisticated machine-learning models to streamline the identification of plants and animals. READ FULL ARTICLE.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on January 23, 2024, 3:05 pmEPA Releases Updated Legal Guidance on Identifying, Addressing Cumulative Impacts to Advance Environmental Justice, Equity
January 11 (contact EPA Press Office, [email protected])
the US Environmental Protection Agency announced the latest action to identify and address cumulative impacts from pollution and non-pollution sources. EPA’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) released the Cumulative Impacts Addendum to EPA Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice (EJ Legal Tools), available here. The Addendum is a first-ever collection of examples of the Agency’s legal authorities to identify and address cumulative impacts through a range of actions, including permitting, regulations, and grants, in order to consider the lived experience of communities overburdened by pollution and advance environmental justice.
This Addendum builds on EJ Legal Tools, which OGC released in May 2022, by identifying for EPA decisionmakers and partners a wide range of authorities that can be deployed to address the cumulative impacts of pollutants in the environment and other factors affecting human health and well-being that have a disproportionate impact on communities with environmental justice concerns. The Addendum is the latest step in the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address environmental justice and equity through federal actions. READ MORE.
EPA Releases Updated Legal Guidance on Identifying, Addressing Cumulative Impacts to Advance Environmental Justice, Equity
January 11 (contact EPA Press Office, [email protected])
the US Environmental Protection Agency announced the latest action to identify and address cumulative impacts from pollution and non-pollution sources. EPA’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) released the Cumulative Impacts Addendum to EPA Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice (EJ Legal Tools), available here. The Addendum is a first-ever collection of examples of the Agency’s legal authorities to identify and address cumulative impacts through a range of actions, including permitting, regulations, and grants, in order to consider the lived experience of communities overburdened by pollution and advance environmental justice.
This Addendum builds on EJ Legal Tools, which OGC released in May 2022, by identifying for EPA decisionmakers and partners a wide range of authorities that can be deployed to address the cumulative impacts of pollutants in the environment and other factors affecting human health and well-being that have a disproportionate impact on communities with environmental justice concerns. The Addendum is the latest step in the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address environmental justice and equity through federal actions. READ MORE.
Quote from Carol Grayshaw on January 26, 2024, 1:51 pmThe Trust for Public Land is Helping to Transform Schoolyards
Over 28 million kids in America don’t have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. A solution is hiding in plain sight: schoolyards. With help from partners and supporters, the Trust for Public Land has created nearly 300 Community Schoolyards® projects and continues to lead the movement to transform our nation’s asphalt playgrounds into vibrant green spaces that are improving student education outcomes and community health and climate resiliency. READ MORE.
If all schoolyards were transformed and opened to the community after hours, 80 million people would have access to a new park within a 10-minute walk of home.
The Trust for Public Land is Helping to Transform Schoolyards
Over 28 million kids in America don’t have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. A solution is hiding in plain sight: schoolyards. With help from partners and supporters, the Trust for Public Land has created nearly 300 Community Schoolyards® projects and continues to lead the movement to transform our nation’s asphalt playgrounds into vibrant green spaces that are improving student education outcomes and community health and climate resiliency. READ MORE.
If all schoolyards were transformed and opened to the community after hours, 80 million people would have access to a new park within a 10-minute walk of home.