Recently, the Trail Town Program® went to a Creating Sustainable Communities Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. There was much to learn about all the sustainable projects and successes happening in our region. This article outlines some smaller-scale sustainable ideas you can do in your home and community. And small as they may be, they make a huge impact.
Read on to learn more.
Backyard Gardens
Creating a backyard garden is fairly simple and pretty fun to do. Plus, it yields tons of delicious fruits and vegetables at a fraction of the market cost. Perhaps this produce tastes even better because it was grown by you in your own backyard. You can't get more local than that.
A community garden in Connellsville has been transformed from an abandoned lot into a healthy and vibrant public space
If you're interested in creating a small garden or getting involved with the local food/backyard gardening moving in our region, be sure to check out Grow Pittsburgh. This organization offers many programs and classes for beginners as well as experienced gardeners.
Stormwater Management
There are many ways you can participate in the movement to manage stormwater without overflowing already stressed and antiquated sewage systems.
Here are two fairly easy to do ideas:
- Rain gardens - a rain garden is essentially a simple garden comprised of native plants with deep, sturdy roots. Native plants may include flowers, shrubs, and/or grasses, which allow for a diverse and complex garden with many colors, heights, and shapes. Such plants can absorb and withstand lots of rain water but are also hardy enough to survive a drought. To learn more about rain gardens and how to plan and build your own, visit the Rain Garden Alliance. They also provide a detailed list of native plants in Western Pennsylvania.
Volunteers clean up the newly planted bioswales in Ohiopyle, which like rain gardens, aid in storm water management
- Rain barrels - rain barrels work to catch and store excess rainfall. The ideal place for a rain barrel is at the end of a downspout. This way, rain water is collected in the barrel rather than running off paved surfaces and into storm drains and sewage systems. Collected rain can then be used to water your gardens on days that it doesn't rain.
For more tips to manage storm water, check out Green & Main.
Open Space
Perhaps the easiest way to create a sustainable community is to utilize, protect, and advocate open spaces and greenways, such as the Great Allegheny Passage. Natural, open space is a very special part of our region, and we're lucky to have it.
Open space captured at the Garrett Access on the Great Allegheny Passage
Open space and greenways have the potential to improve the quality of life, promote biodiversity, health, well being and exercise, increase property values, and boost economies. What else has the power to do all of that?
Last year, a summary report of a study called "The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Southeastern Pennsylvania" was published by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and Green Space Alliance. This study, focused on a "Return on Environment" theme. The study notes that all homes in the region are worth $10,000 more because of their proximity to open space. That's not all. Some other takeaway points from the study include:
- Open space protects property, filters drinking water, and cleans the air.
- Open space provides low or no cost recreation that saves money and improves health.
- Open space creates jobs and promotes tourism.
The full and detailed study is available online. To learn more, visit www.greenspacealliance.org or www.dvrpc.prg/openspace/value.
How do you help to create a sustainable community? Comment below!
Connellsville Community Garden and Ohiopyle Bioswale photos courtesy of the SCA Trail Town Outreach Corps.