When Jason Roberts wanted to improve his neighborhood in Dallas, he found many of the things that make cities livable — flowers planted on the street, café tables, trees and bike lanes, were actually illegal or came with a heavy fee. So he decided to do them anyway for a single block over a single weekend to help people visualize how welcoming their community would be with this forbidden features.
Storefronts were decked out as temporary stores. Trees destined to be planted at a hotel made a two-day rest-stop at Roberts’ barren block. Guerilla city planners painted a verboten bike lane. A bike tour was organized that drew 150 riders. Then people were invited to shop at the temporary boutiques and eat at temporary outdoor cafes.
After neighbors and city officials enjoyed the event, the neighborhood began to change to match that vision. City ordinances were amended to allow more neighborhood-friendly amenities. One of the fake stores, an art studio, stayed on and became a real one. And that was just the beginning. He told the story breathlessly for a TED talk.
Roberts and the organization he co-founded, Team Better Block, continue to work at making Dallas a more livable city, and not just for those folks who drive cars. He’s the opening keynote speaker at Greentopia’s Futures Summit Oct. 21 at Monroe Community College. To find out more about the summit or register, visit here. And dream about a better city.
Greentopia’s Futures Summit, where exciting ideas for the future are discussed today, comes to MCC’s Brighton Campus Wednesday, Oct. 21. “We want to disrupt people’s thinking – get them to critically analyze everything that is happening in our city,” said Michael Philipson, co-founder of Greentopia. Here are some great reasons to get involved and get informed about “Cities of the Future,” the 2015 Summit’s theme:
It’s dirt cheap: Thanks to support from NYSERDA, the summit is free to students and educators with ID, $20 for senior citizens. Regular admission is $45, $55 for last minute arrivals. Admission includes keynote talks and workshops by leading national thinkers on urban reclamation, energy and green development. There’s also free parking, continental breakfast, lunch and snacks. You can register here.
Jason Roberts of Dallas, co-creator of Team Better Block, which finds ways to make city blocks more livable and walkable without years of municipal foot-dragging. He’s the opening keynote speaker.
Antwi A. Akom, professor at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational and Environmental Design. ISEEED focuses on building sustainable cities and schools, as well as improving living conditions of poor people. Akom is also the summit’s closing keynote speaker.
Taras Grescoe, Montreal author of Straphanger, a book looking at the public transit systems of the great cities of the world and advocating for a rebirth of public transit to take back cities from the wasting influence of automobiles. Grescoe is the summit’s lunchtime keynote speaker.
Rebecca Salminen Witt, president of The Greening of Detroit, which reclaims forsaken green spaces in the Midwest city to encourage community connections. Once devoted to boosting the urban forest (17,000 trees planted,) the organization now also oversees community gardens and workforce development, with 400 seasonal employees.
Ted Trabue, managing director of District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility, a utility company devoted to saving customers money through energy conservation. Previously, Trabue help create and was executive director of Green Builders Council of DC, the largest green training program in Washington.
Several other speakers and plenty of time between sessions to rub elbows with them all.
Greentopia is taking another step toward creating an ecodistrict in Rochester by moving ahead on hiring a manager for what will become the Rochesterville EcoDistrict. Following advertisements for the manager position, 50 people from around the country applied earlier this summer and the district’s critical team has narrowed the selection to eight finalists. A decision is expected in September and Greentopia hopes to have the person start work in early October.
The district’s name reflects a historic part of Rochester included in the district, which also encompasses part of Rochester’s downtown, the High Falls area, Frontier Field, Kodak Tower, the new Monroe Community College Campus, and Genesee Brewery.
The manager’s job will be to plan and organize the first such district in New York State, mostly by bringing together groups of stakeholders. Ecodistricts – Portland, OR, has several — are designated and planned in a grassroots manner to help a neighborhood achieve a better living environment. Potential benefits could be incentives and policies that help create a district-wide composting system or a bulk discounts for solar power. The district meshes nicely with Greentopia’s efforts to create the GardenAerial surrounding the High Falls.
“This will be the only ecodistrict in the US that has this kind of situation: the only one with a falls in it,” said Greentopia co-founder Lewis Stess.
Stess said businesses or residents often ask if the district will impose additional taxes or require participation. The short answer: no. A longer answer might include that grassroots discussions would be expected to consider new initiatives by consensus in the district. But Stess says: “Nobody’s making anybody do anything.”
Imagine sailing over High Falls. The wind whipping your hair, the spectacular view surrounds you. You start out from a promontory on the east side of the Genesee River and you zip along at a thrilling pace until you land on the west side near the bottom of the gorge that runs through the city of Rochester.
That experience — perhaps the largest permanent zip line in North America — could happen as soon as the late summer of 2016, in Phase 2 of Greentopia’s GardenAerial project. GardenAerial aims to transform the Middle Gorge of the Genesee into a world-class showcase of sustainable and sensitive development in harmony with the natural beauty and ecology of the Gorge. (Phase 1, the FlourGarden in Brown’s Race, is due to be completed this fall.) Greentopia is spearheading the effort as it seeks the necessary approvals for take-off and landing spots, as well as additional grant funding. The state has already funded a feasibility study on greater public access to this area that will become the GardenAerial. Estimated cost for the ride is an affordable $20, a fraction of what Bellevue, WA., charges for a zipline in one of its urban parks.
For an idea of what the High Falls zipline experience might be like and how it fits into the GardenAerial, view this video.
See what WHAM-TV Channel 13 is saying about the GardenAerial zipline.
Excitement is building this week for the Dinner on the Bridge, Greentopia’s first gala fundraiser. Greentopia has offered many free events in the past, and this fundraiser will help it continue to offer them in the future. Come July 16 (or the 17th if it rains Thursday) 200 people will share a farm-to-fork dinner concocted by dynamic chefs from seven local restaurants.
As far as can be determined, this will be the first time a dining event has been held on the Pont du Rennes Bridge, high above the Genesee River.
The sold-out event includes entertainment in the form of strolling musicians and a light show on High Falls, sampling of wines, beer and liquor from local beverage companies, and desserts by three local sweets makers. Proceeds will help fuel the Greentopia operating budget.
For those who couldn’t afford the freight ($200 a seat for this historic event,) stay tuned, says Greentopia co-founder Michael A. Philipson. There will be future fundraisers and many more free events.
(Note: this item was originally posted on July 14.)
This will be an exciting summer for Greentopia: construction starts soon on the FlourGarden, the first section of the GardenAerial to become a reality.
The $800,000 project, designed by NYC’s Landgarden landscape architecture firm, will be completed in the fall. Greentopia co-founder Michael Philipson calls the FlourGarden the “proof of concept” that will provide a window into what the larger GardenAerial will be like.
This 300-foot-long garden or running water and native plants will feature actual millstones that used to grind flour along the Genesee River in the city once nicknamed the Flour City. Native plants will grow alongside a water channel in the historic Brown’s Race. At night, glass stones on the bottom of the water channel will glow with light. And nearly 500 acrylic rods, also illuminated, will wave like cattails. In all, six sections of the Genesee River will be represented in the FlourGarden.
Pedestrians on Brown’s Race will be able to walk along, over and into the FlourGarden. Stone bleacher seating at the north end, outfitted with outlets, will allow people to sit or work on laptops while they enjoy the sound and sites of the FlourGarden. And a deck over the mid-section of the garden will provide an intimate gathering space or stage for future events.
If you’re in the area checking out the view of the High Falls from the Pont de Rennes Bridge, stop by and see our progress!
(Note: this post was originally published earlier this summer.)
Our new GardenAerial promo film, directed and produced by Don Caspar of Epic10 Films, is in final stages of production and will be premiered very soon. It will be both informative and, we hope, inspirational.
And, it will be beautiful! Narrated by Lisa Baron, Founding Board Chair of Greentopia.
At the end of a rainy-turned-sunny day, two young women are packing up at the Green Visions gardens on Rochester’s northwest side before planning to walk to their nearby homes. Tiani Jennings, 20, has already won another job with her Green Visions credentials. Tamyha Jones, 18, is hoping the certifications she has earned by working with Green Visions will help her secure a better-paying job the next time she looks for painting work.
Jennings is in her third year of working with the April-to-October job training program and she’s now an assistant site manager. Jones (pictured above) used to volunteer at the Smith Street site when her older sister worked for Green Visions. This year is her first year as an actual employee at the garden, where she plants, weeds and waters flowers, and makes bouquets.
Morgan Barry, the site manager who oversees the program for Greentopia, said Green Visions currently has 13 employees who each work up to 20 hours a week. Many of them also juggle a second job, school, or classes to earn their General Education Diploma. Besides working the gardens in the JOSANA Neighborhood, the Green Visions employees sell bouquets from the site and at the Rochester City Public Market on Saturdays. Flowers are also for sale through the Greentopia web site. The flowers serve multiple purposes as they:
• Provide income in a neighborhood with few jobs
• Provide 22 weeks (at least twice as long as summer programs) of job training during the growing season
• Make the soil healthier
• Beautify the neighborhood
• Create community engagement.
Jennings said she is planning to move into the home health care field, but she’s earned marketable skills and support by working with Green Visions. “This job has helped me from the very, very first day,” she said. “I’m 20, I’m very young, but I have management experience, I have a great resume. And, Morgan is always in my corner. I know I can count on him if I need him.”
And Greentopia is in this neighborhood’s corner, too.
It’s that time of the year when we gather with friends and family to celebrate the joys of life – and begin looking forward to the New Year. It is also the season of giving. Now is an important time for the Friends of the GardenAerial to reach out to our donors and friends.
Just as we’ve depended on you in the past, we will continue to depend on you in the years to come.
Only you can make the impossible, possible. We all have special roles and obligations in transforming our community and creating a legacy for future generations to enjoy. During this holiday season, we are challenging the community to help us match a recent $100,000 gift by an anonymous donor whose support was provided because of the organization’s visionary leadership and its goals for the community.
Whether you choose to donate $5, $25 or $100, by making a tax-deductible donation by December 31,2014, your gift will help meet this community challenge and go twice as far towards making 2014 extraordinary.
There are ambitious plans for the year ahead. As we work to complete the first phase of the GardenAerial project, the FlourGarden, in the early summer of 2015, we will also advance our Green Visions youth workforce development program in the JOSANA neighborhood, and undertake the planning of the first EcoDistrict in the State of New York.
We want to make sure that the Friends of the GardenAerial has the operating support it needs to thrive in 2015. You can help us do just that, by making your most generous tax-deductible gift right now.
The past year has truly been an incredible journey for the Friends of the GardenAerial; a year filled with recognition and immeasurable rewards. This would not have been possible without the support from you – and our diverse community of friends and neighbors. We hope that you will be part of this continuous journey.
Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new form of currency; the first decentralized, digital currency. Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to operate with no central authority, banks, or middlemen managing transactions. Bitcoin is open-source; its design is public and transparent, nobody owns or controls Bitcoin, and everyone can take part. Through many of its unique properties, Bitcoin allows exciting uses by utilizing instant P2P transactions, worldwide payments and zero or low processing fees.
How will donations received via Bitcoin be used?
Using Coinbase, Friends of the GardenAerial can accept donations directly from the digital wallet of donors via computers, tablets or smartphones. Coinbase also allows Friends of the GardenAerial to instantly convert the digital currency to dollars. For donors, using Bitcoin ensures that 100 percent of every donation goes directly to Friends of the GardenAerial programs and projects. Donations can be made online by visiting www.greentopia.org/donate.
What is Coinbase?
Coinbase is the world’s most popular bitcoin wallet. Coinbase makes it easy to securely buy, use, and accept bitcoin currency. Over 7,000 developer apps, 37,000 merchants and 2 million consumers currently use the Coinbase platform worldwide. The platform also makes it easy and safe to send smaller donation amounts as Coinbase has waived all transaction fees for registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations accepting Bitcoin through its merchant tools.
Who can donate bitcoin to Friends of the GardenAerial? Can I donate from outside the US?
Bitcoin is a global payment network, and accepting it enables Friends of the GardenAerial to accept donations from anywhere in the world. If you have an internet connection and a bitcoin digital wallet, you can donate bitcoin to Friends of the GardenAerial.
Will Friends of the GardenAerial make a profit from users’ donations?
No. As a non-profit organization, Friends of the GardenAerial does not make a profit from its activities.
Are US donors eligible for a tax deduction when they make a donation using bitcoin?
In March, the IRS issued guidance that bitcoin is to be treated as a property for Federal tax purposes. Learn more here.
Given the IRS guidance that bitcoin is to be treated as property, donating bitcoin offers compelling tax benefits. Donating appreciated property to charity is an often-overlooked tax strategy. It allows taxpayers to deduct donated property that would otherwise be subject to capital gains tax.
When you make a donation with your Coinbase account, you will receive an email receipt of the transaction.
Donors should consult with a tax advisor for properly recording this donation on personal tax return.
How do donors use bitcoin?
Getting started: Bitcoin payment is different from other payment forms in that donors must send funds to a specific order address. Donors who wish to give to Friends of the GardenAerial via bitcoin must first obtain the specific order address by visiting our site.
Donating: Once the donor proceeds with the contribution, he/she will be presented with a bitcoin address and a 10-minute payment window. Donors then use their bitcoin wallet to send funds to the address within the given time window. Donors can also log into their Coinbase account to complete payment.
Finalizing the transaction: Donors will receive a confirmation email once the recipient is in receipt of the payment (within the allotted time.
How can I buy Bitcoin?
Visit coinbase.com for information on how to buy, sell, and make purchases/donations with a Bitcoin wallet.
As part of our 2015 Annual Fundraising Campaign, Friends of the GardenAerial has become the first not-for-profit organization in the region to accept Bitcoin donations.
Working with Coinbase as our preferred Bitcoin payment processor, Friends of the GardenAerial can now accept donations directly from the digital wallet of donors via computers, tablets or smartphones. Coinbase also allows the organization to instantly convert the digital currency to dollars. For donors, using Bitcoin ensures that 100 percent of every donation goes directly to Friends of the GardenAerial programs and projects, as Coinbase has waived all transaction fees for registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations accepting Bitcoin through its merchant tools.
Our goal is to make it as simple and inclusive as possible for donors to support our work. We look at Bitcoin as an innovative new kind of currency and believe that accepting it will diversify our reach and engage different audiences into the mix of people who help fund our organization. We are excited to be part of a growing movement in the non-profit sector accepting Bitcoin donations. Among the best-known global organizations accepting the currency are United Way International and Greenpeace.
We at Friends of the GardenAerial have a history of seeking new technologies and innovative strategies to both increase donor engagement and reach new audiences. If there’s an opportunity to implement these strategies and increase fundraising potential, we are going to try to do that.
Tomorrow, we will have our official photographer, Walter Colley, headed up in helicopter to pass over the gorge at High Falls to snap some fantastic pictures of the entire area. We would like to extend an invitation to any and all people to come take a break and be on the Pont de Rennes Bridge at 11:15am to be involved with the fly-over shoot.
If you’re in the area and want to be a part of a great photo-op, please feel free to come check out our first truly “Aerial” adventure!
