A Wildlife Community

The National Wildlife Foundation has a program through which communities can create, and then receive recognition as, a certified Community Wildlife Habitat.

Here's how they describe a Community Wildlife Habitat:

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community--in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses. It is a place where the residents make it a priority to provide habitat for wildlife by providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover and places to raise young. The community also educates its residents about sustainable gardening practices such as reducing or eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting. It hosts workshops about gardening for wildlife, and holds community events such as stream or trail cleanups to make the community healthier for wildlife and people alike. A Community Wildlife Habitat project creates a place where people, flora and fauna can all flourish.

Participants in the program must earn a certain number of points, depending upon their size; thereafter, there are required post-certification goals.

Worms...

We have a tenant in the (aptly named) garden level in our building; the Utah Society for Environmental Education. They're a great group, and they help us in meeting our environmental commitments.

One of the many nice things that they have done for us is bring some worms into the office; they're willing to let their worms work for us, in handling our food waste. Andree' Walker, the USEE wormmaster, has blogged about the worms, and includes an invitation to come meet them, at this page of USEE's blog, greenforkutah.blogspot.com.

16,500 Sustainable Square Feet

There's apparently a potential trend, at least according to this article in the New York Times, for the very wealthy to "downsize" into condominiums.

Candy Spelling, widow of the television producer Aaron Spelling, is getting rid of some of her possessions, so that she can fit into the 16,500 feet of two floors that she's purchasing in the Century condominium tower.

And her conscience can rest easy as she kicks around that space, because the Century anticipates a LEED Silver Certification, reflecting its green building characteristics.

I'm back...

I've been in that condition known as pre-vacation, vacation and post vacation, but I am back and I am invigorated. Look forward to posts on environmentalism and sustainability.