Logan Wilson Last Hour

As I spent my last hour of community service in the Temple University area, I begun to feel very accomplished. Wednesday April 26th I spent my time helping Penrose kids with their homework and educating them about their earth community. As I knew very little about the earthing and greening part, tutoring the kids was more of my interest. I finally fully enjoyed doing community service that I liked and related somewhat to my interests. I was glad to end my 10 hours of community service on a great note!

Urban Greening Grant Proposal_Tia Bianchini

Imagine your local grocery store; chances are the shelves are loaded with colorful bags and boxes of processed, artificially flavored and genetically modified foods. In fact, over 70% of the items offered in conventional grocery stores are genetically modified. Meals can be instantly micro-waved or picked up from a fast-food drive through, all with an expected wait time of less than 60 seconds. This is how we are teaching our children to eat. Rather than opt for a raw fruit or vegetable snack, chances are most children choose salty, sugary items that come from a plastic bag and are far from "fresh" but can be obtained quickly. But why is convenience valued over nutritional benefit? In a time when diabetes and high blood pressure are commonly occurring among children, how can no one make the correlation? We are what we eat and it is imperative that we begin to educate our children about the importance of the contents of their lunch bag. Enter the Edible School Yard. In New Orleans a public charter school wanted to ensure the health of their students, families and community and they thought an organic, hands-on learning garden would be the way to do it. The students help with every facet of gardening, from planting to harvesting and eventually even preparing what they have grown into a nutritious meal. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESY NOLA) was founded in 2006 due to the influence of Alice Waters, the chef discussed in Tyler’s case study. The faculty was able to incorporate lessons from academic areas of study, such as math and science, into what is being taught in the garden, bringing the child’s learning experience full circle. The aid of the edible schoolyard has also encouraged the cafeteria menu to change, now offering seasonal, organic produce rather than the aforementioned processed, artificial foods most of us have come to know in the cafeteria. Along with the garden and cafeteria, the edible schoolyard has expanded into a kitchen classroom and has even been integral to involving the community in the healthy food initiative.

Urban Greening Grant Proposal ~ Logan Wilson

In class, my group member Tyler Scott proposed an excellent idea about a program called The Edible Schoolyard. At first the name caught me off guard, and I imagined the cement play ground area I had in elementary school and I instantly jumped on board. When it was time for Recess I rarely had enjoyable memories, with not many playgrounds or activities around me my recess time was we students could make of it. So not only does this project hit home for me, but I know the impact it can have not only on the education in American schools but the future of America as well.

New York City has always been one of my favorite cities in America and I love watching, hearing and learning about how it is changing into a more sustainable environment. As I researched more about The Edible Schoolyard I found  New York City School P.S. 216 and their Edible School Yard Program. The Edible Schoolyard New York at Brooklyn’s P.S. 216 is an official affiliate of the Edible Schoolyard (ESY) program started by Alice Waters at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California in 1995. The Edible Schoolyard at P.S. 216 will be the first four-season example of the ESY program and the first in New York City. Its goal is to create a space in which the schoolchildren plant, harvest, prepare food and eat together, creating a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum, tied into New York State Standards, that connects food systems to academic subjects such as literacy, science, social studies, math, and the arts. 

Seeing how one school in New Orleans can inspire a school in New York City has inspired me to want to start an Edible Schoolyard at a school in Philadelphia. Not only will this garden teach children how to garden and eat healthy but their hands on experience will strongly excite and impact them to take their pride for the garden home. A program like this not only can start a chain reaction in the community but across the nation. 

Urban Greening Grant Proposal_TylerScott

A lot of people see education as strictly classroom learning.  A place where kids go to school, sit at desks all day and listen and watch teachers at the front of the room.  What if there was a way for kids to get their hands dirty but also have a great learning experience?  As a group we came up with the idea of schools creating outdoor classroom space.  Spaces where nature can be the classroom, where kids can get their hands dirty and learn about the natural environment that they live in.  Our Urban Greening Grant Proposal focuses on the idea of schools creating green outdoor space that teachers are able to use as a tool for teaching and learning.  Students will be able to discover new tools and ideas in these outdoor classrooms and begin to implement them at home, teaching their parents and families the opportunities presented by green urban spaces.

the Edible Schoolyard

As a case study precedent we focused our study around a project called the Edible Schoolyard.  In 1994 Chef Alice Waters and King Middle School Principal Neil Smith teamed up with teachers and members of the community to brainstorm and begin planning the Edible Schoolyard.  

Chef Alice Waters on her PBS film "Alice Waters and Her Delicious Revolution"

Chefs, teachers, gardeners, businesses, administrators, and townspeople shared a common vision of a future garden at King Middle School in California.  Within the first couple of years every King Middle School student attended two kitchen classes in the spring.  In these kitchen classes garden “mentor teachers” taught students about gardening, planting, and growing fresh and organic produce.  Students would then prepare meals from the produce they grew and picked in the garden.  

Overview picture of the ESY garden on the school grounds

As the years passed the gardens and the entire Edible Schoolyard program grew and evolved.  Each spring new plantings were added to the gardens to increase produce variety.  New teaching positions were added and urban green equipment was installed, such as the water collection system and cistern.  In 2003 the garden was flourishing so much that they began to adopt small animals to live on the garden site. 

In the beginning Alice Waters had a vision, as she “envisioned a school curriculum and school lunch program where growing, cooking, and sharing food at the table gives students the knowledge and values to build a humane and sustainable future.”  Through the Chez Panisse Foundation and the Edible Schoolyard teachers and gardeners began to leave an impression not only on their students but the surrounding community as well.  The lessons learned in school, through both garden and kitchen classes, gave students the knowledge and experience to plant, grow, and prepare their own food. 

Kids working hands on creating meals in the kitchen classroom

This enabled students the opportunity to grow their own fresh produce to and live a healthy diet and lifestyle.  The idea is then that the students will take those lessons learned at school and implement them at home; having an influence on their parents and families, and helping them make changes to live a healthier lifestyle.

The garden is used by both the school and community

The Edible Schoolyard is a program that follows great parallels to the type of Urban Greening Grant we are proposing.  It takes into account of using schools as a tool to teach not only the students but also the community as well.  By converting current outdoor school hardscape into gardens and green spaces we not only improve the environment around the school but also the idea of urban gardens and greening, an idea that affects more than those in direct contact with the space.             



Greensaw_Week3_TylerScott

Every week I come back to Greensaw Dave and I get closer and closer to finishing the new bathroom cabinets for the bathroom renovation.  This week we set up the cabinets for a dry run, installing them the same way they will be when they are installed onsite.  First we set the cabinets so they were level and square.  Next we began to cut and measure the trim pieces that framed the cabinets.  We did not glue the trim to the cabinets, rather taping them instead to allow us to easily move them and then assemble them on-site. 



Dry run of cabinets with trim taped to face of cabinets.

After that we measured the cabinets and cut the cabinet faces to fit within.  The faces where then flipped and drilled on the inside, allowing us to install the hinge hardware.  Installed 3” from the top and bottom edge the hinges were then installed to the cabinets, connecting the cabinet face to the cabinet itself. 



Cabinet face drilled for hinge hardware.

Cabinet face with installed hinge hardware.

 Through adjustments in the hardware we were able to correct and square the cabinet face to the cabinet.  At the end of the day we were able to install 3 cabinet doors and cut another 2.


Cabinet faces attached to the cabinets.

At the end of the week we had a preety good understanding of what the cabinets are finally going to look like.  The next step is to look back at the wood samples I did the last couple of weeks and try to pick a finish as to use for the trim for the cabinets.  Dave is trying to find a finish to both match and contrast the color and texture of the cabinet doors.  By next week he is hoping to have the ok from the clients on one the samples so that he can begin to work on the coloring, staining, and finishing of the trim.   

Stewart Middle School Tree Planting [4/9 8am - 2 pm]

Although it was a long day of tree planting at Stewart Middle School, I couldn't have been happier with my volunteering. I always knew tree planting was something special and fun, but I never knew what an impact it would have on myself. Although I did not grow up at Stewart Middle School, I grew up around it and at the many other schools the Norristown School District has. Seeing how run down and depressing they often looked I was extremely excited to beautify this area. Not only did I care a lot about the tree planting, but it was awesome to see how trees were actually planted. Especially since we had just learned about trees and how they effect our area. Unlike my experiences at greensaw, I asked little questions and focused deeply on planting the trees and observing how the land would transform for future. We planted over 60 trees all along the middle schools back yard. The back yard of the middle school also surrounded many community members who I spoke to and they were excited to have these trees. "It's going to make the school and the area so much more beautiful and it's going to be beautiful to watch the trees grow over the years" said neighbor Carol Brown.
Overall my experience was my favorite volunteering experience so far, I really focused on taking great care of these trees while we planted them. I also enjoyed working with many people in the community whom I had never meet before. I'm also interested in seeing how the trees grow under ground over the years, one community member mentioned he wished we could film the roots growing underground to show students exactly how these trees will grow over the years.

Logan Wilson :)

Greensaw_Week2_TylerScott

After getting my feet wet during my first week at Greensaw I was excited to go back and continue working on the bathroom remodeling project.  The wood test samples that I sanded and stained the previous week were dry and ready to be checked out.  Dave walked me through the vision he had for the project, from the materials of the cabinets to the configuration of the small space.  The idea for the cabinets is to create a picture frame, using very smooth and clean wood on the outside while “framing” the rough inside of the cabinet face.  After checking out the various wood samples we did he finally liked one enough to go to the clients and begin to discuss the choices with them. 

Dave’s main title at Greensaw is project manager.  The way I understand it he is the coordinator of everything that goes on with his project.  From meeting with the clients, designing the space, organizing contractors, and managing all of the paperwork, he is the man in charge.  While I was there he got a call from a client about a previous project.  There seemed to be a problem with a window that they installed.  He called up the contractor and asked him to meet him at the house.  Together we went to the house trying to figure out what went wrong with the window.

The big project for this client was a total kitchen remodel.  Everything was changed: appliances, flooring, cabinets, and windows.  When we got there we met the window fabricator Dan.  Dave and Dan talked and discussed the problem with the window (it was beginning to rust and stain the window finish) and came up with a quick solution to the rust problem.  While I was there Dave gave me a chance to see a recently completed Greensaw project.  I was completely blown away by the way they incorporated reclaimed material into the final design.  The simple solutions and designs made the kitchen look great.  It was great to finally get out of the woodshop and see an actual design.  Hopefully within the coming weeks I will be able to help Dave with the new bathroom design and finally see his vision in physical form.       

Greensaw _ Week1 _TylerScott

Ever since I was a little kid I have always been drawn towards buidling things with my hands. I could spend long summer days playing with sticks and trying to create great “cities” in the mud.  As I grew older I began to go to work with my father and grandfather, joining them on their construction sites and using their tools any chance I could.  Upon graduating high school I knew that architecture was the path for me.  Being a junior now I have really grown to love architecture and all the opportunites that come with it, including my time at Greensaw.    

The back workshop of Greensaw Design and Build.

Through my background, both growing up and in architecture, I have become quite familiar with construction sites and workshops.  But my first day at Greensaw was both really exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. I was excited to be working with one of the big up-and-coming design firms and to really learn from watching and working with them.  I was also very nervous, as it was my first time really working and interacting with a ‘big dog’ in the architecture and design field.  Right away the guys were friendly and took a chance to introduce themselves and talk with me.  They were as curious about myself as I was of them.  I worked mostly with Dave.  Dave is one of the lead carpenters and designers at Greensaw.  Currently he is working on a bathroom renovation for an older home near by.  The plan is to use reclaimed material to design and construct new bathroom cabinets.  He walked me through the process of working with the wood and then let me work on my own.  What I first had to do was sand down the wood samples.  As the material was reclaimed much of it is damaged due to the wear and tear of its use throughout the years.  Certain spots in the wood become more dense and can leave marks.  You must sand these spots out so the wood will not leave dark spots when it is stained.

Sanding down the wood test samples.

 After sanding you have to prepare the wood for staining.  First you have to use a hose to blow all of the dirt and dust off the wood.  Next you take mineral spirits and wipe down the wood good, trying to clean any excess dirt and dust off.  Then you take the samples and simply using a brush apply a coat of stain.  After 10 minutes you use a dry rag and wipe off any excess stain that did not soak into the wood.  Later after it dried we came abck and applied a second coat. 

Staining the wood test samples.

The first week their I spent most of my time working with Dave and creating this samples.  These samples will then be taken to the client and they will be allowed to discuss with Dave the options regarding the finish of their cabinet.  My first week at Greensaw was a great learning experience, one that opened my eyes in regards to not only architecture and design but also with the interaction with clients and other designers.  These are lessons that I will be able to take with me in the future.   



Logan's First Greensaw Experience [4/5/11 2:00-5:00 pm]

As someone who considers herself a "girly girl", volunteering for a design and building company was not only interesting but life remembering. As I felt like the joke of day attempting to build shoe boxes and shelves, I was delighted to feel so welcomed by the people of greensaw. Despite my lack of lumberjack skills, the greensaw workers and employees accepted my lack of skills with my interest in wanting to help. As someone who rarely gets dirty and never builds thing, this was definitely a learning lesson for me, but one I loved to learn. It was exciting to build shoe boxes, and draws that would one day be used by someone. It felt so good to feel as if you were accomplishing something important. However my most influential memory was when I took old plants of wood and put them through a planner machine to make them new. It was so breathtaking to see how you could take something old and make it look brand new. Even though my future career path has little to do with urban sustainability in general, I decided to pick a group that was extremely out of my comfort zone. As I was confused going into my first day I decided to put my own passion into my work. As a broadcast journalism major I took the time to ask many to questions to the people I was working with. I found a great interest in asking them why they choose this career, and what they plan to get out of it. The one answer that never failed to amaze me and impacted me was that every employee there, at the end of the day wanted to make the earth a better place not for themselves but their children or the future ahead of them. Their answers spoke to me and I realized how important it is to get involved in the environment not just for me but for the people who are going to live on behind me. I'm excited to finish my 7 hours of community service by volunteering in the many different Urban Sustainability organizations.

Blog #2 (Logan Wilson) sorry forgot to put my name!

 We all know water is a vital part of our world and an extremely important resource to humans and other living species. Although many areas have an abundant source of water, there are issues and problems water faces. Water itself doe not create many issues but other environments and species that depend on water has to deal with water-related stresses. Over the years many water-related stresses stem from natural disasters, climate change, and potential global warming. Some of the largest water-related stresses are in urban areas, like cities. Many of these issues develop from water management and many cities, now a day, have looked toward a greener way of managing their water system. “Worldwide, urban water managers are grappling with the challenge of managing water resources more sustainably. Numerous commentators have highlighted significant social and technological barriers to the uptake of new approaches and some are calling for a major sociotechnical transition in urban water management.”

            Across the country there is a growing recognition that cities and regions need to find new, more sustainable approaches to urban water management. Many cities are still operating within the traditional “big pipes in, big pipes out” management system, however this model is now not widely accepted and addresses current and future sustainability changes. Australia recently has found an interest in new water systems and finding a greener way to manage water not only in their cities but their country as well. They have found a new concept for a hybrid solar water purification and photovoltaic system. “The purified water and power (PWAP) receiver comprises two devices fully integrates into a single unit, using two functionally discrete sub-modules. These two sub-modules can be assembled in to different physical arrangements: (a) one inside the other, whereby the encapsulated photovoltaic cells are embedded into the photo-catalytic reactor; or (b) one above the other, whereby the photovoltaic cells are attached to the photo-catalytic reactor by means of a common encapsulation.” Although I struggle to understand what this means, I know that Australia and other urban cities, like Philadelphia, has spent lots of time and money to make better water systems, preventing the old systems from creating stress upon the water. “In this hybrid system, it has to be remarked that the photovoltaic power output is reduced to the benefit of the water purification process, as only part of the spectrum is used for photovoltaic conversion due to the selective absorption in the different materials.” Hopefully this new water system can be used in other cities in the United States. Not only does it save energy and make the cities system better overall but also it lowers the risks systems have that impact the stress on water. When you have a domino effect, like a bad water system that causes stresses upon water it doesn’t help when you’re also dealing with a changing climate. The one water stress that is difficult to prevent is natural disasters, however one can hope that with a new water system, it won’t be affected like it would if it were old.

            As climate change as been a big water-related stress, water systems and scientist are finding ways to lower the stress. Hopefully these issues can be solved before stresses upon water start to affect the mechanisms that depend on water.

           

Brown, Rebekah, and Nina Keath. "Drawing on social theory for transitioning to sustainable urban water management: turning the institutional super-tanker." Australian Journal of Water Resources 12.2 (2008): 73+. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. 

Vivar, M., I. Skryabin, V. Everett, and A. Blakers. "A Concept for a Hybrid Solar Water Purification and Photovoltaic System." Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 94.10 (2010): 1772-782. EBSCO Host. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. 

Blog #2 - Tyler Scott

Research to Change

            The world is in a constant flux, changing and evolving due to both natural and man-made events almost every day.  Daily use of vehicles, current building designs and agricultural practices are all human actions that have had a consequence on our natural environment.  Natural events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods have recently become quiet frequent and have left a devastating mark on the physical environment.  As humans we need to begin to question our current way of life; the way live, eat, play, and work.  Specifically we need to question, analyze and study our current management strategies for both our urban and rural ecologies.  Through this research we can begin to change, alter, and improve certain management strategies and practices, for if we want to continue to live comfortably and prosper we must begin to cherish and appreciate the benefits offered by our local, regional, and world-wide ecosystems.

            People all over the world are beginning to realize the importance of our natural environment, causing local, regional, and national governments to begin to form agencies to research and analyze the world’s natural ecosystems.  The main focus of these agencies is the idea of ecosystem services, services that offer benefits that humans recognize as being obtained from ecosystems that support, directly or indirectly, their survival and quality of life (Anton and Young, 2010: 2).  Researchers around the world begin to study this idea of ecosystem services and how these services greatly depend on the maintenance and biodiversity of the world’s natural ecosystems.  The study points out the negative effects global warming and landuse change are having on the swift global transformation in the natural biodiversity of our ecosystems, a system often referred to as ‘the insurance policy for life itself’ (Anton and Young, 2010: 3). 

            Leaders, scientists, and researchers alike all realize the importance of restoring and revitalizing our natural systems.  Agreement has been made that their needs to be a commitment towards restoring biodiversity through species and habitat protection, as well as increasing the integration of ecosystem services into conservation efforts (Anton and Young, 2010: 4).  We need to realize that services are provided by not just individual species but entire communities as well.  Research is showing that with biodiversity being increasingly threatened by rapid global change we as humans need to begin to understand how various drivers, including climate change, are affecting various ecosystem services and systems (Anton and Young, 2010: 6).  In regards to management their needs to be a growing recognition for the need to expand habitat strategies while also integrating multiple landuse and ecosystem services together.  By developing various levels of responsible habitat management strategies humans will be able to live comfortably but also in a sustainable and healthy way.   

            One of the world’s most important natural resource is the one that covers 2/3 of the earth’s surface, water.  As floods and draughts happen all over the world they create various environmental, social, and economical problems.  To deal with these issues there has been movements to improve the urban water cycle and mesoclimate, as researchers are studying a plant-based surface system that will increase the water capacity of sealed urban surfaces (Silva, 2006: 2).  In an urban environment, one predominantly covered with impervious surfaces, stormwater runoff tends to max out the sewage system which in turn results in overflow and flooding.  Developers are beginning to design a plant-based surface system that consists basically of growing vegetation on or along constructed surfaces, such as railway tracks, rooftops, and facades (Silva, 2006: 8).  This surface will help with reducing runoff volume, increase evaporation and help improve the mesoclimate.  By integrating technology with natural plants and vegetation the plant-based surface system is creating an opportunity for successful stormwater management through a more natural and sustainable process.  This new technology offers great potential as a management strategy for urban water systems.

            Local, regional, and national agencies all over the world are beginning to raise awareness of the importance of the earth’s natural systems and resources. The plant-based surface system is one of many ideas that designers and researchers are creating to enhance and restore the biodiversity our natural ecosystems.  As humans we need to step back and look at the way we live, eat, work, and play.  We need to think about our current management strategies and the consequences our actions are having on our natural enviornment.  We must come together and implement positive ecosystem management practices, such as the plant- based surface system, working together to make a much larger ecologial difference.  For if we do not come together and change our attitude towards managing the natural ecosystems, we will lose our ‘insurance policy for life itself’.

Bibliography

Anton, Christian and Juliette Young. 2010. Research needs for incorporating the ecosystem service into EU biodiversity conservation policy. Biodivers Conserv 19: 2979-2994.

Silva, Felipe. 2006. Ability of plant-based surface technology to improve urban water cycle and mesoclimate. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 4: 145-158.

Tyler’s Schedule

GREENSAW Design & Build, LLC

        820 N. 4^th Street

        Philadelphia, PA 19123

Greensaw Volunteer times:

·         Wednesday, March 3  _ 8:00-12:00

·         Friday, April 1 _ 8:00-12:00

·         Wednesday, April 6  _ 8:00-12:00

·         Friday, April 8 _ 8:00-12:00



Logan's Schedule

Greensaw Volunteer Times
-Tuesday March 29th 2-5 p.m.
-Tuesday April 5th 2-5 p.m.

Philly Spring Clean Up Day, 15 South 7th Street, Philadelphia History Museum
-Saturday April 2nd 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Tia Bianchini- Q 1, 2 & 4

1.a. One of my favorite natural spaces is the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. This outdoor gallery functions as both an organic landscape and museum, allowing me to enjoy two of my favorite things, art and the outdoors. In a contemporary museum, the idea is to conserve and protect artist's work. At the Grounds for Sculpture, however, the artist must truly consider the environment in which their piece will  reside, with consideration of the elements/climate. This dynamic between nature and art is what makes the museum so intriguing, it provides the opportunity to enjoy artwork outside of conventional standards.

http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/index.html

1.b. The Grounds for Sculpture was originally developed by sculptor and philanthropist  J. Seward Johnson in the hopes to make sculpture more accessible to many different people in a setting that they felt comfortable in. Ultimately, he wanted to expose the community to contemporary art in a new way. The museum is also a non-profit organization, which means that the community functions as not only the audience but its supporters as well.

4. Yes, I do agree with Light's hands-on approach to ecological citizenship because it requires that the public be educated. In most areas, I feel, that the public is under-educated about very important issues, whether it be lack of sex education in schools which leads to high cases of unwanted pregnancy or the spread of STI's or the fact that many people do not realize that their drinking water comes from sewers, so they think a sewer can serve as a trash can. The public needs to know why it is important to make informed decisions, and the information needs to be accessible, to anyone, regardless of their background. A point that Light made in his work really stood out to me. He mentions that we should be concerned with building suburbs more like densely-packed cities rather than building cities like. This point again related, to me, to low-income housing in Philadelphia. Recently I have noticed that many housing projects resemble suburban developments, single homes with lawns, no shared walls, driveways and a garage. This not only takes up a huge amount of space when considering the low amount of people that will be residing in each lot, it creates an unrealistic, unsustainable and isolated community. Also, much like he mentions, the representatives of environmentalist organizations lack any representation of people of color or low-income, the exact person who is most often confined to these bizarre pseudo-suburban housing developments. The housing authority would rather provide the low-income community with an unrealistic image of American life than listen to their needs and concerns. Therefor, it is very important to involve the community, and ensure that they possess this crucial knowledge. 

Tyler Scott Questions 1-2,5

1a)  Where do you like to go to find nature in a city (like Philadelphia or your hometown)? Why here?
1b) Who do you think developed and cares for these areas / pieces of nature?

Growing up and living in the suburbs I was constantly surrounded by woodlands and large open fields.  Nature was all around me.  Every morning you could see wildlife, such as deer and ducks, on your way to school and work.  As I grew up the area around me developed as well.  With this development many habitats and natural landscapes were damaged, or even worse, removed all together.  As a kid I would often go with my friends to play in the woods and do the whole tree-climbing, fort-building thing that almost every kid does.  The older we got the less woods there was to play with.  Houses were being built.  Roads being paved.  What many of us thought of as nature was being taken away right beneath our feet.  When I moved to Philadelphia to go to school, I really found it hard to find the “nature” in the city.  Yeah we have our famous city parks like Rittenhouse Square and Independence Hall.  Philadelphia has undergone massive amounts of growth and I feel that city planners tried to incorporate these parks into the urban fabric.  The city maintenance and clean-up crews try valiantly to keep the park clean and really offer citizens a comfortable “nature” escape from the hustle and bustle all throughout Center City and surrounding Philadelphia.    

2) Is there any motivation for you to help care for the existing nature found in Philadelphia (or in your hometown if you would prefer to use it as a place of reference..?) 
If there are any motivating factors, what are they?
If not, what would help motivate you to participate in the development and care of these spaces?

I feel on a certain level everyone has a civic duty to try to live their lives responsibly.  Everyone should be motivated to live in a healthy way, one that has benefits for both people and nature.  The cities natural areas are dwindling every day and as a city we are losing valuable green space to urban development.  As a city we must embrace the green areas left and allow them to grow and flourish to their full potential.  I know Philadelphia has initiated a new recycling program to motivate residents to recycle as much as possible.  Every recycling bin will have a barcode that will be swiped every time recycling is collected from you house.  Your house will then get a credit or points that could be used towards redeeming rewards.  People will keep the trash off the streets, away from our parks and waterways, in return for a reward.  These types of programs offer motivation for people to live responsibly in regards to helping with nature.  Mayor Nutter has a goal for Philadelphia to become America's greenest city by 2015. Greenworks Philadelphia was created in 2009 by Mayor Nutter to reach his big goal of Philadelphia as a green city.  The only way the Mayor can ultimately reach his goal is with everyone becoming motivated to really help and lend a hand.   

5) How can ecological features such as parks or waterways serve as the glue, binding a community together? 

There are various ecological features that can be used to glue and bind communities together.  Many people think that these features would be predominately rivers and woodlands.  The Schuylkill is often packed with people on the weekends, with families and friends physically and socially interacting.  The river offers a “natural” retreat from the hardscape that makes up most of Philadelphia.  Woodlands could be reincorporated into the city and act as public walkways, connecting different neighborhoods and areas.  On a smaller scale, water features can refresh certain areas where they are incorporated within the urban context.  These features not only connect people physically but also socially as well.

Logan Wilson Questions 1-3

1a) I like to go to a park called Prophecy Creek Park, it is in my hometown of Ambler, PA. Although recently when I drove by, some of the trees had been taken down. I don't know why but this park is different then the rest, it doesn't have trails or anything thing like that, it's open fields with trees and grass. What I love most about it is the historical buildings that add a historical touch to the park.

1b) I think the park was created many years ago, and is being kept up and occupied by the township. Whenever I visit it is always beautiful and taken care of well. I respect the fact that the historical buildings are not vandalized and have a beautiful authentic look.

2) Personally I would not mind helping out with the historical nature in the city, but more so the history part because that interests me more. Although without this class I do not see myself looking to volunteer in this area, however if it was an assignment or recommended I could see myself getting involved with restoring and keep the historical nature around historical buildings. I think about would motivate me is finding a way to find it interesting for myself.

3) I think the urban environments are being taken care of fine now, the only additional involvement I would recommend is students. I think students any where from kindergarden to college would be great helpers in beatifying and bettering the environments. I believe the rights and responsibilities are already in the hands of the citizens by the amount of people who volunteer.