Dog Parks

Dog parks are a growing amenity in many communities across the country. It is a place that dog owners can go to allow their dogs to run freely and interact with other dogs in a safe environment (away from cars or other potentially dangerous situations.) Having places like this allows for the people in a community to have a place to come together to enjoy their household pets, without being in anyone else's property. This space also allows for some protection for people who may have small children or a fear of dogs.
These designated dog parks also require maintenance, which volunteers in the community can come together to keep up to appropriate standards. Keeping the dog parks clean and well kept allows for the people who use the park to feel a sense of accomplishment and get more enjoyment out of the park, and allows for people passing by the enjoy the view!
Also, dog parks can help the community by using efficient water systems for the dogs so as to not be wasteful with water resources for example using rain water systems. Also, the dog parks can help the community sustain friendly relationships with one another. The dog parks can utilize all "green" materials such as recyclable waste bags for scooping up dog waste.

Community Gardens

Community gardens have the potential to be a big stepping stone for bringing communities together. During the process everyone can contribute, no matter their age, race, sex, or class. Each person can contribute positively in some way. Each step of the process is something the community can come together to appreciate, from beginning to end.
During the first part of the process where everyone is getting the land/area ready for the garden everyone's input will be appreciated, and as the garden grows and grows over the years the people can feel proud of their accomplishment. It allows the people who created it to leave a legacy for future generations. Also, because a garden can always be cared for, it will be around for future generations to tend to as well.
If the community were to grow food in their garden a type of market place could be made, to help sustain them. For example, a community in Lancaster, South Carolina came together and grew a garden did this and had great results. In an article written about the garden a Lancaster resident says "It’s really been a wonderful way to bring people together,” she said. “Everyone helps everyone else, and we have people from all walks of life that tend plots here. One thing we do is ask everyone to plant an extra row of vegetables that we harvest and give back to the community. Last year, we gave away 30,000 pounds of squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini to churches and other places in the community like Jackie’s Place, HOPE in Lancaster and Christian Services. And that is just what we gave away, so there’s quite a harvest that comes out of this garden.”
If the community were to grow their own food, it could have tremendous results, including helping the community become more self-sufficient rather than relying on food being transported from different places in the country.

SOURCE:
http://www.thelancasternews.com/content/community-garden-brings-people-together

Global Climate Change

Medieval Warm Period

The medieval warm period lasted from about 950 to 1250 during the European middle ages. It was a time where the global temperature increased in mainly in the northern hemisphere. After the medieval warm period, the little ice age occurred.


Little Ice Age

The little ice age was a period of global cooling that followed the Medieval warm period. Although it wasn't a "ice age" the scientists still considered it the little ice age. It happened around 1350 and lasted until about 1850, when technology started booming.

New Delhi Air Quality

New Delhi is located in India and the air quality there is poor. There is a big airport located here and it cause a lot of the pollution in the city. The airplanes let off a large amount of pollution which make the air quality poor. The ozone layer in New Delhi got extremely polluted over the summer and people with respiratory problems were told that they are better off staying indoors to stay healthy. Below is a picture of the smog in New Delhi.

Plant Yates Steam Generating Plant

The picture below is Plant Yates, a Georgia Power coal-fired power station, located in my hometown Newnan,GA. The plant recently decided to no longer burn coal and instead natural gas. Plant Yates is making this decision because it releases so many toxins into the atmosphere. In 2010, Yates' totals emissions were 3,962,224 pounds of toxins, with 222 pounds of mercury. I believe that this move is great for the community and it will clean up the environment. "We think this is a really good decision because Plant Yates, more than any other coal plant in the country, has the highest cost in health impacts," said Seth Gunning of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. "The value of the electricity is far outweighed by the cost of the health impacts that it is causing for the community."

http://www.times-herald.com/local/20130109YatesToRetire-MOS