Archive for Gordon

The mission of Casey Trees is to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of Washington, DC. Recognizing that trees provide both community and environmental benefits, Casey Trees plants trees, engage thousands of volunteers in tree plantings and care, teach school children about trees, monitor the District’s tree canopy, and design better planting spaces so trees can thrive in the city. They also run a “Citizen Forester” program that trains volunteers to utilize resources from the city and nonprofit organizations to improve the health of trees, increase tree cover, and promote and protect the city’s green infrastructure. Visit their website to find out how you can get involved!

The Yabba Pot Cafe, located at 2431 St. Paul Street, is “Baltimore’s premiere Vegan hot spot”. Owned by “Mama” Chef Skai, the restaurant offers Rastafarian-influenced cuisine called “Ital”, the main concept being that food should come straight from the garden to the table – no processing and no preservatives. She even uses traditional Afrikan clay Yabba Pots for stewing. The menu and specials change daily. A community-oriented business, the Yabba Pot also features cooking classes, workshops and seminars, as well as a poetry venue Saturday evenings. Check out the menu online!

Quantum Yoga , located in Mount Washington at the Lake Falls Village Center, offers a wide variety of classes in yoga and wellness, including beginner to advanced yoga, kids and teen yoga, yoga nidra, flow yoga, pilates, and Qigong, as well as acupuncture, shiatsu, and Gua Sha. The center is operated by over a dozen men and women, many of whom are certified in various forms of yoga and Qigong. Visit their website for extensive information from frequently asked questions to detailed accounts of the services offered and the research and benefits that comes with them.

Green School of Baltimore is an elementary school with a different approach to learning. Adopting a curriculum that embraces what they call “EIC” (Environment as an Integrating Context”, the school’s surroundings and community are used as the context for math, reading, science, and social studies. Each grade participates in year-long studies and projects that include creating rain gardens, planning and growing an edible, organic garden, developing a recycling program, and creating a tree nursery. The school’s mission is not only to educate its students, but help them increase environmental stewardship through experiential environmental education. 

In the 1990s, Baltimore was "The City That Reads." This optimistic statement, found mostly on bus stops and benches, was replaced about ten years later by "The Greatest City In America." Big talk, yet Baltimore’s greatness lies arguably in its quirkiness, a truly fine example of what is The Book Thing of Baltimore . Its mission is "to put unwanted books into the hands of those who want them." How do they do it? The books are free! Donations from libraries, publishers, reviewers, authors, illustrators, and everyday people have given The Book Thing a collection of some 200,000 books on average. Aside from volunteers, who are always welcome to show up unannounced during store hours, The Book Thing is managed by Russell Wattenberg, a 29-year-old Brooklyn native and former bartender who used to hear schoolteachers complain that students didn’t have enough books. When Wattenberg started buying them books with tip money, people started to take notice and donated their own books. At some point it became apparent that the operation, which started in his basement, needed to expand. The store hands out about 10,000 books a week to a wide range of customers, from university professors to homeless people. The Book Thing accepts all books, regardless of age or subject matter. Wattenberg believes that if there’s a book, there’s someone who wants it. The Book Thing is open 9 am to 6 pm Saturdays and Sundays. Donations can be made any day of the week via two drop off bins that sit outside.

League of American Bicyclists is a non-profit organization working to make this country better for cycling. Their website and events provide a forum for cycling in your area, why people ride, and how to take action on a bike. Some recent work has included a “conserve by bike” amendment to the energy bill and the Bike Commuter Act. Read more about this act.

Living Classrooms Foundation is a non-profit organization, operated for the benefit of the community at large, providing hands-on education and job skills training for students from diverse backgrounds, with a special emphasis on serving at-risk youth. The foundation uses maritime settings, community revitalization projects, and other challenging learning environments, along with a low staff-to-student ratio, to promote career development, community service, self-esteem, and multicultural exchange.