Tag: FridaysforFuture

Fridays for Future #13 – Local Food is Essential

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by Meredith Bowen

 

“Essential business,” it’s the hot button phrase of the hour. But what is an essential business? How do we define it? What we deem essential is strongly affected by what position of privilege we come from. Essential needs; food, shelter, safety. But let’s go back to the first word. Food. Nourishment. I think we can all agree food is essential to life. But how many of us are thinking about where our food is grown? Where is it sourced? I am going to go a step further. Locally sourced food is essential to life. 

Just after the shelter-in-place order was issued, I was having a conversation with someone about the idea of an essential business. Almost in passing, they said to me, “an organic produce farm is not an essential business.” Hold your fire, I think they meant in the grand scheme of grocery stores, pharmacies, and other vital services, a small organic farm selling high-quality produce to restaurants and members of the upper and upper middle class was not necessarily “essential”.  But why is it we see our local produce in this way? According to this directory on Farmers Markets Online, there are nearly a hundred open air farmers markets throughout Georgia. Given the amount of produce going directly to Georgians through this channel, and not including the amount sold through CSA, farmboxes or other means, we start to see just how vital local agriculture is in our state.

 Under Section 6 Part F of the executive order made by Mayor Keisha Bottoms in March farms, farmers markets, and produce stands are considered essential businesses permitted to continue running during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a powerful statement the city has made in regard to our local food systems. Of course grocery stores are essential, but if they are essential then the farms supplying them must also be essential.  But here the city is saying not just any farm, but the farms within our very community are essential. Our farmers.

And rightfully so, according to the FDA, 20% of food in this U.S. is imported. Within that 20%, 35% of it is fresh produce (source). But in the state of Georgia, agriculture is one of our main exports. It generates $73.3 billion annually, while agriculture and its related fields employ one in every seven Georgians (source). It is true many Georgia farms supply produce to hip local restaurants, but currently that supply chain is disrupted. And why is it necessary to go to a fancy restaurant to get locally grown food? And why is locally grown, fresh food only available to those of privilege? Essentially how can we make locally grown food more universally accessible?

The City of Atlanta has made one step in the right direction by doubling the value of SNAP/EBT dollars at most farmer’s markets. The city’s efforts towards increasing fresh food access are apparent in Aglanta’s 2020 Fresh Food Access Report. According to the report 52% of the city’s population lived in USDA-defined Low Income Low Access (LILA) areas. In 2020 that number shrank to 30%, due in no small part to the expansion of community farmer’s markets. While there is always more work to be done, we as a city have made a clear statement: Good, fresh food is essential, and we are going to grow it ourselves.  

Atlanta’s Low Income, Low Access (LILA) food deserts in 2015 and 2020.
The impact of Atlanta Farmer’s Markets on LILA Food Deserts

If you’re interested in adding more local food to your diet, Aglanta provides a list of options for free and reduced-price food access, paid access to food delivery, farmers markets that are open, and other ways you can get locally grown food into your fridge whether we are in a global pandemic or not.  

Meredith is GreenATLiens’ Foodie ATLien writing and reporting on all things sustainable food systems in Atlanta. She is an actor and a low-waster transplant originally from Cincinnati, OH. She will likely talk your ear off about locally grown food, carbon emissions, or animal welfare. But when she is not, she can be found hiking with her dog, kayaking, or riding her horse. Her latest obsession is the connection between growing your own food and the rich fertilizer that is manure. In short, she’s trying to grow tomatoes out of horse poop. She also does stand up comedy.

Fridays for Future #13 – Georgia to oppose offshore oil and gas exploration?

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The Georgia Senate is currently reviewing SR 88, a resolution sponsored by Sen. Lester Jackson (D-2) to oppose seismic testing and oil and gas drilling along Georgia’s coast. The resolution aims to protect Georgia’s fishing and coastal tourism industries, beaches and salt marshes, and marine wildlife through their opposition to offshore oil and gas exploration of Georgia’s coast (source).

There are a number of endangered and threatened species inhabiting the Georgia coastline that would benefit from the acceptance of SR 88 including the right whale, the humpback whale, the West Indian manatee, the loggerhead sea turtle, the green sea turtle, the leatherback sea turtle, the Hawksbill sea turtle, the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, the piping plover, and the wood stork (source).

10 Georgia Endangered & Threatened Species
to Benefit from Passage of SR 88 – Slideshow

  • Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle – endangered
  • Hawksbill sea turtle – endangered
  • Leatherback sea turtle – endangered
  • Green sea turtle – threatened
  • Loggerhead sea turtle – threatened
  • Wood stork – endangered
  • Piping plover – threatened
  • West Indian manatee – endangered
  • Humpback whale – endangered
  • Right whale – endangered

So too, would Georgia’s fishing and coastal tourism industries. The resolution itself states that Georgia’s fishing and coastal tourism sustain over 21,000 jobs annually and contribute over $1.1 billion to Georgia’s economy. Oil and gas drilling would place over 368,000 acres of salt marshes along Georgia’s coast at risk for irreparable harm to both local ecosystems as well as cornerstone industries of the Georgia state economy.

How You Can Support Resolution 88

Step 1: Identify your Georgia state senator

Were you here last week to contact your Senator about the plastic bag bill? If so, you probably already have your state senator’s contact info. If not, simply type in your address into OpenStates.org to identify your Georgia state senator.

Step 2: Contact them to voice your support

Whether you prefer leaving a voicemail or an email, we’ve got you covered. Feel free to add your own personal story to grab your state senator’s attention! Below are a sample voicemail script and email template for contacting your Georgia state senator:

Sample voicemail

Hello, my name is ________. I’m your Georgia constituent contacting you to vote YES on Georgia Senate Resolution 88. I have lived in ______ since ____ and I am a strong supporter of environmental conservation. As your constituent, I urge you to protect our environment as well as our economy from the dangers of the fossil fuel industry. Georgia’s coast is home to a number of threatened and endangered species as well as 21,000 coastal tourism and fisheries jobs. If something were to go wrong with oil and gas exploration off our coast, not only would fragile wildlife populations suffer, industries that contribute over $1.1bn to Georgia’s economy would suffer as well. Please vote YES on Resolution 88, thank you.

Sample email

Dear ____________,

My name is [first and last name] and I have lived in [area] for [amount of time}. I’m writing to voice my support for GA Senate Resolution 88. As your constituent, I urge you to protect our environment as well as our economy from the dangers of the fossil fuel industry. Georgia’s coast is home to a number of threatened and endangered species as well as 21,000 coastal tourism and fisheries jobs. If something were to go wrong with fossil fuel exploration off our coast, not only would fragile wildlife populations suffer, industries that contribute over $1.1bn to Georgia’s economy would suffer as well. Vote YES on Resolution 88. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[City, State, Zip]

Step 3: Share with others

You can share this post with its voicemail and email templates using the Facebook and Twitter share buttons below, or you can visit our Instagram page and share on the gram. Stay green, ATLiens!

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Fridays for Future #12 – Georgia Plastic Bag Ban

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The Earthlings of the Georgia Conservancy are monitoring the happenings of Georgia Senate Bill 280 – a proposal to “prohibit the distribution of plastic ‘grocery’ bags by retail stores to customers.” A number of other plastic bags and containers would be exempt from this legislation (source).

Plastic bag pollution doesn’t just threaten Georgia’s endangered and threatened marine life (see list of Georgia’s endangered species here), it also harms our more common wildlife, like this squirrel seen tangled in a plastic bag in Atlanta, obviously distressed that it can’t shake itself free:

Squirrel tangled in a plastic shopping
bag seen August 2019 in Atlanta, GA

And with a $66 billion tourism industry that sustains over 475,000 jobs, Georgia literally can’t afford to degrade its environment (source).

How You Can Support Bill 280

Step 1: Identify your Georgia state senator

Simply type in your address into OpenStates.org to identify your Georgia state senator.

Step 2: Contact them to voice your support

Whether you prefer leaving a voicemail or an email, we’ve got you covered with some sample language to use. Feel free to add some personal stories of your own to grab their attention! Below are a sample voicemail script and email template for contacting your Georgia state senator:

Sample voicemail

Hello, my name is ________ and I’m your Georgia constituent contacting you regarding Georgia Senate Bill 280. I have lived in ______ since ____ and I am a strong supporter of environmental conservation. I urge you to vote Yes on Senate Bill 280 to protect our environment and our wildlife from plastic bag pollution. Georgia is home to over 30 endangered species, many whose lives are threatened by plastic bag pollution in our state. Banning plastic grocery bags will benefit our state’s $66.2 billion tourism industry, which sustains over 475,000 jobs for Georgia residents. Thank you.

Sample email

Dear ____________,

My name is [first and last name] and I have lived in [area] for [amount of time}. I’m writing as your constituent to voice my support for GA SB 280. I strongly urge you to vote Yes on SB 280 to protect our environment and our wildlife from plastic bag pollution. Georgia is home to over 30 endangered species (source), many whose lives are threatened by plastic bag pollution in our state. Banning plastic grocery bags will benefit our state’s $66.2 billion tourism industry, which sustains over 475,000 jobs for Georgia residents (source). Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[City, State, Zip]

Step 3: Share with others

You can share this post with its voicemail and email templates using the Facebook and Twitter share buttons below, or you can visit our Instagram page and share on the gram. Stay green, ATLiens!

✌️
❤️
👽

Fridays for Future #11: Nighttime Closures of Edgewood Ave Block

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Happy #FridaysForFuture Green ATLiens!

image source: ThreadATL’s Facebook page


Wednesday, February 19th ATLiens are gathering to discuss the future of Edgewood Ave, specifically nighttime closures of a block of Edgewood Ave from Jackson to Boulevard to pedestrians-only on weekends. This would no doubt create a safer space and less stressful pedestrian experience for those who want to enjoy the local nightlife in Sweet Auburn.

How do you imagine nighttime closures would affect Atlanta’s future?

Less lives lost to traffic deaths?

More people choosing more climate-friendly modes of transport like walking, carpooling, and MARTA to get to Edgewood’s nightlife destinations?

Possibly other areas of Atlanta adopting a similar model based on the success of this experiment?

Head to the public meeting Wednesday to learn more! 📸: @threadatl 

✌️❤️👽

Fridays for Future #10: Food Deserts & Fresh Food Access

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The City of Atlanta 2020 Fresh Food Access Report just dropped this week. The report outlines how in the past five years the City has increased fresh food access for residents living in food deserts. By 2022, the City aims to reach 85% of Atlantans with fresh food access within a half mile of their homes. But first, some key terms….

Fresh food access points refers to supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, and farmer’s markets, and farmstands.

LILA stands for Low Income Low Access. Low income is defined in this case as areas where over half of residential household income is at or below 80% of the area’s median income. Low access is defined here as an area were at least a third of the population or more live more than a half mile from the nearest fresh food access point.

Food deserts are residential areas where there is not reasonable access to fresh and affordable food. The city of Atlanta defines that as areas where there is no fresh food access within a half mile of one’s home.

Then and Now

In 2015, 59% of the City of Atlanta’s total area were LILA food desert areas, with 52% of Atlanta residents affected (241,314 residents). How has the city improved fresh food access since then?

Supercenters

10 supercenters have opened in or near LILA areas since 2015, increasing fresh food access to 12,732 Atlantans living in LILA areas, or 5% of the total residents affected in 2015. All 10 supercenters accept SNAP.

Grocery Stores

44 grocery stores have opened in or near LILA areas since 2015, increasing fresh food access to 26,942 LILA-residing Atlantans. That’s 11% of the community affected by food deserts in 2015.

Neighborhood Markets

39 neighborhood markets have opened since 2015, just over half accept SNAP (what gives?). The expansion of neighborhood markets has provided fresh food access to 40,236 more Atlantans, or 17% of the residents originally affected by LILA food deserts in 2015.

Farmers Markets

19 farmers markets have opened in Atlanta since 2015, 68% accept SNAP/EBT. These farmers markets have increased fresh food access to 16,533 residents during half of the year, and 2,830 residents year-round

The Bottom Line

In five years, 96,443 Atlantans have gained proximity to fresh food access points for half of the year, 82,740 have gained access to fresh food year-round. Roughly 34-40% of the original affected population are better off in terms of food access than five years ago. To reach its ultimate goal, Atlanta will have to reach 70,000 more residents with fresh food access by 2022. Continuing at its current rate, averaging fresh food access gains of under 20K residents per year, Atlanta will have to push back its deadline to 2024 to reach 85% of Atlanta residents. But, the City has one more trick up its sleeve that might prevent a deadline pushback: urban agriculture. In the last page of the report the City identifies that by updating urban ag ordinances to allow on-site sales at urban farms, 32,714 residents would benefit and 17,579 residents would gain fresh food access from Atlanta’s 18 existing urban farms. Contact your city council member to voice your support for updating this ordinance!

Download the full report here:

freshfoodaccessreport_2020_final-Download

Stay green, ATLiens ✌️👽

Fridays for Future #9: The Buy Nothing Project

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Map of Buy Nothing groups in Atlanta, GA

Happy #FridaysforFuture, GreenATLiens! The map above shows the phenomenon that has been steadily gaining momentum in Atlanta, the Buy Nothing Project. These are neighborhood-based, “gifting economies” where we can ask our neighbors for what we need, give freely to our neighbors without expecting anything in return, and express gratitude. Every day people in Atlanta are giving and receiving with their neighbors through this platform. So why not you?

Some of Atlanta’s Buy Nothing groups have been around since 2015. Others are much newer, cropping up in 2018 and 2019. One of the newest Buy Nothing groups is located in West End, which just started December 2019!

How do you imagine participation in the Buy Nothing Project could shape the future of Atlanta? Click here to find your Buy Nothing group, or start your own if there isn’t already one in your area yet. Stay green, ATLiens!

✌️👽

Fridays for Future #8: PFAS Water Contamination

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Happy #FridaysForFuture GreenATLiens! The blue dots on the map above show PFAS “forever chemicals” detected in the drinking water. See any where you or your loved ones live?

PFAS can interfere with the body’s natural hormones, increase cholesterol levels, affect the immune system, and increase the risk of some cancers (source). A regular water filter won’t filter it out. So what can we do about it?

Click here to tell Congress to stop toxic PFAS manufacturing & start cleanup now.

To view the interactive map of PFAS contamination sites and to learn more about PFAS, click here.

Fridays for Future #7: Support City Council Legislation to Make the City Responsible for Sidewalk Repair

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Did you know that the City of Atlanta is not currently responsible for sidewalk repairs in Atlanta? Under current policy, the property owners adjacent to existing sidewalk are responsible for sidewalk maintenance. The policy is ill-enforced, which explains why so many sidewalks across Atlanta are in poor shape. But the future of walkability in Atlanta could be changing soon. City council member Farokhi tweeted Wednesday:

View the original tweet here.

2020 could be the year that Atlanta City Council takes back the City’s role in sidewalk repair and maintenance. More functional sidewalks will make Atlanta safer for seniors, wheelchair-bound residents, parents and caregivers equipped with strollers, residents walking their pets, and just about everyone else who might use a sidewalk to get from A to B in Atlanta.

The popular @atlanta_meme Instagram account frequently cracks jokes at Atlanta’s unbearable traffic. Perhaps if Atlanta sidewalks became safer and more functional, more ATLiens would choose to walk and bike to work. More walking and biking commutes mean less cars on the road, less traffic, less air pollution, and generally happier people.

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Above: Atlanta holiday wishlist from the @atlanta_meme, note “Helicopter to fly over traffic” and numerous other wishes to improve traffic conditions such as filling potholes and improving access to MARTA.

It’s important that we ATLiens raise our voices to support this legislation in order for it to be passed this year. This is not the first time this legislation has come to the city council floor. With engagement from the community, we could help make it the last.

Find your council member.

Sample message:

Dear ________,

My name is <name> and I live on <street> in <neighborhood>. I’ve lived here since <year> and intend to continue living in District <#> for the foreseeable future. I’m writing because I would like voice my strong support for passing legislation that will put the City of Atlanta in charge of sidewalk maintenance and repair.

<Write a sentence or two about your personal experience, or the experience of a family member, with the sidewalks in Atlanta>. I believe complete streets with safe sidewalks will encourage more Atlantans to walk instead of drive, reducing car traffic and air pollution in Atlanta. Thinning out motor vehicle traffic will promote improved public health outcomes by encouraging more active lifestyles, reducing stress for daily commuters, and even reducing asthma rates for Atlanta’s most vulnerable populations.

As your constituent, I strongly urge you to take action so that the City of Atlanta can begin improving mobility and livability for its residents as soon as possible.

Thank you,

<Your Name>

Stay green, ATLiens!

Learn more:

Fridays for Future #6: How will the Beltline Southside Trail affect Atlanta’s future?

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  • PC: The Atlanta Beltline

Happy #fridaysforfuture GreenATLiens! At the start of the New Year the @atlantabeltline continues construction of the Southside Trail, connecting the Eastside and Westside trails in a “U” shape. This ATLien observed while 🚲levitating🚲 down the BeltLine segment on Bill Kennedy that a new segment of BeltLine path has been completed since two weeks ago.

Newly constructed Beltline

What will a completed Southside Trail mean for Atlanta’s future?

Reduced traffic as more residents choose the BeltLine over driving to commute?

Increased property values, rent increases, displacement of low income families, and gentrification spreading Southward? The @atlantabeltline is aware of this possibility and will be providing a renter’s rights workshop 1/27 at @thekenekt to empower renters…

Opening of more grocery stores near the Southside BeltLine, furthering @keishabottoms’s vision of eliminating all food deserts in Atlanta by 2022?

The fight of a lifetime to preserve and create new affordable housing in Atlanta (that’s actually affordable)?

How do you envision the completed Southside trail will affect Atlanta’s future? What precautions can the @cityofatlantaga take to prevent the worst outcomes and encourage equity and inclusivity for all?

Learn more:

Atlanta Magazine. The future of the Atlanta Beltline: 4 benchmarks to watch for

Beltline Fourth Quarterly Briefing Slideshow: beltline-fourth-quarterly-briefing-2019-12-03-Download

Fridays for Future #5: EPA Will Begin Lead Decontamination of West Atlanta Soil in 2020

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What You Need to Know

After an Emory University team found unsafe concentrations of lead in Westside Atlanta’s soil, the EPA launched an investigation to test the soil of 368 Atlanta properties for lead contamination. Having received results for 124 properties, 64 were found to contain elevated levels of lead in the soil. The EPA has found lead contamination levels as high as 3,400 parts per million (ppm) in Atlanta, more than 800% the EPA threshold of 400 ppm. The EPA plans to begin decontaminating properties in the first quarter of 2020.

An estimated 160 families in West Atlanta grow food in personal gardens, making lead contamination of soil in the area especially concerning. The source of the lead is believed to have come predominantly from “slag” used to fill in low-lying areas over a century ago. $2 million will be spent over 12 months to restore the soil to meet EPA guidelines. Homes with children under age 6 and pregnant women will be given priority, as lead poisoning in children can have serious effects on cognitive and physiological development. Lead poisoning can also affect adults, contributing to high blood pressure, nerve and kidney damage, among other ailments.

West Atlanta has approximately 1,600 households and 4,000 residents. Roughly 42% of West Atlanta households are living below the federal poverty line. 45.5% of children under age five live below the federal poverty line in West Atlanta. Decontaminating lead from the soil in Atlanta’s westside is not only a public health issue, but an environmental justice issue.

What Can You Do?

Contact the EPA to get lead out of drinking water.

If you’re a CompostNow member, donate your compost to local urban agriculture initiatives active in West Atlanta, such as Aglanta or Soul Spirit Farmers. See the “Share Your Compost” button below. Compost helps to dilute lead levels and remediate soil health. If you’re not already a CompostNow member, try it for two weeks free.

Sources:

Miller, Andy. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Danger in the ground: Lead contaminates Westside Atlanta neighborhood. Dec 5, 2019.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Westside Lead Investigation. July 2019.