BRIDGE

ECO-urbaniteRyan discovers the city on his bike

GROWING powerrestructures the growth of Milwaukee

URBAN ecologya valuable resource for everyone

When I enrolled in MIAD’s Service Learning class, I was skeptical about the experience. My summer was getting really busy and spending thirty-five hours at a non-profit sounded exhausting. To my surprise, the time I spent at Growing Power was definitely

worthwhile. Don’t get me wrong, the work was exhausting, but being a part of something that is much bigger than any one individual, is exhilarating. Not only did I feel part of an organization that does a tremendous amount of good, I felt like I was finally becoming an active citizen of Milwaukee. I moved to Milwaukee last summer and I felt connected with the city right away, but I only connected to the community through MIAD, but Milwaukee has so much more to offer. Working at Growing Power, I got to talk with a lot of different people, from different cities, in different places in their life.

During one of my trips to Growing Power, I was assigned to work at the Maple Tree School Community Garden. Growing Power has put in seasonal effort, for years to make sure their community garden prospers. The team working on the garden was large, but the sun was really hot, which made working difficult. The CEO of Growing Power, Will Allen arrived to oversee and participate in the work. The arrival of Allen made me realize the importance and pressure involved in the timing and effective installation around our efforts. Besides funding from individuals and organizations, Growing Power’s progress is dependent on the seasons, weather conditions and a strong volunteer base, all of which, are highly subject to change.

It felt good to give a little bit back to an organization that works tirelessly for its community. Work is hard at Growing Power because they don’t take shortcuts. Their food is organically grown, which means much more work, at a higher cost. However I, like many others, believe in Will Allen’s initiative and we’re willing to get their hands dirty to see it succeed.

ECO-URBANITE by Ryan StrzokThis summer, Ryan experienced Milwaukee in a whole new way, by volunteering with the Urban Ecology Center.

GROWING POWER by Grace BlevinsA growing non-profit organization that provides much more than food to communities.

URBAN ECOLOGY by Chris WalkerThe Urban Ecology Center offers an innovative and effective learning environment for science education.

FOR MORE INFOon the Urban Ecology Center and Growing Power, look for a wrap up at the end of the corresponding feature articles.

02

“It is the workers at the organizations I volunteer for who confirm for me that environmentalism is not about trying to use less but about trying to be more.”

This quote by Colin Beavan, the author of No Impact Man, touches close to home because taking the service learning class forced me to get out of my shell and volunteer. It allowed me to volunteer for a cause that I find important, which is an environmental cause. With one of the most influential environmentalists saying that the best way to change the way the earth, is to volunteer your time and passion to an organization. It definitely puts a giant smile on my face when I volunteer. I chose to volunteer my time and energy to the Milwaukee Urban Ecology Centers at both the Riverside and Washington Park

location. Living on my own in Milwaukee has encouraged me to develop certain ideals in my lifestyle. I want to begin my journey as this sort of eco urbanite. Creating an urban homestead catered towards my ideals on environmentalism. My ideas are a bit more extreme than simply, “being green.” I want my journey of becoming environmentally active to stretch into the ideas of minimalist living, living off the grid, and acting outside of conformity. Service learning has connected me to my community in a way I never thought I would. Volunteering at the Urban Ecology Centers opened me up to the idea of living a more self-sustained life.

During the early years of living in Milwaukee and biking down the bike path, I would cruise by a towering rock climbing wall, adjacent to a sleek solar powered building. I never knew

03 MIAD BRIDGE 2011

I want to begin my journey

as this sort of eco urbanite. Creating an

urban homestead catered towards my

ideals on environmentalism.

-Ryan Strzok

what it was until I visited with my service learning class. During the visit I realized my need to get involved with the organization. The congregation of people there who shared similar viewpoints to mine truly sparked my interest. It’s a sort of vessel to meet people and to get better acquainted with the environment and living off the grid. The UEC (Urban Ecology Center) mission statement revolves around the idea of creating ecological empathy and using it as a tool for change. They also focus on providing an educational science service for Milwaukee youth, protecting and enhancing the flourishing Milwaukee natural areas, building a community around volunteering, stewardship, recreation, and camaraderie, and finally the teachings of environmentally responsible behavior. The types of services they offer are: Neighborhood environmental education project which supply existing K-12 science courses with more hands on experiences, urban adventures that get people active, field research, summer day camps, lectures, workshops, discussions, stewardships, internships, and so forth.2

Riverside Park has been around for quite sometime and was once a flourishing attraction to the residents of Milwaukee County and travelers. Activities such as swimming, boating, skiing, and ice-skating were very common in the early 1900’s. As the river became more and more polluted due to the growing industrial powers of Milwaukee the river became less active. It wasn’t until 1991 when Dr. Else Ankel started the revolution to revitalize the Riverside Park system. Twenty years later it has morphed into a keystone of Milwaukee culture and community building. There are now two locations Riverside on the East side of Milwaukee off of Oakland and the other, Washington Park, is on 40th and Lisbon.

Although the two centers are correlated because they are involved with the same organization they also have noticeable differences. Riverside has a native Wisconsin animal room, river system tanks, a slide, a giant puzzle, crayfish tank, camouflaged classroom, observation tower with a rock climbing wall, and a sustainable building exhibit. Washington Park on doesn’t have nearly the same amount of features. With Washington Park being recently created in 2004, located in a supposed rough area of the city. The differences in the two locations are visible.

04

ECO-URBANITEby Ryan Strzokedited by Grace Blevins

Ryan Strzok made a commitment this summer to bike more, which makes him feel more engaged with Milwaukee’s landscape and community.(Images by Grace Blevins)

Biking and mass transit

transforms our living

spaces. We get out of the

isolation of cars and meet

face to face on the streets.

HARVESTING RAINWATER

GROW YOUR OWN CROPS

GENERATE YOUR OWN POWER

TRANSPORTATIONWASTE MANAGEMENT

Creating a food source is extremely important in developing an urban homestead. The first step is to begin composting. An old tire is a good container to compost in. Worms will consume vegetables, fruits, coffee grounds, tea bags, plain pasta, and cooked grains. Ground up eggshell is also a good material, the worms need the calcium for their breeding process. Keeping the scraps underneath moist shredded newspaper detracts from flies. After you developed rich compost for healthy soil you should create a raised bed, which is essential to growing your own crops. It increases crop yield, retains water and is easier to weed and maintain.

Radical Climate changes have created water shortages in many parts of the world.4 Just like plastic and paper, water can also be recycled. It can be put to better use than just being put down the drain and emptied into the sewers. Gutters are a good example of how run off can be redirected towards gardens or water basins to better harvest rain water. There are mulch basins that are good for dealing with floodwater or washing machine water. Mulch basins are shallow trenches with raised walls that are filled with woodchips. They hold large amounts of water resulting in a good soaking of the soil. Similarly, rain barrels can utilize water for many things, such as showering or even, if properly treated, drinking water. 4

Managing fecal matter in a way, which is separate from a traditional toilet is a curiosity to me. I learned about composting toliets, which are, "well ventilated container[s] with diverse microbes that break down and create a dry, fluffy, and odorless compost"3

This compost can be then put into your compost pile creating a completely renewable resource. I believe using human waste as a renewable source can benefit the earth in many different ways.

For a person living off the grid, transportation can revolve around these four principles: The journey is the journey which means that our mode of transportation shouldn’t be a stressful one but should promote joy and commuting as a recreational activity.Your main source of transportation should be low-tech. You should be able to be fix your transportation method and not need to rely on some specialist that has to import parts from over seas. The bicycle is elegant and simple. Lastly, your transportation method should allow you to receive exercise throughout your day. You save time with exercising while commuting while enjoying a real life experience, instead of having to go to the gym and run on a treadmill.

How I impact the earth

really started to get

serious when I began to

bicycle everywhere

around the city.

I hope one day I will be able to live off the grid when it comes to solar power. Photovoltaic

panels have the ability to convert the light coming from the sun into electricity. They come in all sorts of shapes from small to multiple panels that can run a whole house. There are off-grid and grid-tied options when it comes to using solar energy. Off-grid means you are completely independent from electrical companies. The more common practice is keeping a contract with your electrical company but running your house on solar power during the day. The more energy your solar panel generates, the less you use, the less you will spend and eventually leads to the electrical company paying you. During the evening hours, you rely on the company to deliver electricity. There are many options when investing in solar panels. PV panels are becoming more integrated in society and less expensive due to low cost manufacturing in China.

The Washington Park section of the UEC’s website states: “Washington Park is surrounded by a community of people looking to revitalize their neighborhood park, preserving it from crime and neglect.”2 The Riverside section does not state anything about ridding the area of crime. When volunteering at Washington Park I was surprised to see the state it was in and concluded that they need a lot of volunteers because of their location. It made me think to of the history of Riverside and how the UEC was an attempt to rid the area of the crimes and rejuvenate the community around it. It is clear that Washington Park is trying to acheive the same thing, which is very exciting to see because it too, is going to become a place that is less crime ridden, a strong community, and more diverse. It definitely needs the funding and the amenities that Riverside has to become that place.

Funding is a topic that is important when discussing the UEC’s because they are a non-profit organization. Their financial base is created by the donations from friends, program fees, grants, and annual fund raising events like the, Summer Solstice Soiree. Donations go towards things such as providing a membership for a low-income family, supporting a high school summer intern, and sponsoring a inner city school that will fund 24 field trips. The UECs have a wonderful staff on hand, at both locations, who are there to teach and get people involved. Riverside has a much larger staff than Washington Park. There are over 250 active volunteers. There seems to be a pretty steady flow at Riverside, but at Washington Park there are only a few. They’re always in need for constant volunteers.

The Urban Ecology centers sparked my interest in the idea of living off the grid and creating a more sustainable way of living. I biked to the Milwaukee Library and utilized my local community resource and looked up green living solutions. Three books that peaked my interest were No Impact Man, The Urban Homestead, and Living Off the Grid. Each discusses a new way of looking at ones consumption of energy and the idea of living off the grid. Key topics I found to be important while on my journey to sustainable ways of life were the 5 essential projects proposed by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen in their book, The Urban Homestead: Growing a food source, harvesting water,

ECO-URBANITE

obtaining power, dealing with human waste, and transportation.3

I feel, out of the vast majority of topics on sustainable living, these are some of the toughest and biggest ideas to grasp.

I was interested in the issues dealing with transportation because I would say that my methods of transportations are most certainly off the grid. My thoughts on how I impact the earth really started to stem and get serious when I began to bicycle everywhere around the city. The shape I am in and the connections I feel to my neighborhood spark a serious interest in other ways I can begin to live off the grid. Biking and mass transit transforms our living spaces. We get out of the isolation of cars and meet face to face on the streets. Guy Debord stated, “traffic circulation is the organization of universal isolation. In this regard, it constitutes the major problem of modern cities. It is the opposite of encounter, it absorbs the energies that could otherwise be devoted to encounters or to any sort of participation.” 4 Guy Debord is a huge influence on my thoughts when it comes to ideas on society. He was a Situationist, which was a group of people who attempted to have directly lived experience outside of the spectacles of society.

For a person living off the grid, transportation can revolve around these four principles: The journey is the journey which means that our mode of transportation shouldn’t be a stressful one but should promote joy and commuting as a recreational activity. The activity should be low-tech, your main source of getting around should be able to be fixed by you and not taken to some specialist that has to import parts from over seas. The bicycle is elegant and simple, allowing for its rider to master its every part. The third principle is transportation as exercise. Who

08

The journey is the journey,

which means that our mode

of transportation shouldn’t

be a stressful one but should

promote joy and commuting as

a recreational activity.

How I impact the earth

really started to get

serious when I began to

bicycle everywhere

around the city.

The Urban Ecology Centers have

opened me up to the community of

Milwaukee as a whole. It has made me

closer to the people here and the

causes they support.

ECO-URBANITE

10

would of ever thought? Crazy! The detrimental effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes can be directly correlated with the amount of time people spend in cars. You save time with exercising while commuting while enjoying a real life experience, instead of having to go to the gym and run on a treadmill. Walking is also another transit choice that promotes living off the grid. Walking allows you to meet your neighbors, actually feel the transitions of the seasons, and get in touch with the world around you. I am glad to see how many of my transportation decisions are aligned with that of a person who lives off the grid.

For some these are huge life style changes but they are worth it in the end. Becoming self sufficient will allow for communities and the world to be more self sustained and less reliable on resources coming from thousands of miles away. Significant changes would result in fewer pollutants, stronger communities, healthier people, and a better world. Working at the Urban Ecology Center has taught me how to live up to these standards.

Before working at the UEC I didn’t know what to expect. My preconceptions were that it was just another nature park. Once actually experiencing it fully, it was much more than that. It turned out to be extremely engaging. The center brings the community together in many different and surprising ways. Overall, the Urban Ecology Centers have opened me up to the community of Milwaukee as a whole. It has made me closer to the people here and the causes they support. My service learning class took me out of the typical classroom and put me into real life experiences with people who taught me real tangible things.

1. Beavan, Colin. No Impact Man. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009. Print.

2. Welcome to the Urban Ecology Center! Web. July 2011. <http://www.urbanecologycenter.org>.

3. Black, David S. Living off the Grid: a Simple Guide to Creating and Maintaining a Self-reliant Supply of Energy, Water, Shelter, and More. New York: Skyhorse Pub., 2008. Print.

4. Coyne, Kelly, and Erik Knutzen. The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City. Port Townsend, WA: Process Media, 2010. Print.

GROWING POWERby Grace Blevins

“I think ahead to a new economy that is good for all the people. And I feel this process of renewal is going to begin with the most important thing in our lives: food.”

- Will Allen, Farmer, Founder and CEO of Growing Power

In the midst of one of the worst economic periods, the organization Growing Power offers solutions to the many deep-rooted problems, which exist in Milwaukee and Chicago. Distinguishable lack of nutritious, affordable food sources in low-income areas or food deserts. These problems exist in our industrialized food system, that has developed from a structurally racist system, which disables low-income communities of color: “The store at Growing Power’s Milwaukee farm is the only place for miles around that carries fresh produce, free-range eggs, grass-fed beef, and homegrown honey.” 1 With new job programs, sustainable, organic practices and providing and establishing healthy food options in necessary areas, Growing Power is pulling communities out of desperate circumstances in a decisive and structural way.

KNOWLEDGE

Growing Power originally began as a youth program, which gave teenagers an opportunity to work at Will Allen’s store, work in the greenhouses and grow food for their community, in the North side of Milwaukee. Growing Power has expanded it’s operations considerably, but the focus on being an agricultural education source in the community has not changed. “At Growing Power, we believe that the farm is an educational lab.” 2 Educational skills range from topics in urban planning, sustainable growth, effective soil, food distribution, marketing and community engagement. Growing Power still has youth programs in Milwaukee and Chicago, which allows 10-18 year old kids the opportunity to learn basic agriculture and develop leadership skills. Similarly, the organization has partnered with U.S. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, to support “Los Cultivadores de Paz” Growers of Peace Community Garden, summer program located in Milwaukee’s predominantly Latino Southside. The main initiatives are soil remediation, removing lead from the soil and nutrition education. Growing Power has also partnered

with numerous Milwaukee school garden projects: the garden and school-wide composting initiative at University School of Milwaukee. The schools composts lunch waste, which is used in their plant beds and the plants grown in the garden are prepared in USM’s kitchen. Growing Power also works with Urban Day School, a UWM charter school, which educates children from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. The school incorporates lessons

from their summer school curriculum to coincide with the work in the garden. The garden represents the students choice of ingredients commonly found in Latino cuisine: tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and onions. In partnership with the Milwaukee Public School system, Growing Power has procured locally grown food for an Milwaukee’s elementary schools.

COMMUNITY

Apart from the necessity of the valuable education that these partnerships provides, the two-acre urban farm also provides a nutritious food source for many communities that lack access to wholesome food. Growing Power’s Food Center is located in, “a part of the city devoid of full-service grocery stores but lined with fast-food joints, liquor stores, and convenience stores selling mostly soda and sweets.” 1 This is a crucial issue that Growing Power has become dedicated to addressing in Milwaukee and Chicago. The Center is used as a venue for learning sustainable growing practices and selling fresh produce, meats and Growing Power’s compost mixture. The organization also sells its

12

products to local Milwaukee vendors such as, Beans and Barley, Comet Cafe and The Riverwest Co-Op.

In Chicago, Growing Power provides produce to high-rated restaurants such as, The Publican and Blackbird, known for their innovative, local cuisine. Growing Power supplements its own products with food from the Rainbow Farming Cooperative, which Allen started at the same time as Growing Power. The cooperative is made up of about 300 family farms in Wisconsin, Michigan, Northern Illinois, and the South. One valuable service that Growing Power provides to Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee communities is The Farm-to-City Market Basket, a community supported agriculture distribution program. A week’s worth of 12-15 varieties of produce costs $16, a very reasonable price for organic, local produce. “Each Friday, Growing Power delivers 275–350 Market Baskets of food to more than 20 agencies, community centers, and other sites around Milwaukee for distribution.” 1 This service addresses the need for wide distribution of fresh produce, the program supports communities that require more availability of fresh food. Growing Power has partnered with the Freedom Now! Collaborative to manage the Milwaukee Southside Mitchell Street Farmers Market.

SUSTAINABILITY

“Since 1993, Allen has focused on developing Growing Power’s urban agriculture project, which grows vegetables and fruit in its greenhouses, raises goats, ducks, bees, turkeys, and—in an aquaponics system designed by Allen—tilapia and Great Lakes Perch—altogether, 159 varieties of food.” 1 Growing Power’s organic growth practices are in and of itself, a huge accomplishment of the organization. Growing Power does not use any synthetic chemicals— fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides—on any of their crops. They hand pick weeds, control pests with beneficial insects such as ladybugs and use foliar compost tea to help control pest and bacteria problems. Organic growing practices greatly increases the amount of labor needed in the organization. From brewery waste to cafeteria waste, Growing Power diverted over 20 million pounds of food waste from landfills, by composting materials provided by Milwaukee store-owners, such as Alterra Coffee and Lakefront Brewery. The urban farm is powered through 30 solar panel cells, which offsets energy consumption. Along with organic farming practices, Growing Power also pursues Anaerobic Digestion, the process of micro-organisms breaking down compost, as a

13 MIAD BRIDGE 2011

14

GROWING POWER

energy source. The nutrient-rich end product of the process is used as a fertilizer. The organization’s “close-loop” ecological approach allows for the clean up of contaminants in the soil, the decomposition of food waste, and effective fertilizer, rather than using pesticides.

PRIDE

Growing Power further developed its partnership with the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board to support a year-long job training program for 25 youths. In a partnership with the City of Milwaukee, Growing Power has been tasked with creating 150 full-time jobs for low-income city residents. Growing Power’s jobs program was the first plan to receive support from the city’s African-American Unemployment Task Force. The plan is to hire and train employees while installing 150 hoop houses, which are inexpensive greenhouses. Allen addresses the resounding effects the new program will have on these neighborhoods: “This new jobs program will provide fresh fruits and vegetables in neighborhoods that often lack a single healthy option—and will serve as an example to other cities of how a local food system can be remodeled to create jobs and

heal communities.”2 Through workshops, community outreach, job creation, food services, endless partnerships and their involvement in advocacy groups, Growing Power has become more like a movement than a single organization.

MOVEMENT

Growing Power actively works on policy initiatives regarding agriculture such as The Chicago Food Policy Council, Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative, Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, all initiatives which support increasing the locally grown food production, empowering low-income communities through sustainable practices. The founder of Growing Power, Will Allen, also works on The Growing Food and Justice For All Initiative, which works to break down the denial of wholesome food to African-American and Latino neighborhoods. “One of our four strategic goals is to dismantle racism in the food system. Just as there is redlining in lending, there is redlining by grocery stores, denying access to people of color by staying out of minority communities.” 2

Growing Power is helping set up five projects in impoverished areas across the United States, including training centers in Forest City, Arkansas; Lancaster, Massachusetts; and Shelby and Mound Bayou and Mississippi. Allen’s daughter, Erika Allen runs the largest Growing Power model in the Cabrini-Green public housing project.

The USDA, passed the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act encourages schools to partner with farms as a way to get more healthy, locally-grown food during lunchtime. It wasn’t until a couple of months ago, however, that the USDA mapped the location of food deserts, which were identified by population, income demographics from the census and directories of food vendors. First Lady Michelle Obama has draw a lot of attention to the issue, which she has made a centerpiece of her campaign against childhood obesity. In her Let’s Move! Campaign site describes the current childhood obesity epidemic: “Today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese.”3 The consumption of

unhealthy food and living habits has resulted in more diabetes, chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. Obama’s initiative is built upon by Walgreen’s new pledge to build up to 300 stores in food deserts by 2016. Walgreen’s also agreed to create a Nutrition Charter, an initiative that proposes a number of changes by Walmart to offer more nutritious food products, lower the cost of healthy foods, and provide consumers with better information about healthy food options. A healthier population requires effort on behalf of consumers, by parents, government, schools, retailers and the community. This is why providing education to the community about healthier, local eating practices is such a valuable service that Growing Power provides.

1. Bybee, Roger. “Food Justice in the City: Will Allen Takes on an Urban Food Desert.” Editorial. Yes! Powerful Idea, Practical Actions 13 Feb. 2009. YES! Magazine 2014.

2. Growing Power. Growing Power. Web. 01 Aug. 2011. <www.growingpower.org/>.

3. Mulligan, Jaime. “Learn The Facts.” Let’s Move!: America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids. United States Department of Agriculture.

15 MIAD BRIDGE 2011

GROWING POWER

Through the creation of youth programs and school community gardens, Growing Power provides sustainable growth education to Milwaukee and Chicago youth. Many of Milwaukee’s organic food sources

such as Comet Cafe, The Riverwest Co-Op, Beans and Barley and multiple Farmer’s Markets sell Growing Power’s produce.

Growing Power provides jobs for the community. In a partnership with the City of Milwaukee, Growing Power has been tasked to create up to 150 full-time jobs for low-income city residents.

Illustration by Sarah Rasmussen

Growing Power diverted over 20 million pounds of food waste from landfills, with composting materials provided by Milwaukee store-owners, such as Alterra Coffee and Lakefront Brewery.

16

The Urban Ecology Center is a non-profit organization based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With locations in two of the city’s most abundant green spaces, Riverside Park and Washington Park, the UEC offers its programs and facilities to everyone. From schools and teachers to children and adults, the Urban Ecology Center fosters and generates environmental education, as well as land conservation and preservation, and sustainable living.

During the 1980s, crime in Riverside Park was a considerably large contributor to the overall crime rate in the city of Milwaukee. Residents of the Riverside park area did not feel safe, so they began contemplating ways to make the area more secure for its’ inhabitants. Volunteers soon set up a trailer next to Riverside High School to promote environmental education for children. Classes from the school started taking field trips to this temporarily established facility, and the drop in crime rate became apparent. From there, educational interest continued to grow; and there was a discernable need for a larger facility. 2

In addition to grants, fundraisers, and program and membership fees, the Urban Ecology Center receives a large amount of its funding through donations. This funding allows the UEC to implement all of the exciting and educational programs they have to offer. A few of these programs include, but are not limited to, various outdoor excursions, summer day camps, environmental research and science projects, as well as a variety of lectures and workshops. Through these programs, the Urban Ecology center is able to continually encourage environmental awareness for the public of Milwaukee and its surrounding regions.

Originally established in 1991, the UEC has since grown to encompass approximately 40 employees year-round and nearly 80 during the summer months—due to summer interns. In addition to their growing number of employees, the Urban Ecology Center has almost 400 volunteers in their computer system, though not all of them are currently active.2 This extremely large number of volunteers allows the UEC to develop and maintain their vast number of eco-friendly projects and programs.

The Urban Ecology Center has a clear and concise mission statement, which is carried out by all of the wonderful individuals

who are a part of its large family. The Urban Ecology Center fosters ecological understanding as inspiration for change, neighborhood by neighborhood. The Urban Ecology’s Community Centers:

• Provide outdoor science education for urban youth.• Protect and use public natural areas, making them safe,

accessible, and vibrant.• Preserve and enhance these natural areas and their

surrounding waters.• Promote community by offering resources that support

learning, volunteerism, stewardship, recreation, and camaraderie.

• Practice and model environmentally responsible behaviors.In essence, the Urban Ecology Center contracts with

schools within a 2-mile radius, and allows those schools a certain number of fieldtrips each year. On those fieldtrips, students are given continual exposure to the environment and one of the UEC’s environmental mentors (Jones). In today’s society, it is quickly becoming clear that conventional classroom settings do not work effectively for every student. Sometimes traditional instruction, such as lecturing, is the most practical approach to covering broad content. But when students learn through a problem or project-based approach—a key strategy in environment-based education—they gain a better understanding of what they learn, they retain it longer, and they take charge of their own learning. These skills are key for success in our data-driven, rapidly changing world.This hands-on experience leads to solidity in understanding through personal realizations during problem solving situations, rather than addressing students in

URBAN ECOLOGY

by Chris Walkeredited by Grace Blevins

18

When students learn through

a problem or project-based

approach...they gain a better

understanding of what they

learn, they retain it longer,

and they take charge of their

own learning.

19

The Urban Ecology Center is a resource for learning about sustainable building materials. In their Sustainable Materials Library, companies can learn about unique and eco-friendly materials from cork tile, recycled rubber roofing, bamboo window treatments and recycled carpeting.

a classroom setting. This hands-on experience is a valuable element of education that reinforces learning through tactile, rather than hypothetical processes.

The environmental education industry is still young in terms of its development, as compared to more formal academic disciplines. An environmental educator, simply put, is a teacher. But it’s a career that encompasses a wide range of opportunities. Environmental educators work as teachers and professors in traditional classrooms. Other work in outdoor education as naturalists and guides at nature centers, zoos, aquariums, summer education programs, and youth camps. Environmental educators also work as public information specialists for government agencies and environmental advocacy organizations. 1

The informal quality of the Environmental education industry makes way for relaxed learning environments. Children benefit highly from environments of this nature. Students are forced to learn subjects through synthetic means in a conventional classroom; natural progression of knowledge fosters specific interest in each student. Concentration and awareness directly result from this progression of knowledge. Within academics, heightened interest leads to concentration and awareness. This is due to the fact that students are willing to devote a substantial amount of time to subjects they are interested in, as opposed to subjects they find boring:

“Children have a natural interest in the environment around them. Interested students are motivated students, and motivation is a key ingredient for academic achievement.”2

Self-motivation is a product of natural growth. Compared to institutional organization, self-motivation is a driving force that allows individuals to accomplish goals that are set on his or her own terms. Environmental education for children at a young

21 MIAD BRIDGE 2011

age fosters environmental awareness for life. Additionally, this education encourages development of practical skills, as well as heightened social awareness. Not only are these factors beneficial for the development of a young child, but they also assists in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

Access to the facilities and programs provided by the Urban Ecology center is truly a gift that has been bestowed upon the Milwaukee area. Prior to the start of the Service Learning class, I had heard of the UEC, but I was unaware of its importance. Upon our tour there during the second week of class, I was immediately drawn to everything about the Urban Ecology Center—the mission, the staff, the facility—I felt as though I would fit right in; and I did.

Initially unfamiliar with the Urban Ecology Center, I had very little preconceived notions, prior to my start as a volunteer. My primary job at the UEC was acting as assistant camp counselor, assisting the full time counselors with any necessary tasks. Additionally, I helped with the painting of a room and sending out monthly newsletters.

From the multitude of summer day camps, various land stewardship programs, and genuinely welcoming staff (both employee and volunteer), I would say that the Urban Ecology Center does a superb job following through with its mission. However, the organization could always use more funding to help carry out any additional programs that they may have in mind. Having spent 35+ hours volunteering at the Urban Ecology Center in the past 8 weeks, I can honestly say it has been a life changing experience; an experience I will hold in high esteem for the rest of my life.

1. “Urban Ecology Center Mission Statement.” Welcome to the Urban Ecology Center! Web. 29 July 2011. <http://www.urbanecologycenter.org/mission_statement.html>

2. Quintana, Debra. 100 Jobs in the Environment. New York, NY: Macmillan, USA, 1996.164–165. Print.

3. Benefits of Environmental Education. National Environmental Education Foundation. PDF.

4. Hutchison, David. Growing up Green: Education for Ecological Renewal. New York: Teachers College, 1998. Print.

Environmental education

for children at a young

age fosters environmental

awareness for life.

Urban Ecology Center educates by example, from worm composting, sustainable building materials and water collection system, the center demonstrates that sustainable living is possible.

Urban Ecology Center rents kayaks, bikes, camping equipment, canoes, fishing poles, snow-shoes, cross-country skis, sleds and gardening tools. Student membership is only $12 for a year subscription.

Urban Ecology Center develops thorough research of land and species conservation and preservation to protect and promote Milwaukee’s ecosystem.

Illustration by Sarah Rasmussen

By providing resources for the Milwaukee food movement, such as community gardens along with cooking classes, lectures and potluck dinners, Urban Ecology Center promotes healthy eating and sustainably grown food in the community.

22

Collaborators, Contributors &Special Thanks to:

Sarah RasmussenRyan StrzokChris WalkerNate PyperShawn SimmonsChristiane Grauert Julia KirchnerGrowing PowerUrban Ecology Centers