Connecting Communities: Kalamazoo Earth Day

Reforest Vine can install a curb garden in one day. Mitch Lettow fills us in on the process and how these tiny gardens impact biodiversity and habitat availability for the smallest creatures.

Stop by the Kalamazoo Valley Museum for an early season tour of their rain gardens. These gardens help keep storm water drains clean, as well as help to keep flood-prone spaces from getting soggy.

Every year, Charlie's P.L.A.C.E. and the Rotary conduct big clean ups in Kalamazoo's Douglass neighborhood and on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail.

The Edison neighborhood got together for Earth Day to tackle a large dumping site and to plant trees in the space.

Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, and Wild Ones lead us on a Signs of Spring tour for Earth Day in Upjohn Park. Connecting Communities presents a pod short showcasing the presenters as they discussed the natural habitat of the park with participants of the walk.

Connecting Communities pod short with Mike List, a representative of the Edison Resident Scholars group discussing the cleanup on Earth Day at the Literacy Lane and Albert White Literacy Trail.

The first Fun Run hosted by the Winchell and Oakwood neighborhoods to celebrate Earth Day, and Connecting Communities was there to find out all about it!

Edison neighborhood had a seed planting event and Vine did their annual clean up and celebration in the park.

Children's Nature Playscape has a really fun and engaging Family Fun Day each year to celebrate Earth Day! Meet Nature Nate and Daphne Len Ben (author of Queenie Saves the World).

Ian Stewart joins us on the pod to talk about his trash picking project. This guy went from zero experience to being "passionate about picking up trash." He has accomplished some amazing projects and is definitely shaking things up in Kalamazoo's waste world.

We joined Michigan Waterway Stewards to tackle invasive brush and cleanup trash at two of Kalamazoo's parks along the river, Mayor Riverfront and Verburg Parks. Volunteers were lead by team leads to identify and remove invasive species. The Michigan Waterway Stewards will lead a fall event to continue the project at both parks for further restoration.

The Connecting Communities pod spoke with Building Blocks representatives and neighbors as they worked together on neighborhood cleanups across the city.

Kicking off the Earth Day festivities was a clean up at a lot behind Aldi, on Gull Road. The lot had been used by individuals who were living behind the building. When they left, they were unable to clean the space. TrashLoveKzoo took on the challenge and invited the community to join them!

Jerico is more than just a collection of buildings or businesses in the Edison neighborhood. Jerico is an idea and a way of being. Jerico is an invitation for innovators to create together. When an entrepreneur is looking for something that sounds like office space, but feels like community, they are probably looking for Jerico. If you think that this sounds like I am making silly platitudes to so...

With dozens of programs, there is something for everyone at the Portage District Library! Three librarians join us to share a FEW of the ways you can get involved. It's hard to even write a synopsis at this moment because a list of the programs discussed would be too much. Just do yourself a favor and listen to the show! You will feel inspired and motivated to go see what's happening at Portage Di...

How can changing the way we pay for healthcare improve our communities? Bill Farmer is a longtime organizer and activist for workers’s rights. In this episode, he speaks to the overwhelming burden that our current healthcare (or sick-care) system puts on everyone involved. The proposed plan would do more to support health, and spread wealth to all of Michigan’s residents. Do you know about the ben...

The rain gardens in the middle of downtown Kalamazoo provide an important service to residents in Kalamazoo County. Tyler Sweet and Megan Osetek, staff at the museum, have joined us to talk about the process of building the gardens, as well share the why behind them. They offer a compelling argument for listeners about why we should be installing more of these low maintenance water filtration syst...

Hristina Petrovska and Rachel Bair explain the community classes offered at the VallyHUB, including the esteemed Honorable Harvest Lecture Series. This education center is accessible for lifelong learning, without the need to work towards a degree. https://valleyhub.kvcc.edu/events

Some of the members of the Connecting Communities podcast get together to reflect on their favorite guests and conversations from the first 50 episodes of the show.

Kalamazoo River Watershed Council joins us to reflect on their Kalamazoo River Youth Experience Program that took place over the summer. Representatives from two participating organizations - El Concilio and Kalamazoo Youth Development Network - are also present for the conversation. Doug and Bela share why taking young people on kayaking trips can change the way they look at the river and the env...

Tyler Walker, Outreach and Engagement Specialist for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan, joins us to discuss the impact of intergenerational relationships in our community. With Big Brother Big Sister, community members have resources to foster positive relationships that help youth expand their support network. Tyler discusses the positive outcomes for youth and the community overall.

CoHosts David Beans & Joe Byars Guest: Ryan Smith Power to the People! Worker’s rights! Is that too idealistic? Does it sound too good to be true? The Southwest Michigan Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are an organization that works toward a more democratic and equal world. For anyone who is frustrated by the economic, or political status quo, the DSA provides a space to unite and work...

Dr. Turnera Croom is a mobile veterinarian with a heart as big as her medical bag. She goes where her patients need her most, breaking down barriers between pet care and community healing. From providing tender, dignified support during a pet's final moments to offering holistic, chemical-free healthcare solutions, Dr. Croom represents a new breed of veterinary professional who sees each animal as...

Students combining research and service KAMSC Earthlings - Kate Risley and Sophia Barnard Hosts: Patrick Hershberger and Joe Byars When Kate Risley and Sophia Barnard were juniors at the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center (KAMSC), they had ambition to expand their environmental club (Earthlings). They join us to discuss their work in community organizing for service, as well as environmental r...

Chris Broadbent and Justin Gish spend most of their days considering the potential treasure to be unlocked from people's trash. During this episode they will explain the process of waste when it is reborn - through compost and recycling. Kalamazoo is lucky to have a structure for recycling and compost that is supported by the city government. Justin and Chris are passionate about waste and have vi...