Programs

Since 1992, Bridging The Gap has encouraged individuals, businesses and communities to “go green” by becoming more aware of how their actions affect the environment. “Going green” is a social and political movement championing global environmental protection, regional sustainability and social responsibility. “Green” is shorthand for sustainability—living in a way that ensures that future generations will have the resources they need. Each of our programs and affiliates contributes a unique part towards supporting sustainability in Kansas City, including recycling, reducing air, water and soil pollution, conserving natural resources by reducing waste, protecting natural species and more.

For more information, choose a category:

  • By-Product Synergy - By-Product Synergy develops relationships between businesses and government agencies to facilitate waste reduction; waste from one industry becomes the raw material for another. Currently, 95 percent of resources going into manufacturing facilities become waste products.
  • Clean Commute - Clean Commute at UMKC fosters alternative commuting, with an emphasis on bicycles, for the students and employees of University of Missouri, Kansas City. Reducing our dependence on single-person vehicle commuting in our region is a key to sustainability.
  • EarthWalk  - By walking and raising money for EarthWalk, you directly support environmental education and awareness in Kansas City.
  • Environmental Excellence Awards - Environmental Excellence Awards honor the work of people who strive to make our planet a better place to live.
  • Environmental Excellence Business Network - The Environmental Excellence Business Network acts as a networking and educational resource for businesses to reduce their emissions and other environmental impacts throughout greater Kansas City.
  • Five Green Things - Five Green Things is an outreach program including an interactive website and staff or volunteer speakers, suggesting a clear set of “green” actions, reducing confusion and making “going green” easy and attainable—while saving more than 4,000 pounds of unnecessary carbon emissions, just with the first five “things.”
  • Heartland Tree Alliance - Heartland Tree Alliance engages citizens of the greater Kansas City region to take action and advocate for a healthy community forest. Trees play a crucial role in the environment, absorbing some of our excess carbon dioxide emissions, air and water toxins, and keeping the city cool with their shade.
  • Kansas City WildLands - Kansas City WildLands works to conserve, protect and restore 11 of the remaining natural communities untouched by development in the Kansas City region by removing invasive plant species, re-seeding and planting native plant species and more.
  • Keep Kansas City Beautiful - Keep Kansas City Beautiful (KKCB) involves citizens, businesses and governments in creating a cleaner, more beautiful Kansas City. KKCB provides neighborhood leaders with education, planning support, tools, supplies , volunteers and publicity for clean-up and beautification projects.
  • Rain Barrels - Learn to build your own rain barrel to reduce your water bill and water pollution; stormwater runoff is a leading type of residential water pollution.
  • Shadowcliff - Shadowcliff Retreat Center in Grand Lake, Colorado inspires people to become “green” and sustainable through an immersion learning experience in a beautiful mountain sanctuary.
  • Walking School Bus - Walking School Bus, provides adult supervision to help children travel safely in groups, large or small, to school. The simple act of walking to school provides children with improved fitness, reduction in obesity and diabetes, development of a sense of well-being, and added opportunities for play and adventure.