Dear friends of Bridging The Gap,
It’s easy to feel discouraged about the future for the environment and social justice right now. When I find myself there, I lean on the teachings of the Dalai Lama, who says, “Under no circumstances must we give up hope.”
He’s right. There are many concrete reasons to be hopeful when we look at what’s taking place right here in Kansas City, and at Bridging The Gap.
Over the past two years, Kansas City regional organizations, including BTG, have been feverishly and collectively applying for new federal funding available to restore our nation’s infrastructure, including “green” infrastructure like trees, and to lessen the impacts of climate change through energy efficiency measures.
We’ve been succeeding.  And there’s other good news.
By Kristin Riott. Kristin is BTG’s Executive Director.
Above: Megan talks with residents in KCMO’s Vineyards neighborhood. Our Heartland Tree Alliance staff attend community events such as this to share information about our free street tree program.
This federal funding, when already under contract, is unlikely to be rescinded by the new administration. This will allow us to go on doing important work through the next four years:
- KCMO Parks & Recreation, with BTG named as a partner, received $12 million from the U.S. Forest Service over the next three years to plant thousands of new trees, especially where our city has strong heat island effects and/or in historically oppressed areas.
- BTG and 4 other partners will remove invasive plant species and restore the forest canopy of 250 acres along the critically important Blue River, with federal funding.
- BTG will replace 250 inefficient electrical appliances in some of KC’s most under-resourced households through an EPA grant.
Environmental investments make a strong business case, and are a motivator for action, at scales both large and small.
- In 2022, new wind power was 52% cheaper, and solar 29% cheaper, than the cheapest fossil fuels.
- Free trees given out to residents by us, with instructions on the best place to plant in their yard for optimal shade on their home, can decrease air conditioning bills by up to 50% after only a few years of growth.
- The water-saving faucet aerators we install daily in KCMO homes pay for themselves in three weeks.
The private sector, along with state and city governments, will continue investing in environmental progress.
- The Accelerating America’s Pledge report found that bottom-up leadership from states, cities, businesses and other subnational actors would reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by up to 37% by 2030, even without federal intervention.
- Energy efficiency grants from KCMO Water Services and Evergy have allowed Bridging The Gap to make nearly 700 most-challenged homes more efficient this year.
- Private businesses who want to offset their water use have given an early thumbs-up to our proposal to create a new wetland along the Blue River.
Even with these positive signs, Bridging The Gap needs your support and your hope — financial, physical, and spiritual. Many of the grants require us to do the work before we receive funding, and don’t fully cover our expenses. Our readiness and our ability to do this work is built on a foundation of stable support from individuals like you.
I hope you will make a year-end donation and join us in our mission to bring people together to protect and restore the web of life on Earth and create resilient, equitable communities prepared for climate change.
With gratitude for your wonderful support, past, present and future,
Kristin Riott
Executive Director
Bridging The Gap
