Dear friend of our community and shared environment, Hands down, this is the most exciting time ever at Bridging The Gap. Through the ARPA and IRA acts, our federal government is taking aggressive action on climate change, while working to reduce environmental injustices. There are billions of federal grant dollars available for urban forestry, for … Continued
Monarch Butterflies and Their Connections Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, but September brings changes in our natural world as well. As the air (hopefully) turns cooler, there is a breathtaking natural wonder that unfolds every year: the monarch butterfly migration. Coincidentally, this event aligns with another important celebration – Hispanic Heritage … Continued
More clothing made more quickly: a forward march that culminates with the modern “fast fashion” industry. As the name suggests, today’s “fast fashion” industry places the utmost importance on speed of production and consumption. The consumer fashion industry now produces double the amount of clothing it did 20 years ago and is responsible for 10% … Continued
Kids across the metro will soon be heading back for the start of another school year. August is often a frenzy of shopping for new supplies, clothes, and other back-to-school necessities that can pack a punch both to your wallet and the environment. (Remember how many unused supplies your kid brought home at the end … Continued
In a few weeks people from all over will be flocking to sunflower fields in both Missouri and Kansas, aka The Sunflower State. These fields are planted with monocultures of annual sunflowers that provide fun outings, beautiful photo backdrops, and are agriculturally important. But did you know we have several native sunflower species that provide … Continued
We’re heading into the hottest days of summer, and Kansas City, as well as other parts of Missouri and Kansas, continue to be in moderate to severe drought. Is there anything the average gardener can do to deliver water to parched plants, without standing around holding a hose for long minutes each morning, perspiring profusely, … Continued
On April 13, Bridging The Gap celebrated The Future is Green with a community and fundraising event at The Madrid. The keynote speaker was Lionel Bradford, President/CEO of The Greening of Detroit, who shared his roadmap to success for building a green workforce and how green infrastructure is creating a climate resilient community in Detroit. … Continued
Plastic pollution is an increasingly urgent problem for Missouri’s waterways. Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans, and the problem is only getting worse. Plastic pollution is a major threat to aquatic ecosystems, and it can have devastating effects on the health of our water sources. The … Continued
We humans are a literal bunch, better at responding to the sensory cues immediately before us than to abstract concepts in some far-off time frame. Tangible beats conceptual, and now beats future, every time. Just ask the credit card industry. Our bias toward the tangible and the now can make it hard to appreciate abstract … Continued
Spring Has Sprung! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and trails are calling your name. Spring is a great time to Hike a WildLand and see some of the best remnant spaces the Kansas City area has to offer. Before the trees have fully leafed out and the tall grasses have … Continued
It’s finally tree planting season! We must continue to plant trees in our landscapes for the myriad of benefits they provide to the entire land community. While trees are beautiful, they aren’t just decorations – they benefit human health. Kansas City may face record-high heats in years to come. We must plant trees today so … Continued
Looking for ideas to keep the kids entertained over spring break? We’ve got you covered! Try these four eco-inspired activities that will get them outdoors in nature and crafting with repurposed materials! 1. Become a Citizen Scientist iNaturalist.org lets you become the scientist by observing and recording the plants and animals around you. Download the … Continued
By Joe Wheelock, Program Manager, Heartland Tree Alliance The City of Fountains covers a whopping 319 square miles, which puts KCMO in the top 25 largest cities by land area in the country. (Not to mention, we also invest time in other areas of the greater region including Liberty, Prairie Village, KCK, Lee’s Summit, Belton … Continued
The KCMO Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee will consider a proposed Tree Protection and Preservation Ordinance to protect and preserve Kansas City’s tree canopy at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, February 8, in the City Council Chambers, Floor 26. Testimony can be provided virtually or in-person at the meetings, or emails can be sent to City … Continued
When was the last time you went into your basement and really took a good look around? How about the last time you pulled stuff out from under your kitchen sink or opened your utility closet? Do you have a dripping faucet or a running toilet you’ve been putting off getting fixed? A do-it-yourself visual leak … Continued
Winter’s not as long in Kansas City as it is in, say, Minnesota, but it’s long enough for most of us. While climate change is erratically spiking some very warm days even in December, we can generally count on it being cold, unpredictably icy or snowy, and somewhat gray for at least four months. I … Continued
When people think of actions they can take to cut their global warming pollution, they typically think first of big, high-tech changes like buying an electric car or installing solar panels on their home. These can certainly have a large impact, but they typically require a big expenditure up-front (even though they will save you … Continued
The holidays can be a stressful time. Maybe you’re getting your home ready for guests, or traveling to see loved ones. There’s food to cook (and 10 unique and contradictory diets to take into account) and gifts to wrap (or, in my case, gifts to purchase still!). And then, when you get to the end, … Continued
A Year-End Letter From BTG’s Executive Director This fall, amidst yards bristling with election signs, I saw a quiet, different sign in a Johnson County yard: “This is a clover lawn.” It was silly to get too excited about it; after all, one little clover lawn can’t do much—not against the millions of U.S. acres … Continued
