These are the beliefs that drive the work we do at Bridging The Gap.
Climate change threatens life on earth.
“Saving the planet” is a misconception–Earth has been through five mass extinctions before. Averting drastic climate change is about saving ourselves–and the plants, animals, fish, and even insects that are part of our current web of life.
Environmental issues affect some people and communities in KC more than others.
Utility bill burdens, sparse tree canopy, hotter streets, flooding, and water pollution are just a few of the greater burdens borne by households of color.
Biodiversity is key.
For any ecosystem, species diversity means more types of food are available, and more types of food mean more species can thrive. It’s a virtuous cycle. Restoring the plant life on Jerry Smith Prairie at 139th and Holmes led to more than 80 species of native bees found there in 2018!
Our health & the environment are directly linked.
Trees and plants clean the air we breathe, calm our minds, and encourage more people to come outside, see others and get exercise. Replacing coal-fired power with wind and solar reduces asthma and even cancer. Whereas bad environmental practices lead to toxic exposures and even plastic particles in human bloodstreams!
The community knows best.
Ask the experts: where and what should we plant? what are the sources of pollution? where are the problems and what’s needed to solve them? Collaborating with local residents and helping to expand their environmental awareness and skills is the only way to get the necessary scale of change.
A circular economy creates more value, less waste.
Re-cycling aluminum cans, paper or even food from our region uses way less resources than mining aluminum in Jamaica or harvesting trees in Washington State. Every existing product represents natural resources and power that can be re-deployed to create new products and jobs.
