Latest news with #EarthDay
Chicago Tribune
20 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chesterton High School student converts trash into data for better environmental policy
Devin Throw insisted on taking home with him all the trash collected from a recent Earth Day cleanup along Waverly Road in Porter. Then, Throw, 17, who is a rising senior at Chesterton High School, spent days cataloging the 1,778 pieces of trash that altogether weighed 128.7 pounds. There was a lot of potential data generated with that trash. And Throw, one of the student members of Porter's Environmental Sustainability Commission, believed that it was worth his time to analyze it. So, Throw stood before the Porter Town Council on Tuesday to deliver the report and conclusions of the study presented on behalf of the Environmental Sustainability Commission. 'This data is incredibly important for our small town because it gives a rare, detailed snapshot of community behavior, environmental impact and public health indicators, all through the lens of garbage,' Throw said. The April 26 cleanup was conducted by a volunteer crew on a 0.44-mile stretch of Waverly Road between U.S. 20 and 12. It is a road traveled by those heading to Porter Beach and the Dune Park Station for the South Shore Line. A closer examination revealed that 33.8 pounds of the trash — 26% — consisted of items that could have been recycled. That included discarded losing lottery tickets, likely purchased from the gas station at the corner of U.S. 20 and Waverly Road. Then there were the hazardous items. Some in the council chambers recoiled when Throw told about the three bottles of urine. A nitrous oxide dispenser, lighter with fluid and vape cartridge with liquid were also recovered. Empty liquor bottles and beer cans were other items that could be associated with the potential impairment of participants. Throw noted that car parts, found scattered along the ditches and roadside, also could be potentially connected to impairment issues. 'Litter evidence helps to identify hot zones for public intoxication and impaired driving,' Throw said. Fire risks are also raised by paper trash on the roadside that could be easily ignited by a discarded burning cigarette, Throw said. Throw outlined many potential strategies for the town. Public education efforts that would encourage recycling and give incentives for neighborhoods to conduct cleanups would help, Throw said. The town could strengthen its littering and dumping ordinance, particularly specific language concerning hazardous waste, chemicals and building materials that leak toxins into the ground. Throw also suggested that motion-sensor trail cameras be installed to monitor troubled areas. Police could also step up patrols of illegal dumping hot spots. The town could use the data from the report to help apply for environmental, safety and mental health program grants. 'I can't do that (apply for a grant), but I am willing to get my hands in some garbage,' Throw said. The town could also place garbage bins at natural entry/exit points for pedestrian traffic along with signs that discourage littering. A part-time employee or volunteer could monitor the trouble spots, Throw said. As a practical suggestion, the town could promote a 'one bag a month' pledge from those willing to collect that much roadside trash within that time period. Throw said if even 100 people participated, that would be 1,200 bags per year. 'The 0.44-mile stretch of land is more than just a mess — it's a mirror reflecting environmental neglect, substance use and gaps in infrastructure,' Throw said. 'With this data, we can make the town of Porter more sustainable and successful, saving the environment, money and stress that could arise in the future.' Council President Laura Madigan, D-1st, said that the town's department heads should look to see what possible ways some of the report's recommendations could be implemented. Michael Barry, the town's development director/building superintendent, noted that some of Throw's findings were 'shocking' and that his report is 'impressive.' Those who have spent more time around Throw aren't surprised. Tara Duffie, chair of the Environmental Sustainability Commission, has served with Throw and recalls how he stated at the commission's first meeting: 'I want to change the world.' Duffie said that Throw, as his first assignment, took on cataloging every crack in sidewalks around Porter. 'He just adds so much value to the team,' Duffie said. Duffie noted that Throw also is on the school's track team and works at Dog Days Ice Cream Parlor in Chesterton. 'He's a super smart kid, but he also cares a lot,' Duffie said. Daniel Paff enjoyed having Throw in his AP Environmental Science class this year at Chesterton High School. 'He's definitely in a class of his own when it comes to engagement in environmental issues,' Paff said. 'He's definitely civically engaged as well.' Paff recalls how Throw brought to his attention an article about how pineapple waste products can be turned into soaps and detergents. 'I love it as a teacher when a student finds things they are passionate about and shares,' Paff said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Scrum Alliance® Wins 2025 Culture of Good Community Impact Award
DENVER, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scrum Alliance is proud to announce that it has been named a winner of the 2025 Culture of Good Community Impact Award, a prestigious honor recognizing companies that lead with purpose, prioritize people and the planet, and weave community impact into the fabric of their culture. Presented by Culture of Good, Inc., this award shines a spotlight on organizations that use their influence for good and inspire others to do the same. As a not-for-profit focused on expanding agile training and education across the globe, Scrum Alliance's mission is deeply rooted in giving back and equipping people to thrive. "This award is an incredible affirmation of who we are and what we stand for," said Tristan Boutros, Chief Executive Officer at Scrum Alliance. "We believe business can be a force for meaningful change, and this recognition celebrates how we care for each other, for our members, and for the world around us." Over the past year, Scrum Alliance has stepped up with a variety of initiatives that reflect its values and mission: Supporting families and veterans: They've provided much-needed supplies for families through the Little Essentials annual holiday drive and supported organizations doing critical work for our veterans, including Operation Gratitude and Wounded Warrior Project. Empowering underserved youth: The organization donated laptops and a robot for robotics class to help over 40 students in Colorado gain access to technology that supercharges their educational experience. Caring for the planet: Scrum Alliance eliminated single-use items at its annual event, the Global Scrum Gathering®, and they planted 100 trees for Earth Day through the organization One Tree Planted. As part of its ongoing commitment to service, Scrum Alliance is now formalizing its volunteerism strategy, building on momentum from holiday giving drives, donations, and grassroots efforts led by employees. They've added a brand-new employee benefit in 2025 by offering 8 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off each year, along with resources for finding volunteer opportunities. This gives team members the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and support the causes that matter most to them. "This recognition speaks to the culture we've intentionally cultivated; one grounded in our values of focus, courage, commitment, openness, and respect," said Taylor Kelly, Head of HR. "It's been incredible to see how quickly employees have embraced every opportunity to give back, and how many are now bringing forward their own ideas for causes we can support together. With the launch of our volunteer policy, we've deepened our commitment to service and sparked a new wave of energy and initiative. The momentum is real, and it is pushing us toward even greater impact." About Scrum Alliance®As the first not-for-profit focused on agile education and professional credentialing, Scrum Alliance continues to advance its position of Agile for Anyone™ by equipping professionals and their organizations with the education, skills, and community needed to succeed in today's ever-evolving workplaces. Learn more at Media Contact:Tess Martin720-833-1950395674@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Scrum Alliance
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Let's Talk Business: Pueblo residential real estate market poised for sales growth
More homes hit the market in Pueblo in April, paving the way for an uptick in sales in the coming months. 'The Pueblo real estate market is showing some positive signs with new listings up 7.4%, while pending sales are up 25.7% in April and 2.1% year to date," said Dave Anderson, spokesperson for the Pueblo Association of Realtors. Median pricing increased to $329,900 and was up 7.9% from April 2024. The year-to-date median price is up to $315,000, and the percent-of-list-price received was up to 98.8% in April. The average number of days a home stays on market is 101. "We have 813 active listings, an increase of 8.5% over April 2024. Buyers have a much better selection of homes to see with a 4.9-month supply of homes for sale," Anderson said. "Open houses haven't seemed to help get buyers out just yet. Showings are up a little, but buyers are cautious about writing an offer as those higher interest rates continue to be a problem for prospective buyers," he said. Builders applied for 33 new building permits in April — 21 of them in Pueblo West — but building permit applications are down 17% year to date, Anderson reported. PaintCare helped recycle 12,215 gallons of paint in Pueblo County during its Earth Day program last month. In Pueblo County, there are four year-round drop-off sites, including Greenhorn Valley Ace Hardware in Colorado City, and Sherwin-Williams, D and S Paint Center, and Southern Colorado Services and Recycling in Pueblo. While there is no charge to drop paint off for recycling, a nominal fee is added to the price of all new paint sold in Colorado to fund all aspects of the recycling program. Paint is reused, recycled back into paint, or put to some other beneficial use. It is estimated that about 10% of all household paint purchased in the United States goes unused and is available for reuse or recycling, according to a press release. A recent ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated completed upgrades to the Walmart Supercenter at 4200 Dillon Drive. A total of $10,000 in grants was presented to local nonprofit organizations, plus several long-time associates — including three team members who have served the Pueblo store for 40 years — were recognized. The Southern Colorado Residential Rental Association is set to host a class and luncheon on May 21 at Pueblo Union Depot, 132 W. B St. The class will run from 10-11:30 a.m. and focus on a legislative update of bills that affect landlords with a panel presentation by Zane Grant and Daniel Muldoon. Lunch will follow with representatives from Lowe's south side store detailing security products. The class is free for members and lunch is $18 while the class is $25 for non-members and lunch is $25. For reservations, email scrra_mail@ or call or text 719-251-2257. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo's real estate market is poised for sales growth
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Weekend warriors yank out invasive plants to save L.A. River
The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve suffers from many of the ills that might be expected of a natural area located in the middle of the nation's second-largest city, including litter and even biohazards such as discarded needles from nearby drug use. But on Saturday morning a few hundred volunteers had another culprit in their sights: Rhamphospermum nigrum, a nonnative plant better known as black mustard that has flourished in the 225-acre reserve and the wider Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area. The plant, with its four-petaled yellow flowers in bloom, fills the basin's meadows and paints a bucolic picture that belies what it really is — an invasive weed that crowds out native plants such as sage and poppy that are crucial to the health of the basin, its natural wildlife and the Los Angeles River that runs through it. "It does look harmless, but it becomes a mono crop, and this is the main enemy to biodiversity," said Dan Mott, environmental educator with Friends of the Los Angeles River, which held the event with the California Native Plant Society and San Fernando Valley Audubon Society. "The native species can't be here, and all the birds and the insects that are supposed to be in this area, they don't want the mustard." The grasslands also capture less carbon and aren't as effective as native species in filtering runoff that enters the river, he said. The plant is native to North Africa, temperate regions of Europe and parts of Asia, and it is believed to have been introduced hundreds of years ago. The environmental group has been conducting habitat restoration in the reserve since 2019, with this weekend's event also a late celebration of Earth Day, after a prior event was rained out. On Saturday morning, the volunteers spent hours pulling up the black mustard, focusing on a patch of land with five large coast live oaks. The tree is native to California and resistant to fire, but not if surrounded by thick mustard weed undergrowth. Read more: 8 L.A. trees to love that aren't jacarandas "If there's a bunch of invasive species creating fuel underneath it, it's just kind of burning like a bonfire. It overwhelms the tree's ability to protect itself," said Mott, who figures that in five years crucial areas of the reserve should be largely cleared of the weed. Wes Vahradian, 18, who has been volunteering with Friends of the Los Angeles River for four years, was serving as a volunteer leader and tracking how much habitat was being restored using ArcGIS, a web-based mapping software on his phone. By 10:30 a.m., the app indicated that about a quarter of an acre had been restored. "We've done pretty solid here, and it's just a great way for us to kind of measure the impact we're making. We've done it all over the Sepulveda Basin," he said. Vahradian is entering his senior year at Campbell Hall, a private school in Studio City that requires students to engage in community service. Vahradian said he was attracted to the environmental group because he has long been fly-fishing in the river — "which is kind of crazy, but you can totally fish in it." He said that although the mustard weed does regrow, progress has been made over the years. "The whole premise is that the Sepulveda Basin is supposed to be a natural ecosystem, a place for birds when they're migrating to come and take a break." The black mustard that was pulled up was collected into 30-gallon paper garden bags that will be hauled away and buried in a landfill. Mott said the goal is to eventually compost the weed. Zia Shaked, 11, who said her favorite activity was reading, had spent the morning with her mother stuffing five bags full of the weeds that had been uprooted by her younger brother and cousin. "I learned that folding the weeds was really helpful before you put them in, because otherwise you get a mouthful of weeds in your face," she said. "I was just putting the weeds in the bag. I didn't even notice how much space that was cleared up and I looked up, like maybe a half an hour later." Read more: An L.A. River champion offers a vision for reimagining the waterway — and the city's future Shanna Shaked, the girl's mother, said this was the second time the Santa Monica family had been out restoring habitat, though it was the first time for her daughter. "It felt like a really good way to spend the morning, to be outside and doing something that felt helpful for nature," said Shaked, an adjunct professor at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. "It was a team effort." Mott said that the habitat restoration events typically draw about 150 to 200 participants but he has definitely noticed an uptick in attendance since the Jan. 7 fires that devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other communities. "I think there was this powerless feeling when the wildfires were happening. You know, we can't go out there and fight fires ourselves, but this work is actually preventing the spread of wildfires. It's just something physical, tangible you can do to help the community and help with that problem," he said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Weekend warriors yank out invasive plants to save L.A. River
The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve suffers from many of the ills that might be expected of a natural area located in the middle of the nation's second-largest city, including litter and even biohazards such as discarded needles from nearby drug use. But on Saturday morning a few hundred volunteers had another culprit in their sights: Rhamphospermum nigrum, a nonnative plant better known as black mustard that has flourished in the 225-acre reserve and the wider Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area. The plant, with its four-petaled yellow flowers in bloom, fills the basin's meadows and paints a bucolic picture that belies what it really is — an invasive weed that crowds out native plants such as sage and poppy that are crucial to the health of the basin, its natural wildlife and the Los Angeles River that runs through it. 'It does look harmless, but it becomes a mono crop, and this is the main enemy to biodiversity,' said Dan Mott, environmental educator with Friends of the Los Angeles River, which held the event with the California Native Plant Society and San Fernando Valley Audubon Society. 'The native species can't be here, and all the birds and the insects that are supposed to be in this area, they don't want the mustard.' The grasslands also capture less carbon and aren't as effective as native species in filtering runoff that enters the river, he said. The plant is native to North Africa, temperate regions of Europe and parts of Asia, and it is believed to have been introduced hundreds of years ago. The environmental group has been conducting habitat restoration in the reserve since 2019, with this weekend's event also a late celebration of Earth Day, after a prior event was rained out. On Saturday morning, the volunteers spent hours pulling up the black mustard, focusing on a patch of land with five large coast live oaks. The tree is native to California and resistant to fire, but not if surrounded by thick mustard weed undergrowth. 'If there's a bunch of invasive species creating fuel underneath it, it's just kind of burning like a bonfire. It overwhelms the tree's ability to protect itself,' said Mott, who figures that in five years crucial areas of the reserve should be largely cleared of the weed. Wes Vahradian, 18, who has been volunteering with Friends of the Los Angeles River for four years, was serving as a volunteer leader and tracking how much habitat was being restored using ArcGIS, a web-based mapping software on his phone. By 10:30 a.m., the app indicated that about a quarter of an acre had been restored. 'We've done pretty solid here, and it's just a great way for us to kind of measure the impact we're making. We've done it all over the Sepulveda Basin,' he said. Vahradian is entering his senior year at Campbell Hall, a private school in Studio City that requires students to engage in community service. Vahradian said he was attracted to the environmental group because he has long been fly-fishing in the river — 'which is kind of crazy, but you can totally fish in it.' He said that although the mustard weed does regrow, progress has been made over the years. 'The whole premise is that the Sepulveda Basin is supposed to be a natural ecosystem, a place for birds when they're migrating to come and take a break.' The black mustard that was pulled up was collected into 30-gallon paper garden bags that will be hauled away and buried in a landfill. Mott said the goal is to eventually compost the weed. Zia Shaked, 11, who said her favorite activity was reading, had spent the morning with her mother stuffing five bags full of the weeds that had been uprooted by her younger brother and cousin. 'I learned that folding the weeds was really helpful before you put them in, because otherwise you get a mouthful of weeds in your face,' she said. 'I was just putting the weeds in the bag. I didn't even notice how much space that was cleared up and I looked up, like maybe a half an hour later.' Shanna Shaked, the girl's mother, said this was the second time the Santa Monica family had been out restoring habitat, though it was the first time for her daughter. 'It felt like a really good way to spend the morning, to be outside and doing something that felt helpful for nature,' said Shaked, an adjunct professor at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. 'It was a team effort.' Mott said that the habitat restoration events typically draw about 150 to 200 participants but he has definitely noticed an uptick in attendance since the Jan. 7 fires that devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other communities. 'I think there was this powerless feeling when the wildfires were happening. You know, we can't go out there and fight fires ourselves, but this work is actually preventing the spread of wildfires. It's just something physical, tangible you can do to help the community and help with that problem,' he said.
