Daily Loaf

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week:

Celebrating Independence Day or creating environmental disaster? – Kelly Rothwell looks at the littered aftermath of Fourth of July celebrations and wonder why, instead of giving back in celebration of their freedom, people decide to light off fireworks, leaving mass amounts of debris in the water and on the beach.

Local Food: Dinner in, and from, the garden at Gateway Organic Farm – Chef Gui Alinat gives information about Gateway Organic Farm’s next “Dinner in the Garden” event, an incredible local foods experience featuring nine Bay area chefs.

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St. Petersburg College now offers a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Sustainability Management. The program provides relevant and specialized training in:

- Energy and environmental management
- Sustainable enterprise planning
- Sustainable business strategies
- Triple bottom line management
- Resource management
- Sustainability in the natural environment
- Green construction and urban planning
- Legal aspects of sustainability
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The term “sprawl” was coined in 1956 and is defined as unplanned greenfield (undeveloped land) development on the periphery of urban areas that is generally single-use, single-story, low density, inexpensive to build, and requires little knowledge or expertise to create. Sprawl gobbles up our farmlands and woodlands while increasing dependency on fossil fuel, fosters obesity because you have to drive everywhere, diminishes the natural environment, decreases the feasibility of mass transit, all while failing to create a “sense of place” or build community.

There was once a time in America (before the second World War) when sprawl didn’t exist. The ascent of sprawl to the predominant development form in the United States is based on many criteria: Read the rest of this entry »

A year ago I was doing microfilm research on local history at the John German Library in Tampa. Anyone who’s done this research knows how tedious it is; there’s no index for microfilm so to find pertinent articles one must scan each newspaper page on each microfilm roll. While doing this I was flabbergasted to discover a Tampa Tribune article from November 25, 1924, that mentioned the work of the famous town planner John Nolen in connection with Tampa.

To my surprise, the City of Tampa commissioned Nolen to survey the city in 1924 in preparation for a master plan which he was to create for the city. I know a good deal about the planning and architectural history of the area but hadn’t heard that Nolen was working in our area. Tragically, Nolen created his survey but was never commissioned by the city to create his master plan for Tampa: 1924 was the height of delirium during the 1920s Florida real estate boom and the development industry of the time did not want to slow down the good times enough to allow the creation of a master plan and code to direct them. The great depression came early to Florida and by the end of 1926 the roaring 20s were over.

The discovery of John Nolen’s survey of Tampa is important as he’s arguably the finest town planner to have worked in Florida and is the namesake of the John Nolen Medal for Contributions to Urbanism in Florida, given by the progressive planning organization Congress for the New Urbanism, Florida Chapter. In Florida, Nolen was the genius behind the town plans of Venice, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, Clewiston, and Temple Terrace.

In 1924, the problems that Mr. Nolen identified in Tampa’s planning remain problems to this very day: Read the rest of this entry »

The Creative Loafing Green Issue is Apr. 15.

In last year’s issue, “100 Ways To Go Green Right Now,” we showed you how to take action.

This year we’re naming names: “The Green 100: The 100 People, Places and Businesses Leading the Way Toward a Greener Tampa Bay.”

We’ve already begun our list, of course. But who do you think should be included on our green honor roll?  Do you admire the earth-friendly attitude of a community leader or a local businessperson? Is your local government making strides in sustainability? How about your neighborhood association? Your favorite nonprofit? Or maybe even your next-door neighbor?

No matter how someone’s making a difference — as a recycling champ, solar pioneer or savvy conservationist; as a prudent developer, forward-thinking merchant, community gardener or city planner — we want to recognize the standard-bearers who are making change happen. Who knows? Maybe you belong on the list yourself.

Got a nomination? Please explain who and why in a comment below, or email me at david.warner@creativeloafing.com, with the subject line “Green 100 nomination.” And be sure to watch for the issue on April 15 to see who makes the list.