Current GNDC Projects include:

DC’s TOOL LIBRARY!!

Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Tool Library – now open year-round

1380 Taylor ST NW, in the Twin Oaks Community Garden.

At the request of DC’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Green Neighbors DC manages DC’s Garden Tool Share, which we call DC’s Tool Library, as it is much more than Garden Tools! We have miter saws, drills, and many, many other construction tools, wet/dry vacs, wrenches and other hand tools, paper shredders, and even some solar ovens and camping gear! And then a wonderful selection of shovels, rakes, hoes, etc – even to do a group garden event.

AND this spring we are creating a second branch of the tool library at Lederer Gardens in Ward 7!

LIBRARY HOW-TOS

LIBRARY SCHEDULE

The library is inside the Twin Oaks Community Garden’s buildings, 1380 Taylor St NW, and we run entirely on volunteers, so an appointment is needed.

Our Schedule is determined WEEKLY (almost daily) the week of, so don’t despair looking ahead and not seeing dates. We’re working on getting enough volunteers to start filling out times.

Next, just click on the time, click “see more details” and add your name as a guest! Make sure to send a message to the volunteer that you are coming. If you don’t use google, you can still email us at http://www.greenneighborsdc@gmail.com.

New method, so fingers crossed this will work, but it should save a lot of management time on our end.

If you need another time, though please send the suggested date/time to us and we’ll see if one our on-call volunteers is available.

Do give us 24 hrs notice please.

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OTHER PROJECTS/ISSUES WE’RE INVOLVED IN

Local to global issues that directly affect our neighborhood.

Climate Change.   Our world is changing very rapidly with greenhouse gases, urban heat island effects, and motorized vehicles everywhere – yielding higher global temperatures every year.   Though our specific neighborhoods are ~200 feet above the Chesapeake Bay, much of DC will be affected, as the world is affected.  Lower portions of  DC will be flooded at high tide, water supplies will change, and more snow is forecast in winter while even higher temperatures are anticipated for the summer (affecting our utility prices), and even plant, insect, wildlife cycles will change, as will diseases.  As one of us was bitten by a mosquito in January of last year – this is not good!  GN is involved locally in efforts to help prevent climate change – from helping neighbors pursue renewable energy, to promoting the planting of trees to prevent the urban heat island effect.  Many of us also join in regional, national, and international initiatives. We plan to be a clearinghouse for local action.

Wildlife Protection and Safety.  Even though we are urban dwellers, wildlife exists in DC, and interacts with folks.  From snowy owl sightings, to raccoons, possums, and squirrels raiding our trash cans (and the night creature that shall remain nameless),

there are many creatures that still live in the environment we keep changing.  Migratory birds fly overhead, and stop in our parks.  Songbirds now sing much earlier due to streetlights, and wear themselves out.  How do we interact with them, and help protect them?  Keep watch for a quarterly post about some of our furrier green neighbors.  And we’re looking for resources and great stories!

And many thanks to two GN members who wrote up this handout on creating bee-friendly gardens.

Create-a-bee-friendly-urban-garden

More to come…

• Resource Sustainability
• Greenery

For more information, see some of our factsheets,and great links under Resources.

Please suggest any new potential projects via our Contact Us page! 

Or join a Green Neighbors meeting!  Usually the 3rd Sunday of every month, but sometimes we vary it. Contact us at http://www.greenneighborsdc.org. Cool.

 Independent Initiatives!

Click on the photos to learn about some of the initiatives neighbors have done on their own to help make DC Green!