Green Fort Greene and Clinton Hill
Posted on 20. Jan, 2010 by Whitney Barrat in Agents of Change
Since its establishment in 2007, the Green Fort Greene and Clinton Hill organization (GFG&CH) has become a well-oiled machine, and a shining example of the grass roots, community-based soul of the green movement. Thanks to its large and growing pool of volunteers, and the spearheading efforts of its founder Jed Marcus, head of Fort Greene’s own Marcus Attorneys, the project has amassed an impressive array of concrete achievements in a relatively short period of time.
Most compelling about GFG&CH’s work is that community organizing lies at the heart of its operations. As Jed Marcus states, “Our community is very fertile ground for GFG&CH’s initiatives. We are surrounded by smart, caring and energetic neighbors who eagerly participate in community projects. A wonderful array of skills is available to support GFG&CH’s activities.”
The achievements of GFG&CH to date, including the 1,200 identified sites for new trees submitted to the Parks Department, the launch of the “Take Back the Pavement” program, which advocates for expansion of tree pits for mature trees; bottle, can, and paper recycling in Fort Greene Park, Cuyler Park, and Underwood Playground; and the 72-and-counting new bike racks installed around the neighborhood, are a result of the collaborative, shared efforts of GFG&CH and other neighborhood entities. “Other local groups are producing great results that complement ours and we try to support each other. The Fort Greene Compost Project, the Brooklyn Brownstone Garden District, MARP, the Society for Clinton Hill, and the volunteers at Fort Greene Park are a few whose work is vital to reducing the neighborhood’s environmental impact,” Marcus says.
Putting up Signs – Local literary and artistic stars lend a hand getting “No Ad” signs on neighborhood homes. Credit: J.Marre
The organization’s approach is clearly defined: break down what it means to “be green” into the most achievable, easily digestible and comprehensive actions, and ultimately, into choices that anyone can make. While educating the community about environmental stewardship—for example, by distributing Con Ed Solutions Green Power applications and posting “no ad” signs outside of residential buildings to prevent unsolicited materials from appearing—the GFG&CH project demonstrates that embracing eco-friendly alternatives can happen in incremental steps. Ultimately, though, Marcus explains that these small steps will create the foundations for more pervasive and permanent change. “Getting the word out is essential because, in addition to encouraging specific environmentally friendly measures, we hope that our cumulative efforts reinforce a culture of ‘greenness’. The result will be that we will discover ideas which may not have been apparent, and make more earth-friendly choices.”
This focus on straightforward goals with tangible outcomes means that direct links can be made between individual actions and their collective impacts. Switching to compact fluorescent (CF) light bulbs, for example, conserves electricity, which is better for the planet. But more concretely, the 3,000 CF bulbs sold to date by GFG&CH through 26 local merchants amounts to enough saved energy to power 425 apartments for a year, according to the GFG&CH website. These connections between personal choice and aggregated impact are palpable, though, and their establishment over the course of GFG&CH’s work has led to its inevitable evolution. “We are on the cusp of a change in the nature of our projects,” Marcus says. “So far all of our efforts have been directed to actions that everyone can take to reduce their negative contribution to global warming and to lessen their use of non-renewable resources, and to assist actions the government can take. Now we are on to initiatives that require a higher level of organization and cooperation among community stakeholders.”
With increased sophistication in communicating to the community—through the GFG&CH website, email lists, and blogs, the work of GFG&CH has begun to take root within larger institutions—such as housing complexes, local colleges, the Brooklyn Hospital and religious organizations. “Our ties to the institutions themselves are just beginning,” Marcus says. “We have had very encouraging conversations about a number of initiatives.” Some of these initiatives include developing neighborhood bike storage, more widespread composting for residents and businesses, commercial collectives for purchasing green products, public recycling, large-scale solar power projects, and e-trash recycling. The ultimate goal is to deepen the community’s commitment to living green, and with the continued help of the City, local institutions, and the essential hard work of our neighbor-volunteers, GFG&CH may just become the model for how to get things done. After all, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, or as Jed Marcus says, “Together we will do great things.”
Whitney Barrat lives on Clermont Avenue across the street from Parham Playground in Fort Greene, and is an ardent fan of both the neighborhood and her neighbors. She makes a habit of getting involved in local initiatives, and is always working on darkening her particular shade of living green.
