In My Back Yard, Please
May 4, 2009
Familiar with the term NIMBY (the acronym for “Not In My Back Yard”)? New Brooklyn-based nonprofit ioby.org turns that model on its head, by connecting donors and volunteers directly to green projects in their communities. Designed to redress decades of policy that placed environmental hazards in low-income areas, ioby.org also reminds us that city streets and sidewalks are as much part of “the environment” as the Amazon or Arctic.
Search a map on the ioby site for a project that appeals. Click “donate,” or walk down the street to find out how to get involved. The average price of a project is $410, which might plant a few trees, or buy a rainwater harvesting system, or design a green roof nearby. As co-founder Erin Barnes points out, “A small amount of money can go a long way.”
Have a good idea for a green project in your neighborhood? Does it fit the criteria explained on the site? (It has to be local, help the environment, be site-specific, and make no profit -— and small and simple are a plus.) Apply online, and connect directly to the money and manpower you need to make it happen.
