Bees
Companies with the same ideals end up sinking their roots into the same soil, not in competition but in mutually nourishing coexistence. These groups work together to promote a healthy ecosystem. When we’re talking about environmental organizations, “healthy ecosystem” isn’t just a metaphor.
Photo via Edible Cleveland.
Timothy Riffle of HIVE and COOP is an artisan with attitude. His confidence comes from knowing that his products have true heirloom quality: “Yes, I make sturdy, snug and interesting homes [for bees and chickens]. But they’re more. They’re a celebration of being connected to the land – a visible presence of the joy we feel when we walk out into our private farmyard. […] Call it urban farming. Call it designer agriculture. HIVE and COOP calls it a beautiful way to live.” Here’s some more pictures of Timothy’s work
Hanging Gardens is a eco-company that specializes in “sustainable development including vegetated roofing, porous pavers, stormwater mitigation and harvesting.” They save money for their clients while taking steps to save our environment, by offering multitasking green solutions. These efforts increase energy efficiency and reduce pollution.
Image via Wikimedia.
Now consider this: how cool would it be to have a beehive next to a green wall, in the middle of a city block? The missing link is Thriving Communities Institute, so named to evoke “the connotations the word thriving holds for urban centers: flourishing, prospering, blossoming and successful.” TCI takes vacant properties and transforms them from worrying blights on a neighborhood to oases of growth and vitality.
Photo by Stuart Spivack. “The Cleveland Botanical Garden is the oldest urban botanical garden in the country.”
Imagine that vertical bee-garden in Cleveland, beautifying a building while it cleans the air. One day, these eco-work stations will be found in Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit… Cities across America need positive intervention, the kind that actually promotes progress. Healthy communities are the ones that are cared for. Here at Creeklife, we want to be part of the caretaking.
Biologists say that “form follows function” and vice versa. In business, the saying would be that “production follows values”. When organizations team up to ensure a thriving America, they can produce something great. Here’s to seeing connections and making them happen.
Posted by Sonya Mann.
