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	<title>The Environmental Citizen</title>
	<link>http://www.environmentalcitizen.net</link>
	<description>Environment, Economics, Sustainability and Responsibility</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:28:06 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>What&#8217;s up with our water? World Water Day</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A week ago today, March 22, was World Water Day. As someone living in the U.S., I realized how much I take water for granted, how little time I spend thinking about it, and how easy it to use water for any purpose I wish: I drink, cook bathe and wash dishes, clothes and my car with clean water. So I made it a point to find out more about the water issue facing  us. What’s tough about environmental issues for me is that sometimes the facts are so sobering and the issue so big, that it doesn’t leave you without a lot of hope or inspiration. Information is just a start, though; we can still do something about it! The proverbial glass of water is still half full. So after learning what’s up, I’ll share some easy steps we can take. First, some fun facts. According to the Great Lakes Restoration Network , the Great Lakes contain 6 quadrillion gallons of fresh water; 1/5 of the world&#8217;s fresh surface water (only the polar ice caps and Lake Baikal in Siberia contain more); 95% of the U.S. supply; and 84% of the surface water supply in North America. Spread evenly [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.environmentalcitizen.net/2011/03/29/whats-up-with-our-water-world-water-day/</link>
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		<title>Community Gardens With a New Attitude</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Root-Riot Urban Garden Network is comprised of local citizens dedicated to creating opportunities for people to connect with one another and learn and discover the joys of growing their own food. In addition to our community gardens in Oak Park, Forest Park and the West Side of Chicago, we are committed to supporting local communities in coming together in partnership to invent creative solutions to the challenges they face. This past year we worked with Douglass Academy High School on Chicago’s west side. A neighborhood high school, Douglass faces tremendous challenges in educating students. Root-Riot partnered with the school to help students complete their service learning hours required in order to graduate. These students worked for the first time in partnership with residents from their neighborhood to build the Root-Riot gardens. The success of these initial efforts led to a partnership with Youth Guidance, a non-profit based in the CPS to provide a summer jobs program. Through this program, students were trained in leadership and sustainable business through the design, manufacture and sale of cold frames to local residents. In addition to working with local schools, Root-Riot has developed a monthly educational series that features highly skilled experts in gardening, [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.environmentalcitizen.net/2011/03/15/community-gardens-with-a-new-attitude/</link>
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