Community Projects
GreenLots! and Farmers’ Markets
GeenLots!
GreenLots! is a new community project that partners ITE with Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and members of the community that have interest in donating time and money to the rehabilitation and restoration of the many small, empty gravel and dirt lots scattered around town.
Every ITE program include teen contributions in the community that require both physical and mental activities. GreenLots! are not intended to be a prescriptive process, rather teens are asked to engage with the residents around the lots and determine what rehabilitation will look like and who will benefit from GreenLots! projects.
GreenLots! help to maintain good airquility by reducing particulate matter emerging from empty lots and help to beutify adn add natural components to neighborhoods that enhance quality of life.
Farmers’ Markets
Benefits for the Producer
- Farmers’ markets cut out the middleman allowing producers increased financial returns through direct selling, price control, and a regular cash flow.
- Farmers’ markets provide local producers’ with direct customer feedback on produce/product quality and prices.
- Transport and packaging requirements are less thus reducing the producers’ costs and reducing product waste.
- Farmers’ markets add to local food economy by providing local product choices and availability.
Benefits for the Consumer & Educational Opportunities
- Farmers’ markets provide direct contact and feedback between customers and producers, so you (the customer) can be sure how your vegetables are grown and meat produced.
- Farmers’ markets help to improve diet and nutrition by providing access to fresh, high-quality foods.
- Farmers’ markets play an important role in educating the consumer as to the production and origin of their food.
- Farmers’ markets can be a source of information and inspiration on how to cook and prepare fresh ingredients.
- Farmers’ markets expand the scope of collaboration with educational organization focus, i.e. pollination; native foods, slow foods movement, health, environmental, social, nutrition, gardening, composting, and permaculture.
Benefits for the Environment
- Farmers’ markets help reduce food miles, thus vehicle pollution, noise, and fossil fuel use.
- Farmers’ markets help to reduce packaging.
- Farmers’ markets encourage more environmental production practices, such as organic or pesticide free production.
- Farmers’ markets encourage farm diversification and hence improve or maintain bio-diversity.
- Overall – Farmers’ markets support practices that reduce environmental impacts.
Benefits for the Local Community & Economy
- Farmers’ markets help bring life into towns and cities, aiding regeneration.
- Farmers’ markets encourage social interaction particularly between rural and urban communities; urban/rural engagement instead of a disengagement.
- Farmers’ markets stimulate local economic development by increasing employment, encouraging consumers to support local business, and thus keeping the money within the local community.
- Farmers’ markets attract business to retailers in the vicinity.
- Farmers’ markets enhances community spirit through a social, outdoor environment.