Alan Oliver: Our Environment is Always Changing

As we move around the Richmond, things look solid and unchanging. Certain trees seem to have been there forever. The rows of houses on your street or avenue are familiar and stable and a longtime favorite store or bank is reassuring in its persistent presence. Golden Gate Park, Lincoln Park and the Presidio are ever-present open spaces when we want relief from buildings, streets and sidewalks.

In reality, everything around us - and we ourselves - are in a constant state of change. The flow of change, not the momentary impression of solidness, is the dominant reality of our environment. Tree-lined streets age and one by one trees are cut down, while new buildings sprout from vacant lots. People retire and their businesses close, new billboards and recycling containers appear and new graffiti sweeps down an avenue or street.

How do we respond to this constantly changing scene? What can be done to support the positive flow of environmental change and reduce the negative flow that nibbles away at our quality of life day to day?

It requires a vision about what we want and then persistent, careful action steps, either individually or as a community, to maintain and improve positive, beautiful and healthy neighborhoods. The Richmond Neighborhood Coalition has recently developed 10 proposals on the environment that will help us keep the vision clear. The RNC's goal is to encourage as many residents as possible to participate by taking small or large actions to ensure that the Richmond environment is moving in a positive direction. If no action is taken the environment will get worse because things do tend to fall apart.

Some key questions: In what directions will they change? How fast will these changes happen? Who can help to improve the environment?

We are all potential partners and we can do this together. Here are some highlights from the 10 proposals.

1) New marketing models to promote new tree plantings and tree maintenance so the Richmond is criss-crossed by green corridors of healthy trees and plants.

2) Awareness and adoption of solar and wind power so the Richmond is a leader in the City for alternative and sustainable forms of energy and the development of a demonstration site for "green technologies" in the Presidio.

3) Parks need maintenance, so the "friends of" groups need to expand. More participation by all age groups in creative park activities will enhance these neighborhood resources.

4) Bringing park resources together with educational programs is a high priority. Because of our closeness to major parks, environmental education should be the best in the City. Stimulate youth and family use of parks and environmental trips.

5) Promote zero tolerance for graffiti by encouraging residents to remove it quickly from their buildings. Be aware of it, report it and, when possible, take action yourself.

6) We were the first district to receive the new three-bin recycling containers. Encourage residents, especially those in multi-unit apartments, to use them fully and correctly. Cleaning up our public spaces is a constant campaign.

7) The Richmond does not have a great number of billboards, but they are increasing. Are all of them legal? Creating a good balance considering size, location and visual impact is a challenge to our collective sense of neighborhood.

8) We have open space on all sides, but small areas of open space need attention. Small-scale community gardens can be promoted.

9) Alternative transportation needs suggest the development of a better balance between cars and buses/bikes/walking. It will be a challenge to make the latter three convenient and safe.

10) There are many things to see in and around the Richmond, so how can we promote walking tours? Suggested tours would help residents and visitors explore the district on their own.

This is a sampling from the Environmental Agenda. The Richmond Neighborhood Coalition's Environmental Committee invites you to participate in taking small steps to see that the flow of change is moving in a positive direction. The committee meets on the fourth Tuesday of every other month, starting in October, at 7 p.m. The meeting is at the Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS), located at 3654 Balboa St. For more information, contact Alan Oliver at 668-5955, ext. 375, or e-mail: A7oliversm@aol.com.

Alan Oliver is a safety network community organizer at Richmond Area Multi-Services.