Building Community and Sustainability: Dog Parks

     When thinking of dog parks, must people associate them with benefiting the dog. However, dogs serve as an icebreaker for people to get to know each other. They make people comfortable, allowing them to more easily build relationships with each other. Dogs, a common interest, of those who walk their dogs in the park or just those visiting the park bring people from different backgrounds together. By allowing people to meet each other, community can be built where people feel as if they belong. Additionally, people traveling are more likely to stay in an area that is dog-friendly as it will be safer than areas that are not. This will enhance a community's tourism, building a different kind of community. By having a dog park, it also motivates people to get dogs and visit the park, which will then lead to increased interaction with other people. Dogs also give women, children, and handicapped people more of a sense of security, increases their likelihood of going out of their home to interact with the community.
     In many dog parks, an effort is being made to increase sustainability by transforming waste from the dogs into compost. The bags that owners use to pick up their dog's waste are made of a biodegradable material such as corn. These bags are then taking to a compost in the area. In other parks, the waste is collected and used to make power from the methane emitted. In addition to this effort, many parks are striving to reuse the water from the parks' fountains or other areas. However, this has proved difficult and is still under progress.
   

Building Community and Sustainability: Community Gardens

       As an aesthetically pleasing addition to any area, community gardens bring people from both local and non-local regions together to enjoy a common interest. This increases community between those of different backgrounds who simply share the love of nature. Having a safe place to go to allows neighbors to meet each other, which can lead to relationships between people that will shape the persons. Since community gardens tend to be safe, they can serve as a place for youth to socialize and engage in community-building activities and learn about the environment. Special events can also be held here to bring people together such as holiday celebrations or community-organized events. Additionally, speakers can use the area to gather people to listen to them in a positive environment. Also, neighborhood organizations can be built upon the creation of a community garden, which could serve as a meeting place.
       Community gardens not only please the eyes of those in the area, but also increase environmental awareness and promote sustainability. People become more appreciative of nature if the gardens become a part of their life. The gardens help to filter rainwater, which can decrease any harmful liquids from the rivers, groundwater, or lakes. Additionally, the plants in the gardens produce oxygen, which can reduce the air pollution concentration. Some gardens are maintained so that trimmings from the plants are recycled back into the soil. As a result of all of the positive effects from community gardens, they are beginning to become more popular than parks, which are more expensive to maintain.