Some 2.5 million tons of wasted food in 2020 cost the country NIS 19.1 billion ($6 billion), or the average household NIS 3,600 (US $1,140), according to Leket Israels 6th annual Food Waste and Rescue Report, published in partnership with the Environmental Protection Ministry on Monday.

This waste accounted for 35 percent of the food produced in Israel. Half of it was edible and could have been resold.

The cost to the environment was an additional NIS 3.4 billion ($1 billion), the study found, when waste of land resources, water, waste collection, and processing was taken into account, as well as air pollution and the emission of an estimated 5 million tons of greenhouse gases, accounting for 6 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Israel.

In total, just under one in five (18.7%) of Israeli households suffered from food insecurity last year, equivalent to half a million households, Leket found.

Food insecurity has been defined as the inability to ensure a constant supply of food that contains all the nutritional elements necessary for proper development and health.

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An elderly lady receives a meal delivery courtesy of Leket, the National Food Bank. (Courtesy, Leket)

A different report, issued earlier this month by the Israeli aid organization Latet, estimated that around 630,000 households suffer from food insecurity, including some 300,000 experiencing it to a severe extent. These households include close to 800,000 children under 18 years of age.

Mondays study by Leket Israel, which rescues nutritious surplus food and distributes it to needy people via some 200 other nonprofits, found that the COVID-19 crisis did not bring any significant changes in total food waste compared with previous years, but changed the way that waste was distributed.

With more people at home, household food waste increased by NIS 800 million ($255 million) compared to 2019, while in the agricultural sector, it also went up, mainly during the first lockdown, due to a shortage of workers, export restrictions on agricultural produce, and the closure of hotels, restaurants and employee cafeterias.

Volunteers sort produce at the warehouse of Leket Israel, the countrys largest food rescue organization. (Ben Sales/JTA)

In institutions such as hotels and workplaces, waste declined by around half to NIS 2.2 billion ($700 million), compared with the year before.

In April 2020, at the height of the crisis, about 1.2 million workers left the workforce. During the year, some 825,000 workers experienced income loss. After deducting government COVID-19 grants, the reports researchers concluded that an additional 150,000 people joined the ranks of the food insecure, while those already in need suffered even more.

Thanks to lockdowns, the shift to remote school studies in capsules, and the days students spent in isolation, around 60 million fewer meals were distributed at educational institutions.

Soup kitchens were also impacted, particularly during the first lockdown, with NIS 900 million ($285 million) less spent on food than in 2019.

The report takes issue with the previous governments decision to give stipends to the entire population, saying it would have made more sense to focus support on the needy and would have been more economically efficient to fund food distribution programs rather than having every family buy food for itself.

Volunteers for Leket Israel deliver food to needy recipients, September 2020. (Courtesy Leket Israel)

The increase in food waste and the widening of the food-insecurity gap that occurred during the year of the pandemic reinforce the need to use food rescue as one of the national policy tools, the report concludes, calling for the setting of a national target to cut food waste by half by the end of the decade.

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel, called on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to lead the creation of an inter-ministerial food rescue plan.

Chen Herzog, Chief Economist at BDO Consulting and editor of the report, called it economic folly that no national food rescue policy was formulated during a year in which 150,000 people joined the ranks of the food insecure.

Food waste prevention and food rescue are economic, social, and environmental policy tools, he went on, adding, Without formulating a national plan to rescue food and prevent food waste, we will not meet the climate goals and declarations of the (United Nations COP26) Glasgow (Environmental) Conference to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the field of waste.

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Over a third of food produced last year went to waste, costing Israel $6b report - The Times of Israel

By TIM KELLY

They were strong. They were brave. Today, they are mostly unknown.

That last part is about to change, due largely to efforts here in Ocean City.

They were surfmen, federal employees and servicemen of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, who were forerunners to members of todays United States Coast Guard.

Their mission: to save lives from the thousands of shipwrecks which occurred up and down the Eastern Seaboard, including many off the beaches of Ocean City, when seafaring cargo transport was the way of the world.

The stretch of ocean off South Jersey, including Ocean City, which led into the harbors of New York City, was especially dangerous.

Inadequate lighthouses, bad mapping and sometimes terrible conditions were the reasons, historians said.

Lost cargo was one thing. Lost lives were quite another. The surfmen and their now-antiquated equipment were all that stood between the shipwreck victims and a watery grave.

Pick the worst day youve ever seen at the Jersey Shore, and that was a workday, said Ocean City historian and surfmen expert John Loeper, who was recently elected president of the U.S. Life-Saving Heritage Association.

Who were they, these surfmen? They were local residents who served their city and country. Their names included familiar ones, such as Mackie Corson, as well as men famous only to their family and friends.

Their tools were teamwork and rudimentary equipment available at the time, namely wooden lifeboats and oars.

Whether famous or not, the surfmens common thread was dedication to their service and willingness to put their lives on the line to save others.

They charged in there with seven men in a boat and they punched through 10-foot waves using oars and courage, Loeper said. They pulled the victims out and rowed them back to safety.

Loeper said surfmen were respected members of the community who walked tall and proud.

They prevented shipwrecks from becoming catastrophic disasters. They were the heroes of the day, Loeper remarked. When they werent out on a rescue, they were constantly training for the next one.

He said each man had a specific function and they cross-trained to learn each one.

On a rescue, they never knew which guys would be available at a given time, said Loeper. They each were assigned a number.

For example, if Joe didnt know Mike or his name, then Joe simply called out to Mike by his number, Loeper explained.

In Ocean City, their headquarters may have been U.S. Life-Saving Station 30, one of three in the city.

It is now a museum, at 801 East Fourth Street, or Fourth and Atlantic.

Construction on the building was completed in 1886. Although hundreds of the Carpenter Gothic-style stations dotted the coast at that time, Ocean Citys Station 30 is the only one of its style still standing in New Jersey and one of only four left in the United States, according to published reports.

Recently, using online research, networking and some luck, the final resting places of most of the Ocean City surfmen have been located and plans are underway to formally recognize them, Loeper said.

A few graves were found at the old section of the Methodist Cemetery in Seaview, and more were discovered at a cemetery in Woodbine.

Also, through sheer luck, two more resting places were found on the grounds of a former family farmstead private land.

When the names of the deceased were found, photos and personal stories soon followed. Through the use of websites, such as Ancestry.com and Facebook, relatives and other historians were contacted.

Where possible, Loeper said he and museum staff are compiling individual dossiers on the surfmen.

The long-range plan is to make the names and resting places public, in order for grave decorations and other tributes to be given, as is the case with other branches of the services. The surfmen are deserving of such recognition, Loeper said.

They found themselves in some horrendous situations, he noted.

Loeper said some did it because they had survived their own difficult moments on the water, and felt they had to recognize it and give back. Others did it, he said, for the money.

Census figures of the time indicated a dirt farmer might have a net worth of $50, while a surfman could have a net worth between $400 and $500, Loeper pointed out.

Also, Loeper said, it was a steady paycheck a member of the surfmen could depend on, while the dirt farmers existence was eked out day to day.

Internet searches find glowing accounts of the surfmens exploits in old articles in national publications, such as Harpers Weekly.

However, when moving freight over the sea gave way to railroads and interstate roadways, the Life-Saving Service became the Coast Guard. The surfmen mostly slipped onto the forgotten pages of the history books.

The men worked and at times lived in Life-Saving Station 30 with each other, and often with survivors who needed shelter until their relatives could be located.

It sometimes took weeks for their families to arrive at the station, which in the early days was in the middle of nowhere.

The station was one of the first structures in the city, Loeper said.

While waiting for the rescued folks to leave, everyone still had to eat and sleep.

Hunting and fishing and cooking on a wood-fired stove and sleeping in close quarters was routine. Whatever fish could be caught and whatever small game could be trapped or shot was on the menu.

The upside was that the building was a center of Ocean City life, Loeper said.

The town grew around the station and they were right in the middle of it all, he said.

Originally built close to the shoreline, shifting sands and storms deposited more beach in front of the building.

Today, it is about a quarter mile from the ocean with blocks of homes built in between. Many folks assume it is a restored facility of the Beach Patrol and dont know it is an historic facility of the Coast Guard.

When current men and women of the Coast Guard learn of the life-saving services history, many are amazed.

In a posting on the Station 30 Facebook page, one Coast Guard member said, I will never complain about our facilities again after seeing what these guys went through.

COVID-19 has gotten in the way of the museum giving the building an identity. Regular hours and events have been sporadic since the pandemics outbreak.

Also, a decision was made early on in the restoration to make the station a place of living history rather than a traditional museum filled with exhibits.

It is set up to replicate, as closely as possible, what the station was like during its heyday into the 1920s.

It displays a fully equipped and restored surf boat, very close to an exact duplicate of those used in rescues, including that of Ocean Citys most famous shipwreck, the Sindia, which ran aground 120 years ago this month. The surfmen managed to rescue everyone aboard the Sindia.

We have the names of all the men involved in the operation and all of the equipment used in the rescue, Loeper said in a previously published report.

Life-Saving Station 30 also includes a restored keepers quarters, the home to the head man at the facility. He oversaw the men and the operations, and things were busy.

At least 100 ships would sail through Ocean City on any given day, Loeper said. You could sit on the beach and watch dozens of cargo vessels pass through.

Life-Saving Station 30 stands as a reminder of those days and remains a historic gem of Ocean Citys north end.

The surfmen never could have imagined todays air rescues and other modern technologies used by their (historical descendants) in the Coast Guard any more than todays servicemen could imagine rescuing people by loading a wooden boat and pushing off from the beach, Loeper said.

It is overdue that we recognize the sacrifice, courage and bravery of these men, he added.

Continued here:
Graves of Life-Saving Station Surfmen Discovered - OCNJ Daily

The 1,500-square-meter villa was constructed between 1927 and 1930 on a 3,000-square-meter plot of land. With a vision to rehabilitate the building to its former glory, the villa was acquired in 2015 by Minerva Corporation, investing over US$20 million into its restoration. Specialists Palazzo Spinelli Institute for Art and Restoration from Italy and Stonewest from the UK, whose respective body of work include estates, cathedrals, and other historical and cultural institutions, were appointed to undertake a full-scale restoration of the property.

Villa le Voile's name is inspired by voile (French for "veil"), symbolizing its extensive seven-year journey of studies and restoration as well as the many layers of history unveiled in the process. Comprised of a main villa, a flexible space for exhibitions and pop-up events, and an outdoor landscape area, the villa will house three dining destinations punctuated by artistic spirit, cultural sensitivity, and heritage promotion.

A place for inspiration, community, and cultural exploration, Villa le Voile will offer a venue for exchange and understanding of Vietnam through exhibitions, workshops, and other programs year-round.

About Villa le Voile

Villa le Voile is set to become Ho Chi Minh City's premier destination for dining, heritage, and culture. Characterised by an eclectic yet harmonious blend of French, Chinese, and Vietnamese architectural and design elements, Villa le Voile is an embodiment of Saigon's unique history and culture. Opening its doors to the public in Q4 of 2022, the Villa will house three distinctive dining concepts that elevate perception of Vietnamese cuisine, alongside temporary exhibitions, pop-up events, and robust cultural programming year-round. Follow Villa le Voile on Instagram and Facebook: @villalevoile. http://www.villalevoile.com

To access the full press kit and high-resolution images, click here.

Press Contacts:

Manica Tiglao: [emailprotected] | [emailprotected] (Asia)

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Revitalised Heritage Property Villa le Voile to be Unveiled in 2022 - PR Newswire India

This article is part of our latest Design special report, about creative people finding fresh ways to interpret ideas from the past.

When Joyce Poulson was awakened by her fire alarm in the early morning of Nov. 12, 2018, she didnt see any flames or smell smoke. She went upstairs in her butterfly-roof house in Los Angeless Silver Lake neighborhood to try to turn off the alarm and, failing at that, called the alarm company.

While I was on the phone a tornado of fire came up the stairs, she said. I had to run by it to get to the door. I dont know how my nightgown did not catch on fire.

By sunrise it was clear that her 1,640-square-foot, wood-frame home had burned to the studs because of an errant ember that had been trapped, invisible, between the fireplace and the wall. Her insurance company would soon call the historically important building a total loss.

Today, the 69-year-old house, originally designed by Ain, Johnson and Day for Marjorie M. Greene, an artist and early childhood educator, looks as fresh as it did in 1952. It has been painstakingly restored by Escher GuneWardena Architecture, thanks to archival research, preservation of the remaining structure and forensic reconstruction of the plans as even the original blueprints, stored in a closet in the lower floor, were burned to char.

A week or two after the fire, Ms. Poulson, 78, contacted the firms partners, Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena, at the suggestion of a neighbor who knew Mr. GuneWardena from having studied abroad, and asked them to rebuild it.

She could not have selected more eager and experienced architects. The 25-year-old firm had also worked on the conservation of the Eames House and the restoration and the remodeling of John Lautners Chemosphere house. While less well known than Lautner or Charles and Ray Eames, Gregory Ain (1908-1988), a principal designer of the house, was an integral part of Los Angeless Modernist movement and American architects search for low-cost, innovative and flexible housing for the masses.

His Mar Vista Tract, also designed with Joseph Johnson and Alfred Day and completed in 1948, was designated Los Angeless first Modernist historic district in 2003. It showed how even identical houses, their plans mirrored or rotated and oriented toward lush common green space, could create a neighborhood of variety and charm.

Ains firm followed that up with Community Homes, a racially integrated cooperative designed for 280 families, including those of the landscape architect Garrett Eckbo (a friend and frequent collaborator) and the singer and actress Lena Horne, but was unable to get government financing. Ain and Eckbo, both Socialists, decided to let the project die rather than undertake it as a whites-only suburb. The California Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities would later declare Ain among the committees more notorious critics.

Ms. Poulson, a retired computer software salesperson, embarked on a love affair with modern architecture long before 1988, when she bought the Greene house, of which she was only the third owner. In the early 1960s she rented one of the apartments behind the architect Richard Neutras studio (Ain worked for Neutra in the 1930s.) In the 1980s she lived in the guesthouse of the Neutra VDL House, where she attended classical music concerts featuring the architects widow, the musician Dione Neutra.

Every time she started to describe anything she was very emotional, said Mr. GuneWardena, about his initial conversations with Ms. Poulson. She said it was a Gregory Ain house, it was in a magazine she had, but that was in the house. Several times she said, Ill show you the photos, then she remembered the photos had burned. They arranged to meet at the skeleton of the house. The designers immediately realized this was an important house and said, Dont tear down anything, Mr. GuneWardena recalled.

Among their first tasks was proving that the Greene house was, in fact, by Ain, a necessary step if they wanted to add the house to the inventory of HistoricPlacesLA, a preservation database, and apply the citys preservation codes to the restoration. The building permit named only Johnson and Day, Ains onetime partners, as did the plans in the Eckbo archive at the University of California, Berkeley.

But the Ain archive at the University of California, Santa Barbara, had a folder of unidentified projects and there, lo and behold, they found two presentation drawings marked Marjorie Greene, 1952. Rereading a chapter on Ain in Esther McCoys Second Generation, a 1984 book about California architects, Mr. Escher and Mr. GuneWardena noticed a reference to a singular, unpictured Ain house with a butterfly roof just like the Greene house. Sasha Plotnikova, the project manager for the research phase on the house, also noticed that the plan was very similar to one of Ains most famous works, the 1950 Exhibition House for the Museum of Modern Art, intended as a demonstration of a subdivision-ready house of high-quality modern design a corrective to the traditional, boxy forms of nascent Levittowns.

(Until recently, the Ain house for MoMA had long been thought to be a lost design. Christiane Robbins and Katherine Lambert, a filmmaker and an architect, who have been researching Ain for more than a decade and sharing parts of their documentary-in-progress, had asked MoMA for documentation on the house and received only a slim file. In early 2021, however, George Smart, the North Carolina-based historian who founded and runs the preservationist nonprofit USModernist, discovered the house had survived, auctioned off and reassembled in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., where a family named Kelly has lived in it since 1979.)

The Los Angeles version is now on record as a sibling. This house is super site-specific, located on a hillside rather than in one of the flat suburban tracts Ain wanted to reform, said Anthony S. Denzer, a professor of architectural engineering at the University of Wyoming and author of Gregory Ain: The Modern Home as Social Commentary (2008). It seems to me that probably Marjorie Greene came to Ain because she had seen the MoMA house and said, I really like that, but then he adapted it to the site. Greene herself had an architectural pedigree: she was the niece of the prolific Pasadena architects Greene & Greene.

If it were simply a remodel job of a nonhistoric house, they would have to bring it up to new seismic codes and new energy codes, said Mr. Denzer. This would have likely required the addition of solid shear walls within the two-story glass wall facing Silver Lake, radically altering the open look and feel of the house. (One new code that does apply: sprinklers.) I can say with confidence he designed the house, Mr. Denzer said, but he doesnt know why Ain didnt include it in his own archive. Ains preference for perfecting a detail, and then using it in project after project, came in handy, as the designers could look to his other buildings of the same era for window or cabinetry details.

Mr. Escher and Mr. GuneWardena estimated that, in the end, 50 percent of the houses original materials were retained, including the framing of the butterfly roof, sections of the subfloor and floor structure, the brick fireplaces and almost all the concrete. Most of that is under cover, with new birch plywood cabinetry, new cork tile and new plaster over wood framing that is sometimes original, sometimes replaced, and sometimes sistered new elements tied to the old with nails or screws for strength.

The reconstruction took 18 months and was completed in April. Ms. Poulsons favorite spaces in the house remain the same: the nook in which she can read in her Eames lounge chair and look across the length of Silver Lake; and the highly efficient kitchen, in which she can reach sink, stovetop and pantry with a minimum number of steps.

Its beautiful to be in the living room and be able to look into that kitchen area it is like one long extension of itself, she said. Even though there are homes on either side of me, I dont hear or see a single thing except the lake and my garden.

The marks of the fire are visible in only two places. You can see it outdoors, where the char on a built-in Eckbo-designed pentagonal table was scraped off and its newly irregular ends sealed. Now it is similar to something George Nakashima would have designed, with a free edge, because of the burning, said Mr. GuneWardena. Delia Hitz, a garden designer, updated Eckbos beds, their edges intact, with all native plants that should require less water.

And inside, damage is visible (barely) at the scene of the accident: I suppose if you looked really carefully at the fireplaces you could tell, said Ms. Poulson. They had to clean them to get the brick back to brick, but there is smoke damage inside the fireplaces where it is black. She said she would never light a flame there again.

Apart from those vestiges, the house looks and feels exactly as it did when she moved in, she said. I dont know how they did it. She is grateful to be back after her time in exile living above the Americana at Brand complex: For me it had a lot of bling, a lot of people, everything was too much there, she said.

Ms. Poulson also cherishes how the reconstruction process taught her so much about the house, about Gregory Ain and other architects too, she said. I love my house now more than before the fire it means so much more to me now.

Continued here:
Celebrating a Phoenix of a Home in Los Angeles - The New York Times

Virginias 61st governor, Linwood Holton, has died at the age of 98. Hes best known for fighting racial segregation, but was also a pioneer in Chesapeake Bay restoration.

Holton, who served as governor of Virginia 1969-1973, passed away peacefully on October 28 at home in Irvington, close to the Chesapeake waters he loved so much. A moderate Republican, he was best known for the integration of Virginias schools, escorting his children to formerly all-Black schools in 1970 (including what is now the Linwood Holton Elementary School on Richmonds North Side). As governor, he also created reduced sewage pollution in Virginias rivers and unified the Port of Virginia.

With the passing of former Governor Linwood Holton, Virginia has lost a hero whose actions as governor led the Commonwealth out of a dark period and into the modern era.His unflinching stance against racial segregation and his recognition that we must protect our waterways from sewage pollution place him among Virginias greatest leaders, says Peggy Sanner, Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Born in Southwest Virginia in 1923, Holton attended Washington and Lee University and Harvard Law School. He served in the Navy in WWII, then practiced law in Roanoke, where he married Virginia Jinks Rogers (who survives him) in 1953 and raised four children. After his term as governor, Holton continued to serve Virginia and her citizens with energy and enthusiasm.Later work included leading the Center for Innovative Technology, helping create the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and practicing law. He served on the boards of Amtrak, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS), the Miller Center at the University of Virginia (which he helped found), the College of William and Mary, and Hampton University.Read his full obituary here.

Governor Holton loved oysters, as his involvement with the Center for Innovative Technology and VIMS indicates. As VIMS scientists began working on pioneering off-bottom techniques for restoration of the Chesapeakes depleted, disease-ravaged stocks in the mid-70s, they applied to the Center for research funding.

Always attuned to opportunity, Holton stipulated one condition: I want Mom and Pop to be able to do this. Write a manual for the rest of us.From that research came not only the beginnings of commercial aquaculture with floats and racks that drives Virginias current love affair with our iconic oyster, but also oyster gardening by private citizens, for both home consumption and restoration.The governor, of course, was an earlier participant in that work, adding a stout davit to the dock at his cottage on a creek off the Rappahannock to lift his oyster float when his research subjects grew too heavy to retrieve easily.His scientist friends noticed, however, that few oysters ever grew beyond three inches in that float, and the numbers seemed to diminish over time. He was a great mentor, said one of them, but a terrible co-investigator.He was eating his research subjects.

Characteristically, the governor had a great laugh over that comment.He also loved fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, especially for spot and gray trout. This correspondent had the pleasure of his and Mrs. Holtons excellent company aboard First Light several times, including a memorable day fishing the restoration oyster reefs in the Piankatank.All of us who knew him will miss him greatly, but were thankful for his life well lived with joy in public service.

John Page Williams

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Farewell to a Former Governor, the Godfather of Oyster Gardening - Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Aina Momona News Release

Aloha Molokai, we are Aina Momona, a Native Hawaiian nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty. Our team of kiai are committed to restoring Molokai Aina Momona.

We are advised by a board of exceptional Native Hawaiians who work in concert with our staff on the ground. Our board members include Dr. Jon Osorio, Dr. Trisha Kehaulani Watson, and Molokais own, Dr. Keoni Kauwe, among others. Dr. Kauwe is a graduate of Molokai High and Intermediate (96) and recently became the eleventh president of Brigham Young University Hawaii and the first of Native Hawaiian descent. Together, our board provides cultural and scholarly expertise to guide and inform our efforts at our land base in the ahupuaa of Kaamola, Molokai.

Though Aina Momona is relatively new to Kaamola, our staff have a longstanding commitment to this ahupuaa. After restoring three other fishponds on the island, our kiai loko (fishpond protectors) began restoring Keawanui Fishpond in 2001. In addition to working on the fishpond, they also carried on the legacy of offering place-based education on site. Our kiai have been working in the Kaamola area for over 20 years.

Aina Momona values the lessons learned from the work done here in the past and honors that dedication by continuing restoration and education efforts. It is our goal to revitalize the Keawanui area and wider Kaamola ahupuaa as a key local food production site for Molokai through restoring traditional food systems.

If you have recently driven by Keawanui Fishpond, you may have noticed the removal of invasive kiawe trees which have been replaced with taro patches and ulu trees. This is the beginning of a native food forest we are growing on site. Likewise, we are refamiliarizing ourselves with the landscape up mauka and working with indigenous researchers to document the changes in the landscape that have occurred over time.

As we collaborate with the current lessees to plan restoration work in the mauka area, we aim to continue our efforts inland of Keawanui. Ultimately, our team hopes to create a scalable model for community-led land restoration and food production. In addition to restoration work, we have also established ROOTed, an on-site home school program. ROOTed provides core subject curriculum appropriate for the individual childs learning level, ongoing parent support, and aina-based learning opportunities that focus on environmental stewardship, gardening, health and wellness, and community service.

We look forward to keeping our Molokai community updated and involved in our work, so keep an eye out for more articles to come! For more information, please visit kaainamomona.org and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

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Nonprofit Works to Restore 'Aina | The Molokai Dispatch - Molokai Dispatch

Todd Hansen

A nesting box in the CSRC remnant prairie waiting for a new family of bluebirds.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. In collaboration with the U of A Office for Sustainability, Will Kirkpatrick, a third-year doctoralstudent in the DuRant Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences, has established a new field site in his ongoing nest box system around Fayetteville. This site is on U of A land just south of the Cato Springs Research Center. They are investigating impacts of the thermal environment on two native bird species, Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.

Kirkpatrick's Ph.D. thesis aims to develop a deeper understanding of how temperature, specifically temperature variation, impacts eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. Both species nest in cavities in the trunks of trees or manufactured bird boxes. They are altricial, meaning that they hatch in a relatively early developmental stage and require time in the nest before they are developed enough to feed themselves or move significantly. Given that these species are confined to the nest as eggs and for their first 14-20 days of life, it is critically important that their parents are attentive and keep them from extreme hot or cold temperatures.

In each of the field sites located in Fayetteville, arrays of nest boxes are set up on poles five feet off the ground. The Cato Springs site is home to over 60 nest boxes. Both eastern bluebirds and tree swallows use these nest boxes for reproduction in the spring and summer when temperature data is collected. This is done by inserting egg-shaped temperature probes into and outside the nest. By comparing these temperatures, they can track when the mother is incubating her eggs. Incubation temperature has been linked to offspring physical development and general nest success. By monitoring these parental behaviors, Will and his team hope to discover if natural temperature variation in the environment significantly impacts each species' parental behavior and offspring development.

Kirkpatrick said, "It is important for the scientific community to understand how species interact with the natural environment to better anticipate what will happen when environmental change occurs. Climatic shifts, deforestation, and other sudden changes to the environment may have catastrophic results for wild animals across the globe. Regardless of the environment, all species are exposed to temperatures that influence development and behavior. Parsing how environmental temperature impacts native species is critical to understanding what is to come with anthropogenic climate change."

In preliminary analyses, the research team has discovered that native birds are altering their behavior to combat temperature variability. Unfortunately, there seems to be a limit to how much parental behavior dampens temperature swings in the nest; however, further data collection is needed across the relatively young field system to investigate how this impacts the survival of the offspring.

"When working on theUA Oak Savanna restorationat Cato Springs, we wanted to partner with other departments who could bring additional expertise," said Eric Boles, director of the U of A Office for Sustainability. "Bird nesting boxes are a natural fit that will hopefully lead to more birders visiting the site to watch the progress."

Using publicly owned land in Fayetteville opens opportunities for mentoring undergraduate researchers without the burden of long field excursions that could lead to exclusion from research. A primary goal of this research project is to provide opportunities for young researchers to get their feet wet (sometimes literally!) in the field.

"The prescribed burns, invasive plant removal, and native plantpropagationon this site will surely assist with making this a place that anybluebird family would want to call home." said Boles. To learn how to get involved with volunteer opportunities on the site such as invasive plant removal and native seed collection, visit the Office for SustainabilityGivePulse page.

The project is supported financially by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the DuRant Lab. In collaboration with the university and other landowners, associate professor Sarah DuRant and Will Kirkpatrick hope to shed light on how the natural thermal environment impacts native birds. The university's agricultural research farm and the Cato Springs remnant prairie site are crucial to ongoing research and future projects to help understand critical issues with native species and the ongoing climate crisis.

To learn more, contactKirkpatrick at whkirkpa@uark.edu or visitwww.whkecology.com.

About the Office for Sustainability:The mission of the University of ArkansasOffice for Sustainability(OFS) is tomotivate,facilitate, andcoordinateresponsible practices through partnerships withstudents, faculty,and staff across all campus departments. The OFS uses the campus as a living laboratory by overseeing the implementation of the University of Arkansasenvironmental goals. These programs are part of the UA Resiliency Center, hosted by theFay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and are supported byUA Facilities Management.

About the University of Arkansas:As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than$2.2 billion to Arkansas' economythrough the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity.U.S. News & World Reportranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world atArkansas Research News.

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Native Birds Find a New Home as Part of an Ongoing U of A Research Project - University of Arkansas Newswire

A flooded basement is one of the most dreaded home maintenance problems. Seeing an inch or a foot of water standing in your basement can bring on a sinking feeling coupled with complete overwhelm about what to do next. Fortunately, flood damage restoration companies are experienced at dealing with flooded basements since floods are the number one disaster in America, according to the National Flood Insurance Program. Whether the flood occurred due to a burst pipe, a leaking foundation, or a natural disaster, it is possible to get a flooded basement cleaned up. Valuables like books or photo albums might be damaged irreparably from the accidental drowning, but flooring can be replaced, and furniture can be saved in many cases. Flooded basement cleanup requires safety precautions, patience, hard work, and often professional helpbut success is possible.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

Depending on the severity of the flood, you might need to call a few professionals to stop the leak, make sure the basement is safe, and reclaim your living space. If you only have an inch or two of water in your basement, your biggest concern will be finding where the leak is and getting it repaired. This will require the help of a plumber if its a broken pipe or overflowing sewage. A leaky foundation, windows, or low-lying entry point near a water source will require construction assistance to repair and prevent future flooding.

If the water has risen enough to reach electrical wiring or outlets, its critical that you turn off your power before entering the water to avoid the risk of an electrical shock. Call an electrician if youre unsure how to do that. If the water has snuffed out any pilot lights to your appliances, youll want to call the gas company to turn off the gas.

If you have significant water damage to any carpets or walls from water thats been sitting there for an extended period, then a water damage restoration service is the best option to help remove the water and repair the damage since theyre experienced at flooded basement cleanup. While surveying the damage and trying to remove the water yourself can be overwhelming, leaving it to a pro alleviates the stress and strain of doing a difficult job yourself. It can be especially taxing since it can involve ruined items that have sentimental value.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

It doesnt take long for damage to become irreparable after basement flooding happens, making water cleanup a frustrating and costly expense. You can expect to pay for the cost of water damage cleanup plus any repairs that you might need. On average, flooded basement cleanup costs between $3,000 and $10,000 with an average of $4,000, which generally includes flood remediation and cleanup for about 500 square feet thats buried in 2 feet of water. If you only have a couple of inches of clean water flooding, the average cost will be closer to $2,000 since there is less water damage service needed.

Its cheaper to clean up a flood thats not caused by a sewage backup or disaster floodwaters since theres no concern about bacteria or viruses. Contaminated floods require extra precautions and disinfectants to ensure the basement is safe to live in again, so extensive damage from a black water flood can exceed $10,000.

There are several reasons you could experience basement flooding. Most commonly, older homes tend to have a higher risk of flooding if they have older pipes, and homes near natural water sources are also at risk when there is heavy rainfall. Here are several causes for flooding in basements:

In many of these cases, proper home maintenance can help to prevent flooding problems. For instance, keeping rain gutters free of debris and in good repair prevents water from dripping down the walls constantly and pooling along the foundation. If the foundation isnt sealed well, that tenacious water will find its way into the crack and the house as it searches for the lowest point. Additionally, old pipes should be updated by a qualified plumber to help prevent leaking or broken pipes due to age. And if your home sits on a slope, be sure to add landscaping or drainage pits to help reroute any excess water.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

After the initial shock of a flooded basement has worn off, its time to get to work. Dangerous mold can set in as little as 2 days on wet or damp fabric. That mold becomes a musty smell that poses health risks that can cause long-term challenges. If the thought of tackling a flood restoration is too much to handle, or if youre not physically capable of doing the work, then take comfort in calling a water damage restoration company to help you get your basement back to normal. There are several steps for homeowners and pros to follow after a basement is flooded.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

Flooded basement cleanup is an unexpected and expensive cost that any homeowner dreads dealing with. Its common for homeowners to tackle some of the cleanup themselvesif they have the time and energy. However, it can be a difficult and even dangerous process, so be sure to get all the power and gas turned off before attempting any cleanup. Most of all, DIY flood cleanup can be emotionally draining as you see your valuables in such damaged condition. Your best bet is to use a water damage cleanup company to make the process easier and ensure your belongings are safe to use again.

These companies are qualified to locate leaks of all kinds and wont hesitate to get right into a mess of floodwaters. Theyre also the best option to call if you need to clean up a basement after a raw sewage leak since they have all the safety equipment necessary to work in a toxic environment. Youll be surprised at how quickly they can get the water out of your basement and assess which of your valuables can be salvaged. They also have the right experience to evaluate whether your drywall or hardwood floors will need to be removed or if they can dry out sufficiently to avoid mold growth.

No matter what, the most important step is to start getting your items out of the basement as soon as possible. The sooner you can get them started drying out, the better your chance of preventing mold.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

You might not have time to do as much due diligence researching for the best flooded basement cleanup company in an emergency. Its worth doing some work ahead of time to have their number on an emergency list. Most importantly, you need a company thats licensed to do business in your area, is insured, and has any necessary certifications for dealing with toxic waste. If you need a plumber, make sure the company is also licensed, insured, and certified to work on plumbing. In both cases, make sure the companies have been in business for a while.

For water damage restoration:

For plumbers:

If you live in an apartment complex, you might need to contact your leasing office first to let them coordinate with a plumber or restoration company that theyre familiar with. Its possible that other units also experienced flooding, so they might be responsible for repairing the damage. Its also a good idea to talk with your insurance company ahead of time to see what kind of coverage you have for flooding, especially if you live in an area thats prone to flooding.

Flooded basement after a storm?

A pro can help with the cleanup. Get free, no-commitment estimates from experts near you.

Basements are inherently at risk of taking on water since theyre the lowest point of a house. When theyre built, builders take precautions to prevent leaks, but over time, homes settle, earthquakes shift the ground, sinkholes appear, and water can pool around the foundation. Your basement walls should be waterproofed at the time of construction, but water can still seep in and create a humid environment.

Its a good idea to hire a foundation contractor to come in and waterproof your walls and reseal your foundation if you see any traces of water on your basement walls or along the edges of doors or windows. Window wells are another common source of leaks if the drainage system isnt sufficient to keep water away from the edge of the windows. Having a contractor seal and waterproof your basement is a good investment against some less obvious leaks that happen over time. This is also key since many insurance policies wont cover ground seepage that causes basement flooding.

Still wondering about flooded basement cleanup? Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions.

It depends on the severity of the flood and the level of contamination. The average range is between $3,000 and $10,000. A simple flood that is only a few inches deep could cost an average of $2,000 to clean up. Extensive floods with contaminated ground or wastewater can exceed $10,000 to clean up.

Some of this depends on how saturated the basement was and how well you facilitate the drying-out process. The faster you dehumidify the area, increase ventilation, and use fans, the faster it will dry out. Mold can grow within 2 days, so its important to get started on drying out the basement quickly. Its not uncommon for it to take a few days to get the basement fully dried out, especially if the water was deep.

You need to safely turn off gas and power, remove the water using a pump, remove porous items, decrease moisture using fans, sanitize and deodorize, then replace any damaged materials and repair any leaks.

Yes, in many cases. Policies differ from one house and region to the next, so you need to speak to your agent to know exactly what will be covered under your plan. Standard home insurance often covers flooding from a broken appliance, overflowing bathtub, and sometimes even frozen pipes that burst. Coverage for flooding caused by a natural disaster usually needs to be added to your insurance policy. Thats why if you live in an area prone to flooding or are near a water source, you should ask about getting that kind of protective flood insurance before disaster strikes.

Sources: Fixr

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Flooded Basement? Here's What to Know About Flooded Basement Cleanup - BobVila.com

DALLAS, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --This Saturday, Nov. 6, Van Jones, CNN contributor, host of the Van Jones Show and The Redemption Project; and Bishop T.D. Jakes, global leader and senior pastor of The Potter's House, will honor 125 graduates of the Texas Offender Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) at The Potter's House. Jones will deliver the commencement address to the T.O.R.I. graduates.

T.O.R.I., which is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year, has become a nationally revered and trusted knowledge partner with a proven successful model of rehabilitative and recuperative justice that has directly impacted the lives of some 300,000 men, women and their families. The White House, the Department of Justice, Canada's House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safe and National Security, AT&T and Wal-Mart are a few of the government and corporate entities that have either consulted with T.O.R.I. or have collaborated to glean major learnings from the Dallas-based initiative. T.O.R.I. is uniquely poised to align with key partners looking for programming and curriculum that distinctively speaks to the ever-growing needs and inequality realities facing many families across the United States.

"American prisons are built on the idea of retributive justice, where the primary goal is to punish and seek vengeance," said Jones. "It's a model that aims to incapacitate people who commit crimes and create powerful, painful incentives for them to act right in the future. This system hurts prisoners, their families and the victims of crime. This is a destructive cycle that must change. Restoration brings healing to all. T.O.R.I. is one of the leading programs helping to bring healing and restoration."

With more than 700,000 prisoners reentering society each year, there is an increasingly critical need for programs like T.O.R.I. across the country.

"T.O.R.I. is about helping a person become whole again and shifting the narrative on those formerly incarcerated, not just about giving someone a job or housing," said Jakes. "We must all rally around changing the system so families can be healed and revived. We need more individuals, corporations and foundations to get engaged so we can serve more people and end the cycle of incarceration indefinitely."

T.O.R.I. is an intensive 12-month case management program that offers six critical services that the majority of formerly incarcerated clients need and which have proven successful in the rehabilitation process, including: employment, housing, education, family reunification, health care and spiritual guidance. The program aims to reduce the rate of recidivism, diminish the negative perception of ex-offenders and their families, and ensure a safer and healthier family and environment for future generations.

What: Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) 16th Anniversary Graduation

Who:

Where: The Potter's House Official YouTube Channel

When: Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. CT

Requests for b-roll can be directed to Jordan Hora.

About Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) Founded in December 2004 by Bishop T.D. Jakes, under the umbrella of the Metroplex Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization that bridges economic voids in urban America, T.O.R.I. is an intensive 12-month case management program that offers six core services that the majority of formerly incarcerated clients need, including: employment, housing, education, family reunification, health care and spiritual guidance. Since its inception, T.O.R.I. has served more than 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals who have returned home to Texas.

About The Potter's House Located in Dallas, The Potter's House is a 30,000-member nondenominational, multicultural church and humanitarian organization led by Bishop T. D. Jakes, twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as America's Best Preacher and as one of the nation's 25 Most Influential Evangelicals. The Potter's House has five locations: The Potter's House of Dallas, The Potter's House of Fort Worth, The Potter's House of North Dallas, The Potter's House of Denver and The Potter's House OneLA.

Contacts:

Jordan Hora 214.608.2006

Christine Cape 404.545.0085

SOURCE The Potter's House

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Van Jones and TD Jakes to Honor Formerly Incarcerated Reentering Society during 16th Anniversary Celebration - PRNewswire

GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The Bezos Earth Fund today pledged $2 billion to help restore nature and transform food systems as part of its $10 billion commitment to fight climate change, improve nature, and advance environmental justice and economic opportunity. This commitment adds to a $1 billion pledge for nature announced at Climate Week NYC in September to help create, expand, manage, and monitor protected and conserved areas. Together, this $3 billion allocated to nature will drive a new, three-fold agenda focused on nature conservation, landscape restoration, and food-systems transformation.

"Our commitment today supports a three-fold imperative we must conserve what we have, restore what we've lost, and grow what we need in harmony with nature," said Jeff Bezos."Investing in nature through both traditional and innovative approaches is essential to combat climate change, enhance biodiversity, protect the beauty of the natural world, and create a prosperous future."

Landscape RestorationOne billion dollars in funding will support landscape restoration, with an initial focus on Africa and the U.S. Restoration efforts in Africa will include planting trees on degraded landscapes, revitalizing grasslands, and integrating trees into farmland. This work will help drive critical outcomes that include climate benefits, food security, job creation, economic growth, soil fertility, and improved connectivity between protected areas to protect biodiversity. The Bezos Earth Fund will partner with Africa-owned partners, including AFR100, to deliver these benefits at scale. In the U.S., funding will be dedicated to the restoration of more than 20 landscapes that sequester high levels of carbon, protect biodiversity, and deliver community benefits. Forty percent of the funds allocated to U.S. nature efforts will directly engage or benefit underserved communities.

Food Systems TransformationThe other $1 billion will help transform food and agricultural systems to support life without degrading the planet.The Bezos Earth Fund will allocate funds to support a range of urgent imperatives, including raising crop yields while shrinking the agricultural footprint, sharply reducing food loss and waste, shifting diets towards plant-based sources, and making agricultural supply chains more sustainable.

"To conserve our natural world is to conserve our human species," said Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, ethologist, conservationist, and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace. "We depend on nature for every breath we take and morsel we eat. We alone can determine its future an awesome responsibility. This is a hugely welcome announcement and much needed as time is slipping away."

"Africa is home to the world's greatest restoration opportunity, with more than 700 million hectares of degraded land that can be restored," said Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency-NEPAD. "Africa is the continent most dependent on the land for livelihoods and most vulnerable to climate change. Africa must therefore lead the way. We warmly welcome partnership with ambitious funders like the Bezos Earth Fund."

"This commitment recognizes the urgency of the situation before us," said Christiana Figueres,former U.N. climate chief and founding partner of Global Optimism. "For too long we have ignored the solutions that nature provides for us. Protection and restoration of our Earth is key to protecting and restoring our future. Key to our success will be reforming the way in which we produce and consume food, which is driving global warming, species loss, and inequality, rather than nourishing ourselves and our planet."

In line with the Bezos Earth Fund's $10 billion commitment timeline, the funds announced today will be disbursed by 2030. In distributing grants, the Earth Fund will focus on regions and countries where needs and opportunities are greatest, and where commitments to conserving and restoring nature while prioritizing local communitiesare strongest.

Today's announcement builds on the Bezos Earth Fund's $1 billion commitment to conservation announced during Climate Week NYC in September. These funds will be used to create, expand, manage, and monitor protected and conserved areas in support of the 30x30 commitment a goal to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 to prevent mass extinctions and bolster resilience to climate change. The Earth Fund conservation grant distributions are focusing on theCongoBasin, the tropical Andes, and the tropical Pacific Ocean.

About The Bezos Earth FundThe Bezos Earth Fund is Jeff Bezos's $10 billion commitment to fund scientists, activists, NGOs, and other actors that will drive climate and nature solutions. By allocating funds creatively, wisely, and boldly, the Bezos Earth Fund has the potential for transformative influence in this decisive decade. Funds will be fully allocated by 2030the date by which the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals must be achieved. For more information on the Bezos Earth Fund, please visit: http://www.bezosearthfund.org

SOURCE Bezos Earth Fund

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Bezos Earth Fund announces $2 billion pledge for landscape restoration and food-systems transformation, bringing overall commitment to nature to $3...