Community Gardens Help Students Learn About Water Efficiency
New report documents programs supported by Learning Landscape Grants
CHICAGO and MARYSVILLE, Ohio, June 7, 2022 /3BL Media/ - The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation are pleased to announce a new report detailing projects funded by the 2020 Learning Landscape Grants. The AWE Learning Landscape Grant Program, funded by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, helps support building or improving educational outdoor spaces at schools, botanical gardens, and community locations that allow school-age children to experience hands-on learning about water efficiency in outdoor landscapes.
After a competitive application process, AWE awarded grants of $5,000 to the following eight schools and organizations whose project proposals offered the highest educational value and water efficiency benefits:
- Amigos de Los Rios, Altadena, CA
- City of Houston, Houston, TX
- Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District, Albuquerque, NM
- Denver Urban Gardens/Bradley International School, Denver, CO
- Edwards Aquifer Conservancy, San Antonio, TX
- Oak Grove School District #68, Bartonville, IL
- Pala Environmental Department, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pala, CA
- Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District, Riverside, CA
The projects were scheduled for completion in 2020, but the pandemic created delays. Six of the projects were completed in 2021, while two projects are still underway. AWE has released a report detailing the completed projects and demonstrating the positive effects each one has had on their respective communities. View the report at https://bit.ly/3zl1oph.
“AWE congratulates all of the Learning Landscape grant recipients, and we thank the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation for making this fantastic program possible.” AWE president and CEO, Ron Burke, said. “A sustainable water future is dependent on fostering the next generation’s passion for water efficiency. All of the projects funded through Learning Landscape Grants do this while also providing their communities with beautiful outdoor spaces.”
Additionally, AWE updated its Learning Landscape Lessons, a curriculum designed for educators of grades 3-8. The new lesson, “Soils: the Dirt on Dirt,” is the fourth lesson developed by the Alliance. The lessons align with the associated Next Generation Science Standards and aim to educate students on the importance of understanding and conserving our water resources outdoors. View the lessons at https://bit.ly/3mloe8y.
“We are inspired by all of the projects developed by the selected schools and organizations,” said Katherine Dickens, ScottsMiracle-Gro Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility. “It's important for each of us to find inventive ways to use water more efficiently while we enjoy our outdoor spaces, knowing that even small changes make a big impact. We hope these projects will encourage people in their local communities to continue working toward a sustainable water future.”
The grant program is continuing this year with five additional projects underway.
About the Alliance for Water Efficiency
The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) is a North American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the sustainable and efficient use of water. Based in Chicago, AWE works with nearly 400 water utilities, water conservation professionals in business and industry, planners, regulators, and consumers. As the leading voice for water efficiency, AWE’s platform brings together innovative technical resources to facilitate adoption of water conservation programs, cutting-edge research to address pressing challenges, and a collaborative dialogue amongst stakeholders to further adoption of water conservation programs. www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org.
About The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
The mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit www.scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org.
Alliance for Water Efficiency
33 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2275
Chicago, IL 60602
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
14111 Scottslawn Rd.
Marysville, OH 43040
