Easy Steps to Enliven Neighborhoods

Image Gallery Members of this discussion group at Harmony Village, Golden, Colo., talk about how to make their homes more energy-efficient.

Form Book Clubs and Discussion Groups

Who’s Doing It: Harmony Village, Golden, Colo.; Olde Hillcrest Neighborhood Association, Milwaukee, Wis.

The Way It Works: At Harmony Village, nearly a dozen neighbors meet once a month over breakfast to discuss local and global environmental issues. Olde Hillcrest Neighborhood Association, in the suburbs of Milwaukee, sponsors a neighborhood book club.

How to Get Started: Discussion groups are often sparked by one or two people who announce their interest. For environmentally oriented discussion groups, check out the work of the Northwest Earth Institute, ( www.nwei.org), which has started more than 300 discussion groups throughout the United States.

Other Bright Ideas: Starting neighborhood potlucks, a community bulletin board or a neighborhood watch program are all simple ideas that can help people get to know each other better.

Plant a Community Garden

Who’s Doing It: Communities across the United States and Canada, including Golden, Colo., and Seattle.

The Way It Works: Neighborhood groups are joining together to turn weed-infested and trash-filled vacant lots into garden spaces. Planting fruits and vegetables brings together people of different ages and backgrounds, and helps to build a more sustainable world by reducing the amount of fuel needed to transport food from farm to table.

How to Get Started: The American Community Gardening Association has a Web site, www.communitygarden.org, with a wealth of information about starting a community garden. You also can find local garden or horticultural societies by contacting a nursery in your area or by calling your cooperative extension office.

Other Bright Ideas: Create centrally located compost piles and recycling bins, plant trees and shrubs for fruit and to create wildlife habitat, and take down privacy fences to create more open space.

Create a Neighborhood Work-share Program

Who’s Doing It: L.A. Ecovillage, Los Angeles; North 9th Avenue Neighborhood, Tucson, Ariz.; Highline Crossing, Littleton, Colo.