Creative Sidewalk Gardens (thespruce.com)
First there was Color Brighton Green, the brainchild of some environmental activists who lived in Brighton. Later, Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee/Finger Lakes promoted Color Your Community Green (CYCG), and by now there are branches in suburbs of Fairport, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Penfield, Pittsford, Spencerport, Webster, Rush with more communities considering forming similar groups.
Color South Wedge Green (CSWG) is the first group from the City of Rochester. It was started in October 2021 and is just gearing up. Other city groups are working on getting CYCG started in Browncroft and North Winton Village, and the hope is that eventually there will be a city-wide group.
One of the first actions any climate group needs to do is focus, as there are so many ways to respond to climate change. The group has focused on four areas:
Increasing local greenspace (whether that be through community gardens,
planting more trees, or even creating a micro-forest)
Getting an EV charging station built in the South Wedge
Making local buildings more climate-friendly
Lobbying the city for more aggressive climate policy
If you live, work, or worship in the South Wedge and if you live in the city and wish there was a Color Your Community Green in your area you are welcome to join CSWG. And if none of these apply to you, you are still welcome.
St Boniface Catholic Church at 330 Gregory St, The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit at 835 South Avenue, and South Wedge Mission at 125 Caroline St. are in the South Wedge. Other nearby congregations are Spiritus Christi, Salem United Church of Christ, Mount Olivet Baptist Church, Grace Road Church, and First Universalist Church.
Meetings are the third Thursday of every month, from 6-7 at the Accelerator’s offices (758 south Avenue, suite 4). So far they have about 15 people or so who are on the Slack channel and will pop into meetings, with about 50 people who are on the Facebook page.
For additional information on CSWG email colorsouthwedgegreen@gmail.com;
for additional information on CYCG email brady@climategfl.org.