At May 22nd Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon Manish Mehta talked about his trip to Dallas Texas where he attended the Earth X Conference.
EarthX is an international nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to educating and inspiring people and organizations to take action towards a more sustainable future worldwide. They assemble and connect people all over the globe to explore sustainable solutions.
This years Conference was April 21st and April 22nd. The following is a day to day experiences wrote by Manish:
Am honored to represent sustainability professionals and speak on behalf of Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) at the EarthX Conference in Dallas this week…I will be speaking on Operation Pollinators and Plant-Rich Diets for Human and Planetary Health…will promote our 15-Day PRD Challenge launching on Earth Day. SeeESRAG Plant Rich Diet Task Force for more details and to sign up. Delighted to catch up with the EarthX top leadership on Day 1: Founder Trammell S. Crow (a Texan businessman, entrepreneur and innovative leader who is the founder of EarthX, an international nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to educating and inspiring people and organizations to take action towards a more sustainable future worldwide), CEO Rajan Singh (with whom I share common East African diaspora roots), and Rotary Experience Organizer Steve Bender. It’s going to be a fun and exciting week promoting green tech in Texas!
Sharing highlights from my Earth Day (April 22) talks on various ESRAG initiatives at the 2025 EarthX The Rotary Experience session held in Dallas on Pollinators and Plant-Rich Diets to mark the launch of the 15-Day Challenge. I owe thanks for many slide inputs provided by Rotarians Christopher Stein of National Parks Service on Pollinator Partnerships, Scott R Nelson, Dawn Angela Byford, Ambaree Majumder - Ambee and Kris CameronThe EarthX evening Gala dinner and amazing Rock Concert-style performances brought out the nostalgia with classic hits of Pink Floyd (saxophonist Scott Page) and The Doobie Brothers (guitarist Jeff Baxter)…these same rock stars who served as activists on sustainability tech panels by day transformed the Hilton Anatole Ballroom into a rock concert hall by night…what a treat!
On Day 4 of www.EarthX.org, Delighted to be interviewed by Reporter Kareena Dhillon at EarthX Conference on what I am passionate about that brought me to the 2025 EarthX Conference…look for the segment on EarthXTV.BT I Besides narrating my personal story of migration, beliefs and humanitaria ESRAG Plant Rich Diet Task ForceRich Diet Task Force’s recent launch of the 15-Day Plant-Rich Challenge, Food Waste mitigation strategies, and Operation Pollinators and gardens that Rotary clubs and community institutions can establish…From Project Drawdown, “Animal agriculture is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Favoring plant-based foods reduces demand, thereby reducing land clearing, fertilizer use, and greenhouse gas emissions.”Also was pleased to see the presence of two Brahmakumari teachers and two Jain nuns from Siddhyatan Retreat in Dallas, Sadhvi Siddhali Shree and Sadhvi Anubhuti hosted by EarthX Founder Trammell Crow…Met a movie producer who scouts globally for highlighting the story of earth innovators and is now focused on documenting Jugaad ideas and holding pitch competitions in India and South-East Asia.
Fr Dale Jamison, from St Mary Navajo Mission was our speaker at the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon on May 8th. Fr. Dale Jamison, OFM, is the Pastor of St. Mary Navajo Mission, Tohatchi, NM.
Fr. Dale started his talk with, imagine life without running water, gas and electricity. Outhouses for toilets. Woodburning stoves are the only source of heat. walks to the mountains for wood, and to natural springs to fill containers with water for drinking, cooking and bathing. On top of these hardships, there’s food insecurity and barely enough money for clothes and other necessities. This is reality for families living in run-down trailer homes and hogans (octagonal-shaped, single-room dwellings) around Tohatchi on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico.
In the more “urban” part of town, population 1,100, it’s common for families to welcome unhoused relatives into the small cinder block homes they lease from the federal government. Most of the housing is old and in need of repair and the occupants, usually upwards of a dozen, often share one vehicle. Although the homes have plumbing and utilities, it’s a struggle to put food on the table.
FR. Dale say's Rotary can help by giving money to repair the many homes and buildings that are in disrepair at the mission.
At April 24th, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Luncheon, the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation talked about updates at the parks. Dana, Amelia and Sarah work at the Parks and Recreation Department and all help at the Gallup Park Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden.
Dana Novak talked about Ann Arbor Parks talking about their mission and core values,
Mission:
Together, we enrich life by cultivating exceptional experiences.
Core Values:
Stewardship: We responsibly manage and care for our natural, cultural and physical resources for current and future generations.
Exceptional Customer Service: We interact with all people in a professional, friendly and respectful manner, while striving to exceed expectations.
Innovative Improvements: We foster an environment that supports and encourages innovation and dynamic creative solutions.
Integrity: We build trust and maintain accountability by doing the right thing.
Community: We work collaboratively to include and engage the full diversity of our community.
Excellent Parks and Spaces: We provide safe environments, beautiful spaces and a welcoming atmosphere.
Fun: Have fun!
Then Dana discussed what park volunteers do. Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation has year round volunteer opportunities for almost every interest, schedule and ability. Your level of commitment is up to you!
GIVE 365 is a volunteer and outreach program within Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation. We work with volunteers to maintain and beautify our parks and to make improvements and enhancements to the Ann Arbor park system. There are 162 park properties that the city maintains and cares for here in Ann Arbor! Staff and volunteers work together to steward our public parkland.
The Adopt-a-Park volunteer program promotes long-term partnerships between residents and city government to maintain and beautify our parks. Park adopters can be individuals, neighborhood associations, community groups, school clubs and local businesses. Park adopters work with the Adopt-a-Park Coordinator to develop expectations, create a work plan and schedule workdays.
Natural Area Preservation (NAP) works to protect and restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic within the community. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor parks. These tasks are performed by both staff and volunteers.
Before Dana's talk we presented Amelia and Sarah a Paul Harris Fellowship (Click here for more pictures of P.H. presentation) for all their dedicated work on the Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden. Thank you Sarah and Amelia.
Community Action Network of Washtenaw County returned to our Lunch Meeting today to update us on what good things they are doing lately. Colette & Kayla from CAN were our speakers.
Kroger Community Rewards
Kroger Community Rewards
ENROLL TODAY:
Earned $28.55 from Aug. 1, 2024 - Jan. 31, 2025.
Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Foundation isregistered in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Sign up and start making money for The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Foundation.
***Rotary Club of Ann Arbor North Foundation Non-Profit Organization Account Number, is BD440. ***
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Meeting Day & Time: 2nd and 4th Thursday's of the month at 12:00 pm | Meeting Address: Dixboro United Methodist Church 5221 Church Road., Ann Arbor, MI|
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