6/15 Green Recognized By National Grid & BBG For Leadership In Sustainable Practices
Congratulations to 6/15 Green, the community garden located on the corner of 6th Avenue and 15th Street, for being awarded the National Grid Leadership in Sustainable Practices Award during this year’s Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden!
The award recognizes their work at creating an incredibly environmentally conscious space that member Jessica Katz explains includes “an extensive composting program, a solar-powered waterfall that was recently upgraded so that the unit can store solar energy to power holiday lights, and the garden offers many public programs and activities.”
Though the garden has participated in the Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest for many years, Co-President Traci Strickland tells us this award is particularly meaningful.
“We were quite surprised and honored to receive the National Grid Leadership in Sustainable Practices award,” she says. “We had no idea we were being considered for this special award.”
The garden, which was founded in 1994 in an abandoned lot, has grown tremendously in its 20 years on the corner, with sustainability always at the forefront.
“At the core of 6/15 Green’s mission is a commitment to keeping the garden a community open space for cultural, agricultural, and educational purposes,” Traci says. “The sustainable gardening initiatives that National Grid recognized — the solar-powered pond, rainwater harvesting, native plants garden, children’s garden, and support of plants that attract pollinators, to name a few — are just some of the ways that we try to fulfill this mission.”
Aside from the “good feeling that came from being recognized,” Traci says a sign announcing the award will be displayed at the garden.
Of course, all this award-winning work isn’t easy, and she reminds us that it takes many hands to keep the garden going.
“So many people put in so much time and effort to make 6/15 Green what it is,” Traci says. “It was wonderful to be recognized for this work.”
To learn how you can get involved, check out the 6/15 Green website.
Top photo via Karen Young