The pandemic has shown us how crucial Nature can be. When there was nowhere else to go we still had our parks, our shores, our gardens. But millions of people in cities around the world had little to no access to green spaces, and still don't. The New York Restoration Project (NYRP) is changing that. NYRP is working in all five boroughs of New York City to ensure that every New Yorker has equal access to Nature. By transforming abandoned lots into gardens, clearing trash, restoring parks, creating community gardens and community outreach programs, and advocating for greater access to green space, NYRP is growing our relationship with the Earth and the natural world one New Yorker at a time. Why does this matter? We won't protect what we aren't connected to. With each garden, each green space, each restored park, NYRP is reminding us of the bond and the responsibility we have to the natural world. Tune in for our conversation with Executive Director, Lynn Kelly, to learn more, get inspired, and take action on behalf of urban green spaces today.

SUPPORT NYRP's work: Learn more, donate, and get involved at https://www.nyrp.org/en/.

CHALLENGE: The Green challenge. Offer something to your favorite green space in the form of a donation, volunteering time, appreciation of it, or care for it. Pick up trash every time you’re there or remove weeds. If you don’t have a favorite green space in your local area then go find one. Or support a natural space that you love or that you’ve always wanted to visit – a national or state park.Giving back to a place you appreciate it forms a new relationship with it- you’re now part of its story. Nature gives us so much, let's give something back.

TAKEAWAYS: 1: We won’t protect what we don’t value. What we can’t see. What we don’t experience.  2: The best way to make change is to get our hands in the dirt and get involved. 3: It’s time to prioritize what truly matters.

Visit www.wecanremaketheworld.com for more info and resources.