The Best Rain Jackets in the World Will Soon Be Illegal—with Good Reason
Courtesy of Outside Online
PFAS, a family of more than 13,000 unique chemicals, were invented in the 1930s by DuPont de Nemours, Inc., as the company was working to develop a non-stick frying pan. The world soon discovered the magic of these forever chemicals. Their Herculean bonding power means that they can render humble fabrics impenetrable to weather. They prevent red wine from staining your sofa and puppy poop from ruining your carpet. They keep grease from seeping through paper plates and take-out containers. They make mascara waterproof and are found in things like butter wrappers, lotions and sunscreens, toilet paper (including certain bamboo options), and menstrual products. PFAS are on your iPhone touch screen, and have been found in both tap and well water. A recent USGS report estimates that an alarming 45 percent of our country’s tap water contains PFAS.
Read more:
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/forever-chemicals-pfas/
Los Angeles Just Proved How Spongy a City Can Be
Courtesy of Wired
By Matt Simon
CALIFORNIA - Earlier this month, the future fell on Los Angeles. A long band of moisture in the sky, known as an atmospheric river, dumped 9 inches of rain on the city over three days—over half of what the city typically gets in a year. It’s the kind of extreme rainfall that’ll get ever more extreme as the planet warms.
With traditional dams and all that newfangled spongy infrastructure, between February 4 and 7 the metropolis captured 8.6 billion gallons of stormwater, enough to provide water to 106,000 households for a year. For the rainy season in total, LA has accumulated 14.7 billion gallons.
Read more:
https://www.wired.com/story/los-angeles-just-proved-how-spongy-a-city-can-be/
Park Champions Advocate for Vibrant Communities
Courtesy of NRPA
By Dan McCarthy
Parks are the heartbeats of our communities, offering spaces for joy, connection and well-being. NRPA leads the charge in advocating for these vital spaces through its Park Champions Initiative. This unique program recognizes that advocacy takes many forms, each championing the cause of parks in unique ways. Park Champions emerge as dedicated park and recreation professionals equipped with the skills and knowledge to involve their communities in the movement.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/blog/park-champions-advocate-for-vibrant-communities/
Biden-Harris Administration Releases the 2023 America the Beautiful Annual Report
Courtesy of US Department of the Interior
Celebrating the three-year anniversary of President Biden signing Executive Order 14008 and launching his ambitious conservation agenda, the Administration released the third annual report on the America the Beautiful initiative. This report describes the exciting progress made in 2023 to deliver on President Biden’s goals and highlights a wide range of locally led, partnership-driven efforts across the nation. The Administration supported conservation of lands and waters through historic investments, new policies and initiatives, and new national parks, wildlife refuges, and other conservation actions.
Read more:
https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-01/jan-2024america-beautiful-2023-annual-report508-1.pdf
When the Civic Commons Is Shelter
Courtesy of NRPA
By Amy Collier, CPRP
More than 18 months have passed since camping in Tennessee parks became a felony offense. To date, no arrests for camping have been made in Memphis parks. However, at least 36 park users have been connected with the Hospitality Hub.
Park and recreation professionals may be the keepers of the civic commons, but we cannot solve every challenge in our parks alone. Seek partnerships intentionally and be open to the park and recreation professional’s role in each challenge you face.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/march/when-the-civic-commons-is-shelter/
Buffalo Residents Push Back on Proposed Cap Park
Courtesy of Planetizen
By Mary Hammon
NEW YORK - The project is one of many of a growing “cap and cover” movement that state and local governments are hopping aboard, as reported by the Daily Beast. But questions about the long-term implications of these projects remain. A Colorado Public Radio News article about Denver’s new 4-acre cap park above I-70 that opened last year states, “Air quality concerns are only one reason anti-highway activists now see Denver’s park as a cautionary tale.” Among others are fears that the new public green space and park amenities will spur gentrification and displacement of existing community members.
Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/02/127588-buffalo-residents-push-back-proposed-cap-park
Trending Sports to Watch
Courtesy of NRPA
By Mary Helen Sprecher
Beach volleyball is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing sports nationwide, and courts are now being built in landlocked areas across the country. The announcement that flag football would be a showcase sport in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles was no surprise to its supporters since it is popular not only at youth levels, but also college levels. It is already offered as a women’s sport by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/march/trending-sports-to-watch/
Sustainability in Recreation and Parks: Building a Better Future
Courtesy of NRPA
By David M. Pearlman, Ph.D., CHE, CHIA
Sustainably designed parks exhibit robust resilience in addressing environmental challenges, serving as crucial hubs during emergencies and boosting urban resilience. Economically, they attract visitors, enhance local tourism, generate revenue through events and improve residents’ quality of life. They also serve as educational resources, promoting awareness about environmental conservation, wildlife protection and sustainable practices. Park and recreation departments have embraced sustainable practices in various ways...
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/march/sustainability-in-recreation-and-parks-building-a-better-future/
The Summer Seasonal Hiring Report
Courtesy of NRPA
By Melissa May
The Summer Seasonal Hiring Report, a new NRPA research report released in February, explores the summer seasonal hiring process, identifies some of the hiring challenges agencies nationwide faced in 2023, and highlights how park and recreation professionals are addressing those challenges.
Read more:
https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2024/march/the-summer-seasonal-hiring-report/
Accepting Nominations for the 2024 Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for Excellence in Recreation and Park Research
Courtesy of NRPA
The Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for Excellence in Recreation and Park Research is presented to an individual whose contributions to parks and recreation through research have significantly advanced the cause of the parks and recreation movement and whose dedication to the field parallels the same dedication and zeal toward parks, recreation and conservation that was exhibited by the presidents after whom the award is named.
Applications are due March 29.
For more information:
https://nrpa-awards.secure-platform.com/a/page/spotlight-awards/roosevelt-award-for-excellence-in-recreation-and-park-research
