environment

Tree planting and rain-barrel painting among the activities at Hoffman Triangle event

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Hoffman Triangle residents are invited to come out to Taylor Park on Saturday, April 6, from noon to 2 p.m. for a family-friendly event to learn about ways they can reduce flooding by planting trees, installing rain barrels and reducing paving. “Many neighborhoods in New Orleans, including the Hoffman Triangle, are vulnerable to repeated flooding,” said Dana Eness, executive director of the Urban Conservancy. The Urban Conservancy is working with Launch NOLA Green, Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL), Green Light New Orleans, Water Block, and the city’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability — as well as Hoffman Triangle residents, churches, schools and others — to improve the neighborhood’s stormwater conditions. “This event is part of a larger outreach effort aimed at understanding community needs, assets and growth opportunities” says Atianna Cordova, founder of Water Block and outreach manager for the project. At the Green Your Neighborhood event, Hoffman Triangle residents can learn about effective stormwater management techniques and resources to help reduce flooding on their properties and on their streets.

coastal preservation

Tulane study says seas may be rising faster than thought

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By Barri Bronston, Tulane University

A new Tulane University study questions the reliability of how sea-level rise in low-lying coastal areas such as southern Louisiana is measured and suggests that the current method underestimates the severity of the problem. The research is the focus of a news article published this week in the journal “Science.” Relative sea-level rise, which is a combination of rising water level and subsiding land, is traditionally measured using tide gauges. But researchers Molly Keogh and Torbjörn Törnqvist argue that in coastal Louisiana, tide gauges tell only a part of the story. Tide gauges in such areas are anchored an average of 20 meters into the earth rather than at the ground surface.

city government

City to establish ‘Do Not Toss’ registry for unsolicited papers in 2019

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Starting Jan. 31, New Orleans residents can opt out receiving unsolicited printed materials by adding their name to a new “Do Not Toss” registry through the city’s website, nola.gov or by calling 311. Residents on the list may still receive unsolicited printed materials, including newspapers, but the items must be placed on a doorstep, dropped into a mail slot, attached to the door or hand delivered. The ordinance aims to reduce litter on streets and sidewalks and remove potential safety hazards. The City Council unanimously passed the “Do Not Toss” ordinance on Dec.

city government

Recycle Christmas trees for coastal restoration

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The City of New Orleans wants Orleans Parish residents to recycle their Christmas trees again this season to help coastal restoration efforts. Residents can place trees curbside before 5 a.m. on their regularly scheduled collection day between Thursday, Jan. 10 and Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. from the City of New Orleans

Mayor LaToya Cantrell reminded residents that the City will continue its program of recycling Christmas trees in an effort to promote the restoration of Louisiana’s wetlands and to assist in the protection of the Louisiana coastline.

environment

Can Mardi Gras value artistry over excess?

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By Jesse Baum
jesse.blacktree@gmail.com

Parade throws, one the biggest draws of the Carnival season, have become one of its biggest sources of controversy, with a growing push to move Mardi Gras away from the waste and excess symbolized by the all the plastic beads filling our streets and catch basins after every parade. An Urban Conservancy conference held at the historic Carver Theater on Oct. 18 was titled “The Future of Mardi Gras.” Its focus was on sustainability and culture; panelists and environmental advocates discussed how to return the focus to the local artistry that creates Mardi Gras’ most memorable floats, throws and costumes

The audience had gathered to hear about the Carnival’s future—but the panel discussion began with the past. According to New Orleans historian John Magill, a panelist at the event, early Mardi Gras parades did not have throws. The tradition, Magill explained, began with trinkets that were dispensed by a Santa Claus who walked through the crowd—as Mardi Gras was a post-Christmas holiday, rather than a pre-Easter Holiday.

Advertiser specials

Sponsored: Fall Harvest Dinner & Farm Share memberships at Grow Dat Youth Farm

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On November 4th, Grow Dat Youth Farm will host their final event of the season on their farm in City Park. The Fall Harvest Dinner on the Farm will showcase autumn vegetables and feature fresh produce grown on their farm. The evening will feature beloved local restaurants Pagoda Cafe, Coco Hut, Carmo and Windowsill Pies. During the cocktail hour, guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, craft cocktails, and live music in the eco-campus, Grow Dat’s outdoor classroom constructed of converted shipping containers. Guests will have the choice of participating in one of 3 educational tours: Sustainable Agriculture, Grow Dat’s Youth Leadership Program, or a tour on ​Herbal and Plant Medicinal Practices hosted by former Grow Dat Fellow Ellenie Cruz.

city government

Faubourg Marengo neighbors seeking end to ‘noxious odor’ near the river

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Several residents in the Faubourg Marengo neighborhood say they’ve had to deal with a tar-like odor around – and sometimes within – their homes for several years, and their new City Councilman says he will try to find the cause of the smell. About 10 people from the small community between Magazine and Tchoupitoulas near Napoleon Avenue have banded together to examine the source of the reported foul odor. The group, unofficially led by Eric Eagan, met for the first time Wednesday evening. “I have noticed the posts (on NextDoor) and noticed I’m not alone, so it’s time to stop sitting back and time to start doing something about it,” Eagan said. “My instinct is to go about this slowly and deliberately.”

city government

Danae Columbus: City Council must monitor Entergy more closely

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Entergy New Orleans has the City Council just where they want them – frequently playing catch up. While Entergy came into existence to provide gas and electric services to the ratepayers, they also have an obligation to maximize profits for their stockholders. The more Entergy controls costs, the better stockholders like it and citizens lose. Entergy is a major player in the community through their grant programs, their sponsorship of non-profit organizations and their frequent — and often behind the scenes — political maneuvering. Angering Entergy can have negative financial repercussions, as WBOK recently discovered.

city government

Danae Columbus: Northshore couple leads fight against sexual trafficking of children

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Covington clinical psychologist Dr. Raphael Salcedo and his wife Beth don’t have much free time on their hands. They spend day and night working with girls at the state-licensed Free Indeed Home where victims of child sex trafficking come to rebuild their lives. As founders of the Louisiana Coalition Against Human Trafficking (LCAHT), the Salcedos created a state-wide advocacy program that provides information and referrals as well as training for local social service providers including police and social workers. Three years ago they put together enough funding to open the Free Indeed Home and have served 100 underage children. A two-story facility located in St.

environment

What do people want for Audubon Park? To stay the same (or maybe more of the same)

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The more things change in the city of New Orleans, it seems, the more residents want Audubon Park to stay the same, based on comments Tuesday evening at the first public meeting about the park’s future. Two years ago, amid controversy over plans to build a soccer stadium on the Riverview park known as The Fly, The Audubon Commission faced bitter complaints and at times withering criticism about transparency in its decision making about the use of green space at the park. The stadium plans were ultimately abandoned, and in the months that followed, those who opposed it told park leaders that a top priority must be a new master plan for the park that would define exactly how to protect its green spaces. Last month, park leaders announced that they were set to begin that master plan process this spring through a series of three public meetings and the launch of a new website designed to receive feedback, AudubonParkMasterPlan.org. Signs will tell park-goers about the website and the process, and next month, the park will begin sending workers into the field to solicit in-person opinions from people who might not have visited the website or attended a meeting yet.