Building Community with Rainwater Harvesting Projects

Dan and I were on a mission to photograph some examples of rainwater harvesting for the new website soon to be launched: Desert Lifestyle Tucson.

During our self-guided tour of Dunbar/Spring, we captured more than rock-lined catchment basins and cisterns. There were signs of community - a community that Brad Lancaster carefully crafted along with his guerrilla curb cuts...

... including signs displaying before and after photos of the neighborhood project. It's a story I love to share - how this once stark, crime-ridden neighborhood became an example of Green Stormwater Infrastructure and community building.

The streets are now lined with large native shade trees nourished by stormwater runoff. Neighbors followed Brad's example, and installed their own curb cut basins to take advantage of the monsoon rain that had threatened to flood the foundation of some of their houses. The once illegal curb cuts are now an integral part of the city's Green Stormwater Infrastructure policy.

Evidence of community collaboration expands throughout the neighboring streets with traffic calming chicanes and medians decked with edible desert plants and cool art, a well-used bike lane and lovely, well-worn walking paths through lush canopies of full mesquite, palo verde, and ironwood trees.

Crime has actually declined as neighbors came outside to enjoy it.

We spotted another neighbor out enjoying the shade of the native vegetation in the traffic circle.

Dan and I caught some of that neighborhood spirit and gathered a few pieces of trash.

We got in one last shot of Brad's neighborhood...

... before heading across Stone for a yummy vegetarian lunch in the shade of saguaro ribs at our favorite neighborhood restaurant, La Indita.

We took with us inspiration for community building projects for our neighborhood.

More Information: 

The Water Harvester: An Invitation to Abundance

https://www.harvestingrainwater.com/2022/07/the-water-harvester-an-invitation-to-abundance/

Changemakers show us the way.

Luis Perales beaming with pride that the Changemaker students' proposal was accepted.

When Luis Perales, CEO of Changemaker High School, invited me to meet with him to see how we could help each other, I had no idea what he wanted to talk about. Perhaps a status report on the doc Evan and I were making on water harvesting? It had been awhile since our initial meeting to see how we might include the incredible work Changemaker High was doing in the documentary. After a warm greeting, Luis asked me how I was doing. The great thing is - he really wanted to know. He had seen the frantic posts on my facebook page since Trump announced his intention to remove regulations protecting our water, and he was concerned that I might burn out. And to be honest, I have been stressing out. It seems like every day Trump is making another assault on the environment or human rights. And here Luis was offering support as a fellow sustainability advocate.

WMG coop workshop or "Where's Dan?"

If you’ve read our blog you know how passionate Dan and I are about restoring our aquifer through rainwater harvesting. As more states experience droughts like ours, there will be more competition for the Colorado River water that we all rely on. So it is urgent that we set up water harvesting in as many yards as possible. So, while I’ve blogged about water harvesting, Dan has spent his time digging catchment basins in other people’s yards (along with Watershed Management Group’s fabulous coop), helping maintain the desert landscaping and water harvesting features at Ward 6 and WMG’s Living Lab, giving tours of the Living Lab, and setting up a system to monitor it. 

While I’m thrilled that Dan has dedicated himself to advancing watershed management, it’s also kinda frustrating. With all of his volunteer work, Dan hasn’t had much time left to install our own water harvesting features. Last weekend he finally got around to planting a little mesquite tree in the front yard. And most people don’t have the expertise to work on their own yards, so they have to rely on a few experts. This creates what Luis calls the bottleneck effect – where you have to wait to get the work done. And, as far as I’m concerned, it isn’t getting done fast enough. 

Proposal shows catchment basins and berms in the flood plain

So I was really jazzed when Luis shared the plans Changemaker students had developed for restoring the floodplain in the Naylor neighborhood near their High School. They didn’t wait around for the experts to advise them. Students and educators became experts themselves -  alongside community members and environmental allies that were willing to share knowledge. How empowering is that?!!! 

Envisioning how lush the desert park will be

Luis Perales describes it best:

“The Swan Wash Bridge Project was initiated by a group of students who were challenged by their science instructor to take on a citizen science project that would have a positive impact in the local community. The group of students decided to focus their energies on alleviating a flooding problem that existed up the street from school and adjacent to a local park. The problem of flooding stemmed from the blockage of a neighborhood waterway, Swan Wash, by another local school. This problem was identified by the students because they had experienced the flooding first hand. This experience led them to conduct a root cause analysis, collect data from local community residents, and propose possible solutions. Their project findings were presented to the school, to the local neighborhood association, to local political leaders, and to audiences at local and national conferences. In short, the group of students along with their science instructor became mini experts on the issue of local flooding and the local wash. Their proposed solution was to create a pedestrian footbridge over the wash and to capture some of the flood water in roadside rainwater catchment basins. These basins are intended to utilize rainwater to support the needs of bird/pollinator gardens.”

The students presented their proposal to the Pima County Neighborhood Reinvestment Board on May 2, 2016. The recommendation to fully fund the project to the tune of $229,000 was announced on July 1, 2016! They got the final approval on their revised proposal on the day I was there! Needless to say, Luis’ enthusiasm was contagious!

While I fumble around trying to get the word out about water harvesting, these kids are demonstrating how important it is. They are educating the city of Tucson about transitioning from the current form of water management - flood control - to one that restores our floodplains and groundwater by directing the rainwater with berms and sinking it in with catchment basins. As their project progresses and succeeds, it will be used as a model for other schools to work with their communities on sustainable solutions.

All of this came out of Changemakers’ mission to change the face of education by creating the conditions where young people can turn their ideas into action. Through their example, they hope to create a culture where schools everywhere take on the responsibility of improving their communities. Perales explained, "Imagine what our communities would look like if every school would adopt their local community within a one to three mile radius. Imagine for a second that the school and its resources not only worked within their own gates to teach students to read, write, and do math, but with equal importance, taught students the skills necessary to transform the look, feel, and potential of their community."

Swan Wash Bridge Project Team: Adilene, Alejandra, Victoria, & Mrs. Snook (Missing, Laynah.)

I am so grateful to the Changemaker students for taking the initiative and advancing more sustainable water management as a practical solution for their community. And for giving me hope for the future.

Watch their video of their project. 

The video highlights the journey that Changemaker High School took to engage the Naylor Community to bring about infrastructure repair and beautification for Belvedere Boulevard and SWAN Wash Park. The process was multi-year and included students, staff, parents, community residents, local agencies, and government officials. This project is an embodiment of Changemaker Education and the mission of Changemaker High School.

SWAN Wash Project Story

Celebrating the foundation we built on our wedding day

It has been a wonderful first year together. We began our journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle, sharing our adventures on our blog, and becoming members of a community that is working tirelessly to restore Tucson’s ground water and get our rivers flowing again. As the world seems to have gone crazy around us, we find strength in each other and our community.

In honor of our 1st anniversary we would like to share our hand fasting ceremony with you.

[Dan’s mother Beth presided] Dan and Jana will be joined together with the traditional Celtic handfasting ceremony, a symbolic binding of the hands.

Jana and Dan, I ask you now to take one another's hands in yours.

Dan and Jana have chosen the Celtic Tree of Life as the symbol of their relationship. The Tree of Life is dear to them because it represents their eternal connection with each other, their connection with the earth and their community through spirit.

Dan and Jana, taking inspiration from the Tree of Life, may your relationship be deeply rooted in a foundation of love, growing in the light.

As the symbolism of each of the ribbons is explained, Jana’s mother Lorna will drape the ribbons around Dan and Jana’s wrists.

The first ribbon is brown. The color Brown is symbolic of your shared connection with the earth, the home you are creating together, and being grounded in shared values and goals. With this brown ribbon, do you promise to share your lives as partners, always striving for what is best for your relationship?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The second ribbon is blue. Blue stands for the water of understanding, caring, and kindness, so that your love will flow to fill you to your depths, nourishing your roots. With this blue ribbon, do you promise that your heart will always be open to each other, to treat each other with kindness, tenderness, and respect, to strive to understand each other, to consider each other’s feelings when making decisions, to remember and express what you love about your partner, and show them love through words and actions?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

And so the binding is made. 

The next ribbon is gray. So that your union may weather the storms. May the gray water, or the runoff from the storm, nurture your relationship so it grows stronger still. With this Gray ribbon, do you promise to stand by each other through hardships, trials and disagreements? Do you promise to fight for the relationship, rather than to be “right?” After a disagreement, do you promise to forgive and reconnect, to use the confrontation to learn more about each other, to love and communicate better, so that in overcoming the conflict your bond may grow even stronger?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

Inspired by the Tree of Life, may your love be ever-changing like leaves through the seasons.

The next ribbon is green. Green, like budding leaves, symbolizes trust in new beginnings, growth, generosity, sharing freely of yourselves. With this green ribbon, do you promise to communicate as clearly as you are able, to share your thoughts with each other, to share your hopes and dreams, as well as your fears and insecurities? Do you promise to listen openly whether the words be good news or bad? Do you promise to always look for the good in your partner’s words? And choose to love each other anew every day?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is orange. Oh, the joy of watching leaves turn yellow and orange, and the happy memory of jumping into piles of autumn foliage. Orange represents sharing the daily joys of life, warmth and light. With this orange ribbon, do you promise to take the time to be playful and happy, to share in and celebrate each other’s achievements, and enjoy life’s moments together? 

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is red. The color red symbolizes power and passion in your relationship. May your passion always burn bright. With this red ribbon, do you promise to always feed the fire of your physical passion, to never take each other for granted, to treat your spouse as your lover, to freely express your love and admiration, and always be open to their expressions of passion and love?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The next ribbon is white, adorned with a rose. The rose symbolizes the cherished moment you opened your hearts to each other and discovered your spiritual connection. With this special ribbon, do you promise to nurture your connection with love and light, and not allow walls of fear, guilt, or blame to block your hearts and souls?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

The final ribbon is violet – one of the many striking colors of our Tucson sunrises. Violet symbolizes your choice to use your talents and creativity for good. Securely rooted in trust, stems entwined in love, your branches are free to reach to the sky, extending out to the community, sowing seeds for the future. With this violet ribbon, do you promise to support each other’s talents and goals, while working towards your common vision as a couple?

[Dan and Jana] We do.

So the binding is made.

This cord represents the marital bond. It is strong enough to hold you together during times of struggle yet flexible enough to allow for individuality and personal growth. As your hands are now bound together, so shall your lives be bound as one. The binding of your lives are not formed by these cords but rather with the promises that you just made. 

Lorna, please tie all the ribbons together. 

Now Dan and Jana will exchange rings. Jana’s ring features the tree of life. It is inspired by the Tombstone rose bush with its branches forming a Celtic knot and its tiny white roses recalling how they first opened their hearts to each other.

Your two lives are now joined in love and trust into one life. By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love build, so will your bond strengthen and grow. Like your chosen symbol - the Tree of Life - may your relationship always grow towards light and love.

With the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss. 

Our Desert Community Plants the Seeds for a New Doc

Since Dan and I started blogging about our journey to a more sustainable lifestyle we have had the opportunity to come in contact with so many inspiring community groups cultivating an oasis of sustainability here in Tucson.

Emma demonstrates how to shore up a catchment basin.

Tohono O’odham Community Action (TOCA) is reviving their cultural traditions by having tribal elders mentor youth on their native foods. Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace re-built the Mission Garden, a living museum, to demonstrate how to grow crops from pre-Columbian to those that Father Kino established in that location.  Native Seeds/SEARCH 
maintains community food traditions by preserving diverse and heritage seeds. Manzo Elementary, Changemaker High and City High tend to the next generation of desert gardeners. Through their community garden programs, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona doesn’t just feed the hungry, but teaches them to grow food for themselves. Iskashitaa Refugee Network assists refugees in becoming self-sufficient (and reduces food waste) by harvesting fruit that would otherwise go unpicked. Dunbar Springs neighborhood worked to make their street an example of an edible, urban forest irrigated by rainwater. Watershed Management Group is building a community that works together to restore Tucson’s aquifer by implementing rainwater harvesting techniques and desert landscaping in people's yards, gardens, streets and businesses. These groups (among others) are gleaning from Tucson’s rich cultural history ways to live in harmony with the desert. This is truly an exciting time to be a part of this vibrant community!

Shooting the first segment with Brad Lancaster at Dunbar Springs

I decided to make a documentary about the accomplishments of these communities with the hope that it would inspire others. So I approached activist/ documentarian Evan Grae Davis with the idea. Evan had just read Edible Baja Arizona’s article about Tucson being the first US city to be designated a UNESCO World City of Gastronomy for the same advancements. He was excited to tell our story!

Our last shoot was for the rainwater harvesting segment featuring Watershed Management Group. Dan and I have planted our roots into the WMG community. In addition to being members of their co-op, Dan recently got the good news that he was accepted into their docent training program!  We love being a part of a community that is working to restore our groundwater and get our rivers flowing again.

Here we are shooting in Jason and Connie Carder's yard. (See Jason working alongside of Emma in the pic above.) They had 3 roadside catchment basins (wow!) and berms installed to control the runoff after their house had been flooded during a recent storm.

Happy owner Connie Carder

Co-op members Grant and Carrie Stratton share why they volunteer

Where's Waldo...uh...Dan? 

Emma helps a co-op volunteer arrange rocks 

Two hard workers: workshop instructor Emma Stahl-Wert and my baby Dan

Purslane!!!

A little patch of purslane ignited a conversation about edible weeds. Later in the day, Dan heard someone call out, "Don't step on the purslane!" A woman after my own heart! It's so great to work alongside kindred spirits who feel as passionate as we do about getting our rivers flowing again and protecting purslane! 

Enjoying the Living Streets of Tucson

It was a dark and stormy night...

No. Really. It was. After a Saturday that had what could only be described as "Chamber of Commerce" weather with mild temperatures, beautiful clear skies, and just a slight breeze, threatening grey clouds rolled in. But that didn't deter anyone - they jumped on their bicycles, got out the strollers, put a leash on the dog, and headed out to take over the streets.

The idea of closing off city streets to allow bicyclists, pedestrians, and the community at large to enjoy car free streets started in the 70s in Columbia, with Bogota Ciclovía. To this day, major cities in Columbia close roads to auto traffic every Sunday and holiday. Unfortunately, Tucson doesn't close the streets as often as that, but, twice a year - once in the Spring and once in the Fall - the Living Streets Alliance hosts Cyclovia Tucson.  The event this Spring featured a 2.5 mile auto-free route from the Lost Barrio to Himmel Park.

And, even with the threat of rain (and several downpours), the people were there!

They were jousting.

They were walking tightropes.

They were showing off their neighborhoods.

Setting up "Urban Lounges."

Riding zip lines.

Getting information about community organizations.

Eating food.

Drinking beer.

But, most of all, just being together with other Tucsonans.

Isn't that what community is all about: Talking to our neighbors, getting some fresh air, and enjoying our beautiful city? I think so. And, luckily, we have Cyclovia Tucson to remind us what our streets and neighborhoods could be like, if we chose to make them that way.