The Journey to the Harris Creek Watershed Plan
Creating Community by promoting Justice
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Why the City of Baltimore needs to come up with 5000 Trash Cans for the Harris Creek Watershed Residents!
The Harris Creek Watershed (246) Stormwater Plan has now been completed and is waiting the final comment period before seeking Funds to carry out many of the Stormwater Projects identified in the Plan. To develop Success in this Plan,the Community of 17 Neighvborhoods will need to become more involved. This will never be accomplished until there is a Major Cultural Change needed to bring the City of Baltimore and the Residents of the 246 Watershed more together. Input from the Residents indicated that their Number One Concern was the Trash Issue......Trash that was allowed to build up (over many months and possibly years) in the Backyards of the many Vacant Houses in the Watershed Area. This also extended to the many Vacant Lots in the Watershed. Trash Collection that did tahe place at times took on a subculture of its own with the residents being told to place their Trash Bags at the ends of the Alleys to allow the City to pick them up at this location. What's wrong here? Trash Bags are illegal in the City and are easily broken into by Rats that create Health Problems.
Recently,The Harris Creek Watershed Group was able to convince the City to do a Major Trash Sweep in the Watershed. What was discovered was astonishing to those of us who toured the Back Alleys to find Trash that obliviously was neglected for months. It was not hard to find. It raised the Question of Baltimore being made up of two Cities.....one that got needed Services .....and one that got less Services. Why is this so Important? One reason is that with this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to see a significant reduction of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor at its Outlet on Boston Street in Canton......and dropping the hint that if we Clean Up our Strrets in Baltimore in this Watershed....and extend this logic to the other 25 Outlets into the Baltimore Harbor,we may one day soon see a Cleaner and Safer Baltimore Inner Harbor.
The second reason has to do with Fairness and Justice.....and how we can use this to our advantage. With this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to buy about 500 Tash Cans to replace some of the Trash being put out in Trash Bags..........We think that we can get Citizens (residents) to do more if we can get more Trash Cans (5000 or more). Sure,we can continue to criticize and blame,but here is a chance to perhaps change what has been going wrong in the past....and get off to a fresh start. We think that the City owes this to the residents of the Watershed for their performance in the past that helped to create many of these mini-landfills in the Backyards.
We can be Silent no longer. We need to speak up This is a Fairness Issue that can be turned around . We can create a better Community by promoting Justice. Raymond D.Bahr MD
Recently,The Harris Creek Watershed Group was able to convince the City to do a Major Trash Sweep in the Watershed. What was discovered was astonishing to those of us who toured the Back Alleys to find Trash that obliviously was neglected for months. It was not hard to find. It raised the Question of Baltimore being made up of two Cities.....one that got needed Services .....and one that got less Services. Why is this so Important? One reason is that with this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to see a significant reduction of Trash going into the Baltimore Harbor at its Outlet on Boston Street in Canton......and dropping the hint that if we Clean Up our Strrets in Baltimore in this Watershed....and extend this logic to the other 25 Outlets into the Baltimore Harbor,we may one day soon see a Cleaner and Safer Baltimore Inner Harbor.
The second reason has to do with Fairness and Justice.....and how we can use this to our advantage. With this Major Trash Sweep,we were able to buy about 500 Tash Cans to replace some of the Trash being put out in Trash Bags..........We think that we can get Citizens (residents) to do more if we can get more Trash Cans (5000 or more). Sure,we can continue to criticize and blame,but here is a chance to perhaps change what has been going wrong in the past....and get off to a fresh start. We think that the City owes this to the residents of the Watershed for their performance in the past that helped to create many of these mini-landfills in the Backyards.
We can be Silent no longer. We need to speak up This is a Fairness Issue that can be turned around . We can create a better Community by promoting Justice. Raymond D.Bahr MD
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Action Steps for the Harris Creek Watershed Project
The Community and Watershed Plan is out for a 30 day Comment Period. Meanwhile,we need not be collecting dust under our feet,but become fully engaged in building Community that will sustain the Watershed Efforts. In the graphic cartoon depicting the Journey that we took to successfullly develop the Watershed Plan,we listed "Cleaning" first.....followed by "Greening" as the way to develop a strong Community. As one observor once stated,"you build Community by promoting fairness and justice".....and this is what we intend to do. We will start with (1) "Cleaning".....and continue our Efforts to rid the Backyards and Alleys of Trash by a constant bombardment of DPW 311 line reporting SRs or Service Reports (they have two weeks to clean these sites up)......(2).We will get rid of the Trash Bags in the 246 Watershed and replace them with metal Trash Cans. It is incredible that we have let City Services allow Trash to be placed in plastic Bags at the front of the Alleys to be picked up by DPW workers. This underground subculture way of dealing with Trash in this way needs to stop. The continued damage that comes with Bags of Trash easily being broken into and serving as a food source for RATS and the Health Problems associated with this activity can no longer be tolerated. It is a Preventable Problem and our Mayor and City Council Members need to be part of this Solution. Placing Trash in Trash Bags can best be stopped by providing metal and durable Trash Cans. We are asking for 5000 Trash Cans that freely be made available to residents in the 246 Watershed . The cost here is very cheap ($14 each) when contrasted with the Benefit that it will bring.....(3) We will be requesting an Opportunity to sit down with Director Al Foxx,the New DPW Director to discuss New Ways to take care of Trash Pickup in the 246 Watershed. Presidents of at least three Neighborhood Associations have requested a Change in Trask Pickup and would like to see Front of the House Trash Pickup......this way,they can see who is putting out the Trash the right way.....and try to influence those doing it the wrong way (ex.Trash Bags).......This would be a Great Way to get Community Members policing their own Neighborhoods. We hear always the Criticism that the Residents need to step to the plate and do more. Well,here is an inexpensive way to get the Ball Rolling....by providing Free Trash Cans.....and listening to New Ways to do a Better Cleanup Operation.
As we continue the Cleaning Phase,we can start to promote more Greening Activities and give Pride to the Community of 17 Neighborhoods by providing City Farms,places to have Events to engage the Youth,Faith based activities etc. Part of the Watershed Plan will be to eventually hire a Community Director to oversee many of these Activities. Some of this is unclear at the present time,but what is Important is that the Development of the Harris Creek Watershed Plan is about to unfold as the Funding Opportunities become available under the Newly Formed Watershed Alliance.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD
As we continue the Cleaning Phase,we can start to promote more Greening Activities and give Pride to the Community of 17 Neighborhoods by providing City Farms,places to have Events to engage the Youth,Faith based activities etc. Part of the Watershed Plan will be to eventually hire a Community Director to oversee many of these Activities. Some of this is unclear at the present time,but what is Important is that the Development of the Harris Creek Watershed Plan is about to unfold as the Funding Opportunities become available under the Newly Formed Watershed Alliance.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD
Sunday, September 26, 2010
What's next for the Harris Creek Watershed Project? September 26,2010
The Project that the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association took up nearly two years ago has been completed. Final Changes will take place shortly and be incorporated in the Draft that will be available early this week both on the BHWA Web Site (http://www.baltimorewaters.org/) as well as sent out to all the people who took part in developing this Community Stormwater Plan.
Along the Way (Journey Page),we discovered that Baltimore City Services (DPW) needed to enhance their Services to Clean Up Trash that had been building over a long period of time in the Backyards of Vacant Houses,on the large number of Vacant Lots and in the Alleys where Trash Trucks could not get through. To understand this Problem better,to the Credit of the Department of Public Works Solid Waste and Code Enforcement Housing,a Plan was designed to get at this accumulated Trash Dumping by targeting an area in the middle of the Harris Creek (246) Watershed to undergo a Major Trash Sweep. It was from Fayette St (south) to Eager St (North) and Streeper St (East) to Duncan St (West) where 4000 Houses/Homes were located. Leaders in the Community first informed citizens that a Major Trash Sweep was about to take place and that all illegal practices would be in violation. Citizens were being asked to call in (311) all Trash Problems as a Way to Clean Up their Neighborhoods. In addition,approximately 500 galvanized Trash Cans were pruchased and given out Free to some residents. This is all we could do.We did not have the Funds to purchase the 5000 Trash Cans that we needed. Why are they needed? Because,well over 70% of the Trash that is put out comes in Trash Bags which are all over these Neighborhoods.....all of this illegal and needs to be addressed. In many cases,residents are encouraged to place their Trash Bags at the ends of the Alleys so that the Trucks can easily pick them up. To make a long story short,more that 100 Service Reports (SRs) on accumulated Trash Dumpings were entered into the 311 Call System over this 10 week period from June 14 to August 31,2010.
When a Visitor from outside Baltimore comes up to you NOW and ask the proverbial Question,Where does all of this Trash in the Baltimore Harbor come from and where do we strart to Clean it up? You can tell them that it comes from upstream Trash Dumpings that have been allowed to pile up without Action Steps from Citizens as well as Baltimore City Services. Yes,it probably is more Complex than that. There are a Huge number of Vacant Houses that provide Dumping Spots in their Backyards....and go unnoticed and neglected....poverty stricken areas have many more other problems....and you have to pick your poison to complain about....left too long,Trash Problems seem insurrmountable...and soon only a few complain. Many of these Houses are owned by the Mayor and City Council,others by HUD,and others by absent Landlords....and as you can see,this is another Major City Problem which demands Action Steps. As the Saying goes,"Poor People get Dumped Upon" and often little address to their Problems. What is to be seen by all is that these are unfair practices....and unjust...and calling these as such is the First Step to doing something about them.
Perhaps the Most Important Finding is the Fact that we are seeing a significant Reduction in Trash being delivered to the Harris Creek Watershed Outflow Drain on Boston St in Canton. Previous to this Trash Sweep,we were seeing between 3-5 Tons of Trash each month. NOW,we are seeing very little Trash coming out. We are hoping to say that we have now found a way to prevent Trash from coming into the Baltimore Harbor....that is having Major Trash Sweeps in the Backyards of Vacant Houses throughout BaltimoreCity. There are 26 Outfalls to the Baltimore Harbor and the one at Harris Creek is one of them. If we establish this Discovery in the Harris Creek Watershed ,we can take this successful Model and implement it in the other 25 Outfalls. How can we establish this Discovery? Simply by measuring before and after a Major Trash Sweep.......but unfortunately,the Trash Collector now located at the Harris Creek Watershed Outfall has been broken many times and not given the DPW Prioity to complete this very Important Part of the Trash Collection Equation Problem . We are having the DPW Director Al Foxx visit with us tomorrow to go over this Problem and to review the more than 100- Service Reprts collected so far to see as to how many of these SRs have been cleaned up. Respectfully submitted,Raymond D.Bahr MD
Along the Way (Journey Page),we discovered that Baltimore City Services (DPW) needed to enhance their Services to Clean Up Trash that had been building over a long period of time in the Backyards of Vacant Houses,on the large number of Vacant Lots and in the Alleys where Trash Trucks could not get through. To understand this Problem better,to the Credit of the Department of Public Works Solid Waste and Code Enforcement Housing,a Plan was designed to get at this accumulated Trash Dumping by targeting an area in the middle of the Harris Creek (246) Watershed to undergo a Major Trash Sweep. It was from Fayette St (south) to Eager St (North) and Streeper St (East) to Duncan St (West) where 4000 Houses/Homes were located. Leaders in the Community first informed citizens that a Major Trash Sweep was about to take place and that all illegal practices would be in violation. Citizens were being asked to call in (311) all Trash Problems as a Way to Clean Up their Neighborhoods. In addition,approximately 500 galvanized Trash Cans were pruchased and given out Free to some residents. This is all we could do.We did not have the Funds to purchase the 5000 Trash Cans that we needed. Why are they needed? Because,well over 70% of the Trash that is put out comes in Trash Bags which are all over these Neighborhoods.....all of this illegal and needs to be addressed. In many cases,residents are encouraged to place their Trash Bags at the ends of the Alleys so that the Trucks can easily pick them up. To make a long story short,more that 100 Service Reports (SRs) on accumulated Trash Dumpings were entered into the 311 Call System over this 10 week period from June 14 to August 31,2010.
When a Visitor from outside Baltimore comes up to you NOW and ask the proverbial Question,Where does all of this Trash in the Baltimore Harbor come from and where do we strart to Clean it up? You can tell them that it comes from upstream Trash Dumpings that have been allowed to pile up without Action Steps from Citizens as well as Baltimore City Services. Yes,it probably is more Complex than that. There are a Huge number of Vacant Houses that provide Dumping Spots in their Backyards....and go unnoticed and neglected....poverty stricken areas have many more other problems....and you have to pick your poison to complain about....left too long,Trash Problems seem insurrmountable...and soon only a few complain. Many of these Houses are owned by the Mayor and City Council,others by HUD,and others by absent Landlords....and as you can see,this is another Major City Problem which demands Action Steps. As the Saying goes,"Poor People get Dumped Upon" and often little address to their Problems. What is to be seen by all is that these are unfair practices....and unjust...and calling these as such is the First Step to doing something about them.
Perhaps the Most Important Finding is the Fact that we are seeing a significant Reduction in Trash being delivered to the Harris Creek Watershed Outflow Drain on Boston St in Canton. Previous to this Trash Sweep,we were seeing between 3-5 Tons of Trash each month. NOW,we are seeing very little Trash coming out. We are hoping to say that we have now found a way to prevent Trash from coming into the Baltimore Harbor....that is having Major Trash Sweeps in the Backyards of Vacant Houses throughout BaltimoreCity. There are 26 Outfalls to the Baltimore Harbor and the one at Harris Creek is one of them. If we establish this Discovery in the Harris Creek Watershed ,we can take this successful Model and implement it in the other 25 Outfalls. How can we establish this Discovery? Simply by measuring before and after a Major Trash Sweep.......but unfortunately,the Trash Collector now located at the Harris Creek Watershed Outfall has been broken many times and not given the DPW Prioity to complete this very Important Part of the Trash Collection Equation Problem . We are having the DPW Director Al Foxx visit with us tomorrow to go over this Problem and to review the more than 100- Service Reprts collected so far to see as to how many of these SRs have been cleaned up. Respectfully submitted,Raymond D.Bahr MD
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Worthy Public Servant Congressman Cummings Watershed 246
The Harris Creek Watershed Project,having recently completed it's Strormwater Plan,is very anxoius to get started. One of the recommendations is to Promote Urban Farming efforts in the Communities of the Watershed. We are gifted to have Real Food Farm as part of the Watershed in Clifton Park. Baltimore Hoop Village involved in Sustainable Agriculture is a Project of Civic Works and has as its Mission"to work toward a just and sustainable food systemby improving neighborhood access to Healthy Food,providing experience-based Education,and developing an economically viable,environmentally responsible local agriculture sector".
The Goal of Real Food Farm is to be a catalyst for the Creation of a Vibrant Local Agriculture Sector through provision of Skills,Training,Creation of Jobs,and Demonstration of a Relicable and Sustainable Business Model. The Harris Creek Watershed will work to take advantage of this golden opportunity. We had a chance this week to present this Watershed Plan to Congressman Cummings and were very appreciative of his comments as well as from his Staff. Hope Williams is his new laison person on this issue. We were delighted to see this in view of her past role of being the person in charge of the Cleaner,Greener Program of Baltimore City. It was through her Leadership that the Harris Creek Watershed Project was able to do so much.
We are grateful to Congressman Cummings for always being there for the right causes and his passion in getting proper things done. It is great to see a Public Official so dedicated and compassionate with the People and Concerns in his District. We are Blessed to have him
Sincerely,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA
The Goal of Real Food Farm is to be a catalyst for the Creation of a Vibrant Local Agriculture Sector through provision of Skills,Training,Creation of Jobs,and Demonstration of a Relicable and Sustainable Business Model. The Harris Creek Watershed will work to take advantage of this golden opportunity. We had a chance this week to present this Watershed Plan to Congressman Cummings and were very appreciative of his comments as well as from his Staff. Hope Williams is his new laison person on this issue. We were delighted to see this in view of her past role of being the person in charge of the Cleaner,Greener Program of Baltimore City. It was through her Leadership that the Harris Creek Watershed Project was able to do so much.
We are grateful to Congressman Cummings for always being there for the right causes and his passion in getting proper things done. It is great to see a Public Official so dedicated and compassionate with the People and Concerns in his District. We are Blessed to have him
Sincerely,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Unintended Consequences leading to Urban Ghettos
Not too long ago,I was engaged in a conversation about the Artscape Event and all the excitement that it brought to the Baltimore Scene. Truely,this has been very successful over the years and attracts a wonderful mix of people from all walks of Life. What disturbed me most was when I suggested adding a meaningful free educational program to the Artscape Event,I was rebuked by someone who commented,"you mean you are going to invite "those people"? I was mortified and shocked...and walked away from the conversation. Sure,I could have stayed and delved more about what this person meant.....and maybe tried to change the person' thinking........but,I knew that this would be almost impossible.
It got me to thinking.....thinking deeply about how this type of thinking comes about. There is an Urban Myth that areas in our City that are characterized by having concentrated poverty....that we now call Urban Ghettos owe their development to the African American Population......and that these are the areas to avoid or get killed....including even the trasitional areas surrounding them. I suppose these are "those people" that the person above was commenting about. If we were to take a poll of Baltmore Citizens about the genesis of Ghettos,we would probably find out that the majority of citizens would conclude this.
But,this is not true. It is an Urban Myth that needs to be corrected.....and the sooner,the better if we want to do something about it. It had to do with a series of Government Programs that brought about "unintended consequences" and created pockets of severe poverty,especially in the African American Population. These have been descibed best in two books.
Urban Injustice-How Ghettos happen by David Hilfiker MD
Not in my Neighborhood by Antero Pietila
To convince yourself,you can read about the effects of Government Insured Mortgages by the VA,the effects from developing the Inter State Highway System,the Government promoting Home Ownership over Renting and the Exclusion Surburban Zoning Code.
The question may arise,"why can't these people get jobs and work themselves out of poverty? That would be OK if jobs in the City were still available in adequate numbers. Most of the "blue collar"jobs have been lost. Inherited poverty brings with it the consequences of despair and lost hope....and leads to many dysfunctional families. Beaten down over many years has its own consequences........the worse occurs when easy money is available through the drug business. Crime related to drug activity becomes the norm and innocent bystanders are affected. Being immensly poor,little education,having a dysfunctional family at home,needing drug money etc......can only lead to criminal activity in our Society.
What can we do? The Best Way to start is to become aware of all of this and do more reading about the issues. Fairness is something that we all understand. When we see injustice in these areas,we should advocate for doing something about it. An example here is what the Watershed found on making Trash Rounds in these Neighborhoods....that the Trash that had been allowed to collect in the backyards of vacant houses would fill a landfill. It was almost as if we had two Baltimores....and that City Services depended on where you lived.
When City Funding is cut off,these areas suffer the most. You just have to ask yourself why is $390 Billion going to the War to create Democracies elsewhere when the Core of our Cities are going to pieces before our very eyes.......and every other month we get our dander up when someone innocent is killed.....and we point our finger at the Police Department and the Mayor...have Meetings that serve to change very little.
What does this have to do with developing a Watershed Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed ? Maybe,developong a Watershed Plan is a way to do Community Organizing and help bring Neighborhoods together and start a grassroot effort to bring back Baltimore and make it Safe once again.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA
It got me to thinking.....thinking deeply about how this type of thinking comes about. There is an Urban Myth that areas in our City that are characterized by having concentrated poverty....that we now call Urban Ghettos owe their development to the African American Population......and that these are the areas to avoid or get killed....including even the trasitional areas surrounding them. I suppose these are "those people" that the person above was commenting about. If we were to take a poll of Baltmore Citizens about the genesis of Ghettos,we would probably find out that the majority of citizens would conclude this.
But,this is not true. It is an Urban Myth that needs to be corrected.....and the sooner,the better if we want to do something about it. It had to do with a series of Government Programs that brought about "unintended consequences" and created pockets of severe poverty,especially in the African American Population. These have been descibed best in two books.
Urban Injustice-How Ghettos happen by David Hilfiker MD
Not in my Neighborhood by Antero Pietila
To convince yourself,you can read about the effects of Government Insured Mortgages by the VA,the effects from developing the Inter State Highway System,the Government promoting Home Ownership over Renting and the Exclusion Surburban Zoning Code.
The question may arise,"why can't these people get jobs and work themselves out of poverty? That would be OK if jobs in the City were still available in adequate numbers. Most of the "blue collar"jobs have been lost. Inherited poverty brings with it the consequences of despair and lost hope....and leads to many dysfunctional families. Beaten down over many years has its own consequences........the worse occurs when easy money is available through the drug business. Crime related to drug activity becomes the norm and innocent bystanders are affected. Being immensly poor,little education,having a dysfunctional family at home,needing drug money etc......can only lead to criminal activity in our Society.
What can we do? The Best Way to start is to become aware of all of this and do more reading about the issues. Fairness is something that we all understand. When we see injustice in these areas,we should advocate for doing something about it. An example here is what the Watershed found on making Trash Rounds in these Neighborhoods....that the Trash that had been allowed to collect in the backyards of vacant houses would fill a landfill. It was almost as if we had two Baltimores....and that City Services depended on where you lived.
When City Funding is cut off,these areas suffer the most. You just have to ask yourself why is $390 Billion going to the War to create Democracies elsewhere when the Core of our Cities are going to pieces before our very eyes.......and every other month we get our dander up when someone innocent is killed.....and we point our finger at the Police Department and the Mayor...have Meetings that serve to change very little.
What does this have to do with developing a Watershed Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed ? Maybe,developong a Watershed Plan is a way to do Community Organizing and help bring Neighborhoods together and start a grassroot effort to bring back Baltimore and make it Safe once again.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD BHWA
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Why is a Cardiologist involved with the Trash Problem of Baltimore City?
Blocked Heart Vessels vrs Blocked Storm Drains
Blocked Heart Vessels choke off Blood Supply to the Heart Muscle and leads to Heart Attacks. Early Chest Symptom Recognition helps prevents this from occurring. http://www.deputyheartattack.org/
Blocked Storm Drains in Baltimore City usually results from excessive Trash from Neighborhoods that goes down the Drain with Rain Runoff (Stormwater). Cloggage here can suffocate the City ,creates habitat for Rats and Cats and is Unhealthy for residents living within the Watershed. Since Rainwater runoff is untreated,it leads to Pollution of the Baltimore Harbor as well When this Trash Problem is added to the Poor Living Conditions associated with Poverty and Neglect of Houses (becoming Vacant and a place for criminal activities),we see the development of Inner City Pockets ( Breeding Places) for Crime and.Illegal Drugs.
Thus in a sense the Blockages are similar.....one leads to heart muscle damage and death of the individual.....the other becomes a factor in leading to deterioration (death) of pockets of Baltimore City. Just like outside Medical Help is required to open blocked vessel ,so too is the need to start a Process in the City (jump starts) to Clean up...... and then to Educate and Demand that Responsible Citizenship begin to take place. Ray Bahr MD BHWA
Blocked Heart Vessels choke off Blood Supply to the Heart Muscle and leads to Heart Attacks. Early Chest Symptom Recognition helps prevents this from occurring. http://www.deputyheartattack.org/
Blocked Storm Drains in Baltimore City usually results from excessive Trash from Neighborhoods that goes down the Drain with Rain Runoff (Stormwater). Cloggage here can suffocate the City ,creates habitat for Rats and Cats and is Unhealthy for residents living within the Watershed. Since Rainwater runoff is untreated,it leads to Pollution of the Baltimore Harbor as well When this Trash Problem is added to the Poor Living Conditions associated with Poverty and Neglect of Houses (becoming Vacant and a place for criminal activities),we see the development of Inner City Pockets ( Breeding Places) for Crime and.Illegal Drugs.
Thus in a sense the Blockages are similar.....one leads to heart muscle damage and death of the individual.....the other becomes a factor in leading to deterioration (death) of pockets of Baltimore City. Just like outside Medical Help is required to open blocked vessel ,so too is the need to start a Process in the City (jump starts) to Clean up...... and then to Educate and Demand that Responsible Citizenship begin to take place. Ray Bahr MD BHWA
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