Collective Consciousness, a movement, a solution

As humanity toils with significant survival challenges - rising sea levels, extreme weather, diminished fresh water, excessive toxins and pollution, and more, ancient wisdom emerges from within the chaos with a message: collective consciousness is a solution. Working together in a holographic manner where ALL benefit is a must to ensure survival.

ALL is defined as the entire spectrum of living species and ecosystems as well as inanimate earth resources. Within humanity, ALL refers to the various societal structures and ensuring that the worker population is treated with dignity, respect, and cared for with the necessities of food, shelter, and clothing.

Definitions
In 1893 collective consciousness was introduced as a concept by French sociologist Émile Durkheim in his The Division of Labour in Society paper. According to Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D. in her 2019 Collective Consciousness Definition essay for ThoughtCo., collective consciousness (sometimes collective conscience or conscious) is a fundamental sociological concept that refers to the set of shared beliefs, ideas, attitudes, and knowledge that are common to a social group or society.

Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung expanded on Durkheim's concepts in his 1916 essay, "The Structure of the Unconscious." Jung provided a distinction between the personal unconscious -  a reservoir of each individual's memories and experiences, and the collective unconscious - a more profound layer teeming with archetypes.*

The Meridian University July 2023 Understanding the Mystery of Collective Consciousness article gives a deeper dive into Durkheim's, Jung's, and Sigmund Freud's exploration of collective consciousness and collective unconsciousness.

For purposes of this article, collective consciousness is defined as an open-hearted approach to resolve challenges and create scenarios where ALL concerned are honored, treated with respect and of equal importance, and benefit from outcomes. The consciousness may encase the Earth in its entirety or a community working together on creative solutions. Additionally, the consciousness may be a family unit, organization, or company.

As previously stated, ALL is defined as the entire spectrum of living species and ecosystems as well as inanimate earth resources. ALL is the common ground in collective consciousness, no matter the extent of the consciousness definition.

The following sections give examples of how the ancient wisdom of collective consciousness is implemented within modern-day organizations.

* direct quote from The Meridian University article.

WE Consciousness
In 2012, Elemental Impact (Ei) introduced the WE Consciousness as a higher octave of the then tagline Sustainability in ACTION. When the "I" is replaced with "WE," the impact of our actions extends to the entire community and beyond; collective action accomplishes more profound results than singular effort. By working together, synergies are unlocked, unnecessary boundaries, including competitive barriers, disintegrate, and creative energies catapult possibilities into grounded realities.

The following initiatives showcase how the WE Consciousness naturally integrates within Ei's important work.

Zero Waste is a Team Sport
The 2012 Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) article, Zero Waste is a Team Sport, further defines the WE Consciousness within the context of implementing effective zero waste practices. The article details the three initial shifts necessary for zero waste to replace landfill waste:

• First, the "pay and forget" era is over; the consumer must take responsibility for the by-products generated from their activities and ensure materials are reused or recycled.
• Second, waste management is replaced by materials / by-products management. In nature there is no "waste"; it is time to emulate nature's perpetual life cycle systems.
• Third, the "I" focus is replaced with the "WE" focus. When ALL work together, seemingly miraculous results are common.

One of the Zero Waste Zones taglines was Collaboration is Key for Success.

Food & Beverage Packaging Value Chain Meeting
Each December from 2011 through 2014, Ei orchestrated an empowering meeting of executives from the trade associations and non-profits representing the entire food and beverage packaging value chain. For the final three years, Global Green USA graciously hosted the gathering at their Washington D.C. offices.

Group photo at final
F&B Packaging meeting

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) represented the purchasers of the packaging while the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) membership consisted of the packaging manufacturers. The U.S. Composting Council members provided a sustainable solution for used product disposition. Additionally, GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Institute for Local Self Reliance, Green Seal, BPI Compostable Packaging Certification, Keep America Beautiful, and Global Green participated in the annual meeting.

In early 2011, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore attended the annual FPI conference as a speaker. With sustainable packaging emerging as an industry sector, Holly witnessed competition within the sector leaders when there were ample synergies. Thus, Holly orchestrated the inaugural Food & Beverage Packaging Value Chain Meeting in partnership with the NRA; the intention was to introduce the various industry leaders and support synergistic joint projects and endeavors.

At the 2014 meeting nearly every project presentation was a collaboration among the attendees. Thus, the Food & Beverage Packaging Value Chain Meeting mission was accomplished! It was heartwarming to announce that the 2014 meeting was the final gathering.

The RiA article, Sustainable F&B Packaging: moving from an emerging to a maturing industry, chronicles the final 2014 meeting and exemplifies the established collective consciousness.

Nature Prevails

Tree grows as one with a 
Havana, Cuba building
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

When Ei announced that the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished in June 2017 and entered the Era of Regeneration, Nature Prevails emerged as the predominant platform. The Nature Prevails tagline is The Earth will heal and renew herself, when she chooses.

From Ei's perspective, the Earth is perfectly fine within the calamitous scenarios caused by humans. When enough is enough, the Earth will simply rid herself of these pesky humans who wreak havoc on Nature's perfected systems; healing of the environment and renewal of life forms will follow.

Principles of Nature

With a commitment to align projects with Nature, Ei defined The Principles of Nature (PON) with three broad categories:

• Diversity
• Dynamic Balance & Nutrition Systems
• Necessity of Cover & Ability to Roam

Though they define natural systems, the PON also apply to human communities and cultures. For example, roadways, airports, and broadband communication align with the Ability to Roam; agriculture, the hospitality industry, and food-security challenges align with Nutrition Systems: social inequities, environmental justice, and severe poverty align with Dynamic Balance; affordable housing, homeless individuals, and urban neighborhoods align with the Necessity of Cover.

A gentleman sleeps on a
sidewalk in Austin, TX
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Societal hierarchies within bee and ant colonies, wolf packs, elephant herds, bird flocks, and other eusocial colonies demonstrate that the community is only as strong as the weakest link; as long as they perform their designated tasks within these eusocial colonies, the workers are treated fairly and with respect. When it maintains dynamic balance within their population and the other PON align, the community thrives.

Since recorded history, humans often developed out-of-balance dynamics within their culture where worker populations were disrespected and frequently abused. The current scenarios of extreme poverty, severe homelessness, and food scarcity prevalent across the globe impact many urban environments; the challenging scenarios reflect the unbalanced societal hierarchies established within cultural and government norms.

Insects

Insects are the base of the predator-prey hierarchy, integral to the natural ecosystem foundation, and essential to supporting the Earth’s life web. Many insects, such as dragonflies and mosquitoes, live their juvenile or larva stage under water and their adult lives on land supporting plants and soil systems; aquatic larva is similar to a butterfly's caterpillar stage.

Honey bee on a
 butterfly pea blossom
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Insects are food for fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. In addition to recycling soil-system nutrients and pollinating plants, insects play an essential role in the decomposition portion of nature’s circular-life cycle. Insects provide a plethora of environmental services that often go unnoticed until the services cease.

In essence, water, soil, and insects are the foundation for life on Earth and must be addressed as a trilogy. The RiA article, Nature Prevails: it is time to emulate Nature's perfected systems, establishes the trilogy.

In human societies, indigenous races and worker populations are comparative to the insects' role in nature's perfected cycles. Indigenous races carry the wisdom of their ancestors when humans lived in balance with Nature, respecting the resources generously provided by the Earth; the worker population provides the necessary labor for the overall population to thrive within the balance of basic essentials: food, shelter, and clothing.

The WE Consciousness is integrated within the Nature Prevails platform as initiatives strive to restore balance and health to entire ecosystems, including manmade systems.

Crew Consciousness
In 2015 Ei Advisor Tim Rumage, planetary ethicist and the Professor of Environmental Studies at Ringling School of Art and Design, along with David Houle co-authored This Spaceship Earth. The book's premise compares the Earth to a spaceship where there are finite resources necessary for survival. To replenish resources for survival, humans must understand there is no waste, only the segue into the resource's next valuable use.

This Spaceship Earth introduces crew consciousness:

The critical difference between the spacecraft of the space programs and science fiction and Spaceship Earth is simply that: we live on a spaceship that must resupply itself from itself. This is why we need to recognize that we are crew not passengers.

When humans shift from the unaware passenger mentality to crew consciousness, the current wasteful-use-of-resources and polluting-the-planet practices will evolve into solutions for replenishing finite resources and cleansing the environment.

In alignment with the Nature Prevails premise, Tim emphasizes "We are not trying to save the earth - we are not trying to save the planet. We are trying to save ourselves from ourselves"

The popularity of the book spawned the launch of This Spaceship Earth, Inc. (TSE) a global environmental non-profit with Origina, the global leader in IBM software maintenance, as the lead corporate supporter.

Inspired by a "I did not know," common response to his presentations, Tim along with David and Bob Leonard published a free e-book, Now that You Know, that updates on the Earth's status, how we arrived at the current crisis point, and what we can do about it.

With a goal of one billion crew members, the TSE site boasts over 140,000 crew members from across the globe. On the Acting as Crew page, TSE provides the following guidelines on how to live within crew consciousness:

• We all need to lessen our carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas emissions are a primary cause of Climate Change.
• We all need to consume less stuff.  Mindless consumption puts stress on TSE.
• We need to move from a Growth Economy to a Spaceship Economy. Be mindful of what you buy, how it’s produced, and any waste that will remain after the product is used.
• Lower your entire footprint on TSE. Less is more.

Additionally, TSE details specific individual-action points within the following categories: transportation, food & diet, shopping, reduce plastics, home, and politics and activism.

A quote from Marshall McLuhan succinctly states TSE's message: 

"THERE ARE NO PASSENGERS ON SPACESHIP EARTH, WE ARE ALL CREW.”

I AM Humanity
On Saturday, October 28, 2023 I AM Humanity orchestrated the first annual Humanity Day Event. While the global event was virtual, a well-attended, in-person event was hosted in Sarasota, FL at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota. 

Humanity Day panel
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

At the in-person event, Ei Advisor Mary Ann Bowie was the master of ceremonies while Ei Advisor Charles Reith served as a panelist during the impressive program. I AM Humanity Board member Susan Hoskins interviewed Holly and Tim as part of the virtual event's presentations.

As detailed on the I AM Humanity website:

Mission:

I AM HUMANITY - is a catalyst and a clearing house; creating the language for a cultural conversation which causes a tipping point, a societal shift, shifting a global conversation from “me” to “we”.

WE ARE I AM HUMANITY - A clearing house and catalyst for the flourishing of humanity and our common home.

Goals:

• We reach 4 billion people.
• We provide branding, “The Green Treatment”, that promotes and nourishes the flourishing of humanity.
• We spotlight organizations, non-profits, volunteers, celebrities, foundations, and youth who are engaged in programs, activities and events that are expanding the flourishing of humanity.
• We provide speaking engagements that share and educate about the flourishing of humanity, and what’s available when you declare “I AM HUMANITY”.
• We have ambassadors and representation in every state, in every country, who highlight local groups and events, such that those groups are aligned under the umbrella of I AM HUMANITY as PARTNERS FOR HUMANITY. 

From the health of an individual to the vibrancy of humanity.

From the individual's education to the consciousness of humanity.

From the success of one to the success of all.

The movement to promote and embrace Collective Consciousness by diverse organizations and communities provides hope for viable solutions within humanity's challenging scenario.

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org

Food Forest: a perfect Montessori school classroom

 After over a year of planning, 7th- and 8th-grade students at NewGate Montessori (NGM) planted a food forest on October 11, 2023 under the guidance of Zach Zildjian of ZZ Design Services. Due to limited space on the five-acre campus located in Lakewood Ranch, the food forest footprint is long and narrow along the parking lot. 

NewGate food forest planting day
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Secondary school guide Gillett Cole, who oversees 7th- and 8th-grade students, was inspired by the SURF - Suncoast Urban Reforestors - Colony Cove Microforest installation in June 2022. Gillett and a fellow school instructor participated in the microforest planting day where he met Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore. The Holly Elmore Images (HEI) Colony Cove Microforest album gives a pictorial recount of the microforest-planting day.

Subsequently, Holly, Zach, Gillett, and fellow NGM staff met to strategize on a meaningful and profound educational experience for the students. During the meeting, the microforest concept evolved into a food forest; the fruit harvest expanded the education with culinary and commerce opportunities.

The Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) article, Urban Afforestation: Food Forests and Microforests, educates on the underlying premises of food forests and presents numerous global examples.

Montessori Schools
As described on the American Montessori Society site:

Montessori is an education philosophy and practice that fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children and adolescents in all areas of their development, with a goal of nurturing each child’s natural desire for knowledge, understanding, and respect.

Montessori classrooms are ideal workplaces, where children are engaged, energetic, exploring, social, and most of all, learning to take ownership of their own education. They’re also unified communities in which each child understands the responsibility of being an individual student in the class while supporting the learning of others.

Entrance to the NewGate campus
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

At NGM, classrooms are designed to stimulate children’s independence and intellectual development. Rather than present or lecture students, NGM teachers are akin to facilitators, mentors, and coaches and often guide students in small groups. 

Classrooms are vibrant, fluid, and support independent learning at a student's own pace.

Sustainable environment creation as well as commerce and economic viability are integrated within the educational platform. Planning, designing, and planting a food forest aligns perfectly with the Montessori core values.

Student Participation
After he explained the basic premise of food forests, Zach walked the campus with the students to determine the options available for the forest. The students selected an easily accessible site next to the parking lot and close to and within existing campus landscaping.

Under Zach's tutelage, students measured the site and computed the number of trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants required; the students researched of potential plant species and with Zach's guidance devised the plant list. Though many of the fruit-producing trees are not native species, the ground cover plants selected were native to Florida.

Zach demonstrates
tree-planting protocol
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

On planting day, Zach educated on the intricacies of placing and planting the trees, shrubs, and ground cover; the students placed the plants within food forest best practices. After Zach demonstrated how to dig and hydrate the holes for the plants, the students used the provided shovels to complete the planting process.

Gillett and his fellow teacher worked alongside the students until the food forest was completely planted.

The students are responsible for nurturing and maintaining the food forest as it matures. With an on-campus kitchen, fruits harvested from the forest may be made into jams, marmalades, and other products available for sale.

In the spring, two to three students will prepare a professional PPT presentation along with a possible video for a speaking engagement at a Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay luncheon meeting. Holly is a club member and will schedule the presentation

The HEI album, NewGate Food Forest Planting Day, chronicles the October 11 planting day.

Food forests, organic gardens, and native-plant landscapes provide excellent outdoor classrooms that align perfectly with Montessori educational principles.

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org

Food forests transform lawns into lovely, beneficial landscapes

In recent years, backyard food forests moved from an anomaly to an emerging trend in urban environments. Local food security, soil regeneration, as well as nutrition and habit for urban wildlife are common catalysts for designing and planting backyard food forests.

In addition to backyards, small tracts of urban land contribute to the community ecosystem via food forests. Across the globe tiny food forests reside on former empty lots, school and corporate campuses, and common areas such as city parks.

Food Forest Basics*
According to Project Food Forest, a food forest, also called a forest garden, is a diverse planting of edible plants that attempts to mimic the ecosystems and patterns found in nature. Food forests are three-dimensional designs, with life extending in all directions – up, down, and out.

Ei Backyard Food Forest
photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

A food forest consists of numerous layers of plants ranging from fruit- or nut-bearing trees to shrubs to dense ground cover that protects the soil and prevents weeds. Perennials and self-seeding annuals are recommended to create a forest with minimal yearly maintenance. 

Plant diversity is important to nurturing a healthy, self-sustaining food forest. Selecting plants that attract beneficial insects who pollinate the forest and control pest insects creates an ecosystem based on nature's perfected principles.

Prior to planting, soil preparation is key to establishing a nurturing forest foundation where mycorrhizal fungi and other soil-ecosystem components flourish. In an urban environment, a common soil-preparation method places cardboard covered with a thick layer of mulch over the forest footprint; the soil preps for weeks to several months. Upon planting, compost and other natural amendments are added to the soil.

* The Food Forest Basics section is an excerpt from the Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) article, Urban Afforestation: Food Forests and Microforests, where the impact of food forests and microforests across the globe are introduced.

Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots
When she returned to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida, after residing in Atlanta for four decades, Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore dedicated her spacious approximately 8,500-square-foot yard to two rewilding pilots: 1> Front-Yard Native Landscape Pilot and 2> Backyard Permaculture Oriented Landscape (POL)Pilot.

The pilots' intention are to showcase how rewilding traditional lawns into lovely landscapes benefits human as well as wildlife inhabitants. Though many homeowner associations prohibit rewilding practices in front yards, there is often flexibility within backyards, especially if there is a fence that prevents public viewing.

Fortunately, Holly's home resides in a City of Sarasota neighborhood without a homeowner association. Thus, it flowed to implement front and backyard pilots.

The Holly Elmore Images (HEI) Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes album documents the pilots' progress in a series of photo galleries.

Ei Backyard-Permaculture-Oriented Landscape (POL)Pilot
The backyard pilot follows POL practices with an emphasis on human-food-producing plants. A food waste-compost circle surrounded by banana trees is integral to the design. Thus, the general rule for the backyard landscape: any non-native plants must produce human food and/or provide direct soil-ecosystem benefit.

Backyard in its wild state
photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

While the front-yard landscape is strictly native plants and was installed over a two-day period, the backyard pilot is an evolutionary process. For nearly nine months, the backyard was permitted to return to its "wild state" with abundant plant diversity; a variety of happy insects frolicked in the knee-high grass infiltrated with flowering plants.

Beginning in early 2021, the backyard was slowly "tamed" with mulched paths, a banana compost circle, a row of native-blueberry bushes under the roof dripline, a pollinator garden, a food forest, and a raised herb-garden area with sun protection. Once the invasive carrotwood tree was removed, the south-side yard was opened to ample sunshine and prepped for a vegetable, herb, and edible-flower garden.

No herbicides or soil tilling were used in the taming process; Holly hand-weeded the majority of the areas before prepping for its destined purpose.

Ei Food Forest
In alignment with the permaculture focus, a food forest was planted in the center backyard within an area designated by paths. After several months of soil preparation, the initial trees were planted on June 15, 2022 along with native shrubs and sweet potato ground cover. Three months later, the young food forest proved resilient when it survived  Hurricane Ian's battering of the Florida Gulf Coast.

With ample shade from two magnificent live oaks, the food forest's growth is reasonably stunted due to limited sunlight. It is comfortable to work midday in the food forest during the summer heat due to the abundant shade.

Sweet potato harvest
photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Fifteen-months post planting, the backyard food forest thrives with frequent, diverse harvests; the young trees gifted inaugural, though not abundant, Meyer lemons, Persian limes, Barbados cherries, surinam cherries, mulberries, and loquat fruit. Though healthy, the tangerine, Eureka lemon, and pomegranate trees did not produce fruit in their first year.

Sweet potato and African mint potatoes were bountiful ground covers. Edible flowers - marigolds, cosmos, butterfly pea, ground sorrel, and borage blossoms - were used fresh as garnish for food-styling and dehydrated for house made tea blends; the lobster flower and moringa leaves and cranberry hibiscus were also dehydrated for tea and other culinary accents.

In anticipation of a 30-person food tour, the peripheral backyard gardens were cleansed of Spanish nettles and other plants in unchosen places (aka weeds!) Growth around the paths was trimmed or pulled and the paths were refreshed with mulch. The HEI 2023 Backyard Permaculture Pilot Restoration album includes before and after images to showcase the impressive restoration.

Food Forest Tours
As part of their 2023 Eat Local Week (ELW) festivities, Transition Sarasota hosted dual for-pay food forest tours on October 18. As the curator of the Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots and a food forest at his parents' home, Zach Zildjian of ZZ Design Services spearheaded the tours. One of the most popular ELW events, the food tours were oversold!

Zildjian Food Forest
Soil preparation on the Zildjian Food Forest (ZFF) started in February 2022 followed by initial planting in April 2022. Though only several months older, the (ZFF) is significantly more mature due to daily direct sunlight.

Zach hosting ZFF Tour
photo courtesy of Erin Saba

As prominent caterers known for their locally sourced organic food, the Zildjians planted unique and hard-to-source produce in the ZFF for utilization in their business. Additionally, decorative greenery and flowers grow to accentuate their delicious cuisine and buffet tables.

The ZFF was first on the tour itinerary and attendees enjoyed lovely refreshments before heading over to the Ei Food Forest.

Ei Food Forest
As the Ei Food Forest was second on the tour itinerary, the attendees were happy to stay past the stated end time. Attendees were greeted with Holly's house-butterfly pea white tea along with apple-cinnamon cakes; Zach hand harvested the apples on a recent trip to North Carolina.

Following Holly's background and overview dialogue, Zach took the group through the food forest while explaining the design, planting, and maintenance protocol. Attendees asked a multitude of questions and chimed in with their own experiences.

Many of the attendees accepted Holly's offer to gift second- or-third-generation seedlings as well as various plant clippings.

As anticipated, the formal ELW tours spurned a deluge in informal and formal Ei Food Forest tours.

With the Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots closing in on two-year anniversaries, the pilots reached a maturity level where tours are excellent vehicles to showcase their intentions; the pilots showcase how rewilding traditional lawns into lovely landscapes benefits human as well as wildlife inhabitants

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org

Atala Butterflies Return from Near Extinction

Since the 1970’s the Earth’s insect population suffered severe population declines as well as loss of diversity. The NY Times 2018 article, The Insect Apocalypse Is Here. What does it mean for the rest of life on Earth?, reported: 

The German study found that, measured simply by weight, the overall abundance of flying insects in German nature reserves had decreased by 75 percent over just 27 years. If you looked at midsummer population peaks, the drop was 82 percent.

An Atala butterfly emerges from its cocoon
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

According to the November 2019 Somerset Wildlife Trust Insect Declines and Why They Matter Report by Professor Dave Goulson, 41% of insect species are threatened with extinction.

Though the overall insect-population is in a dire state, there are ample success stories of species restoration. A common contributing factor to success stories is the growing trend of replacing non-native ornamental plants with native flora and greenery in residential, commercial, and community landscapes. The 2021 RiA Magazine article, Urban Carbon Sinks: Rewilding Urban Landscapes, introduces the Holocene extinction, the Insect Apocalypse, and how rewilding urban landscapes may avoid catastrophe.

Homegrown National Park
The December 2022 RiA Magazine article, Soil & Water: the foundation of life, features award-winning author and renowned entomologist Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park  (HNP.)

HNP is a grass roots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity. According to Doug,

“In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty. Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators, and manage water.”

National awareness is HNP's product along with a request for the below actions on the more than 40-million acres of private lawn in the United States:

1. Reduce lawns.
2. Plant more native plants.
3. Remove invasive and/or non-native plants.

The What's the Rush 24-minute video by Doug is a superb overview of the critical status of the insect population along with simple lifestyle changes by individuals that collectively make a huge difference.

Success Story

The once abundant Atala butterflies were thought to be extinct from the 1930’s until 1959 when a few specimens were discovered. In 1979, a colony of Atala butterflies was found on an island off the Miami Coast. It is likely that the current population are descendants of the island butterflies.

Atala butterfly cocoons
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Like the Monarch butterfly’s relationship with the milkweed plant, the Atala butterfly has a symbiotic relationship with the coontie palm; the female only lays eggs on the coontie palm. Thus, when early Florida settlers overharvested the coontie palm for its starchy root, the Atala butterfly population declined and disappeared along with its host plant.

With its recent popularity as a native ornamental plant in Florida landscapes, the abundant urban coonties support healthy populations of the once nearly extinct Atala butterfly.

The Elemental Impact (Ei) Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots contain three coonties, one in the front-yard native-plant landscape and two within the backyard food forest. This summer Zach Zildjian, the pilots’ curator, noticed a female Atala butterfly laying eggs on one of the food forest coonties. 

Over the next weeks, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore documented the transformation of ravenous caterpillars into the chrysalis stage along with their emergence as magnificent butterflies. With perfect timing, Holly captured one Atala literally emerging from its cocoon. The Holly Elmore Images (HEI) album, Atala butterflies return from near extinction, gives a pictorial recount of the magical experience.

Coontie Palm
Once abundant in South Florida the coontie palm (Zamia integrifolia) supported a healthy Atala butterfly population. Poisonous in its unaltered states, the coontie palm gifts the Atala caterpillars and butterflies a natural protection from predators via their poisonous state.

Coontie in the Ei Rewilding Pilot
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Often called a fossil plant, the coontie palm is a cycad, an ancient plant group that thrived along with the dinosaurs during the Jurassic Period; most likely, the cycads were a predominant food source for the many herbivores. According to a 2011 Berkeley News article, cycads are among the most endangered plants. The coontie palm is the only cycad native to Florida, and according to several sources the only one native to North America.

With proper processing, the water-soluble toxin cycasin washes away from pulverized coontie root, which transforms into an edible flour for bread, porridge, and cakes. Indigenous tribes mastered the cleansing practices and shared it with the Seminoles; around 1825, the Seminoles taught early settlers how to process the poisonous coontie root. Additionally, the dried rhizomes were used for medicinal  purposes, treating ailments such as stomachaches and skin irritations. 

As south Florida populated, the coontie palm was overharvested, and the once common coontie palm segued into an endangered species. As the coontie requires a decade to reach a harvestable state, natural species replenishment was not feasible.

According to the February 2020 The Palm Beach Post article, Coontie, Florida’s only native cycad, wins National Award from GCA:

During World War I, as many as 18 tons of coontie were processed daily for the military. This led to the original decimation of the plant, which was further depleted by overdevelopment in the later housing booms. 

The coontie is listed as a Commercially Exploited Plant [(FDACS/DPI rule 5B-40.0055 (C)]; thus, harvesting coontie in the wild is prohibited without a permit.

With emergence of native-plant landscapes, nurseries began cultivating the hardy coontie for residential, commercial, and community planting purposes. Per the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County:  A Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Tale of Survival and Resurgence (Part I): Coontie Cycads:

As modern landscapers shifted towards plants that utilize less fertilizer and less water, coontie was finally recognized for this crucial use. Adaptable, low maintenance, drought tolerant, and with evergreen tropical fronds; this plant has surged in popularity. You commonly see the plant serving as an excellent foundation or accent plant in various landscape designs.

The coontie’s status as a rare native plant also adds an ecological dimension to any landscape. Encouraging local biodiversity and supporting the caterpillars of the rare Atala butterfly. You are not only beautifying your surroundings but also contributing to the conservation efforts of these imperiled species.

Atala butterfly recently
emerged from its cocoon
Photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

The re-emergence of the near-extinct coontie as well as the Atala butterfly is a prime example of the extended benefits of embracing native-plant landscapes. By recognizing the Florida-friendly growing traits of the native coontie, commercial nurseries and landscapers began the restoration of two nearly extinct species.

As native-plant landscapes segue into customary practice and harmful pesticides and fertilizer use is diminished, population-restoration success stories like the Atala butterfly along with its host plant the coontie palm (Zamia integrifolia) will be common, rather than miraculous. 

Additional resources:

The Conservancy: The Atala Butterfly and the Coontie Plant: A Mutualistic Relationship

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry: Do You Know Coontie? Florida’s Native Indians and Settlers Did.

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org

Sargassum, a hurricane's gift

Sunbaked sargassum mounds
photo credit: HollyElmoreImages

On Tuesday August 29 and Wednesday August 30, 2023, Hurricane Idalia's outer storm bands pummeled Florida’s Gulf Coast before making landfall on the peninsula’s big bend. In addition to significant flooding from storm surges, Idalia deposited tremendous mounds of sargassum seaweed infiltrated with boater and fishermen trash on barrier island and coastal beaches.

Sunrise walks on Longboat Key, a barrier island nestled between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, revealed Hurricane Idalia's gift of sargassum along the normally pristine beaches. Sargassum deposits first appeared a mile north of the beach condo, increasing in strength to nearly a foot deep on the northern beach stretch.

On the first day, the stench was overbearing as the dying sargassum released hydrogen sulfide that smells similar to rotten eggs. The normally sparkling gentle surf was brownish with floating sargassum and other debris. The floating sargassum often contains jellyfish larvae that causes a red, itchy rash upon contact. For nearly a week post-hurricane, Manatee County issued no-swimming advisories due to the water toxicity. 

Sargassum
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: sargassum is a genus of large brown seaweed (a type of algae) that floats in island-like masses and never attaches to the seafloor.

In Balance
When in balance, the naturally occurring sargassum plays an integral role within the ocean ecosystem. In the May 2019 Utilise Sargassum Seaweed For Its Many Benefits press release by the British Virgin Islands government, Marine Biologist at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour Mervin Hastings states, 

In-balance sargassum on beach
photo credit: HollyElmoreImages

"The Sargassum seaweed provides a source of food, home and nursery to an amazing variety of marine species (plants, shrimps, crabs, birds, fish, turtles, etc.). Sargassum also aids in creating sand dunes which helps in restoring eroded beaches."

Rich in iodine, bromine, mineral salts and vitamins, sargassum is beneficial for human use. According to Indigo Health: 

It is antioxidant, promotes proper hormone balance, protects from radiation and kills bacteria and fungi. When the thyroid is compromised, symptoms can include unexplained weight loss/gain, fatigue, hair loss and dry skin. Sargassum is one of the algae used in the production of Agar.

Per the Florida Department of Health, sargassum may contain large amounts of heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium and should not be used in cooking.

Over-abundant sargassum
photo credit: HollyElmoreImage

Out of Balance
Around twenty years ago, sargassum blooms crossed a threshold from beneficial to suffocating and harmful, both at sea and when washed up on shorelines. Similar to red tide, Karenia brevis, the naturally occurring algae blooms are fueled by human-produced and -released nutrients/toxins into waterways and eventually to the oceans. Nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and other toxins dispersed into the oceans often result in explosive red tide and/or sargassum algae blooms.

Unlike red tide, which is deadly to marine life, sargassum does not release toxins that directly kill marine life. Like red tide, sargassum deposits on shorelines are costly to local economies with immediate, direct impact on tourism-driven coastal communities. Additionally, the seaweed can clog power plant turbines, boat engines, and other propeller-driven machinery.

When it leaves the cooler Atlantic Ocean waters and enters the warmer Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the floating sargassum mass can smother sea grasses and coral reefs.

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt 
Initially noted in 2011, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) spans over 5,000 miles, weighs approximately 5.5 million metric tonnes, and consists of connected sargassum masses, many an acre in size. The GASB spans twice the length of the United States; yet, if compressed together the mass condenses to about the size of Delaware.

Sparsely deposited sargassum
photo credit: HollyElmoreImage

First documented by Christopher Columbus, the Sargasso Sea is located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, provides food and habitat for marine life, and stays reasonably contained by ocean currents. The sargassum in the Sargasso Sea is a different strain that the algae within the GASB.

Though not proven, many scientists believe fertilizers and other agriculture nutrients flowing from the Amazon River basin into the Atlantic Ocean provided the food source for the GASB formation. Ocean currents carry the sargassum masses from its West African origin across the Atlantic Ocean into the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

The sargassum deposited by Hurricane Idalia on Longboat Key beaches originated in the GASB.

Sea Turtle Impact
Fortunately, Hurricane Idalia arrived near the end of the Gulf Coast sea turtle-hatching season. The remaining estimated 30 - 50 sea turtle nests were destroyed or flooded by the storm surge. Within the sargassum mounds, there were a multitude of hatched turtle shells, most likely from pre-hurricane hatching.

Hatched sea turtle eggs
photo credit: HollyElmoreImage

When a nest of eggs hatches, Turtle Watch protocol is to count and return the hatched and unhatched eggs to the nest, which is then covered with sand. Presumably, the hurricane winds, rain, and surge destroyed the covered nests and dispersed the hatched eggs within the storm debris.

Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 through October 31 when loggerheads and green turtles return to Longboat Key where they propagate the species.

Without turtle nests to monitor, the Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers joined in on the trash clean-up from the sargassum mounds.

Heartwarming Cleanup
Until the beach was cleansed, each sunrise residents, vacationers, and Turtle Watch volunteers filtered through the smelly sargassum mounds and collected boater and fisherman trash washed up from the Gulf of Mexico. The variety and quantity of trash carelessly disposed of in the open water was astounding.

Howard Tipton and
his daughter Michelle
photo credit: HollyElmoreImage

Early Labor Day morning, Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton visited the LBK beaches with his daughter to assess the sargassum scenario. Howard planned to contact Manatee County for removal of the voluminous sunbaked sargassum from the lovely beaches.

Within two days, the beaches were raked yet most of the sargassum remained. By Friday morning, the sargassum was removed with only wisps of the sea weed deluge remaining. Thanks to the community cleanup effort the removed sargassum was essentially cleansed of trash!

It was literally heartwarming to witness the cheerful, cleanup teamwork amongst residents, visitors, non-profit volunteers, and local government. The sargassum deposit was a community gift by Hurricane Idalia; strangers worked in unison to return the Longboat Key beaches to their pristine state.

Howard validates the community spirit inherent within Longboat Key residents and visitors with his statement:

“Living on the coast in Florida, storms impacts are just the price for living in paradise.  What’s amazing on Longboat is how the community comes together to support one another, and how we support a healthy natural environment.”

The Holly Elmore Images album, Idalia's Gift of Sargassum, showcases the sargassum-infiltrated beach along with the community-driven teamwork for the clean-up.

Remember there are always Divine gifts in circumstances, no matter how dire they appear on the surface!

_______________________________________

Tax-deductible donations in any amount are greatly appreciated to support Ei's important work. 

DONATE HERE

About Elemental Impact:

Elemental Impact (Ei) is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2010 as the home to the Zero Waste Zones, the forerunner in the nation for the commercial collection of food waste for compost. In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Current focus areas include Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine articles, From Organic Certification to Regenerative Agriculture to Rewilding Landscapes: an evolution towards soil integrity and SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life, published to explain and substantiate the importance of Ei’s rewilding urban landscapes work within the Nature Prevails focus area.

The Holly Elmore Images Rewilding Urban Landscapes-album folder documents two active pilots: the Native-Plant Landscape Pilot and the Backyard Permaculture-Oriented Pilot.

MISSION:

To work with industry leaders to create best regenerative operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines, communities, and the environment. Through education and collaboration, establish best practices as standard practices.

Ei’s tagline – Regeneration in ACTION – is the foundation for Ei endeavors.

The following mantra is at the core of Ei work:

Ei is a creator, an incubator.

Ei determines what could be done that is not being done and gets it done.

Ei brings the possible out of impossible.

Ei identifies pioneers and creates heroes.

For additional information, contact Holly Elmore at 404-510-9336 | holly@elementalimpact.org