The Power of LAI comes to Florida!

LAI Induction Ceremony
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

On Tuesday, November 28, 2023 the underdevelopment Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Suncoast Chapter hosted their inaugural meeting at the Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) Finish Tower. NBP is an internationally renowned rowing facility, known as one of the top three facilities in the world.

 About LAI

LAI is the honorary global network for thought leaders in all fields related to the preservation and sustainable development of land.

LAI is a growing network of chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Each chapter offers a wide variety of programs with industry leaders, discussion forums, community service projects and networking events.

Membership is highly selective through a nomination process initiated by an LAI member. Nominees for LAI membership must demonstrate ten or more years of experience in their fields, professional distinction, and outstanding contributions to the community in their field of endeavor.

LAI is committed to excellence and high professional standards to make a difference. A value to members is knowing you are someone who helped make that difference.

Suncoast Chapter (underdevelopment) History
In December 2013, Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore was inducted into membership and served on the LAI Atlanta Chapter Board.  As the International Assistant Communications Director, Holly serves on the LAI Global Executive Committee.

After residing in Atlanta for 40 years. Holly returned to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida in 2021. With no current chapter in Florida, Holly established an environmental Leadership Group (LG) of At-Large LAI members.

LAI Suncoast Leadership Group

Steve @ Siesta #1 Beach sign
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

Established in late 2021, the LG consists of prominent environmental leaders in the Sarasota area with a stated commitment to the economic impact of water quality on the region. Located on the Central Florida Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Coast, Sarasota is a gem in The Sunshine State. 

With amazing barrier-island beaches (Siesta Key was named #1 beach in the U.S. by TripAdvisor,) and lovely intracoastal waterways, Sarasota's economy is water-quality based and driven by tourism.

Below are the LG members:

• Bridgett Luther, Table2Farms Founder & Visionary
• Charles Reith, Ph.D, Suncoast Urban Reforesters Founder
• Christine Johnson, Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast President
• Dave Tomasko, Ph,D, Sarasota Bay Estuary Foundation Executive Director
• Holly Elmore, Ei Founder & CEO
• Jan Pitchford, Sarasota Office Department Administrator at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
• Jane Grandbouche, Chair The Jane Family Foundation
• John McCarthy, V.P. for Regional History at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
• Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation SVP for Community Investment
• Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP, Retired & Universal Unitarian Green Team Chair
• Mary Dougherty, Gulf Coast Builders Exchange Executive Director
• Sandy Gilbert, Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START) Chair
• Steve Suau, Consultant with Carbon Life LLC
• Tim Rumage, Ringling College of Art & Design Professor of Environmental Studies

LG members, along with their respective headshots and bios, are listed on the Ei LG page.

As shared by Christine, the poignant quote by Luna Leopold sets the theme for the LG:

The health of our waters depends upon how well we live on the land

The LG members are committed to action via projects, education, and collaboration within the Sarasota community; initial focus is on the Sarasota Bay-water quality including prevention of contaminants flowing from the land and cleansing pollutants within the water.

Coastal-Water Quality: challenges, solutions, and economic impact
With tourism a major regional economic driver, it is imperative to retain the pristine status of the region's barrier-island beaches, the bays and estuaries, the Gulf, and inland water-oriented recreation areas. 

Ei orchestrated an impressive February 17, 2023 LAI Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact Global Webinar. The global webinar was the second program in an eighteen-month series about water and land economics around the globe hosted by the LAI Global Water Group.

LAI LG Members shared on global-coastal-water challenges along with the economic impact to the local and regional communities. With a well-orchestrated plan, via the Water-Quality Playbook, community organizations execute programs designed to prevent water contamination from land use and to cleanse contaminates in the water.

The Sarasota Bay Report Card documents achievements and remaining challenging scenarios. Teamwork is required for success with support provided by local, state, and federal governments as well as the community (foundations and taxpayers.)

Panelists included:

• David Tomasko, Ph.D
• Jon Thaxton
• Christine Johnson
• Sandy Gilbert

Sarasota ROCKS when it comes to water-quality commitments; after all, the local economy and way of life depend on healthy waters!

Watch the webinar recording on LAI TV to learn about Sarasota’s successful collaborative water-quality projects and programs; the Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine article, Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact, provides an in-depth synopsis of the webinar content; panelist PPT presentations are available for download within the article copy.

The RiA article, Coastal Water Quality: land-based activity determines the quality & related economic impact, showcases many of the impressive water-quality initiatives accomplished and in-process by LG members.

LAI Global Chapter Development Support
With the prestigious membership and above-mentioned accomplishments, LAI Global Leadership committed to support and invest in the development of a formal LAI Suncoast Chapter.

A profound meeting ended 
with a group photo
Photo courtesy of Holly Elmore Images

LAI President Kathy King traveled from Los Angeles and LAI Past President, LAI Fellow, and New Chapter Development Chair Steven R Gragg from El Paso, Texas to support the underdevelopment chapter. Over their three-day Sarasota visit, a total of 13 new LAI members were inducted with several in individual ceremonies.

The impressive November 28 event was attended by 40-plus LG members as well as potential new members. As the event keynote speaker, MOTE Marine CEO Dr. David Crosby shared MOTE Marine's history, dynamic impact, and the status of the MOTE Aquarium under construction. The Finish Tower event facility overlooked the MOTE Aquarium construction site.

After Dr. Crosby's keynote presentation, Steve gave an intro to LAI followed by the member-induction ceremony. Kathy presented each inductee with their LAI-member certificate in a leather-bound case.

The Holly Elmore Images album, LAI Suncoast Chapter (underdevelopment) Event, showcases the November 28 event while the LAI Suncoast Tours, Meetings, and Inductions album chronicles the plethora of activities during Steve and Kathy's three-day Sarasota visit. 

Chapter Development
With LAI Global support and guidance, the Suncoast LG will expand membership to include esteemed  professionals in the multitude of land economics professions. Additionally, at least quarterly, the LG will host a social-networking event, meeting, and/or tour for existing and potential new members. 

Once the Suncoast LG meets the established chapter-development protocol, LAI will charter a Suncoast Chapter and continue to support the young chapter. It is thrilling to bring "The Power of LAI" to the Florida Central Gulf Coast!

_______________________________________

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

Ei Welcomes New Advisors

In 2021, Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore returned to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida, after residing in Atlanta for four decades. With her move, the Ei global headquarters relocated to Sarasota, and Holly delved into local environmental initiatives. The IMPACT Magazine, Ei Moves!, chronicles Holly's move to Sarasota along with accomplishments during Ei's relocation.

Lambda Alpha International

Upon arriving in Sarasota, Holly immediately embarked on building a local Lambda Alpha International (LAI) group of At-Large members. Holly scheduled Ei- and LAI-introduction meetings with the Sarasota environmental leadership. With nearly 100% success, the environmental leaders accepted Holly's LAI At-Large-member nominations. (LAI) is a 90-years-old honorary society for the advancement of land economics.

With no current chapter in Florida, Holly established an environmental Leadership Group (LG) of At-Large LAI members; intentions are to launch a formal LAI Chapter in the future once membership expands beyond the environmental community to a broad spectrum of land economics professionals.

Ei orchestrated an impressive February 17, 2023 LAI Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact Global Webinar. The global webinar was the second program in an eighteen-month series about water and land economics around the globe hosted by the LAI Global Water Group.

Watch the webinar recording on LAI TV to learn about Sarasota’s successful collaborative water-quality projects and programs; the Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine article, Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact, provides an in-depth synopsis of the webinar content; panelist PPT presentations are available for download within the article copy.

The RiA article, Coastal Water Quality: land-based activity determines the quality & related economic impact, highlights the LG's impressive and varied environmental endeavors.

New Advisors
As Ei embarked on the Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots in Holly's yard, many of the LG members joined the Ei Advisory Council to share their expertise. The RiA Magazine article, Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilot, introduces the pilots, and the Holly Elmore Images gallery series by the same name chronicles the progress.

Ei welcomes the following new advisors:

Aaron Virgin

CEO at Save Our Seabirds

For nearly two decades, Aaron has worked for national and grassroots organizations committed to natural resource protection and problem-solving through science-based policymaking decisions. During his career he has been tasked with raising financial support to build coalition groups on a host of issues, such as comprehensive funding mechanisms for land and water protection, monitoring endangered wildlife species threatened by human impacts, and habitat restoration initiatives to promote biological diversity.

Bridgett Luther
Table2Farms Founder & Visionary

Former Director of California’s Department of Conservation under Arnold Schwarzenegger; Scaled the world’s largest recycling program; Directed $1.2B US budget; Led a staff of 750 guiding years of legislative and policy decision-making

‍

Co-Founder of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute; Developed the open source Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard; Established ongoing multi-stakeholder refinement process; Persuaded adoption by hundreds of the world’s leading manufacturers; Made certification keystone of the Circular Economy 

Charles Reith, Ph.D
Suncoast Urban ReForesters Founder & Visionary

Charles Reith is an ecologist with experience restoring ecological productivity to distressed land and waters. His reforestation and restoration efforts have applied to deserts, wetlands, alpine, and urban circumstances where highly disturbed land required rehabilitation into lands that will harbor wildlife, prevent pollution, and provide other ecological services to the Watershed.

In greater Sarasota, his work has focused on reforesting parks and neighborhoods where turf, which is ecologically barren, can be transformed into fast-growing forest habitats using a combination of Miyawaki planting strategies and permaculture-inspired soil management.

Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP
Retired, Unitarian Universalist Church Green Team Chair

Mary Anne G. Bowie, FAICP is a third-generation Sarasotan and happy that her three children and grandchildren live in the Sarasota area. Retired as an urban planner and a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, her environmental activism continues as leader of the Green Team at the Unitarian Universalist Church and co-founder of Generating Earth Connections.  Recent efforts have included publishing a healthy soils pamphlet to raise personal awareness and responsibility regarding regeneration.   

Sandy Gilbert

Solutions to Avoid Red Tide Chair

Sandy is a graduate of Cornell University with a BA in economics. His career spanned thirty-five years in the publishing business with executive positions with TIME and Smithsonian Magazines where he traveled all over the world working with advertising clients on their marketing programs.

He and his wife, Emmy Lou, retired to Longboat Key in 2000 where he was Chairman of the Planning & Zoning Board, Chairman of the Public Interest Committee and a government affairs columnist for the Longboat Observer.

Tim Rumage

Ringling College of Art and Design Professor of Environmental Studies

Tim is a planetary ethicist and Professor of Environmental Studies at Ringling College of Art and Design where he teaches courses on sustainability, creating ecological cities, applied environmental design, food, water, biodiversity, and environmental ethics.

Prior to Ringling, Tim was the Curator/Director of the Nature Lab at Rhode Island School of Design. Between the two institutions he has spent over 40 years living and working at the intersection of Science and Art.

Welcome Aaron, Bridgett, Charles, Mary Anne, Sandy, and Tim to the Ei Advisory Council! Thank you for agreeing to support Ei endeavors with your industry expertise. Ei is ready to soar with new initiatives on the horizon, and your support is integral to success.

________________________________________

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

Ei moves!

In 2021, Elemental Impact (Ei) Founder & CEO Holly Elmore returned to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida, after residing in Atlanta for 40 years, 37 years in her eclectic urban condo. Along with Holly, the Ei national and global headquarters moved to Florida.

Until the fall 2022, Holly's primary focus was caregiving for her elderly mother, and Ei slipped into the chrysalis stage of a major metamorphosis. Yet, as documented in the Ei Milestones page, Ei built a strong Sarasota environmental foundation while in the chrysalis stage.

Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots
For the first time in her adult life, Holly moved into a home with a yard, a large yard! A primary focus in late 2021 was rewilding the yard within two pilots: 1> the front-yard native-plant landscape pilot and 2> the permaculture-oriented backyard pilot. 

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine (RiA) article, Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots, introduces the pilots along with the urban-wildlife and environmental impact; the Holly Elmore Images (HEI) Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes album documents the pilots' progress in a series of photo galleries.

Native-Plant Landscape Pilot

 Five months after installation, the young native-
plant front-yard landscape is thriving.

After removing ornamental non-native plants and smothering the grass, Ei contracted with Pamela Callender of Lifelines to design and install a lovely native-plant landscape. Additionally, the impervious driveway was removed and replaced with mulch. On November 19, 2021, the two-day installation was complete and the plant nurturing began.

Graced with two oaks trees, a live oak and laurel oak, the front yard has a large oblong, shaded area. Plans are for a low deck with ample seating under the oak trees for educational and entertaining uses.

The HEI album, Ei Native-Plant-Landscape Pilot, documents the front-yard evolution through a series of photo galleries.

Backyard-Permaculture Pilot
While focused on the front-yard native-plant landscape, 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. 

Six weeks post-Hurricane Ian the resilient
food forest recovered from the ravaging winds.

Listening to the yard's requests, Ei slowly "tamed" the backyard 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.

Ei Supporter Zach Zildjian of Zach Zildjian Design Services (ZZ Design) oversees the backyard evolution and uses the pilot as a showcase for "what can be done" in a neighborhood scenario.

The HEI album, Ei Backyard-Permaculture Landscape Pilot, documents the backyard's evolution through a series of photo galleries.

On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida's central Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic damage a mere 80 miles south in Ft. Myers. Sarasota experienced 85 miles-per-hour winds and receiving 5 - 15 inches of rain, depending on the specific location. The rewilding pilots were ravaged, yet overall weathered the hurricane with minimal long-term damage.

Microforests
Ei supports the SURF - Suncoast Urban Reforesters - Microforests via ZZ Design mentorship and HEI photo-documentation services. ZZ Design provides the technical expertise required to design and implement microforest-soil preparation and -tree planting.

As stated on the LA Microforest site: 

Microforests (also called pocket forests, mini forests, and tiny forests) are densely-planted, multilayered indigenous forests planted in urban spaces which act as self-sustaining ecosystems that reconnect fragmented habitat and restore biodiversity.

The Miyawaki method involves the randomized planting of small saplings of various indigenous shrubs and trees (grown from local, regionally adapted seeds) in very close proximity together, where no two trees or shrubs of the same height are planted side by side.

Over 100 volunteers participated in the
Heritage Harbour Microforest planting day.

On January 18, 2023, over 100 volunteers from 5-years old to 85-years old participated in the Heritage Harbor Microforest-planting day. Due to superb underlying organization by ZZ Design, over 2,000 trees were planted on the ½-acre site in less than five hours. The HEI Heritage Harbour Microforest Planting album gives a still-photo documentary of the event.

A one-acre microforest installed on a 1 ½-acre peninsula within the Manatee River, the Colony Cove Microforest, was planted on June 13, 2022. The HEI album, Colony Cove Microforest, includes a series of galleries documenting the microforest-planting day.

The RiA article, Urban Afforestation: Food Forests and Microforests, gives an in-depth introduction to food forests and microforests along with their profound environmental and societal impact; global examples are featured.

Lambda Alpha International (LAI)
As she sits on the the LAI Global Executive Committee, upon arriving in Sarasota, Holly immediately embarked on building a local LAI Community of At-Large members. Holly scheduled Ei- and LAI-introduction meetings with the Sarasota environmental leadership. With nearly 100% success, the environmental leaders accepted Holly's LAI At-Large-member nominations.

Ei orchestrated an impressive February 17, 2023 LAI Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact Global Webinar. The global webinar was the second program in an eighteen-month series about water and land economics around the globe hosted by the LAI Global Water Group.

LAI At-Large Members from Florida’s Central Gulf Coast shared on global-coastal-water challenges along with the economic impact to the local and regional communities. With a well-orchestrated plan, via the Water-Quality Playbook, community organizations execute programs designed to prevent water contamination from land use and to cleanse contaminates in the water.

The Sarasota Bay Report Card documents achievements and remaining challenging scenarios. Teamwork is required for success with support provided by local, state, and federal governments as well as the community (foundations and taxpayers.)

Panelists included:

• David Tomasko, Ph,D, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Executive Director
• Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation Senior Vice President Community Investment
• Christine Johnson, Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast President
• Sandy Gilbert, Solutions to Avoid Red Tide Chair 

Sarasota ROCKS when it comes to water-quality commitments; after all, the local economy and way of life depend on healthy waters!

Listen to the webinar recording on LAI TV to learn about Sarasota’s successful collaborative water-quality projects and programs; the Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact article provides an in-depth synopsis of the webinar content; panelist PPT presentations are available for download within the article copy.

Regenerative Working Group (RWG)
Throughout Ei's chrysalis stage, the RGW Executive Team met the second Tuesday of the month via a Zoom call without missing a beat. The team expanded with new members, and several members, who met via RWG, are working together on exciting global projects.

LAI membership is a prerequisite to RWG participation.

Ei Connects
In May 2022, Holly Elmore introduced colleagues and friends Save Our Seabirds (SOS) CEO Aaron Virgin and Lifelines Founder Pam Callender. Aaron is an Ei Advisor, Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay member (via Holly's nomination,) and a RWG Executive Team member. SOS is an Ei Strategic Ally.

Pam Callender & Aaron Virgin

Funded by a Longboat Key Garden Club grant, Aaron contracted with Pam to design the transformation of an unsightly drainage ditch into a stormwater-demonstration garden. Native plants were selected for coastal properties and bird habitat. On February 28, 2023, Pam oversaw the installation of 360 plants (54 species) by volunteers and Aaron himself!

The RiA Magazine article, Ei Connections: Save our Seabirds | Lifelines, showcases the Ei Connection as well as the Lifelines drainage-ditch transformation; the Holly Elmore Images album, Save our Seabirds / Lifelines, provides a pictorial recap.

As Holly went to high school with the Director of Education at the Community Day School (CDS,) Ei facilitated several introductions to CDS regarding microforests and other educational opportunities.

With Ei well established in Sarasota, future Ei Connections are staged for common occurrences.

Local Organizations
In October 2021, Ei's member nomination was approved by the prominent Science and Environment Council (SEC) Board. While acquainting herself with Sarasota environmental leadership, Holly was advised to join and get involved in the SEC; it the backbone of Sarasota's environmental community. Membership resides with the organization, not an individual; organizations must be invited to nominate themselves.

Pre-dinner portrait at the 2023
Sarasota HomeStay Program

Sponsored by Ei Advisor Charles Reith, Holly was inducted into the Rotary Club of Sarasota Bay. With their stated environmental commitment, the Sarasota Bay Club is a SURF member and supports the microforest plantings spearheaded by Charles.

At the request of the Rotary Club leadership, Holly attended various events at the Rotary 47th Annual Sarasota District Governor-Elect (DGE) HomeStay Program; Rotary DGEs from across the globe attended the five-day event. Holly served as the official photographer. The HEI album folder, 2023 DGE Sarasota HomeStay Program, documents the events.

Speaking Engagements
As 2022 came to a close, Holly co-presented with Zach on SOIL: the foundation of life to the attentive Universal Unitarian Green Team at the request of LAI At-Large Member Mary Anne Bowie. As an encore performance, Holly shared a similar presentation in February 2023 to the ECO Democrats Manatee.

The RiA Magazine article, Soil & Water The Foundation of Life, recaps the presentation outline with more in-depth information. PPT presentations are available for download on Ei Speaking Engagement page.

With her mother situated with excellent caregiving, Holly may once again focus full-time on Ei. The chrysalis stage is complete, and Ei is ready to soar within and from a robust foundation. Publication of the 2023 Ei Spring Newsletter, the first in two years, signifies Ei's wings are dry from the cocoon and ready for flight.

________________________

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

Ei 2020: A Year of Celebration

On February 5, 2010, Elemental Impact (Ei) incorporated as a Georgia non-profit corporation and embarked on an incredible journey. Since inception, Ei lived the taglines Sustainability in ACTION and later Regeneration in ACTION!

Whew, the first ten years were action-packed while the Ei Team initiated and completed the Ei Era of Recycling Refinement (RR) and segued into the Era of Regeneration.

Working with a powerful team of Ei Pioneers and Ei Industry Experts, Ei evolved into a respected national non-profit known for introducing sustainable best practices within a range of industries.

Beginning with the Zero Waste Zones (ZWZ), Ei initiatives epitomized the following mantra:

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.

Background

Ei was formed as the home for the ZWZ, which were launched in 2009 by the Green Foodservice Alliance (GFA) within the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA). Over the years, Ei's work evolved well beyond zero-waste initiatives.

The following is a recap of Ei's evolution:

ZWZ Chair Laura Turner Seydel
speaking @ the ZWZ Two-Year
Anniversary press conference.

2012: Year of Accomplishments | Completions - in late 2012 the ZWZ were sold to the
National Restaurant Association (NRA) catapulting Ei into a major metamorphosis. The Zero Waste in ACTION Blog article, The NRA Acquires ZWZ, announces the monumental acquisition.

2013: Year of Transitions | Introductions - as Ei flowed within the metamorphosis stage, the three-platforms approach emerged. The IMPACT Blog, Ei Emerges Strong from Metamorphosis, introduced the three platforms: Product Stewardship, Recycling Refinement (RR) and Water Use | Toxicity. The IMPACT Magazine article, Another Year, Another Annual Ei Partner Meeting, recaps the formation of the new pilots and initiatives within the three platforms.

2014: Year of Foundations | Evolution - in 2014 the platforms were grounded with initiative launches and supporting taglines. The IMPACT Blog article, Ei 2014: A Year of Evolution, provides a summary of the platform foundations.

2015: Year of ACTION - in 2015 Ei lived up to its tagline: Sustainability in ACTION! The IMPACT Magazine article, Ei 2015: A Year of ACTION, summarizes the empowering year.

2016: Year of Recognition - in 2016 Ei's important work was recognized in published industry-case studies and Ei-hosted national conference panels. In addition, the Ei Magazines' following significantly increased and Ei was recognized as a respected journalist. The IMPACT Magazine article, Ei 2016: A Year of RECOGNITION, gives an in-depth overview of accomplishments, completions, and recognition.

2017: Year of Shifting Gears - in 2017 Ei announced Soil Health, regenerating the foundation of life, was a prime focus, replacing the prominent RR work. In addition, Ei Leadership experienced a changing of the guard and Ei welcomed new Strategic Allies. The IMPACT Magazine article, Happy 8th Birthday, Ei!, recaps the exciting year as Ei segued from the Era of RR to the Era of Regeneration.

Ei Founder Holly Elmore speaks
@ the 2018 WorldChefs Congress
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2018: Year of Regeneration - in 2018 Ei welcomed new partnerships, participated in global events, revitalized the Ei site, and embarked on Ei Explorations. It was an action-packed year as Ei lived the new tagline Regeneration in ACTION! The IMPACT Magazine article, Happy 9th Birthday, Ei!, chronicles the action-packed year.

2019: Year of Empowerment - in 2019, Ei started off the year celebrating the ZWZ ten-year anniversary. In the spring, Ei announced the Three-Step Straw Initiative (TSSI). Introductory TSSI meetings intertwined within work related to microplastics and nanoplastics in the soils, healthy-food school programs, and college-student mentoring. Additionally, the Ei site relaunched with updated design and navigation. The IMPACT Magazine article, Ei 2019: Year of Empowerment, recaps the empowering year.

The Ei Team is comprised of Industry Experts and Industry Pioneers. Experts educate, advise and support the Pioneers; the Pioneers craft new standard-operating practices within their operations that make good business and environmental sense. Once tested and proven effective, the Pioneers share the evolved practices with their industry colleagues. Ei’s work is complete and the Team moves into a new industry frontier.

A Decade of Impact

The Year of Celebration opened with Ei's ten-year anniversary! 

As a ten-year anniversary celebration, Ei published a three-article series, A Decade of Impact, that chronicles the plethora of achievements, awards, and successes from inception through 2020.

A Decade of Impact: History & Background

The first article, A Decade of Impact: History & Background, chronicles the profound work accomplished during the Green Foodservice Alliance (GFA) reign (2008 - 2009) that laid a powerful foundation for Ei's 2010 formation. The GFA was founded in 2008 within the Georgia Restaurant Association umbrella.

Dept of Ag Commissioner Tommy Irwin,

Chef Michael Deihl, Governor Sonny

Perdue, Deputy Commissioner

Terry Coleman @ luncheon

Events within the GFA Producers Task Force were in partnership with Georgia Organics, the American Culinary Federation, Atlanta Chapter (ACF ATL), and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (Ga Dept of Ag.) In 2008, the GFA was instrumental in the successful launch of the Georgia Grown program. With the local, sustainable food movement in its infancy, The Chefs' Tours & Dinner Series was novel, a forerunner, and an excellent tribute to farmers & chefs.

GFA Green Task Force initiatives were in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Sustainability Division and the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4. Additionally, the GFA worked closely with the Georgia Recycling Coalition and Atlanta Recycles.

In Feb 2009, the ZWZ were launched with critical acclaim & featured in a home-page CNN story as well as a New York Times front-page article.

The Ei FB album, A Decade of Impact: history & background, gives a pictorial recount of the empowering GFA work and events that built a solid foundation for Ei's formation.

A Decade of Impact: Era of Recycling Refinement

The second article, A Decade of Impact: Era of Recycling Refinement, chronicles Ei's groundbreaking work in zero-waste arenas & beyond from inception through June 2017.

During the Era of RR, the Ei Team served as a leader in pioneering frontiers with a myriad of completed projects | programs.

In addition to the home of the ZWZ, Ei launched the empowering Sustainable Food Court Initiative (SFCI)) with prominent pilots at the Atlanta Airport (busiest airport in the world), Georgia Dome (then home to the Atlanta Falcons), and Concord Mills (a Simon Properties mall). With a stated focus on post-consumer food waste, the SFCI was a pioneer in addressing compostable food & beverage packaging and consumer source-separated disposal of food waste. 

Additionally, Ei launched the first shopping mall plastic-film recycling pilot at the SFCI - Concord Mills in partnership with Simon Property Group, then the largest commercial-property owner in the nation.

Ei Partners ready to tour the
Novelis aluminum recycling plant 
during the 2014 Atlanta Partner Tours.

Tours, whether Ei Partner Tours or Ei Industry Tours, were integral to establishing the foundation for emerging industry practices. The Annual Ei Partner Meetings brought together partners from across North America for a powerful day filled with education, updates, camaraderie along with great food and wine.

In June 2017 Ei announced the Era of RR was Mission 

Accomplished. Ei endeavors considered complete via a sale, term expiration, or simply mission accomplished are thoroughly documented in the 46-page Mission Accomplished website section. 

The Ei FB album, A Decade of Impact: Era of Recycling Refinement, gives a pictorial recount of the activities documented in the corresponding article.

A Decade of Impact: Era of Regeneration

The final article, A Decade of Impact: Era of Regeneration, chronicles Ei's important work from June 2017 through current efforts.

Refreshed Ei website home page

As a welcome to the Ei Era of Regeneration, the Ei site relaunched with a refreshed design featuring Ei Founder Holly Elmore's photography images. An updated navigation reflects the current focus areas: Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, Water Use | Toxicity, and Product Stewardship platforms.

In the Era of Regeneration, Ei embarked on numerous Farm Tours as well as hosted the profound Ei Exploration of Fungi, Soil Health, and World Hunger in partnership with Ei Strategic Ally Feed & Seed. Ei Connections continued as one of Ei's valuable industry contributions.

Building off of the Era of RR's foundation, Ei segued from national to global impact via speaking engagements, contributions to prominent scoping papers, co-hosting international events, and attending global gatherings as respected media. Additionally Ei's status as a respected environmental journalist expanded to include photojournalism.

The Ei-Hosted panel, Compost's Empowering Role in Sustainable Soils, was the most popular break-out session at the 2018 U.S. Composting Council Conference hosted in Atlanta.

Beyond documenting Ei's important work, the Ei Magazines evolved to publishing in-depth research articles documenting the pathways traveled to current scenarios. Two of the research articles include: Plastics: a double-edged sword and A Hydroponic-Agriculture Renaissance.

The Ei FB album, A Decade of Impact: Era of Regeneration, gives a pictorial recount of the activities documented in this article.

Ei Magazine Milestone

On November 25, 2020, the Regeneration in ACTION (RiA) Magazine surpassed the 475,000 pageviews milestone! The coveted 500,000 pageviews achievement is mere months away!

Launched in 2009 as the ZWZ Blog, the original premise was to document the ZWZ successes and later the RR and SFCI accomplishments. When the ZWZ were sold to the NRA in 2012, the ZWZ Blog evolved into the Zero Waste in ACTION (ZWA) Blog. 

The June 2018 RiA Magazine article, New Era, New Name: Regeneration in ACTION!, announced the ZWA Blog evolved into the RiA Magazine. Additionally, the article stated the Ei tagline segued from Sustainability in ACTION to Regeneration in ACTION.

Over the past decade, the RiA Magazine, along with sister Ei magazine, The IMPACT, evolved from valuable industry-media resources to respected environmental journalism as well as photojournalism. The RiA Magazine article, Ei: invigorated impact and influence, celebrates the impressive milestone as well as the evolution to respected journalism.

Below is a quick magazine-stats overview:

The IMPACT Magazine

• 
  184,000 pageviews
• 137 published articles
• Average 1,340 pageviews per article
• Most popular article: Ei New Mission Statement (12/12) 3,080 views

RiA Magazine:

• 
  479,600 pageviews
• 389 published articles
• Average 1,230 pageviews per article
• Most popular article, Reduce First, Donate Second, Compost Third (02/11) 16,800 views

Environmental Journalism

Since 2016, Ei was included on environmental press-media lists with regular invitations for interviews and advance-book copies. In fall 2020, Ei received interview invitations from two prominent environmental and conservation photographers. Ei Founder Holly Elmore was honored to research, interview, and write articles featuring her heroes. Back in the 2014 - 2016 timeframe, Holly took on-line photography classes from the photographers and holds them in high esteem

The articles catapulted Holly from documentation of Ei's important work into respected mainstream-environmental media. 

The Photo Ark: a gift from the heart

On May 15, 2020, a press release announced the Nat Geo Photo Ark added the 10,000th image to the impressive collection of species portraits from animals in human care around the globe. Each portrait is captured on a white or black background, and published images are the same dimension; thus, a tiny mouse is literally the same size as an elephant in the Photo Ark.

Currently, the Photo Ark boasts 11,230 formal portraits. In addition to the portrait gallery, a comprehensive nearly 40,000-photo Photo Ark Gallery, including in-the-field images, is available for viewing. An excellent search function accompanies the gallery.

Renowned Nat Geo photographer Joel Sartore created the Photo Ark as a vehicle to showcase the Earth's tremendous biodiversity within the Animal Kingdom along with the mass extinction in process.

The RiA Magazine article, Photo Ark: a gift from the heart, chronicles the Photo Ark's history and gives accolades to Joel Sartore for his tremendous commitment to endangered species.

An Evolutionary Call-to-ACTION

REFUGE, America's Wildest Places, Exploring the National Wildlife Refuge System (REFUGE,) published on October 27, 2020 as an extraordinary coffee-table book; photography is by renowned photographer, author, educator, and filmmaker Ian Shive. As with Ian's prior books, films, and other mediums, REFUGE is a masterpiece and serves as a portal to explore our planet's intrinsic beauty.

REFUGE is a glimpse into the magnificence and sacred nature of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), one of the largest protected land and water networks in the world. The NWRS encompasses land and water ecosystems coast-to-coast within the continental United States (U.S.) as well as the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, and U.S. territories.

Ian's profound commitment as a conservationist and educator are destined to make a tremendous impact with his past, current, and future timeless masterpieces. Ian's evolution from stills to motion to cinema to on-air persona expands his audience, reach, and potential influence.

Photo credit: James Shive

REFUGE is an evolutionary call-to-action for the collective community to preserve and restore the Earth's fragile ecosystems. The Earth will only tolerate a certain quota of human devastation; once the quota is reached the Earth will simply heal herself, most likely to the detriment of the human species.

The RiA Magazine article, An Evolutionary Call-to-ACTION, is an in-depth chronicle of Ian's adventures culminating in the profound book along with overviews of his amazing short films.

FUN: read the article to learn how a 1976 in-concert photo of "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen and the "Big Man" Clarence Clemons flows within the article!!!!

Ei Books
In late 2017, Holly expanded her journalism to photojournalism with a series of articles published in nationally distributed Southern Farm & Garden (SF&G). The articles showcased Ei's important work as well as Ei Strategic Ally accomplishments. Article images were courtesy of Holly Elmore Images (HEI.)

Additionally, the SF&G articles were published as Ei Digital Books available for view as page-turning-pdf documents on the Issuu platform. 

Photo Book

Determined to take her photography-technical skills to new levels, Holly learned to layout photo books using the Adobe Lightroom book module. Blueberry Snippet Story: from blossoms to fruit documents neighborhood blueberries on the journey from sweet blossoms to food for urban wildlife. Beyond photos, the book includes the history of blueberry farming in the U.S. as well as other interesting blueberry facts.

Images are destined to support article copy related to edible landscape practices.

Article Book

Using her new design skills, Holly's Fingertip Press published the first Ei Article Book: From Macro to Micro to Nanoplastics, an excerpt from the RiA article, Plastics: a double-edged sword. 

From Plastics: a double-edged sword:

The seemingly magical gift of plastic came with a double-edged sword filled with the potential to destroy life as it is currently known on Earth.

In less than seventy years, humans managed to infiltrate the Earth with micro and nanoplastics from discarded single-use and durable products in literally every nook and cranny, ranging from the arctic snow caps to the depths of the oceans and everywhere in between.

It is time to shift perspectives from human-focused to life-focused and let the Earth show us how to heal the damage inflicted. Answers will come to those who live and take action from the heart.

Additionally, the Nanoplastics article includes the following new sections:

• 
  Plastics at the beach - showcases how readily available durable and single-use plastic items are common place during beach enjoyment.
• Beyond litter, cigarette butts are plastic pollution - explains how cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a plastic.
• Ei Exploration of Fungi, Soil Health, & World Hunger - gives an overview of the empowering October 2018 exploration.
• COVID-19 plastic pollution - explains how the recent pandemic resulted in a new surge in plastic pollution.

Soft cover, magazine-style books are available for purchase at $11.99 each plus delivery; volume-purchase discounts are given. Additionally, a pdf version of the book is available for $8.99. Here is the link to purchase the book: https://bit.ly/3bl2Zxs.

A portion of the book proceeds is donated to Ei.

The Fingertip Press is a division of Holly Elmore Enterprises and the nomenclature for Holly's published articles, documents, and other written communication. Photos in the Nanoplastics book are courtesy of Holly Elmore Images.

Bigger than Us Podcast

On May 29, the Nexus Bigger than US-podcast interview with Holly aired with the below profound promotion by Nexus:

Holly Elmore uses her extensive business skills to make a difference through Elemental Impact (Ei), now in its 10th year of Regeneration in Action.

Tune into episode 66 of #TheBTUPod to hear:

👉 How Holly and the Ei team are helping the corporate community find simple solutions to replace environmentally harmful practices with those that rejuvenate soil and water and reduce waste.

👉 The diverse career endeavors that helped Holly direct her energy toward sustainable missions, and how those missions have evolved.

👉 Her intuitive advice to help you determine when to sideline your current project so that you can make the most progress.

👉 What it means to be in the flow.

And more!

Listen and subscribe: https://bit.ly/2MaOh01

Additionally, the podcast-promotion graphic included one of Holly's favorite quotes over the past decade:

In order for humanity and life as we know it to survive and thrive on planet earth, we must - absolutely MUST - get our water and soil microbial communities back into a healthy, balanced state.

The podcast interview was a perfect precursor for the Nature Prevails-platform announcement.

Nature Prevails
In September 2020, Ei announced the Nature Prevails platform to complement the Soil Health and Water Use | Toxicity platforms. Within the Nature Prevails premise, the Earth heals herself and nurtures renewed life forms, no matter the calamity caused by humans, natural disasters, or extraterrestrial activities.

An elder tree thrives within a 

building in Old Havana

photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

During the 2020 COVID19-global-pandemic quarantines, citizens witnessed an immediate impact of reduced human activity via clearer skies, orchestras of bird songs, and the roaming of wild animals in urban and rural parks. The experiences were a glimpse of how quickly the natural-world rhythm resumes when human activity subsides.

With a commitment to align work with Nature, Ei defined The Principles of Nature with three broad categories:

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

Beyond the environment-related activity within in each category, societal systems including economic structures, financial markets, and urban design, to name a few, also align within and are impacted by The Principles of Nature. 

The RiA Magazine article, Nature Prevails, a new Elemental Impact platform, announces the platform and explains how Ei accomplishments during the Era of RR support Nature Prevails premises.

Regenerative Working Group

The opening slide in the RWG intro PPT

photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Activities within Ei’s Nature Prevails platform are in partnership with the Regenerative Working Group (RWG.)

On April 6, 2020, Holly hosted the inaugural RWG call to announce the initiative formation. With approximately thirty prominent land-economics professionals on the call, it was a milestone day!

The RiA Magazine article, Global Thought Leaders Embrace Regenerative Land Economics, launches the initiative and announces the prominent RWG Executive Team:

• Holly Elmore, RWG Chair (Ei Founder)
• Bernadette Austin, RWG Focus Area Lead (Acting Director of the Center for Regional Change at the University of California at Davis)
• Brad Bass, RWG Advisor & Industry Expert (30-year veteran at Environment and Climate Change Canada as well as a Status Professor at the University of Toronto (UT))
• Ronald Thomas, FAICP, RWG Adviser & Industry Expert (Ron Thomas & Co. President)

Many of the Ei Advisors are enthusiastic to serve as RWG Advisors in their respective areas of expertise. The RWG Executive Team members joined the Ei Advisory Council (AC); the IMPACT Magazine article, Ei Welcomes New Advisors, welcomes the new AC members and features their respective bios and headshots.

RWG Vision: to explore challenges related to stated focus areas from a holistic approach where the community, environment, and local economies benefit from commentary, discussions, and proposed projects.

RWG Tagline:

Global thought leaders supporting complete and equitable communities.

RWG Focus Areas:

• 

  The FA slide in the RWG intro PPT

  photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

  Infrastructure – explores the built environment including a city’s water & sewer systems, water treatment plants, public utilities, as well as corporate, government, and educational districts | campuses. Additionally, focus is on the availability of and access to affordable housing within a community.
• Environmental Resources – explores the impact of existing and proposed projects and infrastructure within urban and rural communities on energy sources, soil health, local greenways, open spaces, waterways, and resident access.
• Social Equity – explores ways to promote complete communities that include equitable access to housing, transportation and transit, education, employment, human services such as healthcare and safety, and other amenities such as parks. These complete communities balance land uses focused on people, (such as commercial and residential land uses), with natural and working land uses such as open space, waterways, farms, and ranches.

Beginning the week of May 25, Jahin Khan, a UT research student within Brad’s COBWEB platform, crafted an introductory RWG PPT presentation. Additionally, Jahin researched and prepared thorough documentation on the health impact of algal blooms in oceans as well as fresh water, glyphosate usage in commercial agriculture and landscape maintenance, and genetically modified agricultural products. 

Jahin’s current research relates to the detrimental human impact on natural ecosystems, how human-created environments are also governed by the Principles of Nature, and the impact of soil erosion and septic systems on water pollution. In addition, Jahin works closely with Holly on the RWG Action Plan development. 

Ridhi Gopalakrishnan joined the UT-affiliated research team as a summer intern to study Urban Carbon Sinks and the impact of glyphosate on the soil ecosystem.

Urban Carbon Sinks
A regenerative solution to the diminishing oxygen-supply crisis

In the 2017 RiA Magazine article, Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Solutions, Ei coined the term Urban Carbon Sinks.

Carbon Sinks

Vibrant forests are natural

carbon sinks.

Big Cypress Preserve in the Everglades

photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Simply, a carbon sink is an area of land where plants drawdown more carbon via photosynthesis – the process plants use to convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into sugars for energy – from the atmosphere than is released from the soil into the atmosphere.

The oceans are technically carbon sinks as they currently absorb more atmospheric carbon than is released. Current excess carbon in the oceans causes ocean acidification that kills plankton at alarming rates. As marine plant life (phytoplankton, kelp, and algal plankton) photosynthesis generates the vast majority of atmospheric oxygen, the Earth is heading towards an oxygen-deficiency crisis.

By re-establishing abundant land-based carbon sinks, the carbon cycles may return to balance via atmospheric carbon returning to the soils. Once a threshold of lowered atmospheric carbon is reached, the oceans will release their stored excess carbon into the atmosphere. Thus, ocean acidification will reverse and marine plant life may revive back into healthy oxygen-producing states.

Regenerative Agriculture | Grounds Maintenance

As well documented in the earlier referenced article, Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Solutions, regenerative agriculture is a viable solution for restoring weakened soil ecosystems and drawing significant carbon from the atmosphere back into the soil. Thus, regenerative agriculture creates carbon sinks.

Within the article, Ei announces intentions to create urban carbon sinks via integrating regenerative landscape and grounds maintenance practices on corporate complexes, college | university campuses, highway medians | shoulders, airport land surrounding runways, parks, and other available urban lands. Collectively, the regenerative landscaped areas are destined to serve as urban carbon sinks and aid in restoring the carbon-cycle balance.

Benefits Beyond Carbon Drawdown

Public parks are perfect

venues for urban carbon sinks

photo credit: Holly Elmore Images

Regenerative landscape and grounds maintenance practices are “cide-free” with no pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides used. By mimicking natural systems, healthy foliage grows without the use of toxic chemicals commonly used in grounds maintenance; these toxins run off into local streams and water systems. Thus, local water systems benefit.

As “cides” are fatal to many pollinators, the local insect population benefits as well as their predators. Thus, the local urban-wildlife system benefits.

Inherent within regenerative landscape practices is the use of native foliage that evolved to thrive within the local climate and soil conditions. Healthy soil retains more rainwater and native plants are often able to sustain on rainwater.; there is potential for a significant reduction in irrigation water used. Thus, a reduction in the facility’s landscape costs and a benefit to the community as a hole.

The local population benefits from available public parks and other greenways free from toxic chemicals.

Urban Carbon Sink Pilot

Utilizing Ei’s extensive corporate network and prominent AC, the Urban Carbon Sink Pilot (UCSP) will recruit corporate, local government, and university participants enthusiastic to reduce their carbon footprint by overhauling their landscape and grounds maintenance practices. Ei Advisors will educate on regenerative practices and support in the implementation. With strong documentation of challenges, successes, and lessons learned, Ei will craft an Urban Carbon Sink template for replication.

Carbon drawdown will be tracked via measuring the organic matter (carbon) in the soil. Prior to UCSP implementation, soil tests will establish the pilot’s baseline; future soil tests at specified intervals will document carbon-drawdown success.

The Ei UCSP proposal was a finalist in the 2020 Ray C. Anderson $100,000 NextGen Grant. Due to the pandemic conditions, Ei chose to not submit a final proposal. The UCSP Team is enthusiastic to submit a proposal in the 2021 NextGen Grant RFP (request for proposals.)

COVID-19 Pandemic

In early March, the World Health Organization proclaimed COVID-19 was a global pandemic; life as we knew it on our Earth ceased to exist as governments ordered or requested their citizens to quarantine. 

Though some work moved into a holding due to pandemic conditions, Ei flourished during the quarantine time and ushered in new endeavors. As previously featured, the Nature Prevails platform, along with the RWG and Urban Carbon Sinks, was announced, Ei Books were published, and Ei evolved into respected mainstream environmental media.

Three-Step Straw Initiative

In 2019, Ei announced the Three-Step Straw Initiative (TSSI) in partnership with Ei Strategic Ally One More Generation | One Less Straw. Beyond plastic-straw usage reduction, the TSSI addresses the straw content and end-of-life destination; the TSSI aligns with the Ei Era of Regeneration Soil Health and Water Use | Toxicity platforms.

The following details the TSSI steps:

• Step 1- REDUCE straw usage

• Step 2 – SHIFT to paper straws

• Step 3 – COMPOST used straws

Significant TSSI strides were achieved in 2019 and early 2020. Yet, with the COVID19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the global hospitality community, the TSSI is in a holding pattern for an unspecified time period.

Mentorship

When the RCE Atlanta launched their mentorship program in September 2020, Ei immediately joined with Holly serving as a mentor. Spelman sophomore Destinee Whitaker chose Holly as her mentor. The below recommendation submitted by Holly for a scholarship application sums up the empowering mentorship:

In September 2020 Destinee selected me as her RCE Atlanta Mentor within the recently launched mentorship program. Since connecting, Destinee and I schedule virtual meetings every two to three weeks. It is my honor to serve as Destinee's mentor.

 

Destinee is an impressive young lady who is driven to make a difference in the world her generation inherits from previous generations. I appreciate how Destinee listens and comprehends my advice. In subsequent calls, it is evident that Destinee took appropriate action related to the advice.

 

Based on her raw intelligence, passion, and commitments, Destinee is destined to take leadership roles in environmental, social inequality, and/or human-health deprivation issues that plague our national and global communities, whether corporate, government or private.

 

It is important for Elders, as I am, to dedicate the time to share our experience and expertise with rising stars such as Destinee. Financial support via scholarships is integral to support women of color and other minorities as they prepare for their future leadership roles.

 

I give Destinee a highest recommendation for this scholarship application.

Additionally, mentorship is integrated within the Ei research internships previously mentioned.

2021: Year of Revelations

With the Ei Year of Celebration complete, 2021 is staged for the Year of Revelations!

___________________________________

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.

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 404-261-4690 | holly@elementalimpact.org