Introduction

Hartford, Connecticut is making strides in terms of trying to build a BETTER AND GREENER and a more sustainable society. 

Hartford is the capital of CT and is referred to as the “insurance capital” because of all of the insurance companies based out of the city.  Though a place in Connecticut may not seem to be too dangerous and socially and financially, the contrary is reality. Hartford has ranked around 20-25th most dangerous cities in America since for the better part of the 21st century and in many eyes is considered to be a food desert. There are also many parks that are not up to par in terms of maintenance and safety. Hartford makes for an interesting case because of the great potential it has. There are multiple parks, churches, recreational centers, etc. Hartford already has a great floor plan and organizations are beginning to realize this fact and take action. 

Keney Park Sustainability Project (KPSP)

Keney Park is one of the most prominent parks in the eyes of Hartford natives. This park has helped many of Hartford’s greatest community building events and KPSP has done its part to continue the legacy. They are trying to breed the citizens of Hartford, especially the youth into practicing healthier ways of life. Their mission statement off the website reads:

“KPSP aims to educate families about the impact of the environment on mental, physical and spiritual health by practicing sustainable techniques that promote a healthy symbiotic relationship between us and our environment. The needs served by KPSP include food insecurity, health, nutrition, job creation, job training, environmental awareness and stewardship” – Keneyparksustainability.org

KPSP is funded by companies such as Cigna, Newman’s Own Foundation, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation, and our very own baseball team the Hartford Yardgoats. Since 2017, KPSP has been organizing events to encourage Hartford natives and encourage them to go green. 

Hartford also has a website dedicated to sustainability where you can see upcoming events, projects, etc. Examples of current and past initiatives include the Retain the Rain program, the Energy Equity Challenge, and Bright Green Hartford event compilations (Hartford.gov). 

Essential Question: Is It Working?

The main question with the idea of raising sustainability awareness is: 

How do the efforts translate into reality? 

When it comes to Hartford I think there is little to complain about the progress the city has had.  As a result of  the efforts that KPSP has put in in terms of facilitating and guiding the youth into a more sustainable mindset and lifestyle, more and more children (and adults) in Hartford county are beginning to get behind this cause.

Answers We Have Searched For

An assignment like this is reassuring because it helps people understand the social climate in Hartford and what is being done to ensure the just sustainability of the city. Hartford has the potential to be one of the best places in Connecticut to live and grow up because of all of the different settings and types of people you can be exposed to.  We interviewed a leader in a very important position with KPSP and the feedback we received was really insightful and brings us further into the eyes and initiative of KPSP. Some of the questions we are aiming to answer are:

• Are the current systems that are being put in place working statistically?
• Are people feeling that they are living better lives in Hartford due to the changes that have been made around the city?
• Is the youth buying the idea of creating a sustainable environment?
• Is there an aspect that Hartford is missing out on that needs to add to their approach?

These questions will actually provide insight on if the movement happening in Hartford is actually working. 

SPECIAL GUEST !!!

This is Ms. Antanae Hodges. She is the Director of the Youth for the KPSP. She has been so kind to answer some of our questions pertaining to the KPSP and just sustainability!!

Key Themes

Keeping the key themes simple might be the best for a website and making sure it is easy to follow. Some key themes we are going to address include:

• Child Involvement 
• Definition of Sustainability
• How Sustainability Can Build a Better Greener Hartford