The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Jill S Litt - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
the influence of social involvement neighborhood aesthetics and community garden participation on fruit and vegetable consumption
American Journal of Public Health, 2011Co-Authors: Jill S Litt, Mahj Soobader, Mark S Turbin, James Hale, Michael Buchenau, Julie A MarshallAbstract:Objectives. We considered the relationship between an urban adult population's fruit and vegetable consumption and several selected social and psychological processes, beneficial aesthetic experiences, and garden participation. Methods. We conducted a population-based survey representing 436 residents across 58 block groups in Denver, Colorado, from 2006 to 2007. We used multilevel statistical models to evaluate the survey data. Results. Neighborhood aesthetics, social involvement, and community garden participation were significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Community Gardeners consumed fruits and vegetables 5.7 times per day, compared with home Gardeners (4.6 times per day) and nonGardeners (3.9 times per day). Moreover, 56% of community Gardeners met national recommendations to consume fruits and vegetables at least 5 times per day, compared with 37% of home Gardeners and 25% of nonGardeners. Conclusions. Our study results shed light on neighborhood processes that affect food-related behaviors and provides insights about the potential of community gardens to affect these behaviors. The qualities intrinsic to community gardens make them a unique intervention that can narrow the divide between people and the places where food is grown and increase local opportunities to eat better. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 16, 2011: e1-e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2010.300111).
-
connecting food environments and health through the relational nature of aesthetics gaining insight through the community gardening experience
Social Science & Medicine, 2011Co-Authors: James Hale, Michael Buchenau, Julie A Marshall, Corrine Noel Knapp, Lisa Bardwell, Fahriye Hazer Sancar, Jill S LittAbstract:Current environmental and health challenges require us to identify ways to better align aesthetics, ecology, and health. At the local level, community gardens are increasingly praised for their therapeutic qualities. They also provide a lens through which we can explore relational processes that connect people, ecology and health. Using key-informant interview data, this research explores Gardeners' tactile, emotional, and value-driven responses to the gardening experience and how these responses influence health at various ecological levels (n = 67 participants, 28 urban gardens). Our findings demonstrate that Gardeners' aesthetic experiences generate meaning that encourages further engagement with activities that may lead to positive health outcomes. Gardeners directly experience nearby nature by 'getting their hands dirty' and growing food. They enjoy the way vegetables taste and form emotional connections with the garden. The physical and social qualities of garden participation awaken the senses and stimulate a range of responses that influence interpersonal processes (learning, affirming, expressive experiences) and social relationships that are supportive of positive health-related behaviors and overall health. This research suggests that the relational nature of aesthetics, defined as the most fundamental connection between people and place, can help guide community designers and health planners when designing environment and policy approaches to improve health behaviors.
-
collective efficacy in denver colorado strengthening neighborhoods and health through community gardens
Health & Place, 2009Co-Authors: Ellen Teig, Michael Buchenau, Julie A Marshall, Lisa Bardwell, Joy Amulya, Jill S LittAbstract:Community gardens are viewed as a potentially useful environmental change strategy to promote active and healthy lifestyles but the scientific evidence base for gardens is limited. As a step towards understanding whether gardens are a viable health promotion strategy for local communities, we set out to examine the social processes that might explain the connection between gardens, garden participation and health. We analyzed data from semi-structured interviews with community Gardeners in Denver. The analysis examined social processes described by community Gardeners and how those social processes were cultivated by or supportive of activities in community gardens. After presenting results describing these social processes and the activities supporting them, we discuss the potential for the place-based social processes found in community gardens to support collective efficacy, a powerful mechanism for enhancing the role of gardens in promoting health.
Keeve E Nachman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Urban community Gardeners' knowledge and perceptions of soil contaminant risks
PLoS ONE, 2014Co-Authors: Brent F. Kim, Melissa N. Poulsen, Jared D. Margulies, Katie L. Dix, Anne M. Palmer, Keeve E NachmanAbstract:Although urban community gardening can offer health, social, environmental, and economic benefits, these benefits must be weighed against the potential health risks stemming from exposure to contaminants such as heavy metals and organic chemicals that may be present in urban soils. Individuals who garden at or eat food grown in contaminated urban garden sites may be at risk of exposure to such contaminants. Gardeners may be unaware of these risks and how to manage them. We used a mixed quantitative/qualitative research approach to characterize urban community Gardeners' knowledge and perceptions of risks related to soil contaminant exposure. We conducted surveys with 70 Gardeners from 15 community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland, and semi-structured interviews with 18 key informants knowledgeable about community gardening and soil contamination in Baltimore. We identified a range of factors, challenges, and needs related to Baltimore community Gardeners' perceptions of risk related to soil contamination, including low levels of concern and inconsistent levels of knowledge about heavy metal and organic chemical contaminants, barriers to investigating a garden site's history and conducting soil tests, limited knowledge of best practices for reducing exposure, and a need for clear and concise information on how best to prevent and manage soil contamination. Key informants discussed various strategies for developing and disseminating educational materials to Gardeners. For some challenges, such as barriers to conducting site history and soil tests, some informants recommended city-wide interventions that bypass the need for gardener knowledge altogether.
Joungman Park - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
interfacial and wetting properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites with different hardeners by electrical resistance measurement
Polymer Testing, 2016Co-Authors: Dongjun Kwon, Pyeongsu Shin, Jonghyun Kim, Lawrence K Devries, Joungman ParkAbstract:Abstract In this research, interfacial and wetting properties of N,N,N,N-tetraglycidyl-4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) epoxy resin with two hardeners with different chemical structure were evaluated by electrical resistance (ER) measurement. The heat of reaction of TGDDM epoxy with the two different hardeners, 33 and 44 di-amino di-phenyl sulphone (DDS), was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The TGDDM epoxy exhibited different mechanical properties with the two different DDS hardeners. Combined ER, wetting measurements and the microdroplet test were used for evaluating the spreading effect and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced TGDDM epoxy composites with these different hardeners. The heat of reaction and mechanical properties of TGDDM/DDS were influenced by the chemical structure and different free volumes of the epoxy resins. The relationships between the ER-wetting results and the IFSS were internally consistent. Ultimately it was demonstrated that ER measurements makes it possible to estimate the interfacial and wetting properties of CF reinforced epoxy composites.
Stacy M Philpott - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
soil management is key to maintaining soil moisture in urban gardens facing changing climatic conditions
Scientific Reports, 2018Co-Authors: Brenda B Lin, Monika H Egerer, Heidi Liere, Shalene Jha, Stacy M PhilpottAbstract:Urban gardens are vital green spaces, providing food for residents and space for engaged citizenry and community development. In California, climate change conditions (heat and drought) are becoming more extreme, threatening the resilience of urban gardens. Water use restrictions limit the timing and amount of water that Gardeners can access, exacerbating these climate challenges for urban food production. Together with volunteer Gardeners, we examined how ambient temperature, water use, vegetation, ground cover, and soil management affect rates of soil moisture gain and loss in urban gardens for a six-week period in the summer of 2017, during the hottest part of the growing season. We found that plot-level management of soils is essential for creating urban garden plots that maintain stable levels of water within garden soils. Although plots with better soil quality (i.e. water holding capacity) experienced slower rates of soil moisture gain after a watering event, they also experienced slower rates of soil moisture loss after the event, leading to soils with more stable, less fluctuating moisture profiles over time. This may benefit Gardeners because under extreme climates (such as heat and drought) and water use restrictions, maintaining more stable soils for their plants means that the soils will retain water over a longer period after each watering event. Overall, such results highlight that better soil management that improves soil quality measures such as water holding capacity are potential solutions for maintaining soil moisture and reducing water use under changing climate conditions.
-
local and landscape scale land cover affects microclimate and water use in urban gardens
Science of The Total Environment, 2018Co-Authors: Monika H Egerer, Heidi Liere, Peter Bichier, Stacy M PhilpottAbstract:Abstract Urban gardens in Central California are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, experiencing both extended high heat periods as well as water restrictions because of severe drought conditions. This puts these critical community-based food production systems at risk as California is expected to experience increasing weather extremes. In agricultural systems, increased vegetation complexity, such as greater structure or biodiversity, can increase the resilience of food production systems from climate fluctuations. We test this theory in 15 urban gardens across California's Central Coast. Local- and landscape-scale measures of ground, vegetation, and land cover were collected in and around each garden, while climate loggers recorded temperatures in each garden in 30 min increments. Multivariate analyses, using county as a random factor, show that both local- and landscape-scale factors were important. All factors were significant predictors of mean temperature. Tallest vegetation, tree/shrub species richness, grass cover, mulch cover, and landscape level agricultural cover were cooling factors; in contrast, garden size, garden age, rock cover, herbaceous species richness, and landscape level urban cover were warming factors. Results were similar for the maximum temperature analysis except that agriculture land cover and herbaceous species richness were not significant predictors of maximum temperature. Analysis of gardener watering behavior to observed temperatures shows that garden microclimate was significantly related to the number of minutes watered as well as the number of liters of water used per watering event. Thus Gardeners seem to respond to garden microclimate in their watering behavior even though this behavior is most probably motivated by a range of other factors such as water regulations and time availability. This research shows that local management of ground cover and vegetation can reduce mean and maximum temperatures in gardens, and the reduced temperatures may influence watering behavior of Gardeners.
Julie A Marshall - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
the influence of social involvement neighborhood aesthetics and community garden participation on fruit and vegetable consumption
American Journal of Public Health, 2011Co-Authors: Jill S Litt, Mahj Soobader, Mark S Turbin, James Hale, Michael Buchenau, Julie A MarshallAbstract:Objectives. We considered the relationship between an urban adult population's fruit and vegetable consumption and several selected social and psychological processes, beneficial aesthetic experiences, and garden participation. Methods. We conducted a population-based survey representing 436 residents across 58 block groups in Denver, Colorado, from 2006 to 2007. We used multilevel statistical models to evaluate the survey data. Results. Neighborhood aesthetics, social involvement, and community garden participation were significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Community Gardeners consumed fruits and vegetables 5.7 times per day, compared with home Gardeners (4.6 times per day) and nonGardeners (3.9 times per day). Moreover, 56% of community Gardeners met national recommendations to consume fruits and vegetables at least 5 times per day, compared with 37% of home Gardeners and 25% of nonGardeners. Conclusions. Our study results shed light on neighborhood processes that affect food-related behaviors and provides insights about the potential of community gardens to affect these behaviors. The qualities intrinsic to community gardens make them a unique intervention that can narrow the divide between people and the places where food is grown and increase local opportunities to eat better. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 16, 2011: e1-e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2010.300111).
-
connecting food environments and health through the relational nature of aesthetics gaining insight through the community gardening experience
Social Science & Medicine, 2011Co-Authors: James Hale, Michael Buchenau, Julie A Marshall, Corrine Noel Knapp, Lisa Bardwell, Fahriye Hazer Sancar, Jill S LittAbstract:Current environmental and health challenges require us to identify ways to better align aesthetics, ecology, and health. At the local level, community gardens are increasingly praised for their therapeutic qualities. They also provide a lens through which we can explore relational processes that connect people, ecology and health. Using key-informant interview data, this research explores Gardeners' tactile, emotional, and value-driven responses to the gardening experience and how these responses influence health at various ecological levels (n = 67 participants, 28 urban gardens). Our findings demonstrate that Gardeners' aesthetic experiences generate meaning that encourages further engagement with activities that may lead to positive health outcomes. Gardeners directly experience nearby nature by 'getting their hands dirty' and growing food. They enjoy the way vegetables taste and form emotional connections with the garden. The physical and social qualities of garden participation awaken the senses and stimulate a range of responses that influence interpersonal processes (learning, affirming, expressive experiences) and social relationships that are supportive of positive health-related behaviors and overall health. This research suggests that the relational nature of aesthetics, defined as the most fundamental connection between people and place, can help guide community designers and health planners when designing environment and policy approaches to improve health behaviors.
-
collective efficacy in denver colorado strengthening neighborhoods and health through community gardens
Health & Place, 2009Co-Authors: Ellen Teig, Michael Buchenau, Julie A Marshall, Lisa Bardwell, Joy Amulya, Jill S LittAbstract:Community gardens are viewed as a potentially useful environmental change strategy to promote active and healthy lifestyles but the scientific evidence base for gardens is limited. As a step towards understanding whether gardens are a viable health promotion strategy for local communities, we set out to examine the social processes that might explain the connection between gardens, garden participation and health. We analyzed data from semi-structured interviews with community Gardeners in Denver. The analysis examined social processes described by community Gardeners and how those social processes were cultivated by or supportive of activities in community gardens. After presenting results describing these social processes and the activities supporting them, we discuss the potential for the place-based social processes found in community gardens to support collective efficacy, a powerful mechanism for enhancing the role of gardens in promoting health.
