Re:source:ful, Growing Sustainable Communities features stories from across our state where people have used grassroots efforts to solve unique local challenges. They’re bringing fellow residents together, and injecting greater resilience and vibrancy to their communities. Re:source:ful is a film for curious people who want to be inspired about making their own communities more resilient and sustainable.

Re:source:ful originally aired September 26, 2020 on CPTV.

More About the Program

More About the Program Re:source:ful introduces initiatives including a partnership between Bristol Public Works and the city’s elementary schools, together installing full classrooms outside. Complete with chalkboards and stools, the idea is to use these spaces to teach students environmental curricula outdoors.

In New Haven, a tree planting program started as a partnership between Yale School of the Environment and the city in 1995 is increasing the tree canopy in the city. To promote community-based land stewardship, residents have a voice in where they would like trees planted.

Re:source:ful also highlights Hartford’s BiciCo, a community bike shop founded in 2015 to sell up-cycled bicycles and teach bike safety to area residents. There are “Earn a Bike” programs for the youth that participate (typically run through schools in after-school and summer sessions, but on hold now during COVID-19). BiciCo’s “Bikes for Jobs” programs also provides bikes to people re-entering society from the prison system, helping them get to work, programs, and meetings.

Community gardens and farmers markets across the state in Newtown and Bridgeport are also explored in Re:source:ful. Connecticut also now joins 40 other states in having its own Barn Quilt Trail, debuting in New Milford. Giant quilt murals are being hoisted onto barns as a way to pay tribute to the farming community and agricultural history of the region. The “quilts” are installed on working farms and also historic barns that have been preserved.