Roots In the City: Growing More than Collard Greens in Miami

Some of the best collard greens that you will eat in the City of Miami were grown right here - in the Overtown Roots in the City garden - with compost from local restaurants. Yesterday, we launched a pilot composting program that will help reduce the waste going into our landfills and improve our community soil at the same time. The organic compost, also known as "black gold," is a rich, environmentally-friendly fertilizer alternative that the City will produce in bulk from waste collected from local restaurants. Volunteers and staff of the Roots in the City garden will use the compost and then sell their produce to local supermarkets.

When I toured the Overtown garden with Director and friend, Dr. Marvin Dunn, I remarked that it had been a long time since I had eaten collard greens. Now, after enjoying Dr. Dunn's collard greens (picked just yesterday), I join my staff in thanking him for some of the best collards we have ever tasted.

The Roots in the City project is another example of how residents, government and the private sector can work together to improve our neighborhoods, create green jobs and make a lasting difference for the environment.

The Miami New Times covered the press conference HERE.

For more information on the project, please visit the Roots In the City website HERE.

-Manny

Mexican President in Miami for the 15th Annual Latin Trade Symposium

President Calderon of Mexico made his first visit to the City of Miami this weekend. President Calderon was here to receive the BRAVO Business Award for “Leader of the Year,” as part of the 15th Annual Latin Trade Symposium. The Symposium, organized in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, focuses on the hemisphere’s response to the global economic crisis and how Latin American companies are giving back to their communities. The event brought more than 300 international business, government and social leaders to Downtown Miami.

In the last eight years, Miami has truly become the epicenter of the Americas. It was an honor to welcome the Mexican President and the Latin Trade Symposium to the Magic City.

For more information about the City of Miami in the international context, please visit the Mayor's International Council website HERE.

-Manny