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GO GREEN Give Green A Chance Urban Paradise Guild Needs Your Dirty Hands Words by Matthew Weeks When's the last time you volunteered? If you're like me, it's probably longer than you'd like to admit. After all, clobbering a few rusty nails with a vintage hammer on behalf of Habitat for Humanity is something I accomplished long before my first grey hairs appeared. Therefore, if you're looking to jump off your permanently creased couch on those lazy football Sundays and actually contribute to your town, then this is your opportunity. Urban Paradise Guild (UPG) is an innovative, eco-driven organization whose sole mission is to recreate native habitats within the heart of Miami-Dade County. With a specific focus on urban areas, including Oleta, Hialeah, El Portal, Liberty City, and Vizcaya, UPG aims to provide sustainable models for healthy living. By beautifying these targeted areas, UPG not only creates a harmonious environment for people and wildlife to coexist but also displays the natural intersection between the physical and human world. So, exactly what type of person is UPG looking for? That's simple: dedicated, skilled, hardworking individuals with an enthusiasm for nature and optimism for change. It doesn't hurt if you have a green thumb either. Open roles, which need to be filled, include volunteers (activity participants), chief stewards (organizers and event leaders), interns (a chance to hone your leadership skills), in-kind donors (those who provide helpful equipment), and paradise patrons (those responsible for operational aid). 34 MIAMI LIVING workdays to accommodate those of you with extremely busy schedules. Both the fruits and Once you decide which facet you want to participate in, the next step is to find your corresponding location and chapter. UPG defines a location as a fixture where they possess a physical presence (eg, ongoing project, nursery, adoption, etc…) and defines a chapter as a group with many supporters who volunteer at notable locations. As of today, UPG's signature chapters include Miami-Dade College Hialeah, Miami-Dade College North, Miami-Dade College Wolfson, TERRA High School, and the University of Miami. Last but not least, each one of UPG's location adoptions offers monthly and weekly labors of UPG's projects can be fully appreciated in areas such as Oleta River State Park, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, Matheson Hammock Miami-Dade County Park, and Montgomery Botanical Center. They have added hundreds, if not thousands, of regional species of trees, vegetable plants, and mangroves (which are essential in order to stabilize our fragile South Florida ecosystem) throughout these sites and continue to expand thanks to the efforts of their entire volunteer workforce. Over time, they have also developed special relationships with local educators from Miami- Dade College Center for Community Involvement and the University of Miami Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development. UPG symbolizes a commitment to excellence via positive environmental change. They value the power of making an impact through green innovation as well as uncorking raw human potential. So, if you're looking for a noble cause that carries the weight of transformation (both in yourself and your surroundings), then UPG is certainly for you. Their motto: "to create a sustainable paradise, one habitat at a time." Leave the soap at home, it's time to get your hands dirty. ML