Competing to be the Greenest Block in Brooklyn

This episode of All of It on WNYC explores the 30th annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn competition, a community-driven initiative by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that encourages residents to transform their urban blocks into greener, more connected spaces. Host Allison Stewart is joined by Jabril Cooper, Community Program Manager, and Shauna Moore, Director of Horticulture, who discuss the contest's goals of fostering community, improving urban ecology, and promoting sustainable gardening practices. The episode highlights real-life success stories from Crown Heights Keepers, last year’s winners Kara Lessendak and Anna DeLeon, whose block evolved from simple tree bed plantings into a vibrant, intergenerational green space with native plants, community fridges, murals, and benches. Listeners share questions about urban gardening etiquette, native plant selection, and how to engage skeptical neighbors, with hosts emphasizing communication, patience, and starting small. The episode also touches on the contest’s evolution, including the shift toward native plants and the expansion of similar programs to other boroughs like Manhattan’s Cool Block in the Lower East Side. As Earth Day approaches, the conversation underscores gardening as both a personal and collective act of care for the environment and community.