+ Watts Rising Tree Dedication
Building Stronger Watts Communities Through Technology
Overview
Everyone needs trees, but not everyone gets them. In LA, lower-income neighborhoods have less than 10% canopy coverage compared to 40% seen in more affluent communities. The Housing Authority of Los Angeles (HACLA) knows too well what this means for residents like those in Watts, where extreme heat has life-threatening consequences. Pastilla partnered with their Watts Rising Collaborative to innovate a digital tool that combats environmental inequity while empowering residents to shape their communities.
Our Solution? The Tree Dedication Platform. With a swipe of their phone, Watts residents are instantly connected to neighborhood-based tree planting initiatives. Every tree planted is named in honor of a loved one, seeding more than change by growing new legacies.
Our Solution? The Tree Dedication Platform. With a swipe of their phone, Watts residents are instantly connected to neighborhood-based tree planting initiatives. Every tree planted is named in honor of a loved one, seeding more than change by growing new legacies.
Empathy and respect played huge roles in our discovery process. Before building, we learned by listening to those working on the ground to unlock what inspires residents toward action, then created a site map designed around small actions and big change.
Our creation of a live map tracks real-time efforts to green the Watts community. This data is crucial for the Housing Authority to target resource allocation and develop effective strategies to prevent extreme heat.
We built a profile feature to encourage Watts residents to tell their stories and celebrate their loved ones by naming a tree in their honor. Every dedicated tree represents a cherished individual in the Watts community.
