This chart appears in a new study, Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People Are Driving Less and What It Means for Transportation Policy by Benjamin Davis and Tony Dutzik of the Frontier Group and Phineas Baxandall from U.S. PIRG Education Fund.

Sure enough, it shows that the average American was driving 6 percent fewer miles a year in 2011 than in 2004.

People driving their cars less? That just doesn’t seem like a very American thing to do.

Turns out, it’s those crazy kids. From 2001 to 2009, the average annual number of vehicle miles traveled by 16- to 34-year-olds decreased from 10,300 miles to 7,900 miles per capita. That’s a decrease of 23 percent.

And it’s not just American kids who are doing it. Last year, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that in the 14 countries they looked at, other than the United States, seven developed countries – Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Germany — showed a recent decrease in the percentage of young people with driver’s licenses. Vehicle-miles traveled have either leveled off or fallen in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain.

Furthermore, a March 2011 National Association of Realtors study reported that 62 percent of people ages 18-29 said they would prefer to live in a mix of single family homes, condos, apartments, retail shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, workplaces, libraries and schools – all served by public transportation. The Urban Land Institute survey last year likewise found that nearly two-thirds of 18- to 32-year-olds preferred to live in walkable communities.

It looks like the generation sometimes referred to as the Millennials (those born after about 1980) may not share their Baby Boomer parents’ love of the big house and car.

Maybe this is just youthful rebellion. Maybe it’s an effort to identify with grandpa and grandma. After all, grandparents and grandchildren tend to bond, it’s said, because they share a common enemy.

Kidding aside, these young people share some things with their grandparents that we Baby Boomers never experienced. Millennials could easily have been the same age on Sept. 11, 2001, as their grandparents were on Dec. 7, 1941. Or the same age during the current “Great Recession” as their grandparents were during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

These things have a tendency to sober you up, especially if you are a teenager or a young adult. The Millennials have been forged in a different fire.

I see this in my classes at UNO. Often my students remind me of my parents. Even business students seem to share the goals of sustainability and civic participation. They also collaborate far better than my generation ever could.

Age cohort aside, new forms of development also appear to be emerging. One is T.O.D. (Transit-Oriented Development), a type of mixed-use development near a train station. Many developers say this type of project is now one of the fastest-growing areas of the housing market.

This isn’t just on the coasts. Denver plans to break ground on its Belleview Station development in July, and Phoenix has projects in the works.

I kept this in mind as I looked over the new Transportation Master Plan for Omaha. Seems like some of the plan fits with the cultural change that’s coming and some of it, not so much. Certainly the idea of a better, safer city for pedestrians and bicyclists makes a lot of sense. Also the notion of project right-sizing to make sure the need for widening or turn lanes really exists before beginning a project.

I wonder though, what would happen if the City’s Millennial Generation continued to reduce the miles they drive, took more to bikes and public transit, and put more demand pressure on walkable communities like downtown, Midtown Crossing and Aksarben Village?

Let’s hope the next Transportation Master Plan will have to contemplate something heretofore heretical – living in Omaha without a car.

The Density Project

Omaha by Design has launched a new blog, The Density Project. The goal is to get Omahans thinking and talking about this important issue. “Increasing the city’s density – strengthening its inner core – is a common theme that links all of Omaha by Design’s projects and activities,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design. Density helps:

• Create walkable neighborhoods;
• Support housing choice and affordability;
• Expand transportation choices;
• Support community fiscal health;
• Improve security;
• Protect the environment.

Join in the conversation at http://thedensityproject.wordpress.com.

Call for Artists

The Hands to Harvest Community Garden is currently seeking artists for “Art in the Garden.” This unique outdoor art show is set for July 2012 in the garden at 1113 S. 31^st St. Hands to Harvest is a joint effort of the Ford Birthsite and Leavenworth neighborhood associations.

The “canvas” is a 32” x 6’8” door that’s been donated by Habitat for Humanity Restore and Urban Village. Doors will be provided free of charge while supplies last. Any type of artist is invited to participate. The work must be neighborhood friendly. “We want to promote safe art while highlighting what is great in this neighborhood,” said Michelle Roy, a gardener and member of the Ford Birthsite Neighborhood Association.

Participating artists can sell their work. The organizing group is asking all artists to donate 10 percent of the sale price back to the garden. The show will be on display in the garden for one week.

For more information about the event or how to participate, visit www.handstoharvest.com or email handstoharvest@gmail.com.

Community Garden Launches

New Omaha Garden Park has announced the creation of a 40-acre community garden at 495 N. 192^nd St. and West Dodge Road. Each garden tract is divided into individual plots, which can be rented annually by families who would like to grow their own vegetables. For more information, visit www.omahagardens.org.

Urban Adventure Race

Have you formed your team yet?

Activate Omaha’s annual Urban Adventure Race is set for Saturday, June 2. Urban adventure racing involves teams of three biking, running, paddling and enduring mystery team challenges while using map reading skills and knowledge of Omaha to locate hidden checkpoints throughout the city.

The race begins at 8:00am at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska in Aksarben Village. To register (prices increase starting May 19), visit https://www.raceregister.net/RaceRegister/event?action=view&id=66.

Vinton Street Festival

Got plans for Saturday? The Universally Human Street Festival is set for May 12 from 11:00am to 5:00pm on historic Vinton Street. The event will include live music, a graffiti throwdown, art, breakdance performances, local merchants, youth organizations and some of South Omaha’s best food. Questions? Visit www.deerparkomaha.org or call Katie Duran at 402.459.0042.

Work – “The Letter Q”

Artist – Fletcher Benton

Owner – University of Nebraska Medical Center

Completed – 2011

Medium – Steel, paint

Dimensions – 5’ x 6’

Description – Part of “The Alphabet” series

Location – University of Nebraska Medical Center

Photo credit – Dave Hussey

Fletcher Benton is well known for his large metal sculptures, many of which seem to defy gravity in their precariously balanced forms. At the same time, his early career as a commercial sign painter led him to an appreciation for the purity of the Roman alphabet and inspired him to create his own set of letters and numbers. These pieces can be found across the country.

“The Letter Q” was donated to UNMC by Fred and Eve Simon. It is located south of the Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health on the student plaza. For more information about the artist, visit http://www.fletcherbenton.com.

Send us your photo next to “The Letter Q” or any other work featured on www.publicartomaha.org and we’ll publish it on www.omahabydesign.org. If you include this sign in your photo, we’ll send you a Public Art Omaha button or magnet (Midwest Photo Pro, Kayla Meyer and Sarah Tracey did). Email your photos to info@omahabydesign.org. Be sure to include the name or names of the people in the photo and the date it was taken. Questions? Call 402.554.4010.

If you’re interested in preserving or expanding Omaha’s public art for future generations, please consider donating a work of art or contributing to the Preserve Omaha Public Art Fund. For more information, visit http://www.publicartomaha.org/pages/get_involved/donate.

Metropolitan Community College's new solar training facility.

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) unveiled a 20′ x 30′ solar training facility April 28 on MCC’s Fort Omaha campus. The facility was added to MCC’s current greenhouse building and is the first of its kind in Nebraska. MCC students assisted with the assembly of the eight-panel solar system, water tank and radiant tubing as part of the college’s hands-on classes on solar energy and technology. Funding for the facility came from a Nebraska Energy Office grant.

The facility provides:

• A safe, real-world work area for solar, sustainability and horticulture students to learn and practice new technologies and explore ideas;
• A lab area for practicums and funded studies for innovative ideas;
• An area to demonstrate conservation building practices and solar technology;
• A resource for the collection of research data that can be shared with the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Creighton University.

Facility highlights include:

• A roof for mounting solar air, water and electric collectors;
• A solar electric system capable of supplying the needs of the room;
• A solar hot water system with radiant floor heat to condition the space;
• Back-up systems for heating tied to solar systems;
• A solar warm air system for space heating;
• A solar garage door for space heating;
• LED and other energy-efficient lighting;
• Passive solar windows for heating;
• A monitoring system for tracking thermal performance;
• A weather station to track solar insulation, temperature and other weather data;
• Multiple heating and cooling systems for demonstration, student use and observation – including a water source heat pump, split systems and a model cooling tower.
• Basic multi-function facilities suitable for workshops, training, research and development.

For more information about MCC’s sustainability initiatives, visit http://www.mccneb.edu/green.

First Star Recycling, Omaha’s material facility recycling center, is the recipient of a grant that will help launch a public awareness campaign designed to get Omahans to recycle polyethylene therephthalate (PET) thermoform. It’s the type of plastic that, when heated, conforms to a specific shape, such as a round or square tray. Products commonly sold in these containers include produce, cakes and pies. They also carry the recycling symbol and the number 1.

The “Recycle This” campaign is funded in part by the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., and the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). Dale Gubbels, CEO of First Star Recycling, said the goal is to acquaint residents with the fact that these packages and many others are very much in demand by manufacturers, which then give them a second life as new products.

First Star is one of only three material facility recycling centers in the nation to receive a grant for the campaign. It was chosen largely because of widespread community support for the campaign as well as First Star’s commitment to working closely with the industry to develop a model effort that will increase the resin’s recovery, Gubbels noted.

“The quality and diversity of the grant proposals was truly gratifying,” said Mike Schedler, NAPCOR´s technical director. “It confirmed to us that intermediate processors of recycled materials in the United States are not only eager to capture and market PET thermoform material domestically, but have already begun to work through how to make it happen. We expect this program to result in successful, sustainable PET thermoform recycling models that will be replicable in other markets.”

The grant was announced April 17 with a press conference at the Hy-Vee store at 96^th and Q. Gubbels and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle were joined by representatives from Placon Inc. and the Solo Cup Company. Placon, based in Madison, Wisc., manufactures PET thermoform containers. Last year, the company established the capability to accept and recycle all forms of PET containers. Solo incorporates 20% recycled PET resin in one of its plastic cups that are sold at Hy-Vee stores across the country.

Gubbels said it’s these kind of “close the loop” investments that make recycling possible. “I hope people also take away from this campaign a better understanding of what industries must do to turn residents’ used bottles and containers back into useful products,” he added.

The April 17 press event also highlighted the work of several environmental organizations to draw attention to the importance of recycling. Volunteers from the local chapter of the Sierra Club and the Green Omaha Coalition worked with First Star Recycling and the Hy-Vee staff at 96^th and Q to identify products within the store whose packaging can be recycled. Small signs that say “pick me, I’m recyclable” now showcase those products on the store shelves.

The volunteers also sought to quantify the shelf space devoted to items that First Star routinely recycles. In some aisles, they found 100 percent of the products were in recyclable packages. Overall, 68 percent of the products in the inspected aisles were in recyclable packages.

Billboards for the “Recycle This” campaign and community appearances by Durango are expected to begin in June. For more information about the effort, visit www.firststarrecycling.com or call Gubbels at 402.894.0003, ext. 13.

Omaha by Design will honor the two groups responsible for introducing the system to Omaha – Live Well Omaha and the Community Bike Project Omaha (CBPO) – with its 2012 Civic Leaf. Presented annually, the award recognizes an individual, organization or business that has worked to define and improve the metropolitan area’s civic places and public image. The two organizations will be honored at the May 16 meeting of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee.

“Live Well Omaha is proud to be a sponsor of Omaha’s B-cycle program,” said Julie Harris, project manager with Activate Omaha. “Using active transportation for short trips – which is the option that B-cycle provides – is a great way for our citizens to build physical activity into their daily routines. We look forward to the possibilities of expanding the system so that more people can take advantage of this option.”

At present, there are 35 bikes at five B-cycle stations in the midtown area – 62^nd and Dodge, 67^th and Pine, Aksarben Drive, 67^th and Frances, and 66^th and Center. Members can pick up one of the bikes at any station and drop it off at any station.

Each Trek 3-speed comfort bike is equipped with an easy-to-use adjustable seat post (it fits anyone from 5’ to 6’6”), built-in baskets and locks, and automatic lights. Fenders, skirt guards and chainguards are designed to keep the rider’s clothes clean.

The user fees vary, depending on the length of time desired. Twenty-four hour passes are $6.00, 30-day passes are $30.00 for adults, and an annual pass is $60.00 for adults. Discounted rates are available for students and seniors for both monthly and annual memberships. Memberships can be purchased at any of the B-cycle stations or online at http://omaha.bcycle.com.

The project is funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska and UNO Student Government and is supported by V180 Media, the City of Omaha and Metro. From June 15, 2011, to Dec. 1, 2011, 426 members took a total of 1,437 trips while burning 288,228 calories and resulting in a 6,845 lb. carbon offset.

“The Community Bike Project is thrilled to manage Omaha’s public bike sharing program,” said Matt Martin, CBPO’s executive director. “By providing easy access to bicycles for the public, Omaha B-cycle furthers CBPO’s mission – to strengthen Omaha neighborhoods by promoting the bicycle as viable, reliable and fun transportation.”

Martin said the CBPO and Live Well Omaha are meeting with potential new sponsors and intend to add 100 additional bikes and 20 stations to Omaha’s system within the next year.

Past recipients of Omaha by Design’s Civic Leaf include Anne Trumble for “Stored Potential,” 2011; Omaha South High School’s Collin Stadium Project, 2010; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and Omaha Plaza, 2009; Metropolitan Community College (MCC), Omaha Public Library and Metro for the development of MCC’s South Omaha Connector, 2008; and First National Bank for its pair of downtown sculpture parks, 2007.

For more information about Omaha by Design’s awards program, call 402.554.4010 or visit http://www.omahabydesign.org/about/awards/. For more information about Live Well Omaha, visit http://livewellomaha.org. For more information about the Community Bike Project Omaha, visit http://www.communitybikeproject.org

Arugula. It’s fun to say and fun to eat. Imagine how much fun Omaha kids will have watching it sprout from the bed of a 1975 harvest gold Chevy C10 pickup. If all goes as planned, they’ll learn a little something, too.

Truck Farm Omaha is one of 25 projects to receive funding from the 2012 Mayor’s Neighborhood Grants Program. A total of $80,000 was awarded to neighborhood and civic groups in two categories – crime prevention and green initiatives.

The truck farm project is driven by three 24-year-olds – Dan Susman, Andrew Monbouquette and Chelsea Taxman – with organizational support from inCOMMON Community Development, a local nonprofit that works to unite and strengthen vulnerable neighborhoods in south Omaha through a variety of community-based initiatives.

Susman and Monbouquette are also the men behind “Growing Cities,” a feature-length documentary about urban farming in America that’s currently in post-production. The two are using KickStarter to raise the funds necessary to complete the film, which they hope to debut in late 2012. “We were on the road filming for three months last year, and we saw a lot of things – rooftop gardens, people raising goats and bees and chickens in their backyards, and several truck farms,” Susman said. “We wanted to take what we learned and put some part of it in motion in our community.”

After the truck was recently purchased from a family friend, the trio set about retrofitting it for its new mission. They lined its bed with a pond liner, then added nine inches of wood chips and topped it with landscape fabric. The top layer is five inches of soilless potting mix. When the truck’s tailgate is lowered, a fitted six-foot plywood plank with plexiglass windows allows viewers to see the garden’s layers at work. Worms have been added to help keep the soil from compacting, Monbouquette said, and grooves in the truck bed will allow the garden to drain when parked on an incline.

Next came the planting of the first round of plants – arugula, baby lettuce, beets, brussel sprouts, garlic chives, kale, marigolds and nasturtiums. A time lapse sequence on the project’s web site allows viewers to watch the entire process in a matter of seconds.

In the coming weeks, the three plan on building a greenhouse top for the garden with the help of friends.

This veggie garden on wheels, which can reach a top speed of 30 MPH depending on the wind, made its debut at Omaha’s 2012 Earth Day celebration in Elmwood Park, much to the delight of the younger crowd. “Kids under the age of 12 are great – they aren’t afraid to taste and try new things,” Susman said. “We want to show them that if you can grow food in the back of a truck, you can grow it anywhere.”

Taxman, who serves as the project’s education coordinator, said inCOMMON will help connect the project with schools, boys’ and girls’ clubs, farmers markets, summer camps, health events and other outlets where they can teach young people about sustainable agriculture. A lot of times, kids think gardening is just a lot of work, she said. But if a truck pulls up and there’s a garden in the back, it can spark a lot of excitement and imagination.

“This project was really inviting to us as we see the initial interaction (Truck Farm showing up to your school/neighborhood) as a step towards bringing communities, neighbors and neighborhoods closer together,” said Calvin Smothers, community center director at inCOMMON Community Development. “At inCOMMON, we seek to transform neighborhoods into strong, vibrant places to live, and we believe the Truck Farm Project is a great avenue to do so by bringing the people of the area together to learn about urban farming.”

Truck Farm Omaha is currently seeking volunteers who’d like to help with educational outreach. To volunteer, send an email to truckfarmomaha@gmail.com. For more information about the project, visit www.truckfarmomaha.com. For more information about inCOMMON Community Development, visit http://inCOMMONcd.org.

The Omaha City Council recently took up the issue of converting a 14-block section of 19th and 20th Streets north of downtown to two-way streets.

Councilman Ben Gray and city engineers argue that the slower traffic of a two-way street might lead to motorists stopping at north Omaha businesses instead of whizzing past. No doubt.

What puzzles me is why we, as a city, continue to screw around with this issue. Even the new Downtown Master Plan can’t seem to achieve any real clarity on the problem, and I quote:

Conversion from one-way to two-way can occur now:

• 15th Street from Marcy Street to Capital Avenue
• 17th Street from Chicago Street to Capital Avenue
• 17th Street from Farnam Street to Jackson Street
• 19th Street north of I-480
• 20th Street north of I-480
• Jones Street from 22nd Street to 26th Street

Conversion from one-way to two-way will require additional study. An alternative would be to reduce lanes and add additional on-street parking.

• Study Priority #1: 24th Street and 24th Avenue between Dodge Street and Leavenworth Street
• Study Priority #2: Leavenworth from 13th to I-480 and Howard Street/St. Mary’s Avenue from 14th to I-480
• Study Priority #3: Farnam Street and Harney Street between 10th Street and I-480.

I often warn my business students at UNO that suggesting “further study” is a highly questionable recommendation. Frankly, I consider it a cop out. It’s too much of a decision not to decide.

I pointed out in a previous column that Farnam Street now changes from one-way to two-way five times from Heartland Park to Happy Hollow and even switches from one-way to two-way, depending on the time of day. Maybe it’s me, but this seems confusing.

Councilman Gray is right that slower traffic means drivers will be more conscious of street level businesses. So why should only certain businesses on certain streets get an advantage?

Our Old Market district is the envy of cities all over the country. Maybe we ought to consider the idea that one of the reasons for the area’s vibrancy is the two-way streets.

Note that this highly successful area boasts two-way streets and yet is surrounded by one-way streets. Add to that the fact that the Old Market has diagonal parking.

Both are business friendly amenities. Drivers slow down and notice businesses and their signage. Pedestrians feel safe and protected by the barrier formed by parked cars.

Add to that the perception that you might just find parking at the door of the business. This doesn’t happen often and is a function of a peculiar hunting instinct mostly affected by the male motorist, but, after all, it’s the perception that counts.

If I were a business owner outside the Old Market, I would be clamoring for two-way streets and diagonal parking. Oh, and no more “studies.”

Update to last month’s column:

Insult has been added to injury. Last month I vented my spleen on the unsightly ritual of garbage at the curbside. In the last few weeks, a plastic bag has begun appearing once a week in my driveway, not on the porch, not in the mailbox, but in my driveway. Said bag is filled with what we call in the trade “free standing inserts.” These are the flyers for a variety of retailers touting their weekly sales.

What gripes my bowels about this practice is that those same bags, if dropped in a public space, would well and truly be considered litter. Why should my yard and driveway be any different?

Trek to Campus

The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s fifth annual Trek to Campus is set for Thursday, April 19. (Omaha by Design’s offices are located in Suite 114 of the university’s College of Public Affairs and Community Service.) Faculty, staff, students and others are encouraged to walk, bike, carpool or take mass transportation to campus that day to promote physical activity and alternative means of transportation. Participants are encouraged to visit the table in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building lobby from 8:00am to noon and pinpoint on the map where they have commuted from. Prizes and giveaways will be given to anyone who participates by commuting.

Earth Day Omaha

The 22^nd annual Earth Day Omaha – the city’s largest ecological showcase and celebration – will be held Saturday, April 21, from 11:00am to 6:00pm at Elmwood Park. To access the schedule and other information, visit http://earthdayomaha.com.

Heyday May 1

Need a place to hang your May Day basket? Bring it to 25^th and Harney Tuesday, May 1. Mode Shift Omaha is hosting HeyDay on May Day to celebrate transportation alternatives in the city. The group is working to shut down the north two lanes of Harney Street between 24^th and 26^th Avenues to showcase its potential to become an active, walkable, bikeable, liveable street.

The event, which runs from 5:00 to 9:00pm, will feature music, food trucks, sidewalk chalking, roller skating and more. Omaha by Design will be conducting mini Place Games from 5:00 to 8:00pm. Participants will be encouraged to think about ways they could improve the intersection at 25^th and Harney. For more information about the event, contact Mode Shift Omaha at info@modeshiftomaha.org.

Jeanne Gang Lecture

daOMA (design alliance OMAha) will conclude its fifth season with a lecture by architect and 2011 MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang Thursday, May 3. The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:00pm in Joslyn Art Museum’s Witherspoon Concert Hall. Event organizers are seeking to break an attendance record of 780.

Gang is the founder and principal of Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based collective of architects, designers and thinkers whose projects confront pressing contemporary issues. Known for pursuing a future where the urban and natural worlds interweave, her work has been honored and exhibited widely, most notably at the International Venice Biennale, MoMA, the National Building Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. For more information about daOMA, visit http://www.designallianceomaha.org/.

Prints for Sale

In celebration of Omaha by Design’s 10^th anniversary in 2011, noted artist Allan Tubach created “Omaha Strata,” a painting that stems from the organization’s four areas of emphasis – Green Omaha, Civic Omaha, Neighborhood Omaha and Environment Omaha. Proceeds from the sale of 100 signed and numbered “Omaha Strata” prints will benefit the Preserve Omaha Public Art Fund, which is managed by the Omaha Parks Foundation in consultation with the Omaha Public Art Commission. The painting, valued at $14,000, is also for sale.

The commission has completed a condition inventory of all city-owned public art and is in the process of prioritizing works in need of restoration. Monies collected from the “Omaha Strata” sales will allow the commission to hire the appropriate experts to perform the restoration, depending on the medium. The cost of the print (giclee print size: 19” x 12-3/4” on 23-1/2” x 16-3/4” paper) is $395 unframed or $480 framed. For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or info@omahabydesign.org.

Work – “Ascension”

Artist – Jake Balcom

Owner – City of Omaha

Completed – 2009

Medium – Steel

Dimensions – 72” x 120” x 120”

Description – Organic shape in harmony with the rose gardens at Memorial Park

Location – 6005 Underwood Ave.

Photo credit – Larry Ferguson

“Ascension” was commissioned by the Dundee/Memorial Park Association with a gift from an anonymous donor. The organic shape interacts with Memorial Park’s rose gardens in the summer and serves as a focal point in the winter.

Artist Jake Balcom has been creating metal art through his shop in Lincoln for the past 11 years. Relying on his passion for organic forms found in nature, he combines old world techniques, new age technology and metal’s natural malleability to create unique site specific pieces. Balcom prefers to view his art as something that should be touched and physically interacted with during the course of everyday life. He uses fluid organic forms, layers and textures to entice people to come closer and interact with the work.

Send us your photo next to “Ascension” or any other work featured on www.publicartomaha.org and we’ll publish it on www.omahabydesign.org. If you include this sign in your photo, we’ll send you a Public Art Omaha button or magnet (Midwest Photo Pro, Kayla Meyer and Sarah Tracey did). Email your photos to info@omahabydesign.org. Be sure to include the name or names of the people in the photo and the date it was taken. Questions? Call 402.554.4010.

If you’re interested in preserving or expanding Omaha’s public art for future generations, please consider donating a work of art or contributing to the Preserve Omaha Public Art Fund. For more information, visit http://www.publicartomaha.org/pages/get_involved/donate.