Linda Mariano (1943–2021) was a painter, author, art teacher, activist and co-founder of the Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus. Linda attended New York University and graduated with a B.S. in Art Education in 1964. In 1967, she received an M.F.A. in Painting from Brooklyn College. Linda moved from the West Village to Gowanus in 1976 with her husband Joseph Mariano and their daughter Rachel (b. 1972). Linda was a published author and art instructor. Her published works include "The Encyclopedia of Knitting and Crochet Stitch Patterns"(1977) and "Romantic Embroidery: Floral Designs and Motifs" (1984).

Linda became involved in Gowanus activism in 2002 when she received a notice from a developer that wanted to demolish an old industrial building at 450-460 Union Street and replace it with luxury condominiums. Linda mobilized with Greater Gowanus residents to fight rezoning and development, co-founding the Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus. She became the group's archivist, collecting and maintaining all materials such as meeting agendas, attendance records, minutes, copies of grant proposals and applications, newspaper and magazine articles, photographs and historical documents related to Gowanus. Linda continued to work with FROGG and supported the environmental restoration and historic preservation of Gowanus up until her death in April 2021.

The Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG) is a grassroots community organization founded between 2002 and 2004 by Linda Mariano, Bette Stoltz, Margaret Maugenest, Mauren Donnelly and a group of citizens concerned with the historic preservation of Greater Gowanus and environmental restoration of the Gowanus Canal corridor.

The group first came together in 2002 to oppose the demolition of The Green Building at 450-460 Union Street, a former brass foundry built in 1889. A developer planned to demolish the building and replace it with luxury condominiums. Community members mobilized to protest the demolition and rezoning of the building to the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). After two years of discussions, the BSA denied the developer's plans for residential rezoning and saved the building from demolition. As a result of the BSA determination in 2004, Linda Mariano and residents from Gowanus, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook formalized the group under the name the Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus. The group dedicated its efforts to combatting rezoning and overdevelopment, restoring the environment and water quality of the Gowanus Canal, and preserving the industrial heritage of Greater Gowanus.

The group continued to fight spot rezoning happening throughout Gowanus, transforming formerly industrial areas into residential neighborhoods. Their arguments were for both the preservation of the industrial heritage of the area, as well as promoting the cleanup of centuries of pollution into and along the Gowanus Canal to create a healthier and safer Gowanus Canal corridor for current and future residents. The group protested that the city and developers conduct public reviews, environmental assessments, and environmental impact statements before plans and rezoning receive approval. FROGG responded to development plans for Gowanus Village (2003-2005), Whole Foods (2005-2007), Atlantic Yards (2009), and twice protested 363-365 Bond Street, once in 2007 against the Toll Brothers and again in 2012 against the Lightstone Group.

In 2006 and 2008, FROGG joined with other local like-minded organizations to discuss environmental priorities for the Canal and address the government's role in the cleanup efforts. Collaborators included the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation, and the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy, among others. The discussions featured representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the New York City Department of Environmental Preservation, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was unclear whose jurisdiction the Canal cleanup fell under, causing any remediation or restoration efforts to be delayed. In December 2008, DEC Commissioner Peter Grannis sent a letter to the EPA and asked them to evaluate the Gowanus Canal as a potential federal Superfund site. FROGG mobilized to support the Superfund designation and organized demonstrations, produced informational materials to educate community members and recruited signatures for a community petition. In March 2010, the EPA placed the Gowanus Canal on the National Priorities List of Superfund Sites, assigning the cleanup duties to the federal government and the fiscal responsibility to the industrial and municipal polluters.

FROGG continues to work with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, the Historic Districts Council, and the New York State Historic Preservation Office to pursue the historic designation of the Gowanus Corridor as an Urban Industrial District. The designation would preserve landmarks for future generations, maintain existing structures and open spaces for adaptive reuse and protect the Gowanus Canal Corridor from overdevelopment. As a member of the Gowanus Landmarks Coalition, FROGG helped to get five important Gowanus buildings landmarked by New York City in 2019.

Over 20 years, FROGG programs and activities included community planning, implementing a brownfield cleanup program, creating the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group, collaborating with urban planners, and conducting environmental, historical and cultural tours of Gowanus. FROGG's projects were supported by grants from the Citizens Committee for New York City (2003, 2006 and 2009), the Brooklyn Historical Society (2008), and the Environmental Protection Agency (2012), among others. The organization is still active as of 2022.