Arbor Day Tree Giveaway!
To celebrate Arbor Day a tree giveaway is being held at the Douglass Community Center on Douglass Boulevard, 2 April 2011, 9:30 to 3:30. So come down and get yourself a native species!
Tree seedling species include dogwood, redbud, paw paw, white pine, bald cypress, black gum, sycamore, shellbark hickory, black oak, and possibly Kentucky coffeetree, willow oak, and black walnut.
Volunteers are welcome in 3 shifts: 8:30am to 11:00; 11:00 to 1:30; and 1:30 to 4:00pm. Volunteers can just show up and help Forester Bean, Jack Francis, or Stephen Spanyer. If you know ahead of time that you want to volunteer please send Mason an email just so we can get a round about number.
As always, thanks for your continued support.
www.unep.org/billiointreecampaign
www.highlandsarborday.info
February 7, 2011
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Start your own garden this Spring!
If you are interested in starting a community garden in the spring 2011 and need some help please sign up right away! Louisville Grows is available to help get you going.
Click on the link for more details.
December 27, 2010
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Help Us Create a Community Garden Resource Page!
We are currently working on creating a resources page that will list all of the steps of creating a thriving garden while also providing a list of community resources and we need your help to do this right. If there is anything I have learned in my life is that doing something right saves everyone time and energy. Here’s what we are looking for:
- Community Garden Addresses – if you already have a garden send us the address, size, basic rules, and if plots are available
- Donation Sources – if you know of a business or group who have anything that could be of use to community gardens share with us the material and the group contact info
- Tips and Experiences – if there is something you have learned from your experience please share
- Funds – if you know of any grants or methods of raising money or donations for these projects let us know
- Volunteer Groups – if you know of any organization that has its members volunteer send the info our way
- Anything else you think should be included
This information is invaluable and will help future gardeners get their feet under them. Please contact us and include your personal information so we can give you credit.
November 9, 2010
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Grown in Detroit *TONIGHT* & Volunteer Opportunities
Hey Friends,
Tonight we are hosting a screening of Gown in Detroit at the Henry Clay building on Chestnut and 3rd after a talk by Wes Jackson, the founder of the Land Institute, in partnership with the Festival of Faiths. It’s fun, educational and free. After the film we will have a panel discussion, moderated by New Roots, about the impact of urban gardens on the community. Please come out and show your support!
*6-8PM *
*Wes Jackson: An Ecological Approach to Agriculture*
Founder President of the Land Institute. *MORE INFO HERE.*
*8:30PM*
*Sacred Soil Film Series:*
Grown in Detroit film & discussion *MORE INFO HERE.*
One last thing, I am speaking at the Green Convene this Friday at 4:00pm and Saturday at 10am. The Green Convene 2010 will showcase sustainability successes in an engaging program focusing on climate change, green building design, local foods, land conservation, transportation, and more. This unique and inspiring two-day program will present real world examples of sustainable actions from industry and grass roots experts, panel conversations, general interest, and technical breakout sessions.
Confirmed Speakers include:
* Mary Lou Northern, Sustainability Director, Louisville Metro Government
* Tom Fitzgerald, Director of the Kentucky Resources Council
* Dr. Keith Mountain, Glaciologist at University of Louisville
* Paul Kaplan, Office of the Secretary, Finance and Administration Cabinet, administrator of “The Green Bank of Kentucky”
* LMH Architecture, K. Norman Berry Associates
* Luckett & Farley Architects
We need volunteers for this event – any amount of time you can give.
Friday, November 12 – 11:00am-5:30pm
Saturday, November 13 – 8:00am-4:30pm
* Greeters/Wayfinders,
* Registration desk
* AV support
* Moderators
Volunteers do not need to commit to the whole day but rather to particular time slots according to their availability. Please contact Sarah atsylvangrl@gmail.com or (502) 432-2677 for more information and to sign-up! Here’s their website: http://www.greenconvene.org/
So come out, get involved and I will be looking forward to seeing you all soon.
All the best,
Mason
November 8, 2010
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Green Goods Not Very Green
Resent studies by groups involved in environmental research show a number of things. First, analysis of new green technology is lacking in data and depth. This is understandable, they are new technologies. It is hard to study human activities and they way products function when there currently is not large adoption of these materials and practices. But that does not mean that the research is not helpful. The more it is done, the more we can find the holes and stop them up. Second, that businesses, including foreign, are taking full advantage of the supreme court ruling allowing for unlimited funding of political candidates, especially the ones wanting to obstruct any form of environmental or economic progress.
Sustainability Metrics: Life Cycle Assessment and Green Design in Polymers finds that biopolymers are dirtier to produce than oil polymers. The thing I liked about the Environmental Leader’s article is it shows the complexity of issues facing green building decisions. This study finds that it takes more energy to make a biopolymer, but the research is lacking in a number of areas. It doesn’t take into account the costs associated with the environmental and human devastation that come from oil drilling and refining. Also, it does not take into account disposal and health risks of the polymers while in use. I would guess if you brought those factors into play the biopolymers, which have a long way to go in their development, would stand up better to a Life Cycle Analysis.
On a similar note, this article from the Environmental Leader discusses a recent report in Business Week that highlights a study which finds that biofules may cause more green house gases than petroleum. Once again, the researchers failed to include a number of factors. They assume current petroleum fueled agriculture practices as appose to sustainable agriculture in the analysis as well as other end uses of spent grain, as in their potential use as feedstock. But perhaps the biggest hole in this study though is its failure to look at cellulosic biofuels that essentially use waste to create fuel.
Then again, who believes research anymore?
*This post was origanlly written on our sister blog Absolutely Productive
October 29, 2010
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New! Photo Gallery
We’ve got a photo gallery showing some of the work we did so far this year. Check it out and let us know what you think!
Click here to see the Photo Gallery
October 24, 2010
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Tonight – National Environmental Conference – Bioneers
I don’t know what you all are doing this weekend but I am going to be at the Bluegrass Bioneers. The key note speakers are fabulous as are the activities. Here’s what their website says about it and a schedule summary:
Featuring JANE GOODALL (Renowned Primatologist & UN Messenger of Peace), LYNNE TWIST (Pachamama Alliance founder), JAMES HANSEN (Director, NASA Goddard Institute), ANDY LIPKIS (TreePeople founder), GARY HIRSHBERG (Stonyfield Farm founder), JOHN FRANCIS (The Planetwalker), and many others. LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE VISIONARY LEADERS IN THE VIDEOS BELOW.
The second annual Bluegrass Bioneers will combine national plenary speakers and experts beamed in via satellite from California with live local & regional speakers, experts, and performances for an entertaining and enriching event that encourages innovative, creative solutions to help Louisville and the rest of the world build a more just and sustainable society.
Schedule at a glance:
(Tabling & Re-skilling Fair will take place throughout the weekend.)
FRIDAY:
12-4:30pm – NATIONAL PLENARIES & LOCAL KEYNOTE
4:30-6:30pm – BREAKOUT SESSIONS
7-10:45pm – FILMS & ENTERTAINMENT
SATURDAY:
9-11am – SEED/HARVEST EXCHANGE & YOGA
10-11am – BREAKOUT SESSIONS
11am-3:30pm – NATIONAL PLENARIES & LOCAL KEYNOTE
3:30-6:30pm – BREAKOUT SESSIONS
6:30-7:30pm – SLOW FOODS DINNER
7:30-10:45pm – GREEN SLAM & MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
SUNDAY:
9-10am – YOGA for the SOUL
10-11am – OPENING CIRCLE: Celebrating Earth Community
11am-12noon – KEYNOTE & CREATION of OPEN SPACE SESSIONS
12-5:30pm – NATIONAL PLENARIES & OPEN SPACE SESSIONS
2-5pm – UN PEACE FAIR
5:30-6:30pm – CLOSING LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
October 22, 2010
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Student Challenges Koch to Debate!
This is what I call true American political action. Please watch this video from a student leader and Marine Corps veteran who has challenged Koch Industries’ billionaire CEO Charles Koch to defend his support of Prop 23 which attacks California’s climate and clean energy progress.
Well done, Joel Francis, well done.
DeSmogBlog’s got the story:
Bankrolled with at least $1 million of Kochtopus funding, along with even larger amounts from Texas oil companies Valero Energy and Tesoro Corp. and Ohio-based Marathon Energy, Proposition 23 is on the ballot in California this November, and would set back California’s ambitious efforts to fight climate change and create clean energy jobs.
*Originally posted on our sister blog Absolutely Productive
October 21, 2010
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Available Tax Credits for Solar, Wind, and Efficiency
If you are a home owner, you should install solar or wind projects within the next three months. If you are a renter, you should convince your property manager to do the same. The reasons are simple – it is cheap now.
Right now you can receive a 30% Energy Star tax break for the installation of a Energy Start approved solar or wind system. This can be everything from energy production to water heating. Think about it, that’s a third of your installation costs. Now, like any properly run government incentive program their are certain restrictions and qualifications so you should go to the tax credit website and use its guidelines to help you choose a project.
You can either choose an installation business, Avery and Sun is a good local Louisville company, or for the do-it-yourself (DIY) types you can buy a kit and give it a shot. Here’s a good website that explains the benefits of DIY kits. If Google’s investing in installing a $5 billion project that will create 350-mile network along the mid-Atlantic region from New Jersey to Virginia, then it must be a good idea.
But of course the cleanest bit of energy is the one you don’t use so energy efficiency should also be included in this project. For us locals, LG&E has some good programs to consider. For everyone else I am sure that your local utility has similar initiatives. LG&E has a “Demand Conservation” programs that connects a device to your heating and cooling system which can “safely cycle central air conditioners off and on for brief periods during peak usage days during the summer — but only when absolutely necessary to conserve energy during heavy demand.” In exchange they will credit you bill $5 per month (up to $20 per year) for each summer month and each switch they can install. There’s also the residential energy audits they will perform for $25, Louisville Grows will a simular service for $15, the We Care home weatherization program, the AC test and tune up and the Green Power program – everyone should sign up for the Green Energy program. For just $5 you can purchase 300 kilowatt hours (kWh) of pure renewable energy, which helps fund wonderful project like the Mother Ann Lee hydro plant.
With all of these programs it’s easy being green.
*Post was originally aired on our sister blog Absolutely Productive
October 19, 2010
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New Forum for Local Gardens!
We have created a forum page that is meant to help people organize their growing efforts and spread their extra garden goodies around. Come check the Garden Forum out.
If you have a garden/project that you want to organize using this resource simply send us a message and we will create a dedicated forum area for you. Please, please, please tell your friends about it – the gardens, co-opts, and ad-hock community groups don’t even have to be in the Louisville area.
October 19, 2010
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