December Newsletter

Dunbar students

‘Tis the Season to Give

Remember when a toy required no batteries and did not include a screen? Albert Einstein said “Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.”  This holiday season, you could give that gift to classrooms of children right here in Central Kentucky through a donation to Bluegrass Greensource.

Our educators work tirelessly throughout the school year in over 230 schools to teach children in our community about the natural world- something most of us today see less and less of.  Our environmental activities include litter cleanups, watershed education using enviroscapes, organizing school green teams, helping students start vermicomposting/worm bins, and introducing students to Kentucky’s flora and fauna at outdoor events to name just a few.  With your gift, we can introduce many more young people to the natural world.  A world where the gadgets and screens can have a rest and the mind can be free to explore.

A donation to Bluegrass Greensource will not only spread the gift of environmental education, but it can help you with that person who has everything already.  In that past, I have personally donated in the name of family. This was the perfect gift for them. There was no plastic and paper packaging to dispose of, no disappointment with another boring sweater, and we both had the pleasure of knowing the young people we might see at the grocery actually benefited from our gift.  One contribution’s impact could multiply across generations.  What other gift has this potential?

To make your gift of education this year, please go to: https://bggreensource.org/support/.  

If you are a teacher who would like one of our educators to visit your classroom, please call us at 266-1572.  We also offer many environmental education materials for check-out at no cost.

‘Tis the season to give a gift that can change a life.

 

 

Facebook cover

Green Christmas Ideas

Commit to making the holidays more environmentally friendly. Here are some ideas to help you start:

  1. Decorate your house with LED lights and you can use almost 90% less energy. It saves you money on your electric bill and helps the environment. Don’t overdo it! It’s the light that shines in our hearts that matters more than the quantity of outdoor decorations!
  2. Use a real tree.  Plastic trees last longer but are made of PVC, which is harmful to the environment.
  3. Recycle your Christmas tree. Just put it out on the curb to be composted or turned into mulch or wood chips.
  4. Recycle your old electronics. A lot of people get new phones or electronic devices for Christmas. Drop your used phone off at Bluegrass Greensource’s office and prevent hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium, and lead from ending up in landfills.
  5. Get creative! Make your own wrapping paper and cards by recycling the old holiday cards you’ve been saving for years and reusing old comic books, children’s artwork, scarves, towels, or unused clothing to wrap your gifts.
  6. Better yet, if you have a choice, send e-cards to friends and family members and save on postage, envelopes, and actual cards. And it’s green!
  7. Make your own gifts: bake a batch of cookies or other treats  for your loved ones and share the recipes.
  8. Give gifts of membership or experiences: a gym membership, music lessons, theater tickets, spa services, and more.
  9. Support local farms by purchasing local organic produce and meat for your holiday meals.
  10. Get in the holiday spirit and give the gifts that keep on giving back. Support local organizations by purchasing gifts from businesses that donate a part of their income back to the community. Or volunteer your time to help others and make their holidays a little brighter.

 

 

Get Outside pictures

It’s Time to Think About Your New Year’s Resolutions

In keeping with our holiday tradition, Bluegrass Greensource asks that you make a New Year’s Resolution to Get Outside! Let us know how you will be spending more time outside in 2014 and you will be entered to win a $100 Kentucky State Park gift certificate!!  The deadline is January 15th, so Register Now

 

 

Mayor Gray Green Infrastructure mtg photoGreen Infrastructure Conference Wrap Up

Through several special educational sessions and field outings in connection with board meetings, WWKY and representatives of NRDC met with officials from Northern Kentucky, Louisville MSD, Lexington LFUCG, Bowling Green, and Owensboro.  As a result of those discussions, WWKY contracted

to draft and produce the Kentucky Green Infrastructure Action Plan for Stormwater and Wet Weather Sewage Management (“GI Report”).  The Report received final approval from WWKY in February 2013.

Following the submittal of that report, WWKY, River Network, and NRDC, among others, organized an Advancing Green Infrastructure Conference in Louisville.  A Louisville Supplement to the GI Report was discussed, but it was decided by WWKY to forego the drafting of a Louisville Supplement at that time. In the meantime, WWKY applied for and received a grant from VEE to host a Green Infrastructure Conference in Lexington with River Network and to draft and produce a Lexington Supplement to the GI Report.

The Advancing Green Infrastructure in Lexington Conference took place at Locust Trace AgriScience Farm in Lexington, Kentucky on October 10, 2013.  The Conference began with a keynote from Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, who discussed Lexington’s commitment to green infrastructure and the progress made.  Hank Graddy then led the discussion on conference structure and outcomes, and Dr. Lindell Ormsby closed out the introduction with a brief overview of green infrastructure.   

The first plenary featured Susan Plueger, P.E., from the LFUCG Division of Water Quality.  Ms. Plueger discussed the history of stormwater management in Fayette County, explained how the GI program in Lexington currently functions, and gave several examples of GI projects in Fayette County.  The second plenary presented the “State of the State” of GI in Kentucky. The panel featured Scott Southall, who presented his firm’s GI project in Frankfort, John Carman, who presented his firm’s GI project on East Market Street in Louisville, and John Webb, who presented o the Kentucky Division of Water’s 319 grant program and the various GI projects that program has funded across Kentucky.

The Conference also held two rounds of breakout sessions. The first session consisted of five breakout groups. The first breakout group featured Dr. Ormsby who went in depth on GI basics. The second breakout group featured Sandy Carmargo and Eric Larsen, and focused on business and institutional GI projects in Lexington. The third breakout group featured Chris Dent of the LFUCG and Kara Sayles of Bluegrass Greensource who discussed residential GI in Lexington. The fourth breakout group featured Susan Plueger, and Jim Duncan and Jimmy Emmons, both from LFUCG Division of Planning, who presented on GI in planning and zoning regulation and enforcement. The fifth breakout group was a tour of the Locust Trace facility focusing on the various GI elements of the property.

The second breakout session featured three breakout groups. The first group featured Hank Graddy and Hal Sprague, and focused on what Lexington can achieve with GI in the future. The second group featured Scott Southall and Robert Hewitt, who discussed the renovation of the Franklin County Courthouse and the use of 319 funds to utilize GI elements in and around the renovated courthouse. Brandi Berryman focused on the daylighting of Town Branch in downtown Lexington. The third group was a repeat tour of the Locust Trace property.

The third plenary session featured Hal Sprague of the Center for Neighborhood Technology headquartered in Chicago.  Mr. Sprague presented on his organization’s work regarding the green infrastructure portfolio standard.

The other featured keynote, Christine McKay, a representative of the U.S. EPA, was scheduled to present on EPA support for GI in Kentucky.  Unfortunately, she was unable to attend due to the federal government shutdown.

The Conference ended with the fourth plenary, a panel discussion of Lexington’s goals for GI in the future. Several people commented on the NRDC’s green emerald city ratings, and how Lexington should aspire to be a green emerald city. Hank Graddy and Hal Sprague discussed what it would mean to implement a GI portfolio standard in Lexington and to obtain no net loss in permeability. Also discussed was the stormwater runoff retention exception for rehabilitated property in Lexington. In conclusion, most agreed that Lexington has made a promising start implementing GI. If Lexington continues its course by using innovative ideas such as a GI standard portfolio, or aspires to achieve a full green emerald rating, Lexington will become a leading city in the country for GI and stormwater management.

Summary provided by:  Hank Graddy

 

 

 

Septic Workshop photo

Garrard County Joined Us For a Septic Workshop

Homeowners attended a free workshop about septic system care and maintenance, hosted by Bluegrass Greensource in partnership with the Garrard County Health Department on November 5th.  The workshop, held at Maywoods Environmental and Educational Laboratory, gave local residents an opportunity to learn about how the septic systems in their homes work, how to take care of them, how to tell if they’re not working properly, and what to do if a problem is suspected.  Additionally, Malissa McAlister of the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute discussed the history of water quality sampling in the Dix River watershed and the impact failing septic systems have on human health and on the environment.  Following the workshop, participants were able to apply for financial assistance, including free pumpouts and cost-share grants for system repairs or installations.

The workshop was the first in a series of similar workshops to be held as part of a grant program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act through the Kentucky Division of Water.  Bluegrass Greensource will offer a total of nine homeowner workshops over the next three years, as well as a series of watershed festival events in local communities and water-related activities in area Kindergarten – 12th grade classrooms.

The next free septic system workshop offered through this program is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 14th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at McKinney Elementary in Lincoln County.  Only residents of the Dix River watershed in Boyle, Garrard, and Lincoln Counties who attend the workshop are eligible to apply for the financial assistance programs.  Please contact Sandy Bottoms at sandy@bggreensource.org or (859) 266-1572 for more information.

 

Green Construction HatGreen Jobs for a Green Future

Bluegrass Greensource is starting a new program to promote green jobs to low-income high school students in the Bluegrass region!  

Green jobs are growing faster than the national average for jobs in non-green sectors, and this growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years.  The goal of this new program is to improve the preparation of low-income students for higher paying jobs by building the capacity of high school guidance counselors and teachers to better inform their students about jobs in the green economy. 

Bluegrass Greensource hopes to achieve this goal by building a green jobs database to be used by students and school staff, taking interested counselors/faculty on a tour of regional green businesses, and working with counselors/faculty to organize green career fairs. With the the new Green Jobs Program we hope to coordinate with green businesses to educate high schoolers about high quality green jobs. By doing so, we can improve our environment and, at the same time, provide quality employment opportunities.

But what is a green job?  A “green job” refers to any position in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance, as well as scientific, technical, administrative, and/or service-related activities that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality (International Labor Organization).  Why should we be encouraging young people to pursue a green career?  Well, for one thing, green jobs pay up to 20 percent more than other jobs! And green jobs are not just for scientists; they are for everyone! Becoming trained in a green-collar vocation provides advantages over those who are already in the workforce.

Green jobs are often found closer to home than you might think, and these jobs help protect and improve our environment!

Green jobs are the future, and we want young people in the Bluegrass region to be prepared for the rapidly growing, “green” future!  For more information about this program, or if your business would like to be included on our database, please contact Ashley Bryant Cheney at vista@bggreensource.org.

 

Clean Up photoSign Up for Great American Clean Up Event

Teachers, are you looking for a fun activity that get your students outside after it warms up? Our Bluegrass Greensource educators will be looking for classrooms to participate in Live Green Lexington’s Great American Clean up Event. This activity send students out across your school campus with gloves, bags and litter pick up tools to clean up any litter that been lying under the snow! For more information or to sign your class up, contact Pattie Stivender at pattie@bgGreensource.org.  

 

 

Season's Greenings picture crop

Our staff would like to wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!  Thank you for your support in 2013 and we look forward to working with you in the new year!

 

 

 

If  you have any questions or comments about this issue, please contact us at info@bggreensource.org.

                                             
Sincerely,
Amy Sohner
Executive Director
Bluegrass Greensource
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In this season of giving, let’s try not presenting the planet with more waste

‘Tis the season for a lot of waste. Ok, I don’t want to be a Scrooge, but it is also the season of giving and that giving often generates waste.

Although one of the best feelings in the world is giving a gift which is lovingly received, that feeling often accompanies an unintended byproduct. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we create 25 percent more waste, or about 1 million extra tons, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. The waste comes from packaging, wrapping and ‘gifts’ we either don’t want or need.

 

These reindeer are made from cardboard toilet paper rolls and twigs. (Photo from Pinterest)

These reindeer are made from cardboard toilet paper rolls and twigs. (Photo from Pinterest)

This year I am trying to make my gift giving and decorating as purposeful and waste free as possible, so here are some tips I will try to follow:

• Traditional wrapping paper cannot be recycled in Central Kentucky, so don’t use it! My favorite wrapping paper is brown shipping paper (which can be recycled) that has been decorated by my wonderful daughters. I also have a box full of gift bags from previous holidays and tissue paper I rescued.

• Ribbons can be made from old VHS or cassette tapes. I have not tried this personally since it is hard for me to part with any of my tapes despite the fact that I don’t have a way to play them anymore, but I do hear that they curl nicely.

• Give gifts that do not use batteries, or if they do include rechargeable batteries with the present. Regular alkaline batteries are hard to recycle, but, once they no longer work, rechargeables can be recycled many places.

• Give services instead of things. Massages, pedicures or my favorite – an hour of house cleaning – will not end up in a landfill and provide local jobs.

• On the subject of Christmas trees, the age-old question is real or artificial. Both have their environmental attributes and drawbacks, but the real answer is to buy a living tree that can either be planted or reused each year. This may be a bit impractical, but I did find a company in Portland where you can rent a live tree for the season. The company will obviously not deliver to Kentucky, but that might be an idea for a local entrepreneur.

• Give gifts made out of recycled material. My one year old is still playing with the tea set made out of old milk jugs that was given to my older daughter. In fact, I just bought the same one to give to a friend’s daughter.

• On the subject of decorations, my guess is that most people are using LED lights since they use so much less energy and are cooler, but what about making recycled decorations? I am going to make toilet paper tube reindeer with my daughter’s first-grade class next week, but you can also make tree ornaments out of old puzzle pieces or old CD’s. Pinterest is an amazing resource for anything crafty and Bluegrass Greensource has a whole section on our page found here just for recycled Christmas crafts.

• Make pine cone bird feeders to “decorate” trees outside. This is a fun, albeit bit messy, activity for kids and the birds love it! Spread peanut butter on a pine cone and then roll it in bird seed. The peanut butter and seeds will give the birds much needed protein to help in the cold weather.

It is hard to avoid all of the waste during this season, especially with kids who probably don’t value a house cleaning service as much as the newest Monster High doll. I have already purchased my share of toys for my girls, but I am trying to make sure they are things that will grow with them as long as possible.

Finally, since this is the season for giving, don’t forget your favorite charity like Bluegrass Greensource. Gifts of time and money can do wonders for local and national nonprofits, and may give you a bit of a tax deduction, too.

 

1 Amy-SohnerAmy Sohner is executive director of Greensource and a graduate of the University of Kentucky in Natural Resource Conservation and Management. Sohner has worked with Greensource since its inception in 2002 and is a Certified Environmental Educator. She is involved with the Kentucky Environmental Literacy Alliance, the Bluegrass Rain Garden Alliance, the Licking and Kentucky River Basin Teams, and serves as vice-chair of the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission. Sohner lives near the Kentucky River palisades with her husband, two daughters and a multitude of pets.

This article appeared in KY Forward on December 12, 2013.

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Garrard County Joins Us for Septic Workshop

Septic Workshop photo

Homeowners attended a free workshop about septic system care and maintenance, hosted by Bluegrass Greensource in partnership with the Garrard County Health Department on November 5th.  The workshop, held at Maywoods Environmental and Educational Laboratory, gave local residents an opportunity to learn about how the septic systems in their homes work, how to take care of them, how to tell if they’re not working properly, and what to do if a problem is suspected.  Additionally, Malissa McAlister of the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute discussed the history of water quality sampling in the Dix River watershed and the impact failing septic systems have on human health and on the environment.  Following the workshop, participants were able to apply for financial assistance, including free pumpouts and cost-share grants for system repairs or installations.

The workshop was the first in a series of similar workshops to be held as part of a grant program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act through the Kentucky Division of Water.  Bluegrass Greensource will offer a total of nine homeowner workshops over the next three years, as well as a series of watershed festival events in local communities and water-related activities in area Kindergarten – 12th grade classrooms.

The next free septic system workshop offered through this program is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 14th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at McKinney Elementary in Lincoln County.  Only residents of the Dix River watershed in Boyle, Garrard, and Lincoln Counties who attend the workshop are eligible to apply for the financial assistance programs.  Please contact Sandy Bottoms at sandy@bggreensource.org or (859) 266-1572 for more information.

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Green Infrastructure Conference Wrap Up

Mayor Gray Green Infrastructure mtg photo

Through several special educational sessions and field outings in connection with board meetings, WWKY and representatives of NRDC met with officials from Northern Kentucky, Louisville MSD, Lexington LFUCG, Bowling Green, and Owensboro.  As a result of those discussions, WWKY contracted to draft and produce the Kentucky Green Infrastructure Action Plan for Stormwater and Wet Weather Sewage Management (“GI Report”).  The Report received final approval from WWKY in February 2013.

Following the submittal of that report, WWKY, River Network, and NRDC, among others, organized an Advancing Green Infrastructure Conference in Louisville.  A Louisville Supplement to the GI Report was discussed, but it was decided by WWKY to forego the drafting of a Louisville Supplement at that time. In the meantime, WWKY applied for and received a grant from VEE to host a Green Infrastructure Conference in Lexington with River Network and to draft and produce a Lexington Supplement to the GI Report.

Green Infrastructure AudienceThe Advancing Green Infrastructure in Lexington Conference took place at Locust Trace AgriScience Farm in Lexington, Kentucky on October 10, 2013.  The Conference began with a keynote from Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, who discussed Lexington’s commitment to green infrastructure and the progress made.  Hank Graddy then led the discussion on conference structure and outcomes, and Dr. Lindell Ormsby closed out the introduction with a brief overview of green infrastructure.

The first plenary featured Susan Plueger, P.E., from the LFUCG Division of Water Quality.  Ms. Plueger discussed the history of stormwater management in Fayette County, explained how the GI program in Lexington currently functions, and gave several examples of GI projects in Fayette County.  The second plenary presented the “State of the State” of GI in Kentucky. The panel featured Scott Southall, who presented his firm’s GI project in Frankfort, John Carman, who presented his firm’s GI project on East Market Street in Louisville, and John Webb, who presented o the Kentucky Division of Water’s 319 grant program and the various GI projects that program has funded across Kentucky.

The Conference also held two rounds of breakout sessions. The first session consisted of five breakout groups. The first breakout group featured Dr. Ormsby who went in depth on GI basics. The second breakout group featured Sandy Carmargo and Eric Larsen, and focused on business and institutional GI projects in Lexington. The third breakout group featured Chris Dent of the LFUCG and Kara Sayles of Bluegrass Greensource who discussed residential GI in Lexington. The fourth breakout group featured Susan Plueger, and Jim Duncan and Jimmy Emmons, both from LFUCG Division of Planning, who presented on GI in planning and zoning regulation and enforcement. The fifth breakout group was a tour of the Locust Trace facility focusing on the various GI elements of the property.

The second breakout session featured three breakout groups.  The first group featured Hank Graddy and Hal Sprague, and focused on what Lexington can achieve with GI in the future. The second group featured Scott Southall and Robert Hewitt, who discussed the renovation of the Franklin County Courthouse and the use of 319 funds to utilize GI elements in and around the renovated courthouse. Brandi Berryman focused on the daylighting of Town Branch in downtown Lexington. The third group was a repeat tour of the Locust Trace property.

The third plenary session featured Hal Sprague of the Center for Neighborhood Technology headquartered in Chicago.  Mr. Sprague presented on his organization’s work regarding the green infrastructure portfolio standard.  The other featured keynote, Christine McKay, a representative of the U.S. EPA, was scheduled to present on EPA support for GI in Kentucky.  Unfortunately, she was unable to attend due to the federal government shutdown.

The Conference ended with the fourth plenary, a panel discussion of Lexington’s goals for GI in the future. Several people commented on the NRDC’s green emerald city ratings, and how Lexington should aspire to be a green emerald city. Hank Graddy and Hal Sprague discussed what it would mean to implement a GI portfolio standard in Lexington and to obtain no net loss in permeability. Also discussed was the stormwater runoff retention exception for rehabilitated property in Lexington. In conclusion, most agreed that Lexington has made a promising start implementing GI. If Lexington continues its course by using innovative ideas such as a GI standard portfolio, or aspires to achieve a full green emerald rating, Lexington will become a leading city in the country for GI and stormwater management.

Summary provided by:  Hank Graddy

 

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Green Jobs for a Green Future

Green Construction Hat

Bluegrass Greensource is starting a new program to promote green jobs to low-income high school students in the Bluegrass region!

Green jobs are growing faster than the national average for jobs in non-green sectors, and this growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years.  The goal of this new program is to improve the preparation of low-income students for higher paying jobs by building the capacity of high school guidance counselors and teachers to better inform their students about jobs in the green economy.

Bluegrass Greensource hopes to achieve this goal by building a green jobs database to be used by students and school staff, taking interested counselors/faculty on a tour of regional green businesses, and working with counselors/faculty to organize green career fairs. With the the new Green Jobs Program we hope to coordinate with green businesses to educate high schoolers about high quality green jobs. By doing so, we can improve our environment and, at the same time, provide quality employment opportunities.

But what is a green job?  A “green job” refers to any position in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance, as well as scientific, technical, administrative, and/or service-related activities that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality (International Labor Organization).  Why should we be encouraging young people to pursue a green career?  Well, for one thing, green jobs pay up to 20 percent more than other jobs! And green jobs are not just for scientists; they are for everyone! Becoming trained in a green-collar vocation provides advantages over those who are already in the workforce.

Green jobs are often found closer to home than you might think, and these jobs help protect and improve our environment!

Green jobs are the future, and we want young people in the Bluegrass region to be prepared for the rapidly growing, “green” future!  For more information about this program, or if your business would like to be included on our database, please contact Ashley Bryant Cheney at vista@bggreensource.org.

 

 

 

 

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Tis the Season to GIVE

By Lisa Conley

Frankfort trash clean up

Remember when a toy required no batteries and did not include a screen? Albert Einstein said “Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.”  This holiday season, you could give that gift to classrooms of children right here in Central Kentucky through a donation to Bluegrass Greensource.

Our educators work tirelessly throughout the school year in over 230 schools to teach children in our community about the natural world- something most of us today see less and less of.  Our environmental activities include litter cleanups, watershed education using enviroscapes, organizing school green teams, helping students start vermicomposting/worm bins, and introducing students to Kentucky’s flora and fauna at outdoor events to name just a few.  Dunbar studentsWith your gift, we can introduce many more young people to the natural world.  A world where the gadgets and screens can have a rest and the mind can be free to explore.

A donation to Bluegrass Greensource will not only spread the gift of environmental education, but it can help you with that person who has everything already.  In the past, I have personally donated in the name of family. This was the perfect gift for them. There was no plastic and paper packaging to dispose of, no disappointment with another boring gift they didn’t really need, and we both had the pleasure of knowing the young people we might see at the grocery actually benefited from our gift.  Your one contribution’s impact could multiply across generations.  What other gift has this potential?

Montessori ResizedTo make your gift of education this year, please go to: https://bggreensource.org/support/

If you are a teacher who would like one of our educators to visit your classroom, please call us at 266-1572.  We also offer many environmental education materials for check-out at no cost.

‘Tis the season to give a gift that can change a life.

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Coal as Energy Tour gives local educators look inside flipping the light switch

A group of educators tour TECO Coal in Hazard on the Coal for Energy Tour. (Photo provided)

A group of educators tour TECO Coal in Hazard on the Coal as Energy Tour.

I was fortunate enough to go on a Bluegrass Greensource Coal as Energy Tour, recently, with educators from the Bluegrass Region. The tour is intended to broaden teacher’s knowledge of potential energy sources and provide a balanced and fair view of each resource.

The two-day tour (offered free to educators) definitely broadened all participants’ knowledge of the complex processes involved in the simple act of flipping a light switch.

The first day of the tour was packed full of information and featured stops at Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for Renewable and Alternative Fuel Technologies, Berea College’s Ecovillage, Berea Utilities Solar Farm, Berea’s Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, and the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum.  We spent the night in Benham, Ky. at the School House Inn (which is rumored to be haunted).

The next morning we got up bright and early for a deep mine tour at TECO Coal Company in Hazard.

The deep mine tour at the TECO coal mine was the most memorable stop for me. After watching a two-hour safety training and donning coveralls, steel-toed boots, safety glasses, identification tag and safety belts with a SRU (self rescuer unit), we headed toward the entrance of the mine.

The foreman showed us a map of the mine and the three-mile path we would be taking into the side of a mountain in order to see the heart of the mining operation. Our one-hour journey to the mining site involved a 700-foot trip down in a slope car, followed by a 40-minute ride in a “man trip” (an open-air bumpy rail car), and a ride down a muddy hill in a similar diesel-powered contraption.

Traveling down, I could feel the ventilation system pushing air through the mine – a constant stream of cold. Once we reached the end of our journey through the wet, cave-like tunnel, we saw the real work-horse of today’s mining operation – the Continuous Miner. This giant machine is like a large steam roller with hundreds of drill bits that cuts through walls of coal at an extraordinary speed.

I watched a car fill up with 15 tons of coal in less than one minute. At the same time the coal is being mined, hundreds of gallons of water are being pumped onto the mining site to keep the coal dust under control.

We then walked through the mud and rock dust, ducking our heads as we went, to see the most dangerous job in modern coal mining – the roof bolters. The roof bolters go into areas that have just been mined to secure the ceiling. Every few feet the roof bolters must drill deep into the rock (not knowing what they might find while drilling) to mount the bolts that will allow the Continuous Miner to go forward and allow miners to walk into a new part of the mine. These roof bolts also provide the safety and support needed to prevent tons of rock falling and crushing a miner.

As we started to travel out, we also saw the conveyer that takes the coal out of the mine and the small break room (a hole in the rock) with a much-welcomed heater. The trip out took just as long as the trip in and was twice as cold, since we were traveling against the stream of the ventilation system.

We only spent three hours total in the mine, but the experience is something I will never forget. There are men and women that spend 10 hours in this mine every day doing this work to support their families, and they deserve our respect.

This entire Coal as Energy Tour gave me a new perspective and expanded my knowledge of energy in Kentucky. All of the educators I spoke with on the tour had nothing but great things to say about the experience. One teacher even praised the tour stating it was “one of the best, educational, thought-provoking tours, as an educator, I have taken in 25 years of teaching.”

Not only is the tour a great educational and personal development opportunity for teachers; all teachers who go on the tour receive funding for an energy related field trip for their students and help from the Bluegrass Greensource educators on energy based lesson plans and activities.

If you are a teacher and are interested in going on our next Coal as Energy Tour, please contact Pattie Stivender at pattie@bggreensource.org or call 859-266-1572.

 
Ashley photo

Ashley Bryant Cheney is the Green Jobs Coordinator for Bluegrass Greensource, connecting green businesses with a young workforce and preparing students for green careers in the Bluegrass. From Knoxville, she’s worked in volunteer and program management at various nonprofits. She has a bachelor’s in Psychology from Carson-Newman University and a master’s in Urban Studies and Community Development from Eastern University.

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