Locations for Move Out Madness

New MOM banners

How does Move-Out-Madness work?  Hippo Crate has donated storage crates to be placed at two Lexington apartment communities – Newtown Crossing and Campus Courts at Red Mile.  The crates will be placed at each property for one week during their busiest move-out times this summer, allowing tenants to place their unwanted furniture and items inside.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore will pick up the furniture and home items from the crates while God’s Pantry will collect non-perishable food items.  Tenants will be encouraged to take unwanted clothing items to Goodwill, the Hope Center, or Salvation Army.

How can I get involved? Look for the banner in the photo above on the Hippo Crate at Campus Courts at Red Mile from July 16 to July 23, or at Newtown Crossing from July 26 to August 2.

Click here to view our locations.

Move Out Madness is sponsored by the Greater Lexington Apartment Association’s Green Committee, LFUCG, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, Bluegrass Greensource, Hippo Crates, and God’s Pantry.

Please contact Lisa Conley or Beth Oleson with questions at 266-1572.

Poster

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World Cup shines spotlight on environmental impact of such events

I am, by no means, what you would call a “soccer fanatic.” I played one year in elementary school where I pretty much just ran around, chasing the ball and trying to do whatever my teammates were doing.

I’m sure my parents, who aren’t soccer fans either, sat on the sidelines just cracking up at all of us bunched up and chasing the ball wherever it went, positions and responsibilities thrown out the window as soon as the ball was kicked off.
GrnSrc_WorldCup Impact_6.19.14_200

But over time I have become more of a fan, to the point that when the United States played Ghana in the World Cup Monday night, I made sure to be at home and on the couch at 6 p.m. sharp, ready to cheer on the Stars and Stripes.

That said, it is always fascinating to me to see how different countries respond to hosting big international sporting events such as the World Cup or even the Olympics. On one hand, having to accommodate the influx of people and visitors for the event is a modern marvel in and of itself. For instance, according to some reports, over 1,300 km of road was built for last winter’s Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

On the other hand, these events can pose major threats to the environment of the countries that host them. The amount of carbon that is generated by all of the international travel that takes place can result in millions of tons finding its way into our atmosphere and some believe that it will be close to 1.5 million tons for this summer’s World Cup alone.

However, there are some great things environmentally that are coming out of this World Cup that worth noting as well. Last week, Japan played and was beaten by the Ivory Coast. As the world watched, Japanese fans – as is custom in their country – spent time cleaning their part of the arena of any trash they generated.

Two of the stadiums built for the World Cup are powered by solar energy and many of the other buildings are either LEED certified or close. In Natal, one of the cities hosting some of the group play matches, the stadium built for the World Cup both collects rainwater, which they hope will cut usage by 40 percent, and they hope that close to 100 percent of the waste generated will be recycled.

All of these highlight a change in policy. As these events are being planned, it has become commonplace to think just as much about the impacts on the environment as the local economy and current residents.

Events that don’t consider the environment are becoming rarer and, generally, will attract negative attention as well. So as you are (hopefully!) celebrating U.S. soccer success over the next few weeks, just know that although these events still place major stress on the environments of the host countries, being “green” and reducing environmental impact are trending up for such events.

Click here to read a column in the Christian Science Monitor about how much energy it takes to put on this year’s World Cup.
1 Ryan-Farley

Ryan Farley serves Bluegrass Greensource in a hybrid role, working as an environmental educator with several outreach specialist responsibilities. Ryan received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgetown College and a master’s in recreation and park administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He has worked at wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Texas and with Kentucky 4-H in various roles. Farley provides educational programs to several Fayette County schools and works with downtown businesses and the greater Lexington community to educate and empower residents to become better environmental stewards.

This article appeared in KY Forward on June 19, 2014.

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June Newsletter 2014

Roll Out the Rain Barrels with Bluegrass Greensource

Join us on Friday, June 20 from 5 to 8 PM for our 11th Annual Roll Out the Rain Barrels Reception at Fifth Third Bank Pavilion in downtown Lexington. Learn more and vote for your favorite artistic rain barrel!

Volunteers Needed for Kentucky River Clean Sweep

Are you interested in spending a day on the Kentucky River and improving our local environment? You can do both by volunteering for the annual Kentucky River Clean Sweep on Saturday, June 21.  Learn more.

Tired of Tenants Leaving Furniture on the Street after Move-Out?

Bluegrass Greensource and its partners are sponsoring Move-Out Madness once again this year at two Lexington apartment complexes, with the goal of keeping gently-used furniture, household items, and more out of the landfill.  Find out what locations are hosting Move-Out Madness this year!

Greensource Seeks Web Development Intern

We are seeking an intern to work closely with our Outreach Specialists to develop and implement a corollary website for our organization. Click here to view the intern job description.

Water Week Makes a Splash with Local Professionals

The first week of June was Water Week for LiveGreenLexington Partners and LiveGreenLexington Games participants, and it went swimmingly! Representatives of Lexington businesses participated in a variety of events aimed at raising awareness of water quality and conservation issues.  Continue reading…

Greensource to Offer Rain Garden Workshop at Annual Whippoorwill Festival

Greensource will be hosting a series of rain garden workshops this year in Madison, Clark, and Woodford Counties. The first event will be held on July 11 and 12 at the Whippoorwill Festival. Eligible workshop participants may apply for a grant to purchase plants for their own rain garden!  Click here for more information.

 

Check out our Events Calendar to learn more about upcoming green events in your community! Submit your organization’s green event here.

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‘Summer is coming’ mantra means finding fun ways to keep it green

This type of green camping is described as "leave no trace" and certainly more green than big Airstream trailers with wifi, television and toilets. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)Summer is coming. If you happen to be a Game of Thrones fan, you are well versed in the “Winter is coming” mantra of the people from the North. However, since we in Kentucky have experienced way more winter than we care to for a few years, I think changing the mantra to “Summer is coming” is much better.

And it is.

This type of green camping is described as “leave no trace” and is certainly more green than big Airstream trailers with wifi, television and toilets. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Saturday, June 21, marks the first day of official summer, though many have been wearing white pants and shoes (a winter fashion “don’t”) since Memorial Day.

So how can we remain environmentally conscious during the hottest season? It is more than wearing less and drinking more water. See below for the greatest tips for keeping the next few months eco friendly:

Summer BBQs – I have never been a fan of heat, whether it is in the kitchen or under the sun, but I do love to eat barbeque! The eating part is best, but the socializing with friends is amazing.

When planning for a BBQ event, make sure you choose non-disposable options. Now is the best time to find durable plastic plates and cutlery at prices that will support even the most popular person’s BBQ event. Summer is also the BEST time to visit local farmer’s markets for fresh veggies and meats for the grill!

Lawn Care – I have never been one to have a green lawn, although I guess it depends on how you define “green.” My lawn currently is mowed fairly regularly, but that is about it – few chemicals and NO summer watering.

As we move toward the middle of summer, and my lawn becomes more and more brown, I am usually happy since the mowing regimen slows down.

If you are interested in watering your lawn, make it a game for your (or the neighborhood’s) kids. Turn on the sprinkler on a hot Saturday and see who shows up at your house, but just make sure you have enough popsicles!

Mosquitoes – Urgh! I am a giant animal lover, but I take pride in all of the mosquitoes I kill. It takes about seven days for mosquito larvae to become the flying terror, so the obvious preventions include cleaning out gutters, putting Mosquito Dunks in rain barrels and eliminating any standing water, but how else do you deal with the blood sucking beasts in any sort of environmentally responsible way?

Here are a few:

Bats: Bats LOVE mosquitoes. Put up a bat house and hope they come in droves!

Smell: Citronella candles and sprays work to some extent so try them before using much more toxic DEET products. Mosquitoes love floral smells, so you are much better off to use unscented soap, deodorant of lotion.

Breeze: Mosquitoes are poor fliers, so point a fan toward your feet to blow them away!

Gin and Tonic: Quinine has a potential effect on repelling mosquitoes, and the best way to ingest quinine is by mixing a gin and tonic. Just saying!

Energy Efficiency: Find out where your home leaks! I know that winter utility bills are usually the largest, but now is the time to address any home improvement plans. Check out Greensource’s energy audit kits from any Lexington Public Library and find out if your attic hatch or knee walls are giant suckers of cool air.

Summer Vacation: Greening your vacation and staying close to home are almost the same thing, so it is all about how you frame it for your family. Camping (unless you do it the way my family has begun by going to a campground with wifi and electric) can be super eco friendly and even help all of your family members appreciate our great state more than they did before.

You can also choose “one tank trips” across the state where it only takes one tank of gas to get there. No matter what you choose, remember to turn down your thermostat and unplug any unnecessary appliances like the tv, toaster, etc. to save on energy usage.

The best thing summer has to offer is the ability to get outside. Even if it is at a pool or only in your backyard, take a moment to appreciate what is around you, and know that you play a part in keeping it “green.”
1 Amy-Sohner

Amy 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 June 12, 2014.

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Greensource to Offer Rain Garden Workshop at Annual Whippoorwill Festival

Bluegrass Greensource will be hosting a series of Rain Garden Workshops in Woodford, Clark, and Madison Counties this summer and fall. Residents of Woodford, Clark, and Madison Counties that attend a workshop are eligible to apply to receive a grant of $250 to construct a rain garden at their homes.

RainGarden

The first event in the series will be hosted in Madison County at Homegrown Hideaways on July 11 and 12. This workshop will be one of many workshops offered that day, focused on a variety of sustainability topics, at the Whippoorwill Festival.

The first day of the workshop will promote best management practices for stormwater and is designed to educate homeowners about the benefits of installing a rain garden and improving water quality. Participants will learn how to determine the right location, how to build and maintain a rain garden, and what types of plants are most successful and environmentally beneficial. Additionally, the participants will have the opportunity to take part in planting native plants in a rain garden near the workshop.

The second day of the workshop will promote planting of milkweed and other native plant species that help support monarch butterflies lifecycle. The workshop will discuss why the Monarchs need our help and what benefit native plant species have to the butterflies and other pollinators. It will also cover how to construct a waystation and what plants to choose.

Both sections of the workshop will offer a hands-on component, while constructing a rain garden/ monarch waystation at Homegrown Hideaways.

Please check updates to Bluegrass Greensource’s website for more Rain Garden opportunities coming soon.

This work was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under §319(h) of the Clean Water Act.

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Water Week Makes a Splash with Local Professionals

TBWWT Tour_1

Above: Water Week participants tour the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The first week of June was Water Week for LiveGreenLexington Partners and LiveGreenLexington Games participants, and it went swimmingly!  Representatives of Lexington businesses and organizations participated in events ranging from presentations to community service projects, all with one goal in mind: to raise awareness of water quality and conservation issues, and help our professional family get involved in making changes for the better.

Storm drain stenciling_1

Above: A newly stenciled storm drain on Walton Avenue.

Over the course of Water Week, 26 individuals representing 7 businesses and organizations came together to learn, converse, and take action on water quality and consumption issues at work, at home, and in the community.  An educational lunch and learn on June 3rd provided ideas, resources, and information on developing a more sustainable and water-friendly workplace.  On June 4th, we toured the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant for an eye-opening (and fragrant) behind-the-scenes look at how Lexington’s wastewater is treated.  At the end of the week, our focus shifted from wastewater to stormwater; intrepid volunteers picked up 77 pounds of trash and 12 pounds of recyclables that littered a local stream on June 5th, and stenciled more than a dozen storm drains on June 6th with an anti-littering message to remind their fellow citizens to keep our water clean.

Thanks and kudos to our LiveGreenLexington Partners and Greensource staff for making Water Week 2014 a success!  We had an educational and entertaining week, and we’re already hoping that Water Week 2015 will be even better.

If you represent a Fayette County business or organization that places value on sustainability, ask us about becoming a LiveGreenLexington Partner today!  You’ll join over 700 other Lexington organizations working toward a more sustainable future.

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Tired of Tenants Leaving Furniture on the Street after Move-Out?

abandoned furniture

Unwanted furniture and home items often find their way to the curb when apartment tenants move out. Unless otherwise collected, these materials create an eyesore and typically end up in landfills.  The Greater Lexington Apartment Association’s Green Committee has partnered again this year with Bluegrass Greensource, LFUCG, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Hippo Crate, and God’s Pantry to develop Move-Out-Madness.  The goal is to collect gently-used items left behind by tenants and make it possible for them to find new homes.

How does Move-Out-Madness work?  Hippo Crate has donated storage crates to be placed at two Lexington apartment communities – Newtown Crossing and Campus Court at Red Mile.  The crates will be placed at each property for one week during their busiest move-out times this summer, allowing tenants to place their unwanted furniture and items inside.  Habitat for Humanity ReStore will pick up the furniture and home items from the crates while God’s Pantry will collect non-perishable food items.  Tenants will be encouraged to take unwanted clothing items to Goodwill, the Hope Center, or Salvation Army.

How can I get involved?  Deliver gently-used, unwanted items to the Hippo Crate at Campus Court at Red Mile from July 16 to July 23, or to Newtown Crossing from July 26 to August 2.  Please contact Lisa Conley with questions or to get your property involved: lisa@bggreensource.org  or 266-1572, ext. 237.

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Volunteers Needed for Kentucky River Clean Sweep

Interested in spending a day on the Kentucky River and improving our environment? You can do both by volunteering for the annual Kentucky River Clean Sweep on Saturday, June 21.

While few of us Lexingtonians see the Kentucky River on a daily basis, 12 miles of it runs through our community and is our drinking water source. This small section of the Kentucky River that touches Fayette County is a tributary of the Ohio River, making it part of the 3000 mile long, multi-state Ohio River Cleanup that runs from Pennsylvania to Illinois.

RiverSweep

For the last 25 years, volunteers have cleaned thousands of tons of trash from the river. You can be part of this effort by volunteering on June 21.

The Kentucky River Clean Sweep begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Clays Ferry Dock off Highway 25 (Old Richmond Road), under the I-75 overpass. Volunteers should wear sunscreen, close-toed shoes and clothes that can get muddy. All volunteers will receive lunch and our gratitude.

All volunteers can register online at www.riversweep2014.eventbrite.com.

It’s hard work, but it’s worth it to keep our water clean!

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You can have your cat and your planet, too, with these five earth-friendly tips

I am a cat person. Go ahead and roll your eyes, dog people, but I’m far from alone; an estimated 46 percent of U.S. households included at least one cat in 2012, for a whopping total of 95.6 million pet cats purring on the laps of my fellow American cat people. I am also an environmentally conscious individual, and I think it’s safe to assume that there are many others like me in some of those millions of cat-owning households.

The author's cat Zaida waiting for ... dinner. (Photo provided)

We face a conundrum, my fellow cat-loving, eco-friendly people and I. Pets are serious waste-generators and place a fair amount of stress on the planet, and cats in particular have a reputation for doing damage to native ecosystems. But you can have your cat and your planet, too; here are five ways to make cat ownership a little greener.

1. Keep your cat inside. Cats are skilled hunters, even when they’re well-fed and not looking for a meal. One of the most common complaints about cats is that they have a serious impact on songbird populations, and it’s true. Given the opportunity, cats can and will kill birds, small mammals, lizards, frogs and just about anything else that looks like prey. The solution is to simply not give them the opportunity; keep them inside. Your cat benefits from the indoor life, too. Indoor cats, on average, live well into their teens, while outdoor cats live only an average of three to five years due to a combination of disease, predation, exposure and injury.

2. Spay and neuter. A big part of the reason that cats have such a negative impact on native wildlife is that there are just so many of them; the 95.6 million figure quoted earlier in this column only accounts for the ones kept as pets and does not take into account the untold hundreds of millions of feral, or wild, cats that no one claims. Cats are capable of reproducing extremely quick – think 45 kittens born for every person born in the U.S. – and are wildly overpopulated in terms of what shelters and homes can support. The only effective way to control cat populations is to slow down their rate of reproduction by having as many of them fixed as possible – not just the pets you have at home, but also roaming populations of feral cats. Most animal shelters run very low-cost or free spay-neuter programs for feral cats, commonly referred to as TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) programs; call your local shelter and ask for more information if there are cats in your home, in your neighborhood or on your property that need to be fixed. Your songbirds will thank you for it.

3. Switch to biodegradable litter. Traditional cat litter – the stuff that looks like little gray rocks – is bad news on a few levels. It’s strip- and pit-mined clay, so its production is extremely destructive. It’s not biodegradable, and millions of pounds of it are bagged up in plastic and tossed into the trash every year. It’s also silica-based, and the dust that billows up when you pour it in the box, or whenever your cat digs in it, is a carcinogen. Luckily there are several healthier, more ecofriendly options on the market, and due to their growing popularity they’re becoming easier and easier to find. One of the most popular options is pine litter made from sawdust reclaimed from lumber production; others are made from secondary wheat, walnut shells and corn cobs, to name just a few. All-natural litters are biodegradable, compostable (for use on nonedible plants), and sewer- and septic-safe; and as an added bonus, they’re much healthier for you and your cat.

4. Ditch the junk food. Like our food, pet foods range from healthy, holistic, organic and nutritious to junk food that causes nothing but trouble. Choosing a high quality food for your cat is a cornerstone of good care, but it’s also good for the planet. When cats are fed a lower-quality diet, they need to eat more of it to get the nutrients they need, and the production of meat and grains has a huge carbon footprint. By buying a high-quality food, you can ensure that your cat gets the most nutrition out of the smallest volume of food. You can even find USDA Certified Organic pet foods to make sure your dollars are supporting farming practices you believe in. Although feeding your cat a vegetarian diet may seem like a potential solution here, please don’t do it; cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that their physiology requires an almost exclusively meat diet. Removing meat from the equation may be a good way for you to reduce your carbon footprint, but it is extremely unhealthy for your cat.

5. Recycle a pet. Want to add a cat (or dog) to your family? Don’t go out and buy one from a pet store; all that does is encourage people to continue breeding pets for profit and adding to the overpopulation epidemic that generates tons of waste, costs millions of pets their lives and negatively impacts native wildlife. Instead, head to your favorite shelter or rescue and take home a preowned, 100 percent recycled cat! You’ll save money, a cat in need will get a home, and your life will be a little greener…and full of a lot more purrs.

Beth

Beth Oleson is an outreach specialist for Bluegrass Greensource, working primarily with Lexington businesses to help build a more sustainable community. A Lexington native, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marine science and environmental studies from the University of South Carolina before returning home to the Bluegrass to pursue non-profit work. When she’s not busy with Greensource, Beth’s other passion is animal rescue and welfare.

This article appeared in KY Forward on June 5, 2014.

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