September Newsletter 2014

College Students Lend a Helping Hand for the Environment

Student groups from UK and Georgetown College recently gave back to their communities by participating in volunteer events. Click here for more information and photos from these events.

Take the Challenge: Competition Opens October 1

All Lexington businesses are invited to participate in this year’s LiveGreenLexington Green Business Challenge. Participating businesses are eligible for prizes, as well as free services, trainings, and resources. Find out how your business can get involved.

Support Bluegrass Greensource While You Shop!

Supporting Bluegrass Greensource is as easy as grocery shopping! Register your Kroger Plus card today to start earning rewards for Bluegrass Greensource, at no additional cost to you, every time you shop.

Waste Reduction Grants Available for Boyle, Clark, and Madison County Schools

As part of the Walmart Wastebuster Program, Bluegrass Greensource is offering grants for recycling and waste reduction projects in K-12 schools in Boyle, Clark, and Madison Counties. Grant applications are due September 24th. Contact Deb Larkin for more information.  

Franklin County Elementary Schools Create Litter-Free Zones

During the last school year, students at Franklin County elementary schools completed a series of litter and water quality classroom education activities, participated in a litter art contest, and designated their schools as litter-free zones. Learn more.

Greensource Welcomes Two New Team Members

Bluegrass Greensource welcomed two new staff members in August! Tiffany Smith joins us as PR/Development Manager. Macy Gould, Americorps VISTA member, will be coordinating the Green Jobs program in 2014-2015. Learn more about Tiffany and Macy here.

Energy Education Opportunities Available

Through the support of the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence, Bluegrass Greensource is offering energy education programming for Central Kentucky classrooms.  Find out how to bring this program to your classroom.

 

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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Supporting Bluegrass Greensource has never been easier — just shop at Kroger and scan your Plus Card!

kroger

Here’s how to enroll:

1. Visit www.kroger.com/communityrewards

2. Click “Enroll Now”

3. Sign in to your online account, or create an account

4. Enter “39041” or find and select “Bluegrass Greensource,” and click “Save”

You’ll start earning rewards for Bluegrass Greensource right away on qualifying purchases made using your Kroger Plus Card!

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College Students Lend a Helping Hand for the Environment

As most of us know, schools are back in session. And for those of us that live in college towns, that includes many of the local college and universities. Central Kentucky is fortunate to have many institutions of higher learning that are invested in giving back to their local communities. Bluegrass Greensource partnered with both University of Kentucky and Georgetown College recently on several outreach endeavors.

For the first time, Bluegrass Greensource worked with University of Kentucky’s FUSION Program to coordinate two Great American Cleanups and distribute water quality information to local neighborhoods. Fusion is an annual day of service that matches incoming freshman with non-profit organizations looking for volunteers. Between the two cleanups, 16 pounds of trash and nearly 30 pounds of recyclable materials were collected from the streets around UK’s campus and the Elizabeth Park area. Additionally, students assisted Bluegrass Greensource in distributing water quality door hangers to 836 residences near Southland and Castlewood Parks. The door hangers provide information about fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and included a lid that residents can use for the collection of oils they produce during cooking. Forty-five students volunteered with Bluegrass Greensource for the day and, in spite of the heat, worked hard to improve the environment in their community. Many people do not realize that litter and FOG are two important issues that impact water quality. During a rain event, litter is washed from our streets into the storm drains which lead directly to our local streams and rivers. FOG impacts water quality by clogging up residential and city pipelines and causing blockages.

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Lisas group

Bluegrass Greensource also partnered with Georgetown College on Friday, August 22nd as part of the Georgetown College Freshmen Orientation Program. The program, coordinated by Georgetown staff, seeks ways to bring together the incoming Freshmen and the Scott County community by sending small groups of students and a faculty leader out into the town to assist with a variety of different service projects. Working with funding provided by Kyle Goodwin and the city of Georgetown’s engineers, Greensource sponsored two service projects, specifically litter cleanups at both Brookings Park (more commonly known as Scott County Park) and the Yuko-En Japanese Friendship Garden. Dr. Nancy Lumpkin, a professor in the department of Business Administration and Economics at the college, led the morning group around Brookings Park for about three hours as they helped pick up nearly 30 pounds of trash, mostly cigarette butts and food wrappers. Dr. Jeff Asher, a professor in the Religion Department, brought his group to the Japanese Friendship Garden for the afternoon session, where they not only helped clean up litter near Elkhorn Creek, but also assisted the in the Garden with several landscaping tasks. Each of these cleanups served as great opportunities for the students to not only get to know their community but to also serve others that will be living around them during their four year college experience.

Brooking Park Cleanup (2)

Japanese Garden Cleanup (3)

We want to thank the students from UK and Georgetown who volunteered to make these events a huge success! We hope to work with you again in the near future.

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Going to the Source: Helping Central Kentuckians Understand the Basis of Their Energy Supply

There has been much in the news about energy issues, such as “clean coal” and mountain top removal mining. We will continue to educate Kentucky’s students about this important topic for their future, teaching them about both the positive and negative aspects of using coal. As future leaders, today’s students need to be knowledgeable so they can make informed decisions in their lives today and in the future.

Greensource’s environmental educators will work with 25 teachers to teach a series of experiential classroom activities, each aligned to Kentucky’s Core Academic Standards (KCAS). These activities will help students learn about coal’s role in the economies of Kentucky and the nation, the historical and cultural aspects of coal production, and the environmental challenges related to the production and use of coal. The activities will also enable students to explore the feasibility of alternative energy resources and their role in meeting the energy needs of Kentucky and the nation and the importance of conservation and energy efficiency in offsetting the rising demands of energy in KY.

A minimum of four classroom activities will be conducted for each participating teacher’s classes. Topics for these activities include alternative energy sources and the impacts of coal on Kentucky’s culture, economy, and environment.

Program Highlights:

The program consists of two components:

All participating Classrooms:

Experiential education in classrooms – Four classroom lessons aligned to KY educational standards

AND

Elementary School Classrooms:

Field trip for students to coal and/or energy facilities

Middle and High School Classrooms:

Energy discussion and job fair to be held at Transylvania University in May 2015

For more information about this FREE Educational opportunity contact:

Pattie Stivender, Education Coordinator

Phone: 859-266-1572

E-mail: pattie@bggreensource.org

Funding for this program is provided by the Department for Energy Development and Independence.

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Greensource Welcomes New Team Members

Bluegrass Greensource welcomes Tiffany Smith and Macy Gould to the team!

10526164_10154420765615055_7016451490615857701_nTiffany Smith joins us as PR/Development Manager. Tiffany earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Eastern Kentucky University. She has worked in non-profit fundraising for the past three years and is excited to join the team at Bluegrass Greensource. While not at work, Tiffany enjoys spending her free time at home with her husband and son.

 

macy

 

Macy Gould is the AmeriCorps VISTA Member who serves as Greensource’s Green Jobs Coordinator, working with educators to ensure that students are aware of and prepared for the variety of green career paths that await them after high school graduation. Macy is originally from Minneapolis, but considers Lexington home and enjoys visiting her family in Colorado Springs. She recently graduated from Transylvania University, where she studied Sociology and Educational Studies and took a particular interest in urban food deserts. Outside of work, you could likely find Macy planning for her community radio show or taking a long walk downtown.

 

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Take the Challenge: Competition Opens October 1

GBC Logo

Lexington’s business community is invited to participate in a new-and-improved sustainability competition starting October 1: the LiveGreenLexington Green Business Challenge!  Formerly the LiveGreenLexington Games, the Challenge offers a structured – and fun – way for Lexington businesses to earn recognition for their sustainability initiatives, set and work toward efficiency goals, and take advantage of a broad range of trainings, resources, and services along the way.  Whether your business is already one of Lexington’s sustainability leaders, or you’re just getting started, the Challenge has something for you.

One of the big changes coming in this year’s Challenge is its new format: competition is activity-based, and all online at LexGreenBizChallenge.com.  Powered by Green Per Square Foot, the Challenge website is more than just a way to earn points; GreenPSF also assists businesses in tracking their utility usage, finding financial incentives, and locating outside resources to help make their sustainability goals a reality.

Another exciting perk for 2015 Challenge participants is the opportunity to take advantage of exclusive resources and services, thanks to support from partner organizations Office Depot, Graybar, Klausing Group, and Bluegrass Greensource.  Office Depot will be offering a workshop on green purchasing; Graybar is offering comprehensive lighting and energy assessments; Klausing Group is offering consultation on green landscaping; and Bluegrass Greensource is offering waste audits, staff training, and printed materials.  The best part?  It’s all free for Challenge participants.  Even if you’re not in it to win it, you don’t want to miss out on these great events and services.

Lexington’s business community is diverse – from mom-and-pop to large-scale industrial operations – but the Challenge is flexible enough to work for any organization of any size.  The 9-month competition period running from October 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 allows participants plenty of time to complete activities on their own schedule.  Participants can peruse over 100 activities, and choose the ones that suit their needs – as many or as few as they prefer.  And if your business is already green, never fear: many of the activities can be completed retroactively, so you’ll get credit for the things you’re already doing.

Registration is open now at LexGreenBizChallenge.com.  Sign up before competition opens on October 1 and you’ll hit the ground running with 50 points from the Earlybird Bonus activity!  Any and all Lexington businesses and organizations are welcome to compete.

Whether you’ve already signed up or just want to learn more, please join LFUCG and Bluegrass Greensource as we launch the 2015 Challenge on Thursday, October 2, 2014 from 5-7pm at the Carnegie Center.  The launch will feature a welcome from the city, words of wisdom and inspiration from Challenge partners Office Depot, Graybar, and Klausing Group, Challenge Q&A, registration stations, and plenty of time to network with your peers – it’s a friendly competition, after all!

Register Now!

Questions?  Contact program administrator Beth Oleson.

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Franklin County Elementary Schools Create Litter-Free Zones

litter free zone

Last fall, Bluegrass Greensource environmental educators worked with students in Franklin County to address the issue of litter in their community.  Fourth grade students at seven participating elementary schools spent two days with Greensource educators in their classrooms, learning about the effects of litter and other nonpoint source pollutants on our environment and our waterways.  They concluded with a project where the students created their own aerial view maps of their school grounds, and used the maps to mark areas with stormwater runoff and litter, while conducting a litter clean up.  County and city high school and middle school students participated in litter cleanups on their school campuses throughout the spring as well, collecting over twenty pounds of litter in total.

This fall, all county and city schools were given a sign designating each school’s grounds as a litter free zone.  This sign was designed by Second Street School 7th grade student Jacqueline DeMers.  Jacqueline entered a litter art contest, along with 100 other students from the city and county schools, for which students were asked to create a logo to display on school grounds.  Jacqueline’s drawing was among the top 3 entries that were voted on during a social media contest in December 2013, and received the most ‘likes’ on Facebook.  Her original artwork was turned into an aluminum sign with funding from the Franklin County Solid Waste department.  Thanks to Jacqueline and all the other Franklin County students, all school zones are now litter free!

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Why are some things recyclable and others are not? It’s all about economics

Many people recycle, but I often wonder how much we understand about WHY we recycle.

Recycling is about more than just keeping things out of the landfill, although that is a big part of the reason why we do it. What I find most interesting is not the WHY to recycle, but WHY certain things are recyclable and others are not. The answer is invariably economics.
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In Lexington, we can recycle all colored glass (wine bottles, jelly jars) but not Pyrex or ceramic plates; we can recycle plastic bottles and jugs but not yogurt or peanut butter containers; we can recycle most paper, including junk mail and colored copy paper, but not wrapping paper. It does not always make sense.

Everything is recyclable; it just may not be recyclable in our community. The most common comment I get is that if the container has a recycling symbol on the bottom, it must be recyclable. And that is, in part, true – it just depends on which community you are talking about. In Lexington, we have the volume and infrastructure in place to process and sell plastic bottles and jugs. The numbers on the bottom, in the middle of the recycling symbol, are actually code for the plastic industry, and not for the recyclers, and they generally don’t tell you whether an item can be recycled.

Again, it all goes back to economics. Is the item able to be easily separated from all of the other recyclables? Is the item able to be sold at a rate that surpasses the expense of shipping it to its destination? These are the most important questions that dictate whether an item can be recycled in a particular area.

A good example is glass. Glass, even when crushed, is very expensive to haul. It is easily made into new products, but for the most part, it is more expensive to ship it to a plant that takes used glass and makes new bottles than it is to send it to a landfill. In Lexington, we generally pulverize our glass and use it in road bed material, which makes the most economic sense locally.

Plastic is another good example. There is a great market for No. 1 and No. 2 plastics that take the form of a bottle or jug (water bottles, shampoo bottle, milk jugs). This means that the plastic that was used to make those materials was blown into a mold (glass) rather than injected into a mold (Starbucks cup or yogurt container). This makes the plastic more marketable and more marketable means that municipal sorting facilities have the chance to make their money back after sorting and baling these plastics.

Aluminum is the easy one. Aluminum cans (soda, beer) are the most recyclable container available. Most products can be recycled into something that is of lesser value than it started out as. For example, nice white copy paper can be recycled into newsprint which can then be recycled into toilet paper (The process stops there, thankfully!). Aluminum cans can be made into another can and then another and another, which helps keep the price of a bale of aluminum cans at a premium. Cans from Lexington, and from much of the state, go to Novellis in Berea, one of the largest aluminum smelters in the country.

Cardboard is another item that is easily recyclable – that is that it is easy to make into other useful products and it is fairly light/easy to ship. Cardboard from Lexington goes to a paper mill in Maysville to be made into new corrugated cardboard boxes. However, refrigerated boxes (soft drink boxes, pizza boxes) cannot be recycled. These have little bits of plastic impregnated between the layers of boxboard that make recycling harder and therefore less economically viable.

There are a few places in the United States that can recycle almost everything. Some even mandate recycling and food waste composting. We are far from that in Lexington, but I think it is helpful to understand why some things can be recycled here and others cannot. It may help us all understand how we can affect our waste stream.

Next time you are at the grocery store, think about how what you are buying will affect your trash can. Can you buy in bulk to reduce the amount sent to the landfill? Can you buy a gallon milk jug that can be recycled instead of a half-gallon that has to be sent to the garbage? Can you reuse the bag that held your bread instead of throwing it away? Because to-go coffee containers cannot be recycled, can you bring your own mug and maybe even save a few cents?

We all have the ability to effect great change in our local community. Knowing how and what and why to recycle is one very important way to start. Talk to your local solid waste coordinator, or click here to find out what can be recycled in Lexington.
1 Amy-Sohner

Amy Sohner is executive director of Greensource and a graduate of the University of Kentucky. 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 September 4, 2014.

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