October Newsletter 2014

Walmart Grant Provides $50,000 for Waste Reduction Education

At a recent press event, Walmart awarded Bluegrass Greensource a $50,000 grant for waste reduction and recycling education in Boyle, Clark, and Madison County schools. Learn more.

Last Chance to Apply for Waste Reduction Grants for Boyle, Clark, and Madison County Schools

As part of the Walmart Wastebuster Program, Bluegrass Greensource is offering $500 grants for recycling and waste reduction projects to K-12 schools in Boyle, Clark, and Madison Counties. Applications can be found here and are due Friday, October 17th.

Greensource Welcomes New Environmental Educator

Bluegrass Greensource is proud to welcome Emily Casey to our team! Learn more about our newest Environmental Educator here.

Butt, They Decompose. Right? 

Cigarette butts are a major litter problem in Kentucky! Bluegrass Greensource is designing a campaign to address cigarette butt litter in Lexington and we’d like to hear your ideas! Click here for more info and submit your suggestions to Lisa@bgGreensource.org.

First Green Business Tour a Success

On September 26th, Central Kentucky educators took part in the first ever Green Business Tour. Find out which businesses participated and what educators said about the experience here.

Greensource to Co-Host Sustainability Summit

Bluegrass Greensource and Bluegrass Tomorrow have teamed up to host the first-ever Bluegrass Forever Green Sustainability Summit will be held on October 30th.  The goal of the summit is to bring leaders from throughout the region together to share information and best practices, as well as to discuss ways to find regional support and solutions for green initiatives. 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.

READ MORE

Bluegrass Greensource and Bluegrass Tomorrow Team Up to Host Bluegrass Forever Green Sustainability Summit

Bluegrass Greensource and Bluegrass Tomorrow have teamed up to host the first-ever Bluegrass Forever Green Sustainability Summit on October 30th.  The goal of the summit is to bring leaders from throughout the region together to share information and best practices, as well as to discuss ways to find regional support and solutions for green initiatives.

Attendees will hear about successful and growing organizations’ sustainability efforts in Louisville and in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. We will also hear of other examples like Bluegrass Greensource, Empower Lexington, LFUCG’s Greenspace Commission, Kentucky Sustainable Business Council, Bluegrass Bike Hike Horseback Trails Alliance Master Plan, the Kentucky River Water Trail Alliance, and more.

The most important part of the summit will be getting input from attendees. What do they think needs to be done to support green and sustainable initiatives in central Kentucky? Next steps will be dictated by the folks that are at the summit!

Please see the Green Summit flyer for more info.

READ MORE

First Green Business Tour a Success

Our first ever Green Business Tour for educators was held on September 26th, and it was a huge success. Educators and Bluegrass Greensource staff toured Alltech and FoodChain in the morning, before heading over to the Plantory for tasty food and a “Lunch and Learn” session provided by Whole Foods. After lunch, educators toured Big Ass Solutions and the Kentucky American Water treatment plant in Lexington.  It was a busy day, jam-packed with information about these businesses, the ways these businesses are working to improve the environment, and green jobs that will be available to area students.

Participating teachers said, “[The Green Business Tour was] very helpful and will improve my ability to assist my students,” and “Visiting all of the businesses was a great experience! Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.”  We hope to continue to offer this opportunity to educators across Central Kentucky!

Bluegrass Greensource would like to thank Alltech, Big Ass Solutions, FoodChain, and Kentucky American Water for providing tours of their facilities and information to educators about Green Careers.  We would also like to thank Whole Foods for sponsoring our Lunch and Learn session at the Plantory and providing us with a delicious, healthy lunch.

If you would like to attend the next Green Business Tour or if you have questions about the Green Jobs Program, please contact Macy Gould at macy@bggreensource.org or 859-266-1572.

Whole_Foods_Market_logo.svg alltech Big AssSolutions FoodChainLogo ky-american-water

READ MORE

Butt, they decompose. Right?

cigarette-butts most littered graphic

Cigarette butts are a major litter problem in Kentucky. Many people are unaware that cigarette butt litter usually ends up in our local creeks and rivers after being washed down our storm drains when it rains. Estimates of how long it takes a cigarette butt to decompose range from 8 to 10 years. Scientists debate whether the filter (made of a plastic called cellulose acetate) ever completely breaks down, but rather remains in our water and soil at microscopic levels.

Bluegrass Greensource is currently designing a cigarette butt campaign to address the issue in Lexington and we are seeking your input! Do you find cigarette butts in your neighborhood, your favorite park, or near your office or school? Send your ideas for addressing cigarette butt litter and locations that could use some assistance to  lisa@bggreensource.org. Thank you!

READ MORE

Greensource Welcomes New Environmental Educator

emily

Bluegrass Greensource welcomes Emily Casey to our team! Emily joins Bluegrass Greensource as an Environmental Educator working primarily with elementary and middle school students. She holds a B.S. in Education and Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. Emily is originally from New Jersey and has spent time living throughout New England and Colorado. Emily spends her free time exploring Lexington (GO CATS!) and “playing” outdoors around the beautiful Bluegrass region she now calls home.

READ MORE

Walmart Grant Provides $50,000 for Waste Reduction Education

The campaign to promote environmental responsibility through recycling in Central Kentucky schools received a boost on September 30th through the presentation of a $50,000 contribution from the Walmart Foundation to Bluegrass Greensource.

walmart press event 1

“Bluegrass Greensource is excited to once again partner with Walmart, to expand the Wastebuster program to more schools in Central Kentucky,” said Bluegrass Greensource Executive Director Amy Sohner at an event at Conkwright Elementary School. “We look forward to working with all of the schools in Boyle, Clark and Madison Counties to help increase recycling rates and teach students and families the importance of waste reduction. Thank you very much to Walmart for giving us this opportunity.”

Bluegrass Greensource will use the contribution to increase student knowledge of waste reduction issues in Central Kentucky. Experiential environmental education about recycling and waste reduction can be taught in three main content areas: practical living, social studies and science.

walmart press event 2

In addition to educating students, Walmart’s contribution will be used to provide classroom bins and rolling carts to facilitate recycling in each school.  It will also enable Greensource educators to work with students to perform two waste audits in each school – one before the program is implemented and one afterward.  Also, grants of up to $500 will be awarded for projects that will help the schools continue their recycling and waste reduction programs after the initial grant period is over.

“At Walmart, our community involvement is based on the philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally,” said Walmart Store Manager Shannon Willoughby. “We believe we can do the most good by supporting issues and causes that are important to our customers and associates in their own neighborhoods – including programs that stress environmental sustainability and incorporating green practices into every day life. We are pleased this donation to Bluegrass Greensource will enable the Wastebusters Program to expand into Boyle, Clark and Madison counties and look forward to following its success.”

READ MORE

Keep your Halloween green by taking these simple earth-friendly steps

October is finally here and with it comes cooler weather, pumpkin everything and the favorite holiday of every sugar-crazed 6-year-old (or 6-year-old at at heart): Halloween. Honestly, who doesn’t love Halloween?

All that aside, Halloween is another one of those days when our choices can cause lots of long-lasting problems for the environment. Most candy is wrapped in a non-recyclable mix of materials that end up heading straight for the landfill or, if we’re not careful, littering our neighborhoods.

Specialty costumes typically don’t have another purpose and find themselves hanging in a closet, unused, year after year. Pumpkin carvings, and eventually the works of art themselves, often end up being thrown in the trash without a second thought as to how they could otherwise be used.

You can avoid these and other environmental pitfalls by keeping the following tips in mind this Hallow(gr)een.

Be creative (aka green) when choosing a costume. Before purchasing a new outfit to wear, check out your closet to see if you can make your own costume this year. Thrift stores are another great place to start the hunt for the perfect costume. If that doesn’t work out, try organizing a costume swap with friends and family; you never know what’s hiding in someone else’s closet that could be exactly what you need.

Keep your celebration local. Take the kids trick-or-treating in your own neighborhood, carpool to the pumpkin patch or bike to this year’s office Halloween party. There are plenty of ways to reduce your transportation footprint this Halloween season.

Hand out responsible treats. Most traditional candy wrappers aren’t recyclable, so you may have to be creative to green this part of the trick-or-treating experience. Look for candy in paper wrappers, and limit your output to one piece per child. Alternatives to candy – stickers, temporary tattoos and small toys – can be fun too, just make sure to pick products with limited packaging and plastic usage. You could even include printed instructions for ways to upcycle candy wrappers to get as much use out of them as possible and keep them out of the landfill. Lots of tutorials exist online for jewelry, pencil cases, even things such as belts and shoes. Encourage kids to be creative!

Use the whole pumpkin. Look up recipes that involve fresh pumpkin filling so that all those carving remnants don’t go to waste; try salting and roasting the seeds for an autumn snack. After Halloween, when those beautiful carved pumpkins start to shrivel up, don’t just toss them in the trash. Instead, add them to your compost pile for rich spring soil.

Help clean up. When taking your kids trick-or-treating, bring an extra bag to pick up trash you may see on the way. Organizing an early November litter cleanup in your neighborhood is another way to keep those candy wrappers off the streets; you could ask an area coffee shop to donate warm beverages to encourage people to come help out even if it’s cold.

 
1 macyMacy Gould is the AmeriCorps VISTA member who serves as Bluegrass 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. Macy is originally from Minneapolis but considers Lexington home and enjoys visiting her family in Colorado Springs. She recently graduated from Transylvania University. Outside of work, you could likely find Macy planning for her community radio show or taking a long walk downtown.

This article appeared in KY Forward on October 9, 2014.

READ MORE

Ready, set, go with the 2015 LiveGreenLexington Green Business Challenge

Lexington professionals, listen up: if you’re interested in becoming more sustainable, you love saving money on your utility bills, and you have a little bit of a competitive streak, this one’s for you! The 2015 LiveGreenLexington Green Business Challenge is now underway, and it’s anyone’s game to win.

The launch party is tonight, Oct. 2, at the Carnegie Center for Literacy in Lexington from 5-7 p.m. Join us to represent your business and find out more about the challenge. You’ll also have a chance to meet our partners, network with peers, register to compete if you haven’t already, and enjoy light refreshments.

The challenge is a sustainability competition for Lexington’s business community. It uses practical activities – from energy conservation to transportation, and everything in between – to help you set and achieve your sustainability goals and have a little fun while you do it.

Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re already as green as can be, the challenge has something to offer your business – it provides structure and direction, lets you brag on the things you’re already doing, and encourages you to keep improving all year long. And with more than 100 activities to choose from, it’s flexible enough to meet any organization’s needs and budget.

The challenge is free and available to any Lexington business or organization, and it comes with plenty of perks, thanks to support from Elite Partners Office Depot, Graybar, and Klausing Group.

Challenge participants can take advantage of free energy and lighting assessments, free landscaping assessments, free waste audits, and exclusive training opportunities on topics ranging from green purchasing to water quality best management practices.

Head over to LexGreenBizChallenge.com to find out more about this great opportunity and register while you’re there. Competition runs through June 30, and registration is open until Feb. 1. If you sign up early, you’ve got more time to earn those points.

 
1 bethBeth 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 October 3, 2014.

READ MORE

PRESS RELEASE: Bluegrass Greensource receives $50,000 grant from Walmart

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Tiffany Smith, 859/797-0324

 Bluegrass Greensource receives $50,000 grant from Walmart

Winchester, Ky., September 30, 2014 –The campaign to promote environmental responsibility through recycling in Central Kentucky schools received a boost today through the presentation of a $50,000 contribution from the Walmart Foundation to Bluegrass Greensource.

“Bluegrass Greensource is excited to once again partner with Walmart, to expand the Wastebuster program to more schools in Central Kentucky,” said Bluegrass Greensource Executive Director Amy Sohner at an event at Conkwright Elementary School. “We look forward to working with all of the schools in Boyle, Clark and Madison Counties to help increase recycling rates and teach students and families the importance of waste reduction. Thank you very much to Walmart for giving us this opportunity.”

Bluegrass Greensource will use the contribution to increase student knowledge of waste reduction issues in Central Kentucky. Experiential environmental education about recycling and waste reduction can be taught in three main content areas: practical living, social studies and science.

In addition to education students, Walmart’s contribution will be used to provide classroom bins and rolling carts to facilitate recycling in each school.  It will also enable Greensource educators to work with students to perform two waste audits in each school – one before the program is implemented and one afterward.  Also, grants of up to $500 will be awarded for projects that will help the schools continue their recycling and waste reduction programs after the initial grant period is over.

“At Walmart, our community involvement is based on the philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally,” said Walmart Store Manager Shannon Willoughby. “We believe we can do the most good by supporting issues and causes that are important to our customers and associates in their own neighborhoods – including programs that stress environmental sustainability and incorporating green practices into every day life. We are pleased this donation to Bluegrass Greensource will enable the Wastebusters Program to expand into Boyle, Clark and Madison counties and look forward to following its success.”

Bluegrass Greensource is an environmental, non-profit organization that has offered resources and educational information to Central Kentucky since 2001. Greensource provides outreach to over 230 schools, 600 community groups, businesses, local governments and private citizens throughout Central Kentucky. Encouraging small, every day changes that make a big difference, the organization fosters positive environmental and economic impact throughout the region. For more information please visit www.bgGreensource.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

 Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief & Healthy Eating, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 1 billion meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit www.foundation.walmart.com.

 

###

READ MORE

Bluegrass Greensource uses Walmart grant to promote school recycling in three counties

Walmart has given Bluegrass Greensource a $50,000 grant to help promote more recycling and waste reduction in schools in three Kentucky counties – Boyle, Clark and Madison.

The program has existed for a number of years in six other counties – Anderson, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, and Mercer – and been responsible, according to Bluegrass Greensource, for improved student state test scores, an increase in the rate of recycling, and significant financial savings. Fayette County schools estimated they saved $50,000 on their waste removal budget through the pilot program. Another county reports a 40 percent reduction in their landfill-bound waste.

Priorities for the program include increasing student understanding for the need to reduce waste and increase recycling. This is to be achieved, according to Greensource, by working with classrooms, cafeterias, custodians, and administrators on five elements including waste audits; provision of recycling equipment and materials; offering age-specific hands-on activities aligned with Common Core; providing a Manual for Waste Reduction; and helping schools apply for mini-grants to implement school-specific waste reduction initiatives.

Conkwright Elementary in Clark County will host an official launch of this year’s program on Tuesday, Sept. 30, during which students will participate in a school-wide waste audit and complete recycling lessons. Present at the launch will be the mayor of Winchester, the Clark County judge executive, the school superintendent, representatives from participating schools, the Clark County solid waste coordinator, and representatives from Winchester Municipal Utilities.

This post appeared in KY Forward on September 29, 2014.

READ MORE