The new volunteer program, Bluegrass GreenForce is up and running.  On Saturday, January 10th, we had our very first Bluegrass Greensource 101 class.  We covered topics on recycling, zero-waste, water-quality, litter, and rain barrels.  Participants were excited to get out and volunteer.  We are looking forward to launching the Bluegrass GreenForce program with this core group of volunteers!

There is still time for you to join the GreenForce!  Joining the GreenForce is an opportunity for you to be trained on important environmental issues, lead stream clean-ups and storm-drain stenciling events, collaborate with our education and outreach staff, educate the community at community events, and implement your own ideas for greening Central Kentucky. There are volunteer opportunities in our Lexington office and on-site throughout our 19 county service region in Central Kentucky.

Bluegrass Greensource is always grateful for help distributing outreach materials, staffing community booths, and designing or translating informational displays.  People ready and willing to get their hands dirty at reforestation events, community cleanups, and water quality testing are also appreciated!  Whatever you want to do, we will find a way for you to volunteer.

The first step in joining the GreenForce is to attend a Bluegrass Greensource 101 class, and we are hoping to schedule another Bluegrass Greensource 101 class for February.  Stay tuned, and please let us know if you are interested in this training!

If you have questions or are interested in joining the GreenForce, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Bryant Cheney, at ashley@bggreensource.org or call 859-266-1572.

A new unique leadership opportunity awaits you at Bluegrass Greensource! Are you interested in developing new skills, strengthening your leadership ability, implementing new ideas, and making an impact in your community?

If so, Bluegrass Greensource has a wonderful new opportunity for you!

In 2015, Bluegrass Greensource will be launching Bluegrass Greenforce. This is more than a volunteer program. It is an opportunity for you to be trained on important environmental issues, lead stream clean-ups and storm-drain stenciling events, collaborate with our education and outreach staff, educate the community at community events, and implement your own ideas for greening Central Kentucky.

Join us on Saturday January 10th at our new office (835 National Ave. Lexington) from 9am-12pm to learn about Bluegrass Greenforce. Whether you are interested in volunteering at community events, schools, in the office, or doing any volunteer work with Bluegrass Greensource, this training will give you the information and tools you need to start making an impact in our environment.

We hope to see you there!

Space for this training is limited. Please RSVP to the Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Bryant Cheney, at ashley@bggreensource.org.

Our outreach staff spends a lot of time working with local businesses to help them foster sustainability efforts in the office, but we don’t often talk about the things we do to be green in our own space.  Since we’ve just moved to our new location at 835 National Avenue (come see us!), now is the perfect time to share some of the cool, eco-friendly things going on in our office – from our space, to our equipment, to our people.

Our Space

• Repurposed Building: Our office was once an empty warehouse.  In a world of suburban sprawl, we’re proud to occupy existing infrastructure in the heart of Lexington.
• LED Lighting: Our energy-efficient lighting cuts our carbon footprint down to size.  Lighting accounts for 25-40% of energy consumption in an average building; it’s an important place to strive for efficiency.
• Natural Light: Windows and skylights allow us to turn off our overhead lighting on sunny days.
• Recycled Paint: Our walls feature recycled latex paint: donated to the Lexington Habitat for Humanity ReStore, mixed by Greensource employees, and put to work brightening our space – not sitting in a landfill.
• Low-Flow Facilities: Guilt-free flushing courtesy of our water-efficient restrooms.  We’re hoping to take it to the next level in the near future with the installation of dual-flush toilets.
• Pre-Owned Furniture: Most of our couches, chairs, cabinets, and décor are pre-owned, refurbished, and reused.

Our Equipment

• Hybrid Company Car: With a 19-county service area, we do a lot of driving.  Our fuel-efficient hybrid gets more than 40 miles out of a gallon of gas.
• Programmable Thermostats: We don’t want to waste energy on heating and cooling our space overnight and on weekends; thanks to our programmable thermostats, we don’t have to.
• Three Rosies, One Herbie, and Recycling Bins at Every Desk: We’re set up to make recycling easy and effective.  Our common area – and each individual work station – has a recycling bin, and we recycle more than we throw away.
• Personal Lighting: Desk lamps cut down on energy usage; during low occupancy, the lamps are on and the overhead lighting is off.
• Duplexed Printers: By setting duplex (2-sided) printing as our default, we cut our paper use in half.
• Power Strips: Each workstation is plugged into its own power strip, making it quick and easy to eliminate energy waste when it’s not in use.
• Reusable and Compostable Dishes: Americans use more than 14 billion disposable paper coffee cups every year, and more than 50 billion plastic water bottles, but we’re bucking the trend at Bluegrass Greensource.  Reusable dishes are provided, and employees are encouraged to bring their own mugs and water bottles – and when we have to go disposable, our cups, plates, and utensils are compostable.

Our People

• Recycling: We recycle as much as we can: glass, paper, cardboard, cans, and plastic – all of which the city of Lexington collects – but also electronics and ink and toner cartridges.
• Paper Reuse: Paper that’s been printed on one side doesn’t go to waste; we reprint the blank side with internal memos and documents.
• Lights Out: Between natural light and workspace lighting, we don’t always need the overhead lights to be on – so we turn them off.  The same goes for any areas of the office that aren’t occupied or in use.
• Shut Down: Each employee shuts down his or her workstation at the end of the day: computers and other electronics are never left running, and power strips are switched off to prevent vampire energy loss.
• Vermicomposting: A compost bin with a hardworking team of red wiggler earthworms helps us dispose of food waste naturally.
• Hand Towels: Yes, paper towels are still an option – but the hand towels in our restrooms and kitchen are our waste-free option of choice.
• Carpooling and Alternative Transportation: We support and encourage biking and walking to work, and carpool to meetings, events, and activities every chance we get.
• Green Purchasing: Our purchasing power matters, and we choose to support suppliers and manufacturers of sustainable products.  From printer paper to cleaning supplies to promotional materials to trophies and plaques, awe seek out post consumer recycled content, reclaimed materials, and safe, biodegradable components.

Being sustainable at work doesn’t have to mean major building improvements or expense; it can be as simple as a few extra recycling bins and a little staff training.  If you’re interested in making your workplace a little more eco-friendly, we can help!  Get in touch with our Outreach Specialists and find out what changes you can make to go a little greener.

Rain + cold + Saturday is typically a recipe for little more than staying in bed. Saturday, December 6^th was an exception when roughly 40 community members joined Bluegrass Greensource for our holiday open house.  The open house was part of Love on Lexington, a neighborhood business hop organized by the National Corridor Businesses, and sought to introduce the community to the various businesses springing up along National Avenue, Walton, and North Ashland. Since moving our office to 835 National Avenue, we have found ourselves in terrific company with neighbors such as Lucia’s World Emporium who also recently relocated to the area from Woodland Triangle and donated 10% of their Saturday sales to our organization. Other wonderful neighbors include Squeeze and Centered, Kentucky Mudworks, the Carmalicia Salon, House, Fitness Plus, The Coliseum, Swim Bike Run, and Serif Group among others.

The weather might have been suboptimal, but the spirits were high as guests were treated with hot cocoa and sweet treats. The holidays are a great opportunity to practice holding zero waste events and this was no exception. We supplemented our ceramic mugs and silverware with compostable cups, plates, and utensils in order to create a waste-free event, meaning that no garbage would end up in the landfill. Staff gave tours of the sustainable features of our office, including painted walls courtesy of Habitat for Humanity ReStore’s paint recycling program and used furniture from ReStore, our LED lights, and waste reduction methods. Open house visitors were invited to make a pine cone bird feeder, and a photo booth offering an array of props ranging from Santa hats to reindeer antlers got everyone in the holiday spirit.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the open house! We are excited to be in our new location on National Avenue, surrounded by our lovely new neighbors. Stop by and visit us at 835 National Avenue to learn more, explore volunteer opportunities, or just chat! Happy holidays from everyone at Bluegrass Greensource!