Greensource Joins National Avenue Businesses for Holiday Meet and Greet

December 11, 2014By 0 comment

Rain + cold + Saturday is typically a recipe for little more than staying in bed. Saturday, December 6th 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.

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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.

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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!

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New Video Series Highlights Lexington Green Businesses

December 11, 2014By 0 comment

At Bluegrass Greensource, we’re always looking for fun new ways to promote our LiveGreenLexington Partners. Our newest adventure takes us into the realm of video.  The recently-launched Green Stories series will take you on a tour of Lexington’s leading green businesses. Each episode will focus on one LiveGreenLexington partner, and we will be highlighting the things they do to be more sustainable.

Our goal is to show that any organization, no matter how large or small, can make a significant impact by making changes. We hope that this series will educate, inform, and inspire you to act in your own business or your home.

If you know of an organization doing a great job at being more sustainable, please let us know. We’d love to feature new ideas and new people.

We’ll be posting these every month or so on our News page, and on our new YouTube channel!

Our first episode focuses on local marketing and design firm Bullhorn Creative. Bullhorn has been a LiveGreenLexington partner since 2010. They are both recycling and energy partners, and this video gives a great intro to the work they have done in those arenas.

Coming up in our next episode, learn about the work the Lexington Public Library has done to make your library experience a more sustainable one!

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Support Greensource in Annual GoodGiving Guide Challenge

November 13, 2014By 0 comment

Bluegrass Greensource is participating in the 2014 GoodGiving Guide Challenge, making us eligible for thousands of dollars in cash prizes when our supporters donate through the Challenge website! We are already off to a great start, raising $1,335 in just under two weeks.

As an added bonus from the Challenge, Greensource recently won a contest hosted by West Sixth Brewing. All nonprofits participating in the Challenge were invited to submit a t-shirt design for West Sixth’s Pay It Forward Cocoa Porter, and our Outreach Specialist Beth Oleson submitted the winning design. The t-shirts are available for sale at West Sixth (501 W. 6th Street, Lexington). Greensource will receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the shirts for the next year!

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The Challenge is a partnership between Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing. Last year, the Challenge raised over $1.67 MILLION for 107 local non-profits. This year, 155 nonprofits are participating, and we’re expecting great things!

We are asking friends and supporters like you to help us reach our goal of raising $3,500 by donating at least $25 to Bluegrass Greensource during the Challenge! Visit our donation page at BGgives.org anytime between now and 11:59pm on December 12th. Many thanks to all of our GoodGiving Guide Challenge donors!

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Free Green Purchasing Workshop Offered for Lexington Businesses

November 12, 2014By 0 comment

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When we work toward a more sustainable lifestyle, we spend a lot of time thinking about the things we should do (or not do): turn off the lights, recycle and compost, don’t leave the faucet running, don’t litter.  Equally important – but less discussed – is the impact of the things we buy.  In our consumer-driven society, the way we spend sends a major message to manufacturers; and we want that message to be, “I support sustainable, responsible practices.”

Every person can do their part to green the supply chain, but sustainable purchasing is even more important in the workplace, where major accounts and large quantities carry more weight with suppliers.  That’s why Bluegrass Greensource, LFUCG, and the LiveGreenLexington Green Business Challenge are teaming up to offer a lunch-and-learn style Green Purchasing Workshop for Lexington professionals.  Attendees need only worry about the learning half of the equation; a catered lunch is on us.  The workshop will take place at the Barrel House (903 Manchester Street #150) on Tuesday, November 18th from 12-2pm.

Led by industry sustainability leader Office Depot, the Green Purchasing Workshop aims to provide Lexington’s business community with an overview of green purchasing past and present, its benefits (and yes, you will save money by going green), product samples from sustainable vendors, and tips to get your organization moving in the right direction.  The workshop is free and open to anyone representing a Lexington business, and is ideal for purchasing managers and green team members – but any and everyone can benefit from this great information, so don’t be shy!  If your organization purchases anything from office supplies to appliances to cleaners, this is the workshop for you.  To reserve your seat, register here.

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Career Fairs Introduce Students to Green Job Opportunities

November 12, 2014By 0 comment

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In October, Bluegrass Greensource held three regional Green Career Fairs in central Kentucky. These events connected students with basic green jobs information and with businesses and colleges that offer green career opportunities, education, and/or training. The career fairs also featured interactive activities for students to engage with business and college volunteers.

The three Green Career Fairs were held at Danville High School, Locust Trace Agriscience Farm, and Kentucky State University. The Locust Trace Green Career Fair featured student tours of the net-zero energy and waste facilities. The KSU Green Career Fair featured break-out sessions on developing small businesses, green consulting, and a student-led session on caring for the environment. Over 1,200 students from 17 schools across Central Kentucky attended these Green Career Fairs.

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Participating teachers were impressed with this program and hope to see more Green Career Fairs in the future. One teacher said, “Students do not realize that these careers are right here in their community, and these are jobs that pay [well].”

Bluegrass Greensource would like to thank Danville Independent Schools, Fayette County Public Schools, Franklin County Schools, and Kentucky State University for partnering with the Green Jobs Program to make the Green Career Fairs possible. We would also like to thank Central Vending and Aramark for providing snacks and lunch for the events.

Macy Gould, Green Jobs Coordinator, is already planning the next Green Career Fair for the spring. She wants next year’s Green Career Fair to be even more impactful than this year’s three – that’s why she is focusing her efforts on one, even bigger fair this time around as opposed to several in different parts of central Kentucky. Macy plans to reach out to many green businesses and high schools who were unable to attend this year and hopes that next year’s event will exceed the high expectations set by this year’s successes.

The fair will take place in the spring in Lexington, with an exact date and location to be determined soon. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming months, and contact Macy at Macy@BGGreensource.org if you’re interested in participating.

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Dupree Outdoor Days Connect Garrard and Jessamine County Students to Nature

November 12, 2014By 0 comment

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“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.”

― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

The Nature Conservancy’s newest Kentucky nature preserve invites people to connect with nature in order to deepen their understanding, appreciation, and support for Kentucky’s lands and waters. Schools in the area responded to that invitation with a resounding yes! During the month of October, approximately 400 students from Garrard and Jessamine Counties visited Dupree Nature Preserve to experience outdoor learning days.

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The focus of the outdoor learning days was to allow children the opportunity to explore the trails of the preserve while learning about environmental subjects. Students attended sessions that highlighted Kentucky animals, watersheds and water quality, orienteering, tree identification, and raft construction with the goal of developing knowledge and skills by participating in real-life projects. Students were able to connect to their local environment and learn the importance of stewardship of their community’s natural resources.

Although favorite activities varied from student to student, raft building received the most enthusiastic response. This activity highlighted the ferry that was once found on the preserve. Water travel was important to the settlers that lived here, as it allowed them to ship their goods to a wider market. The questions posed to the students were: How did the settlers cross the river? How did they send and receive goods in this setting? Students were challenged to use natural materials to construct a raft that could transport goods in the absence of a ferry.

One student summed up her experience as the buses were leaving by shouting “Thank you! We had a great day!” Bluegrass Greensource would like to thank Toyota for funding Dupree Outdoor Days and TNC volunteer Ken Brooks for coordinating the events. We had a great day, too!

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Greensource Board Welcomes Greg Butler

November 12, 2014By 0 comment

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Bluegrass Greensource extends a warm welcome to the newest member of our board, Greg Butler of Republic Services! Greg has worked with cities and counties in Virginia, Texas, Oregon, and Kentucky on a wide array of projects ranging from strategic planning, community visioning, natural hazards mitigation, food security, parks and open space planning, waste management, economic development, and alternative transportation. Greg has lived in Kentucky since 2010 with his partner Lily, who assures him that she’ll be done with graduate school soon, and their mostly useless dog, Crowder. When not working with governments, Greg, Lily, and Crowder are working on their startup company to reinvigorate heirloom dried bean production in Appalachia and the Southeast.

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

October 14, 2014By 0 comment

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.

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First Green Business Tour a Success

October 14, 2014By 0 comment

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.

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Butt, they decompose. Right?

October 14, 2014By 0 comment

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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!

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