Newsletter Archives - Page 11 of 19 - Bluegrass Greensource

Lucky's Impact Day: Wednesday, July 13th

June 22, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

Support Bluegrass Greensource at Lucky’s Impact Day!

Shop for a GREAT cause!

We are thrilled to be the beneficiaries of Lucky’s Impact Day this summer. When you shop at Lucky’s Market (1030 South Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504) on Wednesday, July 13th, Bluegrass Greensource will receive 10% of the day’s total sales! Proceeds from the event will directly support our work in classrooms to bring the science of sustainability alive for Central Kentucky kids.

Meet our educators and enjoy Lucky’s Vendor Fair!

Want to say hello? Our staff will be on site from 11 am – 6 pm! From noon until 4:00, Bluegrass Greensource educators specializing in trees, native plantings, and rain gardens will be available to answer your questions. And, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, our staff will help you make your own reusable bag from an upcycled t-shirt!

Lucky’s Market will also host a fair of local vendors in the parking lot from 4:00 – 7:00 pm, AND be having a sale on beer (20% off!). So, come by, say hello, purchase some delicious fresh food, and help support environmental education in Central Kentucky. See you there!

Lucky’s Community Project

We are so thankful to Lucky’s for selecting us as their beneficiary this quarter! We encourage you to take a moment to watch the video below- it really captures Lucky’s commitment to being a part of the communities where they open their stores!

Lucky’s Market Community Project from Lucky’s Market on Vimeo.

2016 Artistic Rain Barrels Now Available Online!

June 22, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

2016 Artistic Rain Barrels

The 2016 Artistic Rain Barrels are now available for purchase online!
Each rain barrel is $200 (with tax), with all proceeds benefiting Bluegrass Greensource’s environmental education activities throughout Central Kentucky. Check them out below!

Purchase yours today!

Click the button below to purchase your barrel! Remember the name of the barrel and select it from the drop down menu. Sales tax applies. Barrels must be picked up from Bluegrass Greensource offices, located at 835 National Avenue, Lexington, KY 40502.

What do rain barrels do for the environment?

Rain barrels connect to your downspout, decreasing the amount of rain that runs off your property, which aids in preventing water pollution and flooding. Every time it rains, unabsorbed water rushes to storm drains and directly to local waterways. This water carries with it pollutants such as pet waste, automotive fluids and fertilizer.

The water saved in rain barrels can be used for watering flowers, gardens and lawns all through the summer, even in times of drought. Reduced water demand will lower your use of municipal water supplies, saving you money!

There’s a rain barrel I LOVE, but I don’t want to purchase online. What do I do?

No problem! Please contact michelle@bggreensource.org to purchase, or call our office at 859-266-1572.

Can I purchase a plain rain barrel?

Yes! Bluegrass Greensource sells rain barrels year round. The rain barrels are made out of plastic, 55 gallon, reused, food grade barrels. The price for one is $75, plus tax. If you are interested in buying a rain barrel from Bluegrass Greensource, call Michelle at 859-266-1572 or email either Michelle@bgGreensource.org or info@bgGreensource.org.

2016 Rain Barrel Artists & Locations Announced!

April 28, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

What are ‘Artistic Rain Barrels’?

In Fall of 2015, Bluegrass Greensource commissioned local artists to design and paint fully functional rain barrels, inspired by the theme of Kentucky’s rich horse culture and horseracing. After considering proposals, Bluegrass Greensource selected 10 original designs and the artists set to work. The results are pretty spectacular!

What do the Rain Barrels do for the environment?

Rain barrels connect to your downspout, decreasing the amount of rain that runs off your property, which aids in preventing water pollution and flooding. Every time it rains, unabsorbed water rushes to storm drains and directly to local waterways. This water carries with it pollutants such as pet waste, automotive fluids and fertilizer.

The water saved in rain barrels can be used for watering flowers, gardens and lawns all through the summer, even in times of drought. Reduced water demand will lower your use of municipal water supplies, saving you money!

Where can I see the Rain Barrels up close?

The 2016 Rain Barrels are currently on display in high-traffic coffee shops and local businesses, including the Kentucky Horse Park and the Kentucky Theatre. Click here to view our interactive map of all of the 2016 locations!

We’ll reunite all of the rain barrels at GreenFest, on May 21^st, 2016, where they will be available for purchase! Each rain barrel is $200, with all proceeds benefiting Bluegrass Greensource’s environmental education activities throughout Central Kentucky.

The public display of the rain barrels serves as a reminder of the importance of proper stormwater management and the small changes individuals can make at home to improve local water quality!

There’s a rain barrel I LOVE, but I won’t be at GreenFest- can I buy it later?

Yes! Please contact chris@bggreensource.org to purchase after May 21^st.

Rain Gardens: Beneficial & Beautiful!

March 22, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

Rain gardens are an excellent and proven way to limit run off from entering our storm sewers and streams. In addition to helping reduce nonpoint source pollution such as litter, fertilizer, and animal waste (from pets or livestock) from entering our waterways, rain gardens can be an attractive way to address these challenges, particularly where urban-related runoff is a problem.

For the past decade, Bluegrass Greensource has been educating Central Kentucky homeowners about the benefits of rain gardens, in addition to providing the technical and financial resources needed to install them. Our goal is to increase awareness of water pollution, how it happens, and how to clean it up, especially when it comes to sources of pollution that average person has some control over. Our approach is to educate residents on how to select an appropriate site for the garden, how to construct it, and what plants are suited for a rain garden. In the time that we have worked to increase the installation of rain gardens, we have learned that most people also need information on how to renovate, maintain, and care for a rain garden once it is has been established.

In the past few years, we have worked with the Kentucky Division of Water on a grant program designed to greatly increase the number of gardens throughout Central Kentucky. Our efforts have been very successful, with more than 50 rain gardens installed or renovated in the past two years. This particular project focused on homeowners in the six counties that border Fayette: Bourbon, Clark, Jessamine, Madison, Scott and Woodford, in addition to extending the program to Fayette County in the second year of the grant. In this program, we reached more than 350 people through 22 workshops, three rain garden tours, eight community festivals, and outreach to various schools and scout groups.

With spring finally here, it’s a great time to get started on installing your own rain garden. If you are interested, but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. You can visit a dedicated page on our website. Once there, you can access a very popular Rain Garden Manual that we produced to help residents better understand the how’s and why’s of installing a garden. Additionally, if you’re looking for inspiration and want to see some cool examples of existing gardens, we have created an interactive map that provides a guide and brief profile of area rain gardens.

So get inspired, find the resources you need, and join us in creating sites that are beautiful and help reduce pollution!

Growth of Energy Education at Bluegrass Greensource

February 16, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

Ever wonder what Bluegrass Greensource staff are up to? Every so often, we like to provide first-person descriptions of some of the work our staff complete in the communities we serve. This month, we hear from Olivia Oakley, an Americorps Vista who is working hard to provide energy education to Central Kentucky youth and adults.

Olivia Energy Education — Students work on creating their cardboard homes, which they will then work to make more energy efficient.

As Bluegrass Greensource’s Energy-Efficiency Educator, I have been developing and providing energy education to youth and adults in Fayette County. Since September, I have been working to bring new energy activities into the Lexington schools we serve. One of these new activities is the Energy House project, an activity originally from the NEED project. This project requires groups of students to make an energy efficient cardboard house. With specific rules and guidelines, children learn to weatherize their homes by reducing air leaks and increasing insulation. This activity requires students to use real world cost applications to make their miniature home energy efficient by using materials such as caulk, cotton padding, and weather stripping, which help students learn the costs associated with saving energy. This activity targets education in energy efficiency, weatherization, conductors/insulators, cost conservation, and basic math calculations. So far, the Green Team at Sayre School and the Science Club at Cassidy Elementary have successfully participated in this project. It is extremely rewarding to watch students as they problem solve and work together to learn about residential energy use.

For younger groups (preschool through kindergarten), a big project like the Energy House is much too complex. However, it is possible to use Bluegrass Greensource’s residential energy audit kits and infrared cameras to tailor energy lessons in ways that makes sense to them. For example, I have developed a Window Coloring Activity that better explains Infrared pictures. I first explain how an infrared camera works by taking a “thermogram,” which measures temperature variations throughout different surfaces.

An infrared photo of this class makes energy personal and fun!

I then show the students dramatic thermograms like a picture of the inside of a refrigerator or the outside of a hot cup of coffee. From there, students are given a blank window to color in, and I ask them to think about what a thermogram of a window might look like. After we are done coloring, we take a picture of a window inside the classroom and discuss our colored windows. Even kids as young as three and four are able to discuss how color and temperature relate to each other in a thermogram.

Discussing such a broad topic such as “energy” can be challenging, as there are many avenues for discussion. When asking students what they already know about energy, I often hear about their understanding of how bodies use energy to move and jump. This is great, and I love coming into classrooms in Fayette County and hearing from even the youngest kids about energy. As an Environmental Educator, it is my job to take their understanding of energy a step further and instill in these students a sense of responsibility toward our natural environment, one that makes connections between energy and the environment. My goal is for students to better understand how energy is produced and used in Kentucky and why it’s important to conserve it. Home energy is one of biggest areas of electricity usage in the Commonwealth and is also where most students will be able to make the biggest difference through affordable equipment and basic behavior changes. This makes our efforts of increasing and further developing energy education in Fayette County extremely important.

Resolution Results

February 16, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

With the beginning of the new year, Bluegrass Greensource asked you to tell us in which areas of your life you resolved to make sustainability improvements.

Your responses were wonderful and demonstrated your deep commitments to making the small changes that lead to big impacts in our local environment. Almost everyone who participated committed to making changes in more than one area of their lives. Of the four resolution categories, 27% of respondents said they wanted to get outside more; 22% resolved to make their homes more energy efficient; 20% resolved to conserve water at the home or office; and 20% committed to improve recycling and/or composting at their homes. Perhaps most exciting were the 11% of respondents who resolved to make improvements in areas other than those listed. While these responses varied, a good many involved a desire to grow more food, make more purchases from local vendors, educate friends and neighbors about sustainability issues, and more consciously reduce their own personal consumption.

As part of the campaign, Bluegrass Greensource entered all respondents into a drawing for a $200 gift that can be used to give a jump start to the winner’s resolution efforts. We’re happy to announce that the winner of our drawing was Julie Riggs of Lawrenceburg. Congratulations Julie!

In addition to your commitment, your responses give us a great idea of the types of resources that you want and that we can provide or develop to help you along the way. Thanks to everyone who participated and resolved to increasing your efforts to become more sustainable in 2016!

Thank you for supporting our work!

January 6, 2016By BGGS Admin0 comment

This fall, our goal was to raise $7,500 to support three mission-critical areas of our work. We are so excited to report that with your help and that of many other friends and supporters, we reached our goal. At 11:51 p.m. on December 31st, we received our last donation through the GoodGiving Guide Challenge, which pushed us over the top! Throughout November and December, we received 82 donations totaling $7,571.

This support is essential to furthering our work in three critical ways:

Help us provide 150 students an opportunity to participate in Outdoor Learning Days, where our education staff lead a daylong learning event at the Dupree Nature Preserve in Garrard County. Funds help to pay for transportation costs, materials for the students to use during the day, and our staff time.
Help us provide 33 free weatherization kits that will be given to low-income families that participate in our energy efficiency home weatherization workshops. Because winter utility bills are one of the greatest financial burdens low-income families face, making homes more energy efficient is one of the most immediate ways to reduce bills, save energy, and save money for families. And because even a small upfront cost can be a barrier to a low-income family being able to implement energy efficiency measures, we are raising funds this winter to provide these kits, which will increase access to energy efficiency and personal comfort, while also helping to reduce a family’s financial burden and carbon footprint.
Help support our 3rd annual Main Street Clean Sweep, which is a volunteer-led litter clean up that Bluegrass Greensource organizes in Central Kentucky communities. Last year, we had almost 1,000 volunteers who collected nearly 4 tons of litter throughout 17 communities. This year, our goal is to engage 2,000 volunteers, expand to 19 communities, and collect eight tons of litter.

We couldn’t have achieved this success without you. Thank you for helping us get 2016 off to a wonderful start!

Weatherization Workshops and Tips

December 16, 2015By BGGS Admin0 comment

If your winter heating bill is over $200 per month, chances are that you would benefit from some home weatherization improvements. Here are a few tips that could be useful in keeping your home warm for less money:

The two biggest sources of energy use is your HVAC system and your hot water heater. Keeping your house well insulated, as well as preventing air leaks and maintaining a proper temperature for hot water can lead to great cost savings, and a more comfortable home.
Air leaks around your doors and windows allow cold air into the home during the winter months. This prevents your HVAC system from maintaining a target temperature, keeping it constantly running and unable to actually warm your home. Fight this problem by air sealing your windows and doors!
LED light bulbs can save you money on energy use because they only use 20% of the energy & last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. Replacing five of your most used light bulbs to LEDS can save up to $75 annually.
For the best savings on your hot water heater, install a hot water heater blanket for insulation and adjust its temperature to 120 º.
Arrange furniture so that no vents in the home are blocked. Keeping all vents open and clean will allow the air flow to be better circulated and make it easier for your HVAC system to heat your entire home.
Change your air filters every 3 months in order to keep your HVAC system running properly and maintain healthy air quality in your home.
Check out an energy audit kit at Bluegrass Greensource or your local Lexington public library in order to find out where weatherization is needed the most in your home. Each home is different so don’t assume where weatherization is needed and find out yourself by doing a home audit with one of our rental energy audit kits.

This list of weatherization tips for your home is a good start, but it is important to keep in mind that every home is unique and will need different weatherization to keep it running effectively. For more information on how to weatherize your home in order to save money this winter on utility costs, join us at one of our free weatherization workshops. In this workshop you will learn different air sealing techniques, energy saving tips, a comprehensive look at our energy audit kits, and information on energy-related assistance programs in Lexington, KY. For a list of dates and locations please visit our website at: https://bggreensource.org/what-you-can-do/energy-efficiency/weatherization/

Fundraising Update

December 16, 2015By BGGS Admin0 comment

Just two weeks left!

The holidays are upon us, and New Year’s is just around the corner. That means that the GoodGiving Guide Challenge is also entering its final weeks.

This fall, we have a goal of raising $7,500 to help support three critical areas of our mission. At the moment, we have raised $4,100 toward that goal. Now is the time to make your donation. Here are three easy ways that you can support Bluegrass Greensource this year:

Go to our GoodGiving Guide Challenge page and make a one-time, tax deductible donation: https://bggives.razoo.com/giving_events/bg15/home

Come join us Monday, December 21st, at Blue Stallion Brewing Company, where we are the featured nonprofit for Mission Mondays. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy some good beer, good company, and support a great cause—Bluegrass Greensource will receive 10 percent of the sales for the evening. So come out Monday night and help us turn the Blue Stallion green!

Right now, our good friends at Synergy Home have made an incredible offer to Bluegrass Greensource. For every new “like” they receive on their Facebook page from now through December 31st, Synergy will donate $1 to Bluegrass Greensource. Synergy Home is a new business in Lexington that is your one-stop shop for energy efficiency and renewable energy services. Check out their Facebook page here, give them a “like,” and help support Bluegrass Greensource!