Popular Energy Tour is Back

Coal Tour

Calling all Central Kentucky Teachers who are interested in learning and teaching about Kentucky’s energy sources!  Our popular Energy Tour is coming soon and we want you to join us on October 24-25th.  But space is limited so teachers must sign up as soon as you can.

Thanks to funding provided by the Department of Energy Development and Independence (DEDI), we are able to offer this two-day tour to Central KY teachers to highlight Kentucky’s developing alternative energy technologies as well as traditional energy sources.  One day will be spent touring EKU’s Center for Renewable & Alternative Fuel Technologies (CRAFT), Berea College’s Ecovillage, a Berea solar farm and the KY Coal Mine Museum.  The second day will be spent in the Teco Mine in Hazard.  Yes, we said “IN” the Teco mine where you will experience first-hand deep earth mining and learn about coal extraction surface mining techniques.  Finally, a panel discussion will cover the advantages and disadvantages of different energy technologies.

As a follow-up to the tour, our environmental educators will host a series of classroom lessons for tour participants about the history of coal in Kentucky, extraction techniques of coal and alternative energies.  Additionally, participating teachers will have the opportunity to schedule an energy related field trip for their classroom.

If you are a Central Kentucky teacher and interested in joining us, please email Pattie Stivender at pattie@bgGreensource.org for more detail information.

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Explorations in Water

KAWC Logo

 

Our Water Quality Workshop for Teachers is coming September 18th.  The workshop is designed to help teachers understand how water quality and water conservation can be taught in a variety of ways and across disciplines.

Water resources are of major environmental, social and economic value.  We rely of water for our health, ecosystem, farming, fishing and mining, plus it contributes to recreation and tourism.  If water quality becomes degraded, this resource will lose its value.

The workshop will include water quality indicators, performing water tests, stormwater mapping, planning a school rain garden and information on Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools Water Inventory.   It is open to all teachers in Bourbon, Clark, Owen, Scott, and Woodford counties.

Special thanks to Kentucky American Water for funding this workshop and supporting area teachers.

Date: September 18, 2013

Time: 9:00 – 3:00

Location: Scott County Extension Office

1130 Cincinnati Road

Georgetown, KY 40324

 

For more information on the workshop and to register, please contact:

Pattie Stivender

Bluegrass Greensource

3120 Pimlico Parkway

Suite 126

Lexington, KY 40517

(859)266-1572

pattie@bgGreensource.org

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ReStore Paint Recycling

Whether it’s a fall clean-up or a complete remodel, you might find yourself with gallons of extra paint.  Luckily, Lexington’s own ReStore offers a novel paint recycling program as an alternative to the landfill or an overstuffed garage.

The only program of its kind in Lexington, ReStore’s paint recycling program is in its 188th batch; meaning that nearly 10,400 gallons of paint have been saved from the landfill according to Deconstruction Project Manager, Michael Frey.

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(Pictured to the left:  Michael Frey and Katie Clay)

The paint recycling program was started in 2010 when staff noticed gallons of partially-full donated gallons of paint were not selling and they were starting to amass quite a collection.

“Why not consolidate it?” they thought.  Initial attempts at mixing were focused on keeping like finishes together- satins with satins, flats with flats.  Today, paints are mixed by similar colors and the end product retains a mostly satin finish, which is water resistant and easy to clean.  Landlords, some of the paint recycling program’s most devoted customers, love the quality of the paint.  Katie Clay, a ReStore employee, shared her own personal experience, “I used two coats in my living room and it was a really nice light blue-green color.”

The paint recycling program is part of ReStore’s larger Deconstruction Program which also salvages construction materials on-site and collects scrap metals. Full and part-time employees churn out roughly two batches a week, which is roughly 100 gallons of paint that becomes recycled product. Two, 55 gallon barrels serve as the site of mixing and filtering. Batches are poured into 5 gallon buckets that sell for $35 each, complete with “home brewed” in Lexington labels created by another local business, Bullhorn Creative. White and off-white have proven the best-selling colors so far.

ReStore Paint 4Restore Paint 1

Jake Brown (left) and Tatum Lewis (right) demonstrate the recycling process.

Volunteers can also get in on the fun. University of Kentucky student groups, schools, and environmental groups have created their own paint batches, complete with catchy names. “Blue Your Mind,” “OMGreen,” “Pretty in Purplish,” “A-maize-ing Yellow,” and “Check me out, I’m Buff” are just a few of the gems.  While seemingly unappealing, “The Milk’s Gone Bad,” a grayish-white turned out to be a great seller. One group from the County Attorney’s Office spent a day moving furniture only to return for an afternoon of paint mixing. Their color creation? “Prosecutor Purple,” of course. “Volunteers are welcome and it doesn’t take a lot of training” says Michael. “A group of six volunteers can create a barrel of paint in around four hours.” School children aged 16 and over can volunteer with an adult 18 or older to operate the mixing drill.

 

Checklist for recycling your paint at ReStore:

  • It must have been made between 1994-present.
  • It has never been frozen.
  • Paint must be in its original container.
  • It must be latex. (Non-latex or other paints not accepted by ReStore can be made landfill-ready by adding cat litter, dirt, paint thickening crystals, or sawdust. Place beside the Herbie with the lid loosely attached on collection day.)

To set up volunteer visits, contact the ReStore Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Trout at catherinet@lexhabitat.org or call 859-252-2224, ext-150.

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