Newsletter

By: Rachel Patton

Presenting our newest certified early childhood environmental educators! On April 27, we trained 17 early childhood educators in 3 environmental education curriculum guides: Growing up WILD, Getting Little Feet Wet, and Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood. We spent the day outdoors, engaged in activities about trees, wildlife, habitats, water, and so much more! Our teachers were so excited to take their curriculum guides and knowledge back to their classrooms. Since the training, teachers have implemented many environmental education lessons into their weekly plans and collaborated with Bluegrass Greensource educators, as we visit their classes weekly to lead a lesson. Their students have used their senses to discover the world around them. They have discovered the importance of animal camouflage and the different habitats of various animals. They have learned about bobwhite quail and their unique habitat–some have even had the opportunity to incubate eggs and care for the chicks! 

Our teachers visited the Salato Wildlife Center in June to finish their training and provide feedback on the program. While at Salato, the teachers learned about animal camouflage and freshwater habitats. We explored Salato, looking at the habitats and camouflage of many animal species located in our state. The teachers could not wait to tell their students about our adventure and have their students look for camouflaged animals in some of the photos they took. One teacher said the program has been “an awesome experience and opportunity” and that “the benefits of this class will make a lasting impact on [their] curriculum.”

We have since led several of our Junior Nature Explorers on trips to the Toyota Nature Trails and Salato Wildlife Center. The students are always looking for camouflaged animals, animal tracks, and making observations about the world around them. Research shows that people who are interested in the natural world and conservation recall a role model or experience that sparked that interest. The teachers of our Junior Nature Explorers are serving as important role models for our next generation of conservation stewards!

If you are interested in more information about Junior Nature Explorers, please email rachel@bgGreensource.org.

In the past year, chances are you have heard something about the challenges facing recycling in America. Though services in Garrard and Lincoln County have been affected, Tommy Gooch, Solid Waste Coordinator for both counties, says the Counties’ recycling program continues to see growth and increased demand.

Because of this increase, the Recycling Center recently added curbside service routes for Hustonville, Moreland, and Junction City. Tommy says the biggest feedback he hears is a desire for expanded curbside services and an increase in the types of materials accepted.

Currently, the Center accepts aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, mixed paper, and all #1 and #2 plastics. Every day, the Center processes four tons of cardboard and five tons of paper, metal cans, and plastics. “I wish we could take more,” Tommy says. “But we’ve just about outgrown this facility. And that’s a good thing!”

What makes Garrard-Lincoln recycling efforts so successful when centers across the country have closed is community. When asked, Tommy quickly lists the support they receive, from the small business community and thoughtful practices of county residents to the strong support from county judge executives Jim Adams and John Wilson to the backend assistance from James Bushnell and Bluegrass Greensource.

But as any visit will quickly illustrate, the people working at the center are the glue holding everything together. Tommy and his co-worker, Cathy Murphy,

put in countless hours collecting, sorting, and overseeing the resale of materials. In addition to a few part-time employees, there are the four-to-six state inmates who work at the Center. This experience provides the men with job skills and an important way to give back to the community, and Tommy notes the great amount of pride they take in their work. “We simply couldn’t do it without their help,” he says.

Despite success and continued demand, local recycling efforts face multiple challenges, primarily from the large amount of used tires and old televisions. Unlike other appliances like refrigerators and stoves, which the Center always accepts, televisions cannot be recycled and are not supposed to go to the landfill. This means that, along with the tires, they too often end up on the shoulder of one of the more than 3,000 miles of county roads in Lincoln and Garrard.

The biggest thing residents can do to ensure the ongoing success of this increasingly popular program is to remain mindful of recycling only the proper items. Trash in the recycling stream can mean big financial losses on the material resale. The cleaner the recycling stream, the more efficient and economical the program will be.

If you are interested in touring the recycling center and learning more about the program, Tommy invites you to stop by any time while they are open. If you do not have curbside service but still want to recycle, you are also welcome to drop materials off. The center is open: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Stop by, say hello, and see this community gem in action!

In May, Bluegrass Greensource worked with several communities and property owners in the region to establish native streamside (riparian) buffers along key waterways. The riparian program is part of a larger effort to improve water quality within the Clarks Run and Hanging Fork watersheds in Boyle and Lincoln counties, and Hinkston Creek watershed in Bourbon, Montgomery, and Nicholas counties. Through a grant from the Kentucky Division of Water, Bluegrass Greensource was able to offer an 80/20 cost-share program for establishment of riparian buffers to eligible landowners and communities in the focus watersheds.

Vegetation along the edge of a stream is known as a riparian or streamside buffer and acts as a transition between water bodies and upland uses such as manicured lawns or agriculture. The buffers planted this spring are a combination of fast and slow growing trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials from KY native nurseries in the area with widths ranging from 15 to 45 FT wide. Communities such as the City of Millersburg in Bourbon County and the City of Hustonville in Lincoln County were able to partner with local volunteers and school groups to plant between 600 and 800 plants each!

Maintenance will be crucial as these new plants fight to beat out their invasive competitors and weeds.  The ultimate goal of introducing a diverse selection of native species to these buffer zones is to hold soil in place and protect the streambanks from the removal of soil, rocks, and other woody materials. Streamside buffers have many other benefits, including trapping and filtering sediment and other pollutants from stormwater runoff, reducing flood damage, providing shade and habitat to streams, recharging groundwater sources, and improving the aesthetic value of landscapes.

Bluegrass Greensource partnered with County Cooperative Extension and Conservation District Offices to offer Saving Your Streambanks Workshops last fall. Participants learned about local watershed issues and water quality, the benefits of streamside buffers, how to plant and maintain a buffer, how to identify invasive species and methods for removal, and financial assistance options available for streamside improvements, including State Cost Share funding through the Conservation District, and EQIP funding through the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
These projects will serve as a great example in these communities, for best practices along streams, and the different techniques that can be used to help save our streambanks at home and as a community. For more information on this program, contact Lindsie Nicholas at lindsie@bgreensource.org.

On December 12th, 2018, Bluegrass Greensource hosted its second topical community forum. After the overwhelming response following the Recycling Forum, this forum covered composting efforts in Lexington and surrounding areas. Representatives from LFUCG, Seedleaf, the University of Kentucky, GleanKY, and the Franklin County Fiscal Court came out to discuss what they’ve been doing, as well as to provide answers to audience members’ questions. Greg Butler, a Bluegrass Greensource board member and the Municipal Services manager at Republic Services, served as the host for the night.

Starting off, Richard Boone from the LFUCG Division of Waste Management discussed plans in the works to relaunch a composting program in Lexington. He discussed the challenges the city needs to address, such as contamination and the need for compost education for citizens, before a full relaunch can happen. Because of this, he emphasized that a citywide composting program would be a slow journey in order to assure it was done correctly.

Up next, Ryan Koch from Seedleaf discussed the nonprofit’s composting program, which works with businesses and homeowners to collect compost across Lexington. For a small fee, Seedleaf offers home or restaurant compost pickup on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Seedleaf partners with over 20 locations around Lexington to pick up their kitchen compost, which they use in their community gardens around town.

Shane Tedder from the University of Kentucky Office of Sustainability announced the launching of a large-scale composting program for the school which is set to begin early next year. He also stressed the need to provide comprehensive education to folks in order to reduce the amount of contamination entering the compost stream.

The only non-Lexington-based speaker of the night, Blair Hecker, came in from Franklin County to discuss their wildly successful livestock composting program. In the county, farmers can send their deceased animals to the facility to be turned into rich compost. Like many of the other speakers, Blair emphasized that the education of the public was a crucial piece in the success of their program. After three years in operation, they haven’t had so much as a phone call about the smell!

Wrapping up the presentations, Stephanie Wooten from GleanKY came to the podium to discuss a different side of food waste: the production stage. GleanKY is a non-profit that seeks to reduce food waste and food insecurity in the Bluegrass region (and beyond) by picking up the “ugly” produce that would not be accepted by retail stores. They then donate this food to feeding programs in the region. The food waste that occurs before fruits and vegetables can even reach a  grocery store makes up a HUGE chunk of the food waste we produce, and it is something that many of us don’t often consider.

The overall theme of the night was that education is key to making these programs work. All of our speakers and audience members were passionate citizens who want these programs to work, but as our panelists expressed, they can only work if comprehensive education takes place before and during a program’s existence.

If you missed the forum, don’t fret: Bluegrass Greensource filmed the entire forum on their Facebook through Facebook Live. For more detailed information about any or all of these panelists’ work, or to see them answer the hard-hitting questions that our audience members asked on sli.do, view that video here.

“This is just like when I watch Nature Cat on TV!”

By Rachel Patton

Nothing compares to the excitement in this first grader’s voice when she stepped outside for Stream Day at the Academy of Leadership at Millcreek Elementary. As she walked towards the stream, a huge smile spread across her face. Just outside the back doors of her school was a setting just like something from one of her favorite TV shows! Together, we explored the tall grasses, trees, and stream, bringing to life what she had learned from watching “Nature Cat.”

Millcreek holds Stream Days twice a year, giving the students the opportunity to explore the stream behind the school, look for creatures in and around the stream, and test the quality of the water. This year, the students spent the week before Stream Day learning about creatures who live in and around streams. Kindergarten and first graders found the juvenile or adult match to their insect, bird, or fish. Second and third graders solved the mystery of a hurt snapping turtle by researching the diets and habits of animals who share its habitat. Fourth and fifth graders participated in a mock water quality assessment by identifying and sorting macroinvertebrates found at different sites along the fake stream.

By the time Stream Day arrived, the students were well equipped with an understanding of the importance of a healthy stream! Despite the above average rainfall in the days leading up to Stream Day, the stream was clear and within its banks by the time Stream Day arrived. The heavy rains had, however, moved quite a bit of litter around. The students were able to observe and discuss the effects this litter could have on the stream and the creatures who rely on it. We tested the pH and dissolved oxygen levels of the stream water, then put on our boots, grabbed nets, and stepped on into the stream!  It was priceless watching the faces of my “Nature Cat” friend and the other students when they saw ducks, minnows, and macroinvertebrates in the stream. Even some of the kindergarteners caught minnows and freshwater mussels in their nets!

Millcreek has a dedicated and passionate staff who goes above and beyond to help ensure the success of Stream Day. Millcreek’s STEM teacher, Kristen Witt, demonstrated her true dedication to environmental education and to her students as she organized another successful Stream Day. The other special area teachers led students in constructing their own watersheds in order to observe the flow of water on land. Many of the classroom teachers got right in the stream with their students (and not one complained about having to help change 20-some pairs of wet and muddy shoes)! I am already looking forward to the next Stream Day.

Our educators are always excited to spend a day outside. If your school has a stream or outdoor classroom, we would love to lead classes there! Please visit our website for more information. The City of Lexington provided the funding for this wonderful event!

It’s football season in the Bluegrass! While we love to hear Carl Nathe shout “FIRST DOWN KENTUCKY,” we equally love to hear “where is the recycling bin?” at the tailgates. To celebrate the excitement over this season, we thought we would provide some tips on how to green up your tailgate. 

• Purchase reusable dishware – Durable plastic dishware is generally low cost and can be found at many general purpose stores.
• Reuse decorations – Those paper footballs and streamers may be cheap, but they are still good for next weekend! 
• Buy in bulk – Have everyone designated to purchase one tailgating item this season so buying in bulk is more practical.
• Grill with a propane tank – Yes, propane is a fossil fuel but it burns cleaner than charcoal. Also, victory couches do not burn clean either. 
• Buy Local – Consider local restaurants and breweries when preparing food options. If you prefer to make your own dishes, check out your local farmers’ market for locally grown ingredients. Many farmers’ markets are open throughout the fall.
• Carpool to the event or walk with friends
• Utilize campus recycling – UK Recycling provides game day recycling at Kroger Field. Use clear bags for recycling and black bags for trash. If you run out of bags you can pick up more at the “Recycling End Zone” located in the Green Lot on the BCTC Lawn or from one of the Big Blue Recycling Crew Volunteers. Items that are recyclable: bottles, cans, and boxes. Items that are not recyclable: paper plates, napkins, cups, food waste, and aluminum foil/pans.

If you have any questions regarding this information please email Noel Osborn at noel@bggreensource.org. GO CATS! 

As the leaves begin to change colors and the weather cools, there are still lots of great things to do to stay green! If you enjoy sweater-weather and your pumpkin-spiced latte, then consider some of these ideas to complete your fun, fall days!

Get Outside…
A regular for many families, consider visiting a local orchard to get some fresh apples, pears, and pumpkins! Eckert’s Boyd Orchard is in Woodford County, Evan’s Orchard can be found in Scott County, and Reed Valley Orchard can be found in Bourbon County. Check out events happening at their locations to maximize your visit!

If you are a spiritual person and looking to spend some time outside, consider a day of silent hiking at the Abbey of Gethsemane in Trappist, KY (bring me back some fudge!) or peaceful meditation at Furnace Mountain in Stanton, KY. Being outside in the woods or mountains can be very recharging for the soul and spending some time with nature is always a great way to remind ourselves of the environment we love to protect.

This is my favorite time of year to go hiking. You can work up a sweat without feeling too overwhelmed by the heat AND your risk of dealing with ticks is significantly lower! Consider finding a local hiking trail you can visit to better explore your own community. From the Red River Gorge to Raven Run in Lexington, check out this list from Kentucky Tourism to find a great trail close to you!

Or Stay Inside!
For our readers that may not be able to get around so much or just prefer to stay indoors, there are great ways to stay green indoors as well. This is a great time of year to crack open windows to cool your house and cozy up with a blanket and a good book. Remember that hot air rises and cold air sinks, so open upstairs windows to let warm air escape and let the cool air settle on the lower floors. If you live in a single story home and your windows were made to open up or down, leave a crack at the top of your window to let hot air escape, much like you might crack a window in your car.

This is the time of year where it is good to switch the direction of your ceiling fan! Look for a little switch around the neck of your fan and give it a switch: you want counter-clockwise in the spring/summer and clockwise in the fall/winter! A ceiling fan and a cracked window can save you a lot of money on your heating/cooling without a lot of effort.

I also recommend watching the big game with some friends. Melt the queso and ready the guacamole and get your friends to share your TV with you! Having many people together sharing a TV as opposed to having people in their own homes with their own televisions and lights on is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint!

Enjoy!
Whether you’re outside or inside, consider the environment in all that you do. It’s easy to do and can still be lots of fun. This October, I hope you FALL into some new GREEN habits and share them with me!

Bluegrass Greensource recently helped honor the City of Lexington’s newest Green Check certified businesses. Including the first ever, Gold Level business, Town Branch Tree Experts! 

Town Branch Tree Experts, Inc. (Gold)

Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington (Silver)

Perspectives, Inc. (Silver)

Meg C Jewelry Gallery (Bronze)

Lextran (Bronze)

Minglewood (Bronze)

Boone Creek Outdoors (Member)

A Cup of Common Wealth (Member)

The Green Check program recognizes businesses for their green initiatives and helps them expand their sustainability efforts. Becoming a Green Check Member business begins with a personal consultation and completion of the Green Check Sustainability Scorecard. The Sustainability Scorecard caters to organizations across a variety of sectors, including restaurants, non-profit organizations, retail, and manufacturers.

Based on their baseline Sustainability Score, the business or organization is awarded Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Member designation. While the certification is valid for three years, member organizations are encouraged to pursue higher tiers through continued participation and achievement.

These eight businesses demonstrated a commitment to increased sustainability within their facilities and operations. Examples initiatives from the businesses include parking lot renovations with permeable pavers, installation of rain gardens, upgrades to energy efficient lighting, office compost programs and promotion of alternative transportation. Beyond these high-impact features, there are lots of actions individual team members can take to improve sustainability in the workplace.

“As a Green Check Certified company, we recognize the importance of establishing procedures and policies to streamline and fulfill our mission of environmental responsibility,” says Sara Hesley, CEO of Town Branch Tree Experts, Inc. “It has allowed us to extend and formalize these commitments throughout everything we do as a company.”

Applications are open for 2019! For more information, including how to become Green Check Certified, please visit www.LexingtonKy.com/GreenCheck.