sustainability Archives - Page 2 of 2

World Cup shines spotlight on environmental impact of such events

June 23, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

I am, by no means, what you would call a “soccer fanatic.” I played one year in elementary school where I pretty much just ran around, chasing the ball and trying to do whatever my teammates were doing.

I’m sure my parents, who aren’t soccer fans either, sat on the sidelines just cracking up at all of us bunched up and chasing the ball wherever it went, positions and responsibilities thrown out the window as soon as the ball was kicked off.

But over time I have become more of a fan, to the point that when the United States played Ghana in the World Cup Monday night, I made sure to be at home and on the couch at 6 p.m. sharp, ready to cheer on the Stars and Stripes.

That said, it is always fascinating to me to see how different countries respond to hosting big international sporting events such as the World Cup or even the Olympics. On one hand, having to accommodate the influx of people and visitors for the event is a modern marvel in and of itself. For instance, according to some reports, over 1,300 km of road was built for last winter’s Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

On the other hand, these events can pose major threats to the environment of the countries that host them. The amount of carbon that is generated by all of the international travel that takes place can result in millions of tons finding its way into our atmosphere and some believe that it will be close to 1.5 million tons for this summer’s World Cup alone.

However, there are some great things environmentally that are coming out of this World Cup that worth noting as well. Last week, Japan played and was beaten by the Ivory Coast. As the world watched, Japanese fans – as is custom in their country – spent time cleaning their part of the arena of any trash they generated.

Two of the stadiums built for the World Cup are powered by solar energy and many of the other buildings are either LEED certified or close. In Natal, one of the cities hosting some of the group play matches, the stadium built for the World Cup both collects rainwater, which they hope will cut usage by 40 percent, and they hope that close to 100 percent of the waste generated will be recycled.

All of these highlight a change in policy. As these events are being planned, it has become commonplace to think just as much about the impacts on the environment as the local economy and current residents.

Events that don’t consider the environment are becoming rarer and, generally, will attract negative attention as well. So as you are (hopefully!) celebrating U.S. soccer success over the next few weeks, just know that although these events still place major stress on the environments of the host countries, being “green” and reducing environmental impact are trending up for such events.

Click here to read a column in the Christian Science Monitor about how much energy it takes to put on this year’s World Cup.

Ryan Farley serves Bluegrass Greensource in a hybrid role, working as an environmental educator with several outreach specialist responsibilities. Ryan received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgetown College and a master’s in recreation and park administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He has worked at wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Texas and with Kentucky 4-H in various roles. Farley provides educational programs to several Fayette County schools and works with downtown businesses and the greater Lexington community to educate and empower residents to become better environmental stewards.

This article appeared in KY Forward on June 19, 2014.

‘Summer is coming’ mantra means finding fun ways to keep it green

June 17, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

Summer is coming. If you happen to be a Game of Thrones fan, you are well versed in the “Winter is coming” mantra of the people from the North. However, since we in Kentucky have experienced way more winter than we care to for a few years, I think changing the mantra to “Summer is coming” is much better.

And it is.

This type of green camping is described as “leave no trace” and is certainly more green than big Airstream trailers with wifi, television and toilets. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Saturday, June 21, marks the first day of official summer, though many have been wearing white pants and shoes (a winter fashion “don’t”) since Memorial Day.

So how can we remain environmentally conscious during the hottest season? It is more than wearing less and drinking more water. See below for the greatest tips for keeping the next few months eco friendly:

• Summer BBQs – I have never been a fan of heat, whether it is in the kitchen or under the sun, but I do love to eat barbeque! The eating part is best, but the socializing with friends is amazing.

When planning for a BBQ event, make sure you choose non-disposable options. Now is the best time to find durable plastic plates and cutlery at prices that will support even the most popular person’s BBQ event. Summer is also the BEST time to visit local farmer’s markets for fresh veggies and meats for the grill!

• Lawn Care – I have never been one to have a green lawn, although I guess it depends on how you define “green.” My lawn currently is mowed fairly regularly, but that is about it – few chemicals and NO summer watering.

As we move toward the middle of summer, and my lawn becomes more and more brown, I am usually happy since the mowing regimen slows down.

If you are interested in watering your lawn, make it a game for your (or the neighborhood’s) kids. Turn on the sprinkler on a hot Saturday and see who shows up at your house, but just make sure you have enough popsicles!

• Mosquitoes – Urgh! I am a giant animal lover, but I take pride in all of the mosquitoes I kill. It takes about seven days for mosquito larvae to become the flying terror, so the obvious preventions include cleaning out gutters, putting Mosquito Dunks in rain barrels and eliminating any standing water, but how else do you deal with the blood sucking beasts in any sort of environmentally responsible way?

Here are a few:

Bats: Bats LOVE mosquitoes. Put up a bat house and hope they come in droves!

Smell: Citronella candles and sprays work to some extent so try them before using much more toxic DEET products. Mosquitoes love floral smells, so you are much better off to use unscented soap, deodorant of lotion.

Breeze: Mosquitoes are poor fliers, so point a fan toward your feet to blow them away!

Gin and Tonic: Quinine has a potential effect on repelling mosquitoes, and the best way to ingest quinine is by mixing a gin and tonic. Just saying!

• Energy Efficiency: Find out where your home leaks! I know that winter utility bills are usually the largest, but now is the time to address any home improvement plans. Check out Greensource’s energy audit kits from any Lexington Public Library and find out if your attic hatch or knee walls are giant suckers of cool air.

• Summer Vacation: Greening your vacation and staying close to home are almost the same thing, so it is all about how you frame it for your family. Camping (unless you do it the way my family has begun by going to a campground with wifi and electric) can be super eco friendly and even help all of your family members appreciate our great state more than they did before.

You can also choose “one tank trips” across the state where it only takes one tank of gas to get there. No matter what you choose, remember to turn down your thermostat and unplug any unnecessary appliances like the tv, toaster, etc. to save on energy usage.

The best thing summer has to offer is the ability to get outside. Even if it is at a pool or only in your backyard, take a moment to appreciate what is around you, and know that you play a part in keeping it “green.”

Amy Sohner is executive director of Greensource and a graduate of the University of Kentucky in Natural Resource Conservation and Management. Sohner has worked with Greensource since its inception in 2002 and is a Certified Environmental Educator. She is involved with the Kentucky Environmental Literacy Alliance, the Bluegrass Rain Garden Alliance, the Licking and Kentucky River Basin Teams, and serves as vice-chair of the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission. Sohner lives near the Kentucky River palisades with her husband, two daughters and a multitude of pets.

This article appeared in KY Forward on June 12, 2014.

Over 60 Lexington Schools Recognized for Sustainability Efforts

May 14, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

Bluegrass Greensource joined forces with the Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools, and the National Energy Education Development project (NEED) to award Fayette County Schools for their participation as LiveGreenLexington School Partners and to honor their commitment to other sustainability programs. Over 60 schools received awards for their efforts in recycling, water quality improvement, and energy conservation.

The keynote address was delivered by musician Ben Sollee, a native of Lexington and a graduate of Lafayette High School. Mr. Sollee is known not only for his innovative playing style, but also for his environmental endeavors. Ben often travels to his performances by bicycle, therefore reducing his carbon footprint by not using an automobile. His address was an interesting mixture of speech and music.

Above: Ben Sollee

Susan Plueger, Director of the LFUCG Division of Environmental Policy, also addressed the students. She summed up the goal of the LiveGreenLexington School Partners program with the comment “It’s all about taking responsibility to do the right thing. We have to teach each upcoming generation how to take care of our land, air, and water.”

In addition to schools, student groups were recognized for their outstanding commitments to sustainability. Montessori Middle School of Kentucky was recognized for its volunteer efforts – students Asha Ari, Cece Banks, and Nell Adkins volunteered monthly for Bluegrass Greensource performing tasks such as testing water quality, organizing books, and stuffing folders.

Above: Montessori Middle School Volunteers of the Year

The Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council was recognized for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship. Council members placed recycling receptacles at high school stadiums, painted eco-art on storm drains to raise awareness, and conducted energy audits in schools. They also planned and organized the Earth Day Celebration which included the sustainability fair and the award ceremony. The sustainability fair, held before the award ceremony, included local vendors and community organization booths with information about green efforts in Fayette County. Good Foods Market and Café provided guests with locally grown and produced refreshments.

Above: Marie Armbruster of the BYSC

Click here for more photos from the event.

Clive Pohl: Accentuate the Positive

April 25, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

Lexington architect Clive Pohl was our keynote speaker at our 2014 Go Green, Save Green Workshop. We have had many requests for a text version of his presentation, and so with his permission, we are posting it below. Thanks again, Clive!

Accentuate the Positive

by Clive Pohl, AIA
Pohl Rosa Pohl

Prior to the storm of human ingenuity known as the Industrial Revolution our planet was
not immune to catastrophe. Earth’s long history may best be described as a continuous
ebb and flow of conditions alternately hospitable and hostile to life. The continuum of
increasing biological abundance followed by varying degrees of extinction has been
packaged for our comprehension into what is now widely recognized as the “Big Five”.¹

I will cite just two examples: The End Permian (Permian-Triassic) extinction of 251
million years ago – the “Great Dying” was caused by massive volcanism in the
convulsions of an evolving planet. The End Cretaceous extinction (66 million years ago)
is now widely believed to have been caused by Earthʼs collision with a 6 mile wide
asteroid. In one fell swoop it put an end to the dinosaurs and made possible our rise to
dominance.

Most of these “events” and the extinctions that followed were the result of complex
seismic and atmospheric conditions and the exact course of events is the subject of
some debate. However, we can say with absolute confidence that none of them were
caused by any one species. Until now.

Welcome to the The Sixth Extinction. In her recent book Elizabeth Kolbert concludes
through careful examination that we are the cause of the next big event. This epoch, the
anthropocene, OUR time, is the only one in which one species has managed to change
the course of Earth’s natural history.

Kolbert illuminates a list of examples of our devastating impact with an even hand.
Whether inflicted by over-hunting, pollution, the destruction of habitat, or transportation
of invasive species, every casualty can be traced back to humanity’s myopic appetite for
forward motion, progress, and material wealth. Because the casualty list is long and
most of us feel powerless when we hear the tragic stories.²I will resist the temptation to recap her examples. I will, however, briefly reference one casualty – coral reefs – as hopefully we can all accept some degree of complicity when the devastation is caused by our collective carbon footprint.

Even climate change deniers³ are beginning to feel the impact of global warming. But it
is the loss of our planet’s biodiversity, not our thermal comfort, that is most
disconcerting. Ocean acidification (caused by the dissolution and reaction of CO2 in
water) is threatening coral species with extinction at rates that exceed those of
terrestrial animal groups. The reefs (resulting from corals’ secretion of calcium
carbonate) which serve as the home to biodiversity beyond our capacity for imagining
will cease to grow in the next 50 years.⁴ There is no need to wait for bad news,
however, as Earth’s biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, is already as low as it was
during the End Cretaceous extinction.

But bad news is not the focus of this essay despite early evidence. We are enthusiastic,
industrious, profit driven souls capable of revolutionary innovation and there are many
examples of our capacity to modify our behavior to serve a desperate cause⁵
particularly when it threatens to impact our wallets.

Can we course-correct in the face of mounting evidence? As profit driven souls can we
find a new business model that incorporates the value of nature? The answers are yes
and yes.

Natural Capital Accounting

Every company, large or small, has “externalities” and typically none have a place on
the company ledger. Air pollution, for example, is a visible externality of manufacturing,
the cost of which is generally paid by others. If the cost of these externalities were
understood 6 and charged, as they should be, to the business of origin, managers would
quickly take steps to curtail destructive corporate behaviors.

Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) places economic value on nature by identifying,
measuring, and managing externalities. Many of the guiding principles have been
developed by TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) under the
guidance of it’s team leader Pavan Sukhdev. Since 2007 they have produced a series of
studies and guidance manuals that aim to standardize methods for natural capital
accounting.7 This is an emerging field with increasing acceptance and credibility in
governmental policy circles and the establishment of protocols and standards is well
underway. In fact, organizations like the UN and the World Bank are beginning to invest
heavily in this new paradigm as evidenced by these initiatives:

SEEA (System for Environmental-Economic Accounts): The UN Statistical
Commission recently adopted this protocol to provide an internationally agreed upon
method to account for material natural resources like minerals, timber, and fisheries.

WAVES (Wealth Accounting and Evaluation of Eco-Systems): A World Bank
global partnership launched at the 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity WAVES
will promote sustainable development by ensuring that natural resources are
mainstreamed in development planning and national economic accounts. Work
plans include compiling accounts for natural resources like forests, water, and
minerals, as well as experimental accounts for ecosystems like watersheds and
mangroves.

NCA is also making it’s way into the private sector as for-profit companies blaze their
own trail. In 2010, a consultancy named Trucost, was commissioned by PUMA to assist
in developing their Environmental Profit and Loss Account (EP&L). Admirably, all of this
information, their process and their reports, are available to the public due in large part
to the courage and confidence of Puma’s CEO, Jochen Zeitz, and can be found readily
online.

As with any transformational idea forged by caring thought leaders, widespread
acceptance may be years away – the amount of time inversely proportionate to the
gravity of our perceived threat. Regardless, these visionaries are defining a new era of
sustainability metrics in which degradation of our ecosystems and biodiversity will
quantified and revealed as an untenable expense. The relentless quest for an economic
upper-hand is the root cause of environmental degradation in the Anthropocene and a
wholesale reconsideration of our economic models is essential. The valuation of nature,
acknowledged through natural capital accounting is cause for great hope. Given the
foibles of human nature it may be our only hope. After all, Mother Nature has limited
natural capital and it is up to us to recognize the economic imperative for conservation.

¹ In a 1982 paper by Jack Sepkoski and David Raup.

² Ex 1: 10’s of thousands of giant sea turtles are killed every year as “bycatch” (the unintended target of commercial fishing). Ex. 2: In the tropics 14 species per day are being lost according to a calculation based upon loss of habitat by biologist E.O. Wilson

³ Timothy Egan put it succinctly in a recent NYT article: “It is human nature, if not the American way, to look potential disaster in the face and prefer to see a bright and shining lie.”

⁴ Studies conducted at volcanic vents near Castello Argonese, Ischia Island, Italy

⁵ The conversion of American automobile production to ﬁghter planes during WW2, for example.

⁶ The world’s top 3000 businesses are estimated to have annual externalities of almost 2.1 trillion dollars (or 3.5% of the global GDP) – A Trucost analysis.

⁷ Pavan Sukhdev’s excellent TED Talk (“Ending the Economic Invisibility of Nature”) can be found online

NCAA ‘green’ tournament helps all environmental efforts go more mainstream

March 25, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

I like basketball. Ok, maybe not quite as much as you do, assuming you live in Kentucky and are obsessed with the #BBN (Big Blue Nation) – which took me longer than I care to admit to figure out what it stood for, but I can definitely get into a game, and even find myself jumping up from the couch in glee at three-pointers.

I call myself a social fan, because I find it wonderful to watch University of Kentucky basketball with a group of people all shouting at the TV, but am not sure I would watch a game by myself.

While the rest of the state, and honestly the nation, are obsessed with brackets, I thought it would be interesting to see how “green” the NCAA tournament is going to be this year. For my part, I am going to save a tree and my $2 by not filling out a bracket this year.

For the “green research,” I thought I would stick with the Final Four. Mostly because we (by which I mean UK, because for all things basketball I look to UK, my alma mater, and because I know nothing about any other team) have a better chance than we did last year to get to the Final Four. It helps to actually be IN the tournament.

It turns out that there is a lot going on this year to make the championship weekend more sustainable, and these initiatives have been going on for some time.

In 2011, Reliant Stadium purchased 600 additional recycling containers (one paired with each trash container) which allowed them to recycle 10 tons of material, purchased carbon credits to offset their energy usage and they even played PSA’s about their efforts to the 75,000 fans.

Last year, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta expanded their sustainability efforts beyond just the stadium. As part of the initiative leading up to the weekend activities, the city hosted an electronic recycling opportunity that resulted in 14,000 pounds of old electronics being recycled. They also placed community recycling trailers throughout the city and collected more than 4 tons of material just from the foot traffic from the games. The total recyclables recovered from all of the venues related to the three-day event were more than 33 tons.

The 2013 Final Four was also unique in that it made a recycling symbol just for the sustainability initiative and turned the banners used throughout the events into more than 1,000 tote bags.

This year, the Kay Bailey Hutchison convention Center in Texas will compost for the first time, as well as donate all of the extra food to local charities. All of the events will offer recycling, and the local community will display public art pieces throughout the city made out of recycled material. There is also an increased effort to promote public transportation, and a special basketball court made out of recycled materials will be donated to a local community center.

I am very impressed and happy about the effort that the NCAA and the communities are putting into reducing the environmental effect the championship can have on the local environment. What I hope is that they shout from the rooftops about their efforts. The more people and organizations showcase their environmental work, the more it becomes mainstream and the more mainstream environmental efforts become, the more impact we can have as a community.

We, in Central Kentucky, are poised to make environmental and sustainable practices the mainstream as we plan and build our new basketball facility. I look forward to what the leaders of the project propose to make recycling, composting, energy efficiency and water quality part of the design instead of an add-on later.

While I am waiting, I will cheer as loud as I can on Friday (assuming I can stay up that late), and as the Cats proceed through the tournament.

This article appeared in KY Forward on March 20, 2014.

It's Not Easy Being Green – We're Here to Help!

March 13, 2014By BGGS Admin0 comment

The 5th annual Go Green, Save Green Workshop, sponsored by LFUCG, is scheduled for March 20, 2014 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the BCTC Newtown Campus (500 Newtown Pike). This one-day workshop will educate businesses of all types and sizes on practices that are both environmentally friendly and money-saving.

This workshop is a fantastic opportunity to network with sustainability professionals and learn more about the steps that businesses can take to save energy, improve water quality, and reduce waste, all while reducing your costs!

Whether you’re just getting started implementing eco-friendly practices at your business or you’re a seasoned sustainability professional, there are sessions to fit your needs. This year’s workshop offers specialized tracks for various types of businesses including industrial-sized businesses, bars and restaurants, apartment complexes, and religious institutions.

This year, we have partnered with the Kentucky U.S. Green Building Council to expand our offerings, including a session that will provide continuing education credit for LEED professionals. Sessions on energy efficient thermal comfort, grants for developing brownfields, water incentive grants, low impact development, and net-zero building will offer much to consider for businesses looking to ‘go green.’

Homeowners as well as businesses will benefit from learning about current recycling efforts in Lexington, the ins and outs of composting, and water quality issues. There will also be a presentation from the builder of Kentucky’s first net-zero energy home.

The cost to attend is $25 (general attendee), $15 (student attendee), or $50 (vendor). On-site general registration on the day of the event will cost $40. The registration fee covers admission to all sessions, a zero-waste breakfast and catered lunch, a tour of the LEED Certified BCTC Newtown Campus, chances to win door prizes (including a Haiku Fan from Big Ass Fans), and a drink ticket for happy hour. Happy Hour and networking will take place at Blue Stallion Brewing Company after the sessions. Parking is free and conveniently accessible.

To register, please visit ggsg.eventbrite.com by March 18th. Registration after that date cannot be guaranteed to include lunch.

Bluegrass Tomorrow Presents Greensource with Vision Award for Green/Sustainability

November 14, 2013By BGGS Admin0 comment

Posted Monday, November 4, 2013 on KyForward.com

The annual Bluegrass Tomorrow’s Vision Awards Breakfast included more than sticky buns on the menu. Awards were presented to Don Robinson, Ed Burtner, the Kentucky River Thorobred, Knox van Nagell, Bluegrass Greensource, Judy Clabes, the National Park Service’s Rivers Trails Conservation Assistance Program, Kyle Lake and Rebecca Barnes.

Robinson is owner of Winter Quarter Farm and is best known for breeding multiple Eclipse Award winner Zenyatta, the 2010 Horse of the Year. He won the 2013 Josephine Abercrombie Vision Award for his leadership as chairman of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Planning Commission which made the motion for a change of minimum lot acreage from 10 to 40 acres in agricultural areas.

Ed Burtner is the mayor of Winchester. He has been a major advocate for Bluegrass Station and the Bluegrass Army Depot and is active in many regional organizations and projects He received the Bluegrass Legacy Vision Award.

Other awards were presented for outstanding service to Bluegrass Tomorrow and the 18 surrounding counties to the Kentucky River Thorobred, a Kentucky State University floating laboratory; Knox van Nagell of the Fayette Alliance; Bluegrass Greensource; and a conservation program run by the National Park Service.

The special Robert Clay Award was also presented to Judy Clabes, publisher and editor of KYForward.com, as Bluegrass Tomorrow’s “most valuable” board member and the one who has done the most to improve the organization over the last year.

Passionate about the preservation and protection of precious Bluegrass soils and the equine/agricultural industry, Robinson is a director and past president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association, and the Fayette County Farm Bureau. He is currently chairman of the Fayette Alliance.

Burtner has been a board member of Bluegrass Tomorrow and the Bluegrass Area Development District. He has been very active in the United Way and the regional Public Policy Group facilitated by Commerce Lexington which advocates for many regional issues including education, drug abuse, the Kentucky River, the water supply and others.

KSU’s Kentucky River Thorobred floating laboratory is a unique 52-foot pontoon boat used for research on river ecology and environment, and was honored with the Education Vision Award.

Bluegrass Greensource (formerly PRIDE) won the Green/Sustainability Vision Award for its excellent and continued work in environmental education and sustainability.

Van Nagell of the Fayette Alliance was honored with the Equine/Agriculture Vision Award for her tireless work in protecting precious Bluegrass soils and advocacy on more than 65 major land use policies.

Russell Clark and Alison Bullock of National Park Service’s Rivers Trails Conservation Assistance Program won the Conservation/Preservation Vision Award for their work with the Kentucky River Water Trail Alliance and the Bluegrass Bike Hike Horseback Trails Alliance, important initiatives of Bluegrass Tomorrow.

Kyle Lake of Prosper Productions and Rebecca Barnes of Northwestern Mutual won Young Professionals Vision Awards for their tireless work with young professional organizations and projects in the region and promoting the Bluegrass Tomorrow philosophy of “developing an environment in the region where creative talent, young professionals, diversity and entrepreneurship will thrive.”

From Bluegrass Tomorrow

A World Series win this year matters less than a ‘green’ ballpark victory

November 1, 2013By BGGS Admin0 comment

Dodger Stadium in 2011 (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

The Dodgers did not win the World Series this year. I am sure that is not new to you if you pay any attention to sports news, but to me it is the only significant part of baseball since they lost in the post season.

However, while the rest of the baseball fans are root, root, rooting for their “red” team (both remaining teams have a significant amount of red in their uniforms), I decided to see how “green” baseball stadiums can be.

Since I am writing this before the end of the 2013 World Series (it is currently 3 games to 2 in favor of the Red Sox), I thought I would compare what I could find between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals to see who should win based on their “green” stadiums.

I found out that not only is being environmentally responsible the new “cool” thing, all of Major League Baseball has bought in to the green concept since at least 2005 when they partnered with the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Allan H. (Bud) Selig has been quoted as saying, “Baseball is a social institution with social responsibilities and caring for the environment is inextricably linked to all aspects of the game. Sound environmental practices make sense in every way and protect our natural resources for future generations of baseball fans.”

Sports in general are in a perfect position to excel in environmentally responsible behavior and affect real change.

There is a reason that companies spend millions of dollars advertising at stadiums and through sports celebrity endorsements. We idolize sports figures. If they tell us that a particular shoe can help us jump higher, we buy them. If they tell us to eat at Subway, we do. And if they tell us to recycle, we will. Despite all of the performance enhancing drugs and high salaries, we do what they say.

So now on to the comparison …

Since Boston is currently ahead, let’s start with them. Fenway Park started the Poland Spring Green Team in 2008. They use volunteers to collect recyclables and currently collect 25 tons each season. In addition to collecting recyclables, Fenway Park is committed to closing the loop by using cups, hand towels and napkins made out of recycled paper and plastic.

The Boston park was the first in the Major League to install solar panels. I think that this deserves special recognition since, though still very useful in Massachusetts, solar panels are often more cost effective in southwestern states. Despite that, Fenway Park has realized a 37 percent savings on gas used to heat water in the park.

For the sake of public relations, the Boston Red Sox Players do Public Service Announcement’s throughout the first inning highlighting the green aspects of the stadium. And finally, anyone familiar with Fenway knows about the “Green Monster,” the wall and manual scoreboard which obviously does not use any electricity.

Probably the most notably “green” thing about Fenway Park is that it is the oldest ball park in the Major League.

In an era of bigger is better and luxury box seats, the Red Sox understand that the “greenest building is an existing building.” Or at least for the purposes of this article, that is what I choose to believe they are thinking.

Now St. Louis …

Busch Stadium can host more than 45,000 fans at any one time and opened in 2006. In 2008, the Cardinals started working on sustainability initiatives and have since been able to save 23 percent, or approximately $150,000 annually, in energy usage; 10 percent in water usage; and divert 29 percent of their waste from the landfill.

The stadium has placed over 550 recycling bins throughout the stadium as well as using a 25-plus member green team to collect recyclables during the game. They have also composted more than 500 tons of yard waste.

One hundred and six solar panels have been placed throughout the stadium that account for 32,000 kilowatt hours (an average home uses 11,000 kilowatt hours per month) of electricity saved per year. In addition, there are educational kiosks near the panels describing their benefit.

Since I am an environmental educator, one thing that weighs more heavily for St. Louis is the fact that their green initiatives are proudly positioned on their website. Ok, so maybe “proudly” is not the right word, but you can at least find the initiatives from their home page as opposed to the Red Sox’s efforts which requires some digging.

And last but not least … the Dodgers. I do understand that the Dodgers have lost, but since I am the one writing, I am choosing to ignore that fact.

Dodger Stadium was built in 1962 making it the third oldest in the majors. I feel that they get a few extra points for choosing to renovate rather than rebuild, just as Fenway Park did.

Since 2008, just as the others mentioned above were getting started, Dodger Stadium could already boast a 30 percent energy savings and the installation of water efficient fixtures which resulted in 2.4 million gallons of water saved each year. The water savings are even more important since it is located in a desert (which is not the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but we won’t think about that for now).

Considering its desert location, the Dodger Stadium’s grounds crew is very conscious of what they plant. Their landscape manager is an International Society of Arborists-certified tree expert, and cares for their 300-plus acres using mostly native plants.

Let me remind you that native desert plants can be beautiful, but you have to work a lot harder at getting them to be aesthetically pleasing than you do in Kentucky with a plethora of beautiful native flora.

Dodger Stadium has received numerous press pieces about their environmental efforts including tearing up concrete to plant trees and promoting a landscaped “green necklace” in the area, but they still lose points for public relations.

Their website does not readily point to their green initiatives. Maybe it is because West Coasters think they are already environmentally responsible and don’t need to tell everyone about it. Whatever the reason, I am disappointed that they are not more vocal about their accomplishments.

Now the winner – not of the series, but of the green stadium competition …
It is with unashamed bias that I pick the Dodgers! I have found an amazing number of wonderfully forward-thinking ball parks while doing research for this article, but nothing can compare to my childhood.

I learned to love nature in Chavez Ravine, the area surrounding Dodger Stadium. I grew up in earshot of the fireworks and cheers from the crowd, and adjacent to Elysian Park which was my home during each daylight hour of summer vacation.

I spent each day I could riding my horse through the palm trees that you see when a home run is hit at Dodger Stadium, and comforting my noise-adverse dog after each home run burst of fireworks or Michael Jackson concert. I can still remember the smell of the eucalyptus leaves and the complete freedom I had running across Dodger traffic on Stadium Way to explore my world.

No matter the outcome of the 2013 World Series, the Dodgers will always be winners to me.

This article appeared in KY Forward on October 31, 2013.

Seven Appalachian counties use mini-grants to think as green as some cities

July 19, 2013By BGGS Admin0 comment

When we think of sustainability in U.S. cities, we usually think first of innovative metropolitan areas like Portland and Chicago. Locally, we often look to Lexington and Louisville for exemplary green initiatives. Sometimes it can seem like larger cities are the only ones taking steps to reduce their environmental impact, but smaller cities and towns across the country are often implementing their own green programs.

For the past two and a half years, I’ve been administering Bluegrass Greensource’s environmental mini-grant program for seven Appalachian counties to the east and south of Lexington. I’ve been fortunate to work with local governments, nonprofit organizations and schools in these communities, providing them with funding to implement a variety of environmental improvement and education projects.

Since 2010, our mini-grant program has provided over $330,000 in funding for 61 projects, ranging from outdoor classrooms to cleanups to innovative demonstration projects. Unfortunately the grant program is currently wrapping up, but we have been able to fund some exciting projects in the past few years.

Madison County Conservation District constructed a fallen livestock composting pad at Eastern Kentucky University’s Meadowbrook Farm. The composting facility is available for tours by student and professional groups, and its purpose is to provide farmers with an innovative, economical and sustainable option for addressing the problem of fallen animal disposal.

Berea Community School saved an estimated $3,250 per year on their electric bill by updating classroom lighting in the middle and high school wing of the building. The classroom lights were previously controlled with outdated rocker switches which lit several rooms at once. The school installed a series of individual classroom light switches, timers and occupancy sensors which will significantly reduce energy use in the building.

Lower Howard’s Creek Nature and Heritage Preserve in Winchester cleared invasive plant species on a five-acre section of the property and purchased signage in preparation for the opening of its first public nature trail. The 2.8 mile out-and-back John Holder Trail was dedicated in the spring of 2012.

Garrard County Fiscal Court developed a walking trail along Lancaster City Lake, and recently planted 900 native redbud and dogwood trees along the path.

Estill County Cooperative Extension District held a home composting workshop for 46 community members. Participants learned how to compost their kitchen and yard waste, and each household in attendance took home a countertop compost bin.

EKU installed a 1.6 kWh expandable solar panel system on the roof of the New Science Building, along with a real-time energy production logging and display system that will allow students to monitor the system’s energy output.

Lincoln County 4H worked with Crab Orchard Elementary students this spring to establish a garden behind the school. The garden club planted strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, beans, potatoes, corn, squash and kiwi. The dedicated students have been meeting weekly this summer to care for their plants and harvest their crops.

These projects are wonderful examples of the efforts that small communities across Kentucky and beyond are making to reduce their environmental impact. Sustainability in cities is about shrinking our environmental footprint through energy conservation, habitat protection, waste reduction, alternative transportation and more; but, it’s also about improving quality of life for local residents.

Clean water, public green space and trails, accessible recycling programs, and outdoor classrooms benefit everyone and make our local communities even better places to live. I’m thrilled to see that projects like these are taking place in Central Kentucky communities.

Sandy Bottoms joined Bluegrass PRIDE, now Bluegrass Greensource, in 2011 in the role of Grants Administrator. She is originally from Mount Washington and holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Kentucky, as well as a master’s in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia. Before joining, she worked with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Contact Sandy at sandy@bgGreensource.org.

This article appeared in KY Forward on July 19, 2013.

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