Letter from the Editors

As world of high tech science races to alter natural forces to dominate world problems such as hunger, environmental degredation, and climate change, there are still thrills in store for those simply seeking to understand how nature works. In this case, researchers have uncovered that the legendary iridescensce of squid is due to the workings of electrical impulses on their nerve endings. This research is being conducted at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts.

For those who want to know more about our battles to alter nature, read about the whole Genetically-Modified Crop labeling debate in the country and how the Biotech industry is spending millions of dollars to fight the act of foods being given a tag on shelves. Many countries already require the GMO label. Opponents are aware of the stigma the label will carry. However, despite being designed to resist poisons while producing their own insecticides for pest control, it has been proven that insects are developing tolerances to GMO defenses that are forcing increases in pesticide usage.

In another man-and-nature story, drones have become a common weapon in the war on terrorism. The same small, unmanned, remote-controlled planes conduct military strikes are being considered for eco-conservation, conducting scientific research, and monitoring endangered species. Drones are being used in Asia to track poachers, facilitate monitoring tropical deforestation, and survey animal numbers. The same research would be 10 times more costly and dangerous through ground expeditions.

Global News

Conservation Drones Protect Wildlife and Track Poachers

They’re better known as stealthy killing machines to take out suspected terrorists with pinpoint accuracy. But drones are also being put to more benign use in skies across several continents to track endangered wildlife, spot poachers and chart forest loss. Although it’s still the “dawn of drone ecology,” as one innovator calls it, these unmanned aerial vehicles are already skimming over Indonesia’s jungle canopy to photograph orangutans, protecting rhinos in Nepal and studying invasive aquatic plants in Florida.

Activists launched a long-range drone to locate and photograph a Japanese whaling ship as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society attempted to block Japan’s annual whale hunt in Antarctic waters. Relatively cheap, portable and earth-hugging, they fill a gap between satellite and manned aircraft imagery and on-the-ground observations. Read more here. Learn more about the drone technology at conservationdrones.org.

Madagascar designates biggest protected land

Madagascar officially designated its largest protected area in a region renowned for its tropical rainforests and rich diversity of wildlife, including 20 species of lemurs, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a group that was instrumental in establishing the park.

Makira Natural Park covers some 372,470 hectares (1,438 square miles) – an area larger than the state of Rhode Island – of forest in northeastern Madagascar, the most biodiverse part of the island nation. Makira was granted temporary park status in 2005 but is now officially designated as a protected area. Read more here.

Abandoned Luxury Cars Gather Dust All Over United Arab Emirates

The car parks, walking distance from the terminals, are meant for stays of three days or less. You pay dearly for convenient location, air conditioned walkways and covered car bays. That is, if you actually came back to collect your ride. Instead of costly convenience for frequent fliers, the parking lots at the Abu Dhabi airport are evolving into drop sites for unwanted wheels. Flat tires and sand-caked windows prove many have been there for months. These aren’t clunkers. Right now there’s a Jaguar XK8, a Camaro S5, and a convoy of BMWs and a mess of Mercedes.

“I’ve seen a few cars here that are covered with dust,” M.T. Hassan, a Sudanese public relations officer told The National. “Maybe some of the owners will return, while others may have already left the country. We really don’t know.” Car dumping is happening all over the Emirates. Read more here.

Arctic sea ice likely to hit record low

Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is likely to shrink to a record small size sometime next week, and then keep on melting, a scientist at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center said. “A new daily record … would be likely by the end of August,” said Ted Scambos, lead scientist at the data center, which monitors ice in the Arctic and elsewhere. “Chances are it will cross the previous record while we’re still in sea ice retreat.”

The amount of sea ice in the Arctic is important because this region is a potent global weather-maker, sometimes characterized as the world’s air conditioner. This year, the loss of sea ice in the Arctic has suggested a possible opening of the Northwest Passage north of Canada and Alaska and the Northern Sea Route by Europe and Siberia. Read more here.

Tiger population of India facing ‘total disaster’ due to tourism ban

Singh has not been allowed in the park to check on the 27 adult tigers and 25 cubs who call it home. No one has, after India’s supreme court issued an order banning tourism in all core tiger habitats. The decree is temporary when the court meets again to assess whether tigers and tourists can co-exist in India. The decision will have ramifications not just for India’s approximately 1,700 tigers, but for the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Indians whose livelihoods depend on the big cats. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Singh. “I’ve spent 20 years, half my life, doing this. And suddenly I’m supposed to find a new job.”

But Singh, and many environmentalists and conservationists, insist the real losers will be the creatures who have helped pay his bills for two decades. “If the ban on tourism continues, it will be the end of the tiger in India,” he said. “We’re the ones who put energy into tracking them. We deter poachers. Tourists are only allowed in the park for six hours every day, but we guides take it in turns to patrol the park from sunrise to sunset. Voluntarily.” Read more here.

Food Waste from Starbucks Turned into Useful Products

New research findings offer a small, albeit promising, breakthrough in addressing the vexing issue of waste. And the work is taking place at the nexus of rapid urbanization, widening consumer participation and ecological crisis — that is, in China. The team of researchers, led by Carol Lin of the City University of Hong Kong, describes successful laboratory testing of a biorefinery procedure that converts stale bakery goods from Starbucks coffee shops into a key consumer goods ingredient. It’s a breakthrough that, Lin suggests, could generate a high return on investment and process many tons of garbage that would otherwise end up in a landfill or solid waste incinerator.

“In Hong Kong, the issue of food waste is very important. Each person in Hong Kong produces, on average, a half a kilogram of food waste per day. It’s the highest, on average, of all Asian countries,” said Lin. She added that three of Hong Kong’s landfills will reach capacity by 2018, bringing an already problematic situation to a head. Read more here

Worm Composting Soaks Up Heavy Metals, Remediates Waste

From airport scale worm composting to vermicomposting farm waste, the idea of using worms to eat our garbage is no longer confined to plastic tubs in basements.

But it turns out that worm composting is not just a convenient way of breaking up organic waste, or creating fertilizer. ScienceBlog reports that worm composting can also play a crucial role in remediating wastes and removing toxic heavy metals from biosolids: Read more here.

How an Israeli heiress built sustainability into her businesses

Shari Arison, an Israeli-American billionaire and philanthropist who is said to be the richest woman in the Middle East, presides over an array of global businesses that employ more than 24,000 people. There’s Bank Hapoalim, one of Israel’s largest banks. There’s Shikun & Binui, a leading infrastructure and real estate firm with projects in Europe, Latin America and Africa as well as Israel. There’s Miya, a fast-growing water efficiency company with projects all over the world. And there’s Salt of the Earth, Israel’s leading salt producer.

They would seem to have little in common. But all of them, she says, share a purpose: Doing good. “Doing good on a personal level and on a collective level — for our company, for our customers, for our employees, for our nation and the world,” she says. What sets Arison apart is her willingness to put that sense of purpose front and center, and talk about how it guides her business, philanthropic and civic activities-sometimes in ways that leave her vulnerable to critics. Read more here.

National News

Food Fight: Biotech Spends Millions To Fight GMO Labels As Critics Warn Of Rising Pesticide Use, Health Risks

The members of the industry group Council For Biotechnology Information are the same companies currently pouring millions into a campaign to keep genetically-engineered foods from being labeled as such on store shelves in California. This so-called “Big Six” — BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto and Syngenta — have now contributed more than $13 million to defeat Proposition 37, which is slated to appear on the state’s Nov. 6 ballot. The measure, experts say, could significantly thwart the rapid growth in the use of genetically-engineered crops (so-called GMOs) since their commercial introduction in the U.S. in 1995.

But less GMOs could mean more pesticides, according to industry calculations. As Kathy Fairbanks, spokesperson for the coalition fighting the proposition, told The Huffington Post: “Biotech crops use fewer pesticides, which is a benefit to the environment, to workers, and to the surrounding communities.” So, why would the country’s largest producers of pesticides oppose a measure that could ultimately preserve the sale of pesticides? Read more here.

EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Struck Down By Federal Court

A federal court threw out a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule aimed at cutting pollution from coal-fired power plants, dealing a blow to the Obama administration’s efforts to curb harmful emissions. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington in a 2-1 ruling today struck down the EPA’s cross-state air pollution rule, saying the agency overstepped its legal authority and issued standards that were too strict. The court sided with power companies and mining groups challenging to the measure, which caps emissions in more than two dozen states. The rule had been put on hold by the court in December while it considered the regulation’s legality.

“It is not our job to set environmental policy,” Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the 60-page opinion. “Our limited but important role is to independently ensure that the agency stays within the boundaries Congress has set. EPA did not do so here.” The court’s decision, which sparked a rally in coal stocks, could leave the EPA with years of work to replace a regulation the agency said would have “dramatic” health benefits for 240 million people, Whitney Stanco, senior energy policy analyst at Guggenheim Securities LLC, said. Read more here.

Chipotle Ups the Ante to Twice as Much Local Produce

While the company is transparent about the challenges and improvements needed to further their sustainability path, Chipotle still holds strong as the only national chain that touts an official local sourcing program. Putting even more money where their mouth is, Chipotle met their goal of doubling the amount of produce purchased from local farms. Last year, Chipotle served 10 million pounds of vegetables produced “locally,” which they deem as within 350 miles of its 1,300 restaurants. Read more here.

Keystone XL Saga: When This Oil Spills, It’s ‘A Whole New Monster’

New pipelines, like the one coming to Daniel’s property, are spreading out around the United States as the nation gears up to get much more of its oil from Canada’s deposits of tar sands in Alberta. This is not conventional crude. It is so thick, sticky and full of sand that companies have to shoot steam deep underground to liquefy it or scrape it out of sprawling surface mines. These complex extraction techniques are expensive, and they also produce a lot more greenhouse gases than conventional oil wells. But high oil prices are finally making tar sands oil profitable.

Many people are welcoming the jobs, money and friendly oil that will come with these pipelines. And politicians including President Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney tout the benefits of getting more of our petroleum from such a friendly neighbor. But pipeline spills are inevitable; hundreds of spills happen each year in the U.S. And that terrifies some people in these pipelines’ paths – Daniel included. Read more here.

Illinois Power Plants Getting Away with Flushing Hotter Water into Rivers

As fish die in record numbers across Illinois this summer because of the intense heat and drought, state officials are granting power plants special exemptions to flush massive amounts of hot water into already stressed lakes and rivers. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is allowing power plants to dump hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day at temperatures approaching 100 degrees into the state’s waterways, the Tribune has learned.

Temperature-sensitive fish already have been swimming deeper to find cooler water or have been abandoning environmentally inhospitable areas during the heat and drought. But with power plant operators dumping hot water at record amounts, environmentalists say the fish, along with the rivers and lakes they live in, could face increased risk. Read more here.

The Effect of Dams on Global Warming

The role of lakes, reservoirs, and streams often go unnoticed when calculating carbon emissions. Most of the time we think about fossil fuel vehicles, factories, power plants, and landfills. The truth is that there is a lot biological activity going on behind the dam. This is where the natural flow of sediment and living things stop and therefore accumulate. Through the decomposition of such creatures and organic material comes methane gas that builds up in the lake bed.

As levels of water go down, the lake bed heats up because more sunlight is hitting it. The rising temperatures cause the methane to bubble up and out into the atmosphere. This is particularly true in summer because low oxygen conditions at the depth of the reservoir creates an ideal condition for microbial activity that creates the methane. Read more here.

Urban growth means hotter summers; white paint can help

It’s hot out there. Hotter than it would be if instead of what I see outside my sliver of window — roads, buildings — there was grass and vegetation. Hotter, too, than it would be if the buildings were all covered with white paint, a la a Greek island. This is the “heat island effect,” and it happens because the materials used to make roads and structures absorb a lot more heat from the sun than does vegetation. They slowly release that heat through the night, keeping everything not-so-nicely cooking. The effects on local temperatures can be big, as a new study looking at the future of Arizona illustrates nicely.

Published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the study examined what will happen to summer temperatures as Arizona’s so-called Sun Corridor, an area that encompasses the cities of Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott and Nogales, becomes more developed. Almost 90% of Arizona’s residents live in this “megapolitan” area and the population is rising briskly, projected to grow more rapidly in the next few decades than any other megapolitan area in the United States. Read more here.

National parks face severe funding crunch

After more than a decade of scrimping and deferring maintenance and construction projects – and absorbing a 6 percent budget cut in the past two years – the signs of strain are beginning to surface at national parks across the country. The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, which curves along the spine of the easternmost range of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina, has a $385 million backlog of projects, mainly in road maintenance, and has been unable to fill 75 vacant positions since 2003. For the past three years, New Mexico’s Bandelier National Monument has lacked the money to hire a specialist to protect its archaeological ruins and resources.

Annual attendance at national parks has remained about the same, though visits through July this year total 201 million, up 1.5 percent from last year. Park managers say they are alarmed at the prospect of both next year’s budget and a possible 8 percent across-the-board cut if negotiators fail to reach a budget deal by January. The president’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal – which was largely adopted by the House Appropriations Committee – would cut 218 full-time jobs, or 763 seasonal employees. Read more here.

Voices

Avoiding a 21st-Century Dust Bowl

This year’s drought illustrates why the latest Farm Bill won’t meet current or future challenges. Extreme weather events that disrupt farm production, such as last year’s floods and this year’s drought, are part of a new normal consistent with climate change. Failure to accept this reality has enormous implications for farmers and consumers.

Remember the Dust Bowl of the 1930s? That was another era when the effects of severe drought were made worse by shortsighted farm policy. We lacked conservation practices or contingency plans for the nation’s food supply, which sparked disasters as unprotected soil blew away and food prices jumped. Instead of regular payouts when disasters strike, why not create a Farm Bill that builds resilience? Read more here.

Also read about the drought revealing long-forgotten ghost towns.

America’s Deficit Attention Disorder

In the United States, as Republican deficit hawks tell the story, “America is broke. We must cut government spending on social programs we cannot afford. And we must lower taxes on Wall Street job creators so they can invest to get the economy growing, create new jobs, increase total tax revenues, and eliminate the deficit.” Democrats respond, “Yes, we’re pretty broke, but the answer is to raise taxes on Wall Street looters to pay for government spending that primes the economic pump by putting people to work building critical infrastructure and performing essential public services. This puts money in people’s pockets to spend on private sector goods and services and is our best hope to grow the economy.”

Both sides have it wrong on two key points:

• First, both focus on growing GDP, ignoring the reality that under the regime of Wall Street rule, the benefits of GDP growth over the past several decades have gone almost exclusively to the 1 percent-with dire consequences for democracy and the health of the social and natural capital on which true prosperity depends.
• Second, both focus on financial deficits, which can be resolved with relative ease if we are truly serious about it; and ignore far more dangerous and difficult-to-resolve social and environmental deficits. I call it a case of deficit attention disorder.

Read more here.

Sweaty Lessons in the ‘True’ Cost of Construction

Our internship is with the nonprofit group Community Rebuilds, and on the evening we drove up to the house we’ll be sharing with seven other interns, Emily Niehaus, the group’s founder and director, was throwing a thank-you party for Bike and Build. This pack of several dozen 20-somethings had pedaled into Moab a few days ahead of us to help tear out the doublewide trailer that would be replaced by a straw bale house.

On the job site, most of the work we have done hews fairly closely to conventional construction techniques: We dug up an old foundation using a diesel-powered backhoe; we built kitchen cabinets out of oriented strand board, the same mix of saw dust and resin made from formaldehyde found in many kitchens in America. We’ve just finished pouring basically the same concrete foundation for our straw bale house that we would have for a conventional stick frame house. But one of the early lessons I have learned from Eric is that while every builder must balance labor against the price of materials with each decision he makes, a builder conscious of what he calls “the true cost” of materials has a whole different vector to calculate. Read more here.

Local News

Seal Numbers on the Cape Increase, Tensions with Residents Grow

In 1980, Muskeget was listed as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service and is the only home to the rare Muskeget vole. Sometimes, it’s very exciting, like being on the Galapagos Islands, but Snow said the fragile environment is being trampled by these lumbering visitors who weigh up to 800 pounds and have been moving inland as the beaches become too crowded. “It’s quite a scene. The smell, the sound, the numbers, the overall commotion,” Snow said of the winter mating season. At least two small freshwater ponds on the island have been polluted with their feces, and fishing is non-existent, Snow said. About the only good news is that he believes the island’s extensive sandbars have kept the great whites from coming close to shore.

By the 1960s, the gray seal population had been virtually wiped out in the region. Thanks to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which forbids harassing or harming all marine mammals, gray seals – the most numerous of the seal species in this area – returned in relatively large numbers. The Muskeget population spike mirrors the growth of gray seals on the Cape and Islands, whose estimated numbers went from 5,611 in 1999 to 15,756 in 2011. That has created problems for Snow and others who believe water quality, public safety and fish populations have all suffered. They are now questioning whether these seals still need that protection. Read more here.

Baker feels heat for denying EBT users from buying her sweets

A Walpole baker – appalled that welfare abuse now seems almost as American as apple pie – is putting her whoopie pies where her mouth is in a dispute with the Braintree Farmers Market, refusing to take EBT cards for her baked treats. “I don’t think American taxpayers should be footing the bill for people’s pie purchases,” said Andrea Taber, proprietor of the Ever So Humble Pie Co. in Walpole, who peddles her wares at the Braintree market on Fridays and now finds herself in the middle of the state’s raging fight over welfare benefits.

“To me it’s no different than nail salons and Lottery tickets,” Taber said. “It’s pastry, it’s dessert. My pies are great, but come on.” Read more here.

Fall River YMCA kids ‘heartbroken’ after vegetable garden is vandalized

FALL RIVER – Campers at the Fall River YMCA learned a hard lesson about farming: Sometimes a lot of hard work can come to nothing.

Children attending the YMCA summer camp went to their community garden last week to find that someone had jumped the fence to steal their harvest of eggplant and squash and tear up dozens more plants, according to Frank Duffy, the YMCA’s executive director. “The kids were, honestly, heartbroken,” Duffy said. “They put a lot of work into this.” Read more here.

Residents speak against proposed Dartmouth solar farm bylaw

DARTMOUTH – Residents at a packed public wasted no time attacking a proposed solar farm bylaw that would loosen the town’s prohibition on industrial solar panel farms in residential zones.

Many residents took issue with the proposed bylaw, claiming that it is too permissive and that it reverses the will of Town Meeting. Other residents claimed that with Dartmouth ranking 12th in the state for most solar installations according to the environmental advocacy group Environment Massachusetts, the town is already promoting alternative energy and that a more permissive bylaw is unnecessary. Read more here.

Local artists welcome public to their studios as part of ninth annual art tour

About 500 art enthusiasts stopped by Bow House Studio in Tiverton this weekend to view the works of Kelly Milukas and Sarah Fielding-Gunn. The visitors were part of the ninth annual South Coast Artists Open Studio Tour. Seventy-three artists at 48 locations across Dartmouth, Westport, Tiverton and Little Compton, R.I., displayed their work in an effort to encourage greater appreciation and participation in the arts throughout the community. Watercolors, oil painting, jewelry, fiber art, furniture and pastels were among the mediums on display at the various tour locations.

Milukas said that the tour has become a popular attraction for art lovers. “People love coming into the studio environment,” said Milukas, president of the nonprofit South Coast Artists Inc., which organizes the event. “They get to see the whole process. All the materials are out. People come back every year. They write it in their calendar. They wouldn’t miss it.” Read more here.

Massachusetts Cranberry growers celebrate 125 years of business

Rochester – After 125 years of productivity, the Cape Cod Cranberry Grower’s Association has 120 million reasons to celebrate. At the annual meeting and tradeshow at East Over Farm in Rochester, Congressman William Keating congratulated the association on being one of the largest contributors to the industry.

“I think this will be the largest cranberry providing district in America. Last year, the Massachusetts’ cranberry industry brought in $120 million in revenue alone,” Keating said. “You can’t beat the farming that goes on in southeastern Massachusetts.” Read more here.

Also read about this year’s cranberry harvest.

Cape Cod Community Colleges Gives Green Energy a Go

WEST BARNSTABLE – By the time students return to Cape Cod Community College in September, they could be working under lights powered by the sun. A large solar farm, several smaller photovoltaic arrays and an innovative wind energy project installed over the past five months on the college’s West Barnstable campus are expected to save more than $100,000 a year in electricity costs, according to college officials.

“The goal here is twofold: Number one, we want to reduce our use of fossil fuels,” said Dixie Norris, college vice president of finance and administration. “Number two, as much if not more, we need to reduce the cost of our electricity because it keeps going up and takes away from what we can do for our students.” Read more here.

Hingham greenhouse nurses plants for Gardner

HINGHAM – This coastal town of 22,000 has lots to boast about: the Talbot’s clothing chain started here, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt praised its central road as “the most beautiful Main Street in America,” and the 17th-century Old Ship Church here claims to be the oldest meetinghouse in continuous religious use in the United States.

Hingham has bragging rights to dozens of famous residents, past and present. And as of March, it also can get credit for a link to the famed Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a Boston landmark 20 miles away. That’s because the museum opened a greenhouse here to supply all the plants used to create the lush botanical displays featured in the museum courtyard. Read more here.

9th District Democrats focus on polluted Cape water

District Attorney Sam Sutter, who is competing in the Democratic primary for the 9th congressional district, sought to draw attention to water pollution on Cape Cod, focusing on a problem outside his SouthCoast base of support. Sutter pledged to aggressively seek federal funding to support solutions to groundwater contamination. In a campaign release, he proposed more extensive use of a wastewater treatment facility at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. “It is a serious environmental issue that threatens to become a serious economic issue if we don’t halt the degradation of these critical habitats and the rising threat to these watersheds that are literally the essence of life on Cape Cod,” Sutter said in the statement.

Cape Cod has struggled with the question of how to clean up its increasingly polluted water, which receives nitrogen run-off from the septic systems used by many towns. Read more here.

Providence Events Can Be Trashy

Officials in Providence have failed to put practices in place that require event organizers to follow the same recycling mandates placed upon city residents. And forget about collecting event food scrap and keeping it out of landfill-bound Dumpsters.

ECORI Public Works was hired last summer to help handle the sorting of recyclables, food scrap and trash during the 2011 Providence Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon. Both staffers and volunteers were appalled by the amount of waste the event produced. At last year’s race, ECORI Public Works set up dozens of three-receptacle stations, with each bin clearly marked for trash, recyclables or food scrap. These signs were often ignored. This year, our services weren’t requested nor offered, and the 2012 event didn’t include the sorting of recyclables or food scrap. A few of the people on the clean-up crew who were moving trash bags to the Gaspee Street curb Sunday morning told ecoRI News that the material in the light blue trash bags would be recycled. On closer inspection, this seemed highly unlikely, since recyclable plastic bottles and aluminum cans were mixed together with orange peels, Styrofoam cups, wooden popsicle sticks and white runners’ towels. Read more here.

A good crop at the Worcester County jail

Here’s the dirt on the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction: The inmates are growing more of their food than ever before. From practically zero, Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis has expanded the farm operation at the jail to 10 acres this year, with plans for 12 acres next year. All that corn, zucchini and squash is putting smiles on a lot of faces, and also sweat on some of them.

The harvest gives a nice break to inmates who would be eating frozen vegetables otherwise, notes Chief Deputy Sheriff David H. Tuttle. And the $15,000 – at least – in food-cost avoidance is taxpayer – and budget-manager friendly, said Assistant Deputy Jail Superintendent Michael A. Temple. Plus patrons of local food pantries are getting locally-grown and transported vegetables at a time when drought conditions across the country threaten to dent family wallets. Read more here.

‘Undroppable’ students unstoppable when it comes to education

NEW BEDFORD – In this city, a city with a graduation rate of just 56.4 percent, the focus is often on the kids who don’t make it through it high school. Jason Pollock, a Los Angeles-based documentary filmmaker, wants to shift that focus. Pollock, 31, is the force behind a social-media movement and upcoming documentary – both titled “Undroppable” – that will showcase students across the country who are beating the odds and staying in high school to graduation.

He spent about two weeks in New Bedford at the end of the school year, filming students from both New Bedford High School and Whaling City Alternative High School. “I just think (New Bedford is) like a really brilliant community, and I’m just really excited to get everybody’s story out,” said Pollock in a phone interview this week. Read more here.

Lakeville cashes in on Green Community designation

LAKEVILLE – Designated a Green Community last month, Lakeville received its share of a $2.5 million state grant Tuesday in ceremonies at the Lakeville Public Library. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan and Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia represented Gov. Deval Patrick and recognized Lakeville as one of 103 communities in the state, that attained the Green Communities designation and the first in the SouthCoast. Lakeville was awarded a grant of $158,275.

Lakeville had to commit to reducing its municipal energy use by 20 percent by 2020, Sullivan pointed out. After it passed the stretch code at the 2011 town meeting, it forces newly built structures in town to be more energy efficient by that same 20 percent. Read more here.

Rare Turtles Born on Marion Shores

The diamondback terrapin turtles are classified as threatened on the state’s endangered species list. But, Marion resident Don Lewis says don’t count them out quite yet. Last week, Lewis and his wife Sue Wieber Nourse discovered a nest of sixteen baby terrapins on a local beach. After a little tender, love and care, Lewis says the babies are thriving.

Known as the “Turtle Guy,” Lewis is the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Districts and an expert on turtles. For the past decade, he and his wife, who is a research scientist and CEO of Cape Cod Consultants, have been studying the terrapin turtles. The turtles are rare in the Marion estuaries, with only an estimated 100 terrapins surviving in the South Coast habitat, Lewis said. Read more here.

Fairhaven Conservation Commission lifts Bella Vista cease and desist order

FAIRHAVEN – The Conservation Commission lifted a cease and desist order on two sites related to Bella Vista Island after clarifying when an environmental engineer must be present.

In 2011, the commission determined that work on Bella Vista Island had destroyed wetlands there. However, those wetlands could not be restored, so in response, the commission ordered island resident Anwar Faisal to pay for the remediation of wetlands on the Board of Public Works property on Arsene Street. Read more here.

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This Week in Sustainability

Main Street Madness in Wareham

Friday, August 24, 11:00AM – 7:00PM, Main St., Wareham
A potpourri of raffles, special offers, discounts and events this Friday from numerous Main Street businesses and establishments. Shop local, dine local. Send us your feedback here.

Blue Crabs, Minnows, Shrimp and More – Salt Pond Exploration

Friday, August 24, 1- – 11:30 AM, Goosewing Beach Preserve, 140 South Shore Road, Little Compton RI
Learn about the history and use of the seine net. Discover what critters live in the shallow waters during this discovery program. Meet in front of the Educational Center. All ages welcome with appropriate supervision. Program is free, but there is a parking fee at the town beach. For more information and to register, call Kate Pisano 401-331-7110 ext. 33 at or email kpisano@tnc.org.

Westport Rivers Vineyard Summer Sunset Music

Friday, August 24, 6 to 8PM, 417 Hixbridge Rd, Westport, MA
This week the winery will feature “Red Eye Flight Band” as the sun sets over the beautiful vineyard. It’s a picnic style event, so either pack in your own food or buy some dinner from our friend Wayne Gibson’s South Coast Local (who will be serving up a variety of BBQ, from pulled pork sandwiches to hot dogs for the kids). Don’t forget a blanket, chairs, bug spray, glasses or a cork screw.Admission is $10 per carload and beer, wine and SoCo local food will be served for a fee. The event is weather permitting and NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOL is permitted. For more information call 508-636-3423.

Bay Adventure to Penikese Island

Saturday, August 25, 9:00AM – 3:00PM, Departs from Woods Hole
Join the Buzzards Bay Coalition this summer for a Bay Adventure to Penikese Island. Participants on this full-day excursion will explore beautiful Penikese Island in the middle of Buzzards Bay. Planned activities include an oyster farming demonstration, tour of Penikese Island School, and coastal exploration activities with Bay Coalition education staff. Cost: $60 for Bay Coalition members, $75 for non-members, $40 for children. Reservations required and space is limited. Email Margo Connolly or call 508.999.6363 x224 to make your reservation. Program cost includes boat transportation to and from the island. Details here.

Antiquarian Summer Fair

Saturday, August 25th from 10:00AM to 3:00PM, Hedge House, 126 Water Street, Plymouth MA
Attic treasures, jewelry, homemade goodies, and bargains galore are some of the delights of this old-fashioned New England fair, held under a big tent on our sweeping lawn overlooking Plymouth harbor. Browsers welcome, free of charge! Fee for luncheon. For more information go to www.plymouthantiquariansociety.org.

DNRT “Barn Bash” Square Dance at the Sylvan Nursery Barn

Saturday, August 25, 6:00PM – 10:30PM, 253 Horseneck Road, Dartmouth (1 mile south of Russell’s Mills Village)
Please join Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust and its local supporters for a fun-filled evening of delicious food and lively square-dancing to benefit land conservation in Dartmouth. Silent Auction. Lowest priced ticket is $85 per person. For more information, to view silent auction items, or to reserve tables and make donations, go to http://www.dnrt.org/sp_event.htm.

Floral Arranging Class at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens

Monday, August 27, 10:00AM – 11:30AM, 101 Ferry Road, Bristol RI
Join award-winning floral arranger Lynne Merrill for a four-week series of floral design classes at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum. Lynne will provide tips for harvesting, cleaning, and conditioning flowers as well as basic instruction of flower arranging. Each week will highlight a different design principle, in order to explore various floral design trends in color, materials, and arrangement styles. Then, using your own artistic expression, you can create a take-home centerpiece each session. Students will be asked to bring your own containers and shears. Cost $75 Member, $85 Non-Member for the four week series. Drop-in rates: Member $20, Non-member $25. Limit 15 participants. Details here.

Farmers’ Market at St. Anne’s Hospital

Monday, August 27, 11:30AM – 4:00PM, Saint Anne’s Hospital, 795 Middle St., Fall River, MA
Enjoy fresh, locally grown produce and other healthy goods at the farmers market at Saint Anne’s Hospital. Held in conjunction with Silverbrook Farms of Dartmouth, the market features locally grown produce and locally made products, as well as information about community programs and services aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle, cooking demonstrations, recipes, and samples of healthy food offerings using seasonal ingredients sold at the market. 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., near the hospital’s main entrance on South Main Street. Free valet parking at the entrance. Details here.

Lloyd Center Sunset Kayak Tour

Wednesday, August 29, 6:00PM – 8:00PM, Lloyd Center Headquarters, 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth
What better way to end the day than a peaceful paddle along the Slocum River. You’ll feel your stress dissolve as you glide along this spectacular estuary, enjoying the setting sun. Watch wading and shore birds flock to feed, see fish jump and await the multitude of color changes in the sky. This is a wonderful and relaxing way to explore the delicate ecosystem of this salt marsh. Inexperienced paddlers are welcome. All tours include basic kayak equipment and instruction by certified guides. Lloyd Center members: $38, non-members: $45. Pre-registration required by noon on Tuesday, August 28. Age 14 and up. (10 spaces available) You can also call the Center’s event line at 508-558-2918. Details here.

Fairhaven Farmers’ Market

Every Sunday, Running to October 14, 1:00PM – 4:00PMFairhaven High School, 12 Huttleston Ave.(Rt. 6), Fairhaven, MA
Get your greens while “Being Green.” Buy fresh local produce from area farmers. Enjoy the local market with family and friends every Sunday afternoon through October 14. Entertainment will be available occasionally during market hours. Access the parking lot off Main Street to the rear of the Academy Building. Handicap parking. Free admission. Coordinated by the Fairhaven Sustainability Committee. Information on vendors here.

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Save The Date

Women’s Full Moon Canoe Trip

Friday, August 31, 2012 from 5:30PM – 8:00PM, Lloyd Center Headquarters, 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth
Girls’ night out! Enjoy canoeing the historic Slocum River. Transportation to launching site and all equipment provided. Bring footwear that can get wet, as well as a snack and beverage (non-alcoholic). Price: Members: $20 Non-members: $25

Pre-registration required by noon on Thursday, August 30th Limit: 12 Pre-register online, or call 508-990-0505 x10. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Liz at 508-990-0505 x15, or email her here.

The Art of the Raptor: Audubon Raptor Weekend 2012

Saturday and Sunday, September 8 and 9, 2012 from 10:00AM to 4PM, Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street (Route 114), Bristol, RI
Join master falconer Laurie Schumacher from Hamilton, New York, for Talons! A Bird of Prey Experience – a European Eagle Owl, Barred Owl and Harris’ Hawk are just a few of the raptors she presents. Breath-taking free flight demonstrations highlight this program focusing on falconry, raptor biology, and conservation.

Marcia Wilson of Eyes on Owls will introduce the audience to a Snowy Owl, Spectacled Owl and five or six other live owls found in New England as well as other parts of the world. Wilson will also explore the protection of owls and their habitats.

Programs throughout both days include entertaining and educational activities for families. Admission also provides access to the award-winning Audubon Environmental Education Center and entrance to the Center’s 28-acre wildlife refuge, including the scenic boardwalk to Narragansett Bay. For more information, go to www.asri.org/.

Meditation Walk

Saturday September 8 from 9:00AM to 11AM, Slocum’s River Reserve, Dartmouth MA (Between Horseneck Road and Slocum’s River, 1 mile south of Russell’s Mills Village)
Angela Curry, Certified Yoga Instructor, will lead a quiet celebration of art and nature. Enjoy the natural beauty that is Slocum River Reserve, and the beautiful art that is now on display. Walking meditation allows you to quiet your mind, without the stipulation of stillness. Awaken your senses through a silent stroll, and soak up the peacefulness that surrounds. Please wear comfortable loose fitting cloths, and appropriate footwear. Breathing exercises and yoga postures will be incorporated into the walk. Of course cell phones should be left behind or silenced to maintain a placid climate. All fitness levels are welcome, this will not be a strenuous journey.

Lloyd Center Sunset Kayak Tour

Wednesday, September 12, 5:30PM – 7:30PM, Lloyd Center Headquarters, 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth
What better way to end the day than a peaceful paddle along the Slocum River. You’ll feel your stress dissolve as you glide along this spectacular estuary, enjoying the setting sun. Watch wading and shore birds flock to feed, see fish jump and await the multitude of color changes in the sky. This is a wonderful and relaxing way to explore the delicate ecosystem of this salt marsh. Inexperienced paddlers are welcome. All tours include basic kayak equipment and instruction by certified guides. Lloyd Center members: $38, non-members: $45. Pre-registration required by noon on Tuesday, September 11. Age 14 and up. (10 spaces available) You can also call the Center’s event line at 508-558-2918. Details here.

International Coastal Cleanup

Saturday September 15, 2012 from 9:00AM to Noon, Various Locations Near You!
Coastal debris is not only ugly, it is dangerous to wildlife. For over 25 years, Audubon Society of Rhode Island has been organizing annual beach cleanups. Working with the Ocean Conservancy, we are part of an international effort to clean up our beaches and document trash so we can address the problem at the source. Sponsored by Coastal Conservancy. Join a team of volunteers who care about the coastline just like you do! Download our list of public cleanups or sign up at www.signuptocleanup.org.

SEMAP’s 2nd Annual BOG JOG & Veggie Stampede

Saturday September 15, 2012 from 9:00AM to Noon, Tihonet Village Market at 146 Tihonet Road, Wareham, MA
Run or Walk through the A.D. Makepeace property and bogs. Run through wooded trails, break in and out of the dense forest into the sunshine, around a bog and then back into the tree-covered trail. Pre-Registration Fee: $25.00. Race Day Registration Fee: $35.00. All registrants receive a race t-shirt at registration. LOCAL FOOD CELEBRATION at the Finish Line! No strollers, dogs, scooters, or roller blades allowed. Race will be professionally timed and posted on-line. Medals for overall winners and each age group. For more information, go to the race website.

Creating Walkable Communities

Thursday, September 20, 2012 from 1:00PM – 5:00PM, UMass Dartmouth Woodland Commons
What is it that makes you want to stroll a neighborhood? Why do some city centers and town villages draw you to be out on foot? Please join us on September 20th as we host three speakers who will help us envision how Southeastern Massachusetts can transform village and urban areas towards greater walkability. We’ll explore planting trees and other greenery; sidewalks, streetscapes and parking; building designs and vistas for pedestrian centers.

Anyone should come who is interested in greening up their city or town, or sharing how their neighborhood already encourages visitors and residents to park their cars and walk around. We’d like to have participation from municipal planners, environmental activists, and SouthCoast residents. The workshop will include tips and stories of how walkable neighborhoods have been established elsewhere, and it will also offer time for discussion of questions and suggestions from participants. Speakers include

• Wendy Landman, Executive Director of WalkBoston
• Jason Schrieber of Nelson/Nygaard
• Steve Cecil of The Cecil Group

This event is the first in our new series, ‘Sustainable Cities.’ This series, co-sponsored by the Urban Initiative and the Sustainability Initiative of UMass Dartmouth, will involve conversations about the ways we can capitalize on the assets of our urban communities to promote a low-carbon future. Register for the event here. To request more information on upcoming events in this series, contact Colleen Dawicki at email or Susan Jennings at email.

Slocums River Project Family Day

Saturday, September 22, 11:00am to 3:00pm, Slocum’s River Reserve, Dartmouth MA (Between Horseneck Road and Slocum’s River, 1 mile south of Russell’s Mills Village)
Enjoy a free, fun-filled day celebrating The River Project with tours of the sculpture exhibit, kid’s activities, and West African drumming and song by the Kekeli African Music Ensemble. For more information visit the River Project 2012 web page at slocumsriverproject.com.

Elephant Appreciation Day at Buttonwood Park Zoo

Sunday, September 23, 1:00PM – 4:00PM, Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn St., New Bedford, MA
Free with zoo admission. We’ll celebrate all elephants with a day of demonstrations, activities and crafts. Join us for a day of elephant-sized fun. Call (508) 991-6178 for more information.

Women’s Full Moon Canoe Trip

Friday, September 28, 2012 from 5:00PM – 7:30PM, Lloyd Center Headquarters, 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth
Girls’ night out! Enjoy canoeing the historic Slocum River. Transportation to launching site and all equipment provided. Bring footwear that can get wet, as well as a snack and beverage (non-alcoholic). Price: Members: $20 Non-members: $25

Pre-registration required by noon on Thursday, September 27 Limit: 12 Pre-register online, or call 508-990-0505 x10. If you have specific questions regarding the program, please call Liz at 508-990-0505 x15, or email her here.

Sixth Annual Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride

Sunday, October 14, 2012
The fall’s best outdoor event is the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride. Cyclists choose between a 75-mile or 35-mile ride across the watershed to raise funds for the Bay, as well as create awareness and encourage stewardship of the beautiful watershed we all share. The 75-mile-long route begins at Horseneck Beach in Westport, winding along the coast through farmland, coastal villages, New Bedford’s waterfront, cranberry bogs and the back roads of Cape Cod before ending at scenic Quissett Harbor in Woods Hole. You can ride, cheer or volunteer in support of a healthy watershed and Bay.

In addition to a $30 registration fee, each rider must raise a minimum of $300. Once you register, you will receive additional materials to help you with your fundraising. This information will also have plenty of detail about how the funds help support the work of the Bay Coalition. The fundraising staff at the Bay Coalition is also available to help you with any question you might have. Learn more and register here. If you have questions about the Watershed Ride, please contact Donna Cobert, Director of Membership and Events, at 508.999.6363 x209. or email.

Organic Farming Practices I at BCC

Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, September through December, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA
Enrollment is open for all interested in Organic Farming Practices I. The course is designed for serious gardeners and small-scale organic farmers. Topics will include sustainable agriculture in our future world, extensive soils studies including fertility, conservation, management, crop rotation, and more. This Fall semester course will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from September – December and earns 4 college credits. Tuition waivers may be available for senior citizens and veterans. Questions? Contact Dr. Jim Corven at 508 678-2811, ext. 3047 or james.corven@bristolcc.edu.

Organic Pest and Disease Control at BCC

Mondays 6 to 9pm, starting in September, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA
New Course available: Organic Pest and Disease Control. This course is designed for gardeners and farmers who want to prevent pests/diseases and manage their land with minimal chemical dependency. The course will meet on Monday evenings from 6-9:00 pm for 6 weeks starting in early September. The course offers one college credit and tuition waivers may be available for senior citizens and veterans. Questions? Contact Dr. Jim Corven at 508 678-2811, ext. 3047 or james.corven@bristolcc.edu.

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Announcements

“The River Project: Art & Nature at Slocum’s River Reserve”

The beautiful Slocum’s River Reserve in Dartmouth is the inspiration and the setting for six large-scale site-specific sculptures that will be on display through May 18, 2013. A companion exhibit featuring models and drawings of the works is at the nearby Gustin Gallery. The Slocum’s River Reserve is jointly owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations and Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust and is located on Horseneck Road in Dartmouth, 1.4 miles south of Russell’s Mills Village. The Gustin Gallery is located at 231 Horseneck Road in Dartmouth, just north of the Slocum’s River Reserve. For more information, visit slocumsriverproject.com.

“Change Is Simple” is coming to the SouthCoast

“Change Is Simple” is a young and vibrant non profit start-up based in Massachusetts, whose mission is sustainability education for children through schools and community organizations and assisting business and organizations with “greening”. They have enjoyed success on the NorthShore and they are now booking programs on the SouthCoast. For more information, please feel free to contact me, Marylou Clarke at 508-542-3550, or the founders, Patrick and Lauren Belmonte at LBelmonte@changeissimple.org or PBelmonte@changeissimple.org. View an informational video or visit the Change is Simple web site.

“Books, Arts, and Blooms” at Lakeville Public Library

Content taken from The Standard Times

“Books, Arts and Blooms” is the name of an eye-catching exhibit, currently being showcased at Lakeville Public Library, in which members of the Lakeville Garden Club teamed up with local artists to express their impressions of selected books in the form of floral arrangements and artwork. From sculptures to quilts and collages to acrylic paintings, the various works can be viewed in the Great Ponds Gallery alongside photos of gorgeous bouquets and other floral arrangements.

To view the exhibit, Lakeville Public Library is located on 241 Main Street, Lakeville, MA 02347. Read more about the exhibit here.

Donations Sought for “Earn a Bicycle” program

Mass in Motion-Fall River is seeking donations of used, retired bicycles for a RECYCLE A BICYCLE program being held this summer at Durfee High School, and continuing in the fall with the Applied Physics Class for the Class of 2016. In each case students are taking bicycles and refurbishing them. After bicycle mechanics comes bicycle safety, learning the rules of the road from the Fall River Police Department, and receiving a bicycle helmet. Finally with bicycles restored comes navigating safely around the City. And for those who complete the program successfully, “Earning a bicycle”. Please help us by donating any used and older models, retired bikes stored in your basement or garage. Some will be restored, some will be used for parts. Drop off can be arranged at Durfee High School in Fall River Mass or at Motion-Fall River, the Health and Human Services Division, located at One Government Center.Contact Contact Julianne Kelly, Coordinator for Mass in Motion-Fall River, at jkelly@fallriverma.org or 508-324-2405.

ACUPCC Five-Year Report Underscores Profound Impact

The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment and its almost 700 signatories have demonstrated a profound and positive impact in negating the affects of climate change and integrating sustainable practices on their campuses since the initiative’s inception in 2007, according to Celebrating Five Years of Climate Leadership, the ACUPCC’s five-year report. The report quantifies the progress of the initiative, which represents an agreement between nearly 700 colleges and universities to promote sustainability through teaching and action. These actions includes reducing carbon emissions on their campuses; deploying sustainable practices; revising their curriculums and cultures to raise awareness of sustainability in students and graduates; sponsoring research and developing best case practices; and engaging local economies and communities. The report was released in conjunction with the ACUPCC’s annual Climate Leadership Summit , which was held at American University in Washington, DC on June 21st and 22nd.

The report’s highlights include:

• More than 675 signatories, representing 6 million students or 30 percent of the nation’s college and university population, have committed to the ACUPCC.
• Collectively, entire network has reduced gross greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent since 2007.
• By 2022, the signatories are projected to reduce their gross emissions by over 50 percent.
• More than 30 percent of signatories have targeted becoming climate neutrality within 20 years.
• Signatories collectively represent the third-largest purchasers of Renewable Energy Credits in the U.S.-enough green power for 130,000 American households.
• Almost 200 signatories offer nearly 10,000 courses focused on sustainability.

The ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments from college and universities to accelerate the education, research and community engagement to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate, and eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations.

Learn more here.

Massachusetts Audubon Society Offers Free Summer Vacation Guide

From Boston.com The Massachusetts Audubon Society is offering a variety of outdoor activities and events this summer. To help families and visitors plan a trip to one of its 50 wildlife sanctuaries, Mass Audubon has created a new online vacation guide. The vacation guide offers something for everyone of all ages and backgrounds. out the Vacation Guide here.

Clean Air-Cool Planet is Hiring a Campus Program Associate

CA-CP is looking for a program associate to help us support and continue to develop carbon management tools (like the Campus Carbon Calculator) and programs for colleges and universities.

To apply, please send a letter of intent, resume and list of three references (or letters of reference) and a writing sample to Clean Air Cool Planet, attn.: Lynn Sullivan. Details and Job Description here.

New Job Openings at Buzzards Bay Coaltion

The Buzzards Bay Coalition has the following open service positions:

Commonwealth Corps Environmental Educator
The Buzzards Bay Coalition seeks two energetic individuals to join our team as Commonwealth Corps Service Members. This year-long position is as a core part of our Education and Public Engagement department with an overall goal of engaging the community in active and on-going stewardship of the Bay and Watershed. Specifically, service members will be working on our youth education initiatives which seek to strengthen the ethic of environmental stewardship in the region while also improving academic achievement in the classroom through increased school engagement. View the full job description at This Link

Visit Save Buzzards Bay for information on all our positions.

UMass Dartmouth’s Living Classroom Program Profiled in Sustainability Journal

UMass Dartmouth’s Living Classroom program is profiled in the April 2012 issue of Sustainability: The Journal of Record. The Journal is published by Mary Ann Leibert, Inc., a leading company in authoritative international publications for the Scientific, Technical, and Medical knowledge and information industries. The profile, written by Pamela Marean from UMass Dartmouth’s Sustainability Office, discusses how The Living Classroom stimulates curiosity in students and local residents alike about how sustainability principles work in our lives by applying higher learning concepts to our immediate environmental resources–namely the University’s hundreds of acreage of forests and wetlands. This article represents a great accomplishment for UMass Dartmouth and is bound to bring greater attention to The Living Classroom, as well as all innovative programs under the umbrella of the Sustainability Initiative. Interested readers can view a copy of the article here.

UMass Dartmouth Included in Princeton Review’s Annual Guide to Green Colleges

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was selected for inclusion in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition.” This free, downloadable book is a one-of-a-kind resource and is published in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The comprehensive guide focuses solely on colleges that have demonstrated a notable commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The Princeton Review chose the listed schools based on research it conducted in 2011 of over 700 colleges and universities across the U.S. and in Canada. It provides “Green Rating” scores of colleges for its school profiles in its college guidebooks and website. The institutions in the guide represent those with the highest “Green Ratings.”

Interested readers can download a free copy of the guide at Princeton Review’s site or at the website for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools.

UMass Dartmouth Sustainability Courses for Fall 2012 Semester Announced

UMass Dartmouth’s Sustainability Studies undergraduate courses for the fall 2012 semester have been announced and listed. Learn more here.

SouthCoast Energy Challenge Business Rewards Program

The SouthCoast Energy Challenge launched its Business Rewards Program at three Dartmouth businesses: Alderbrook Farm, Baker Books, and Mirasol’s Café. A tidy box near the entrance of each establishment signals to customers, “Save money on utility bills… and earn a $10 gift certificate to this establishment!” How does it work? Any customer who registers for and receives a no-cost, Mass Save home energy assessment by filling out an attached slip and dropping it in the box will receive their complimentary $10 gift certificate to that business! It’s as easy as that! And the perks don’t stop there. Simply getting a home energy assessment can save you 3-5% utility costs. During the assessment, the energy experts at Next Step Living make a few simple, on-the-spot retrofits to increase your home’s efficiency. These retrofits include installing energy saving light bulbs, an efficient showerhead, and programmable thermostats if you don’t have them already. They will also make recommendations to increase the efficiency of your home on a deeper level. Added insulation, air sealing, and weatherstripping are some common recommendations. Furthermore, they will help you make a plan to take advantage of state rebates and funding opportunities available through the Mass Save program. For more information, visit the SouthCoast Energy Challenge.

The Top 10 Peak Oil Books Of 2012

“Peak Oil” is the term for predictions about when we will have passed the mark for extracting oil from the earth in its best quantities. After Peak Oil, extraction supplies will only dwindle. Experts say we already passed that mark three decades ago. For the best, most recent reading on the subject, including its effects on the economy, energy supplies, and other factors expected to peak and dwindle, click here.

Regional Bikeway Conversation

Conversations about the Regional Bikeway are heating up and we need your help! The Fall River, Dartmouth, and New Bedford bikepath committees are seeking members. For more information contact:
New Bedford: Angela Bannister bannist324@yahoo.com or Pauline Hamel phamel@bu.edu
Dartmouth: Wendy Henderson whenderson@town.dartmouth.ma.us
Fall River: Brian Pearson btrekman@comcast.net
For information about the regional bikeway, contact Adam Recchia arecchia@srpedd.org.
For information about upcoming bikerides, contact Brian Pearson btrekman@comcast.net.

Essay Contest for Kids and Teens

Like A Drop of Water’s writing contest offers young people, ages eight through seventeen, world wide the opportunity to share their ideas on how they and their countries can reduce climate change and pollution. The writing contest is open to all young people in the world from the ages of eight through seventeen (8-17). There is a $400.00 award every month to eight or more young authors with scholarship awards ranging from $25.00 to $100.00 through 2015. In addition, the judges will select the best essay in the calendar year and that young person will receive a $500.00 scholarship award. Yearly the top fifty essays will be sent to the White House and be made available to governments across the world. Bi-yearly, the best one hundred winning essays will be published as an e-book for world wide distribution. Learn about the contest here.

Buy Carbon Credits with the Marion Institute

Offset one ton of carbon emissions for just $7. Your tax-free donation will go directly to the Marion Institute’s Gaviotas Carbon Offset Initiative, which has been reforesting tropical rainforest for over twenty years. Donate here.

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Weekly Green Tip

Avoiding Mosquito Bites

Preventing Mosquito Bites the Earth-Friendly Way Learn more here.