What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Day trip to Garden in the Woods Botanical Garden

From RI Farmways:

Day trip to Garden in the Woods Botanical Garden in Framingham, MA.
Saturday, May 17, 2008.
Departs Peckham's Greenhouse 9:00 am.
Returns approx. 5:00 pm.
Lunch Provided

Enjoy a day trip to Garden in the Woods Botanical Garden of the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham, MA. Saturday, May 17 will be during the peak of spring ephemeral season! We will leave from Peckham's Greenhouse at 9:00 am by coach, and return approx. 5:00 pm. Our group will have a tour at the Garden in the Woods, and a boxed lunch will be included, catered by Wilhelmina's Catering. There will be ample time to wander around at your own speed. The cost is $95.00 for the day. We need a minimum of 10 people in order for this trip to go.

Please call Peckham's Greenhouse (401-635-4775) or stop in to sign up.
Payment is due by april 30

Trip departs from Peckham's Greenhouse
200 West Main Road
Little Compton, RI  02837

Help Plant 100 Trees at Goddard State Park ~ April 26, 2008

From Rhode Island Tree Council:

Arbor Day Fair

            

Saturday,  April 26,   2008

            

10:00 am to 3:00 pm 

            

Goddard   Memorial Park, Warwick, RI. Everyone come! Bring a picnic!

            

Help us plant a   forest – with up to 100 trees!

Tree pruning demos, best tree mulching practices, and much more!

This vista will be of a forest in a few years. If you click on it, which enlarges the photo, you'll see the cones marking the holes where the new trees will be. Come help plant!

Fresh asparagus at Downtown Providence Farmers' Market ~ April 26, 2008

From Farm Fresh RI:

Only a few more chances to join us at the Downtown Providence Wintertime Farmers' Market! If you haven't come down to shop for the best of Rhode Island's fruits, veggies, and more, don't miss these next two weeks.

This week: Rejoice! Rhode Island's asparagus crop has been harvested! Hand-picked at 4 Town Farm in Seekonk, MA. Plus tons of greens from Simmons Farm and Red Planet Vegetables.

Time is running out to sign up for a CSA! *
Don't miss out on your chance to reserve weekly pick-ups
of Rhode Island's best in-season fruits and veggies!
There are tons of options, including Farm Fresh RI's first ever
"Market CSA" at the Armory Park or Downtown Providence Farmers' Market.
Visit our website for more info.

*CSA ~ Community Supported Agriculture

2008 Earth Day Breakfast of Champions Awardees Unveiled ~ Awards given on April 25, 2008

From Clean Water Action:

2008 Earth Day Breakfast of Champions Awardees Unveiled
Honorees selected for their work to build a green economy.

Clean Water Action, Environment Rhode Island and Ocean State Action have unveiled their 2008 Earth Day Breakfast of Champions Awardees. The theme of this year’s sixth annual Breakfast of Champions event is Rhode Islanders working for a greener economy. The event, which is open to the public with a suggested $40 donation, will be held Friday 25, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at the Aspray Boathouse in Pawtuxet Village.

The winners of the 2008 Champions awards are:

House Majority Leader Gordon Fox
Gordon Fox was first elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1992 and was first elected Majority Leader in 2002. During his tenure as House Majority Leader the Rhode Island General Assembly has passed several landmark pieces of legislation that Majority Leader Fox has sponsored or championed on issues ranging from renewable energy and energy efficiency, to mercury and electronic waste, to global warming and power plant emissions. Throughout his tenure as Majority Leader, Representative Fox has always made time for Rhode Island’s environmental community and he has helped our state become a national leader in environmental policy.

Senator Josh Miller
Senator Miller is completing the second year of his first term as a Rhode Island State Senator. In his two years at the State House, Senator Miller has quickly become a leading voice for Rhode Island’s environment because of his passion, persistence and willingness to stand on principal for what he believes is right. In particular, Senator Miller has become a champion for small-scale renewable energy projects that will benefit homeowners, small businesses and municipalities throughout the state.

Attorney General Patrick Lynch
Attorney General Lynch has been a leading Advocate for Rhode Island’s environment during his entire tenure as Rhode Island’s Attorney General. On legal issues ranging from lead poisoning, to clean air rollbacks initiated by the Bush Administration, to the hazards of liquefied natural gas, Attorney General Lynch has worked diligently to protect Rhode Island’s environment and our environmental interests. In addition, Attorney General Lynch has been one of our nation’s leading champions in defending the rights of states to adopt the Clean Cars Program. In 2007 Attorney General Lynch was one of a small handful of Attorneys General who traveled into the bowels of the Environmental Protection Agency complex in suburban Virginia to stand up for Rhode Island’s Clean Cars Program.

IBEW Local 99
IBEW Local 99 recently installed Rhode Island’s largest solar installation at their union hall on Amflex Drive in Cranston. The installation’s capacity is 50 kilo-watts and includes close to two hundred panels located in banks around the facility. In addition to demonstrating their commitment to clean renewable energy by building green, Local 99 is a champion for renewable energy at the State House, working to enact new policies that would prioritize solar and wind power and would start a green economy revolution in Rhode Island.  The union has expanded its apprenticeship program to train electricians on the installation and maintenance of renewable energy alternatives.

Free Green Landscaping Workshop & Buy Rain Barrels ~ April 26, 2008

From Save the Bay:

Green Landscaping Workshop
Save The Bay Center
100 Save The Bay Dr.
Providence, RI

Date: Saturday, April 26th
Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm

Come join us for this free event sponsored by Wal-Mart!

Topics to be discussed:
    Environmentally friendly landscape practices
    How to design and construct a rain garden
    Composting 101
    Backyard storm water control options
    Organic pest control

Bring your checkbook to buy rain barrels (pre-order at
www.riwaterlady.com), compost bins, environmentally friendly yard care
products, and even native plants.

Everything you'll need to start your gardening season off to a green
start!

More info at www.savebay.org

Questions? Please contact Marci Cole Ekberg by email or call
401-272-3540 ext. 113.

Herring Happenings on the Woonasquatucket River

From Natural Resources Conservation Service:

There were some exciting Herring happenings on the Woonasquatucket River on Monday, April 21. RI DEM was able to catch about 600 Alewives from the Wood-Pawcatuck fish run and transport them up to Riverside Park (Atlantic Mills) in Providence where they were released. This was the first herring stocking ever for this urban river! This had to happen with short notice because it is hard to predict if the traps and work schedules will coincide. This is a busy time for RI DEM fisheries staff. A few NRCS staff were there as well as Alicia and Lisa from the Watershed Council who dumped the first net-full of alewives into the river!

In addition to this exciting event, native herring were seen successfully using the fish ladder at Rising Sun Mills on Valley street! We saw a number of fish enter the newly opened structure and then watched as quite a few exited at the top while we were there.

This is just a quick update and I am sure the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council will have more updates on the herring run.

Happy Earth Day!

- Mike

Michael Merrill RI District Conservationist - Upper Narragansett Bay USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 60 Quaker Lane, Suite 46 Warwick, RI 02886 www.ri.nrcs.usda.gov tel: (401) 822-8841 fax: (401) 828-0433 [email protected]

Cranston Signs US Mayors Protection Agreement~Press Conference at City Hall ~ April 24, 2008

From Pawtuxet River Authority:

Mayor Napolitano to Announce Cranston as
One of Nation’s Coolest Cities
Mayor Napolitano to Form Special City Climate Task Force

[Cranston]-- In honor of Earth Week and Mayor Michael Napolitano’s leadership in curbing global warming, the Sierra Club will present an award to Mayor Napolitano for making Cranston one of the nation’s Cool Cities.

Recently, Mayor Napolitano signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, joining 3 other mayors in Rhode Island and over 830 other mayors nationwide who are taking action to re-energize their communities with proven innovative local energy solutions such as cleaner car fleets, energy efficiency and renewable energy. As a first action under the Agreement, Mayor Napolitano will announce a new City Climate Task Force comprised of local Cranston citizens.

The news conference at Cranston City Hall will feature remarks by Mayor Napolitano, local volunteer Peter Baptista, and Sierra Club Chapter Director Chris Wilhite
.
When: Thursday, April 24, at 10:30a.m

Where: Cranston City Hall Front

Visuals: Visuals will include information about the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities campaign will be available, including the Sierra Club’s 16 page guide, “Cool Cities: Solving Global Warming One City at a Time,” a resource for citizens and local officials who are ready to take action to reduce energy waste and heat-trapping global warming pollution.

Announcement of Winners of John H. Chafee Conservation Awards ~ Dinner is May 9, 2008

From Environment Council of RI:

The John H. Chafee Conservation awards will be given out on Friday May 9 at the dinner at the Providence Marriott.  All ECRI members and Friends are encouraged to attend.  Tickets are $60.00 for a local foods dinner and ceremonies. For reservations please contact the ECRI office ASAP, contact information below, as we need to finalize dinner counts very soon.   

As it is after Earth Day, we can now reveal the winners.

The John H Chafee Conservation Leadership Award for 2008 goes to the Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust for its preservation of 5 parcels, totaling more than 300 acres in the last year.

The other Chafee awards are going to 

• Amgen for its resource conservation program
• Fidelity for its Employees Wildlife Habitat conservation project
• Scituate High School for its Community Energy Conservation Program lead by ECRI member and Scituate HS science teacher  Shannon Donovan.

Hope all of you can join us on May 9 to honor these outstanding projects.

greg gerritt

-----------------------------------------------------
Environment Council of Rhode Island
PO Box 9061
Providence RI 02940
(401) 621-8048
http://www.environmentcouncilri.org

Volunteers Needed for the Apeiron Festival ~ June 7 and 8, 2008

From Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living:

Calling all Green Gals and Guys!

It’s that time of year again, when we begin rounding up volunteers for our annual Sustainable Living Festival & Clean Energy Expo <http://www.livingfest.org> !  This year, we have not one, but TWO days of workshops, music, exhibitors, and other fabulously fun sustainable offerings.  This means that we are looking for TWO times as much help!

This year’s festival will be held Saturday, June 7th and Sunday, June 8th.  Volunteers generally work for a 4-hour shift and receive free admission to the festival for the day, an official event t-shirt, free beverages, and a free meal to anyone who volunteers for two shifts.  For anyone who volunteers for a shift on both Saturday and Sunday, camping on the site will be available to you.  Given that this is our first attempt at a two day festival, we would greatly appreciate as much help as you could offer!

To sign up to volunteer, please fill out the volunteer form (also found on our website at www.livingfest.org) and email it back to Maryellen Snyder, or send it by mail to The Apeiron Institute, 17 Gordon Ave. Suite 207, Providence, RI  02905. With over 500 workshop presenters, vendors, musicians, performers, artists, and volunteers, the festival is truly a community effort.  Join the Sustainable Living Festival community and have fun while you help save the planet!  We thank you all for your support, and hope to work with many of you at the festival on June 7th and 8th!

The Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living
17 Gordon Avenue, Suite 207
Providence, RI 02905
T 401-228-7930
F 401-228-7932
[email protected]
www.apeiron.org
www.livingfest.org

Volunteers Needed at Riverside Mills ~ April 24, 2008

From Woonasquatucket Watershed Council:

Volunteers needed tomorrow!

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 9:00 - 11:15 AM

We know it's last minute, but we need your help.  Tomorrow WRWC is working with Wheeler School students and 80 D'Abate elementary students on park improvements at Riverside Mills. 

Volunteers are needed to help with activities such as water quality testing, non-point source pollution model, nature walk, recycling relay, and more.
Can you help out?  Call Rachel or Lisa TODAY at 401-861-9046

Where is Riverside Mills Park?