What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Bioneers by the Bay Early Bird Discount (30%) Ending September 30, 2011

Note: This is a highly regarded conference!

The 7th annual educational Connecting for Change conference, is set to take place once again in downtown New Bedford, on October 21-23, 2011.  The Connecting for Change: a Bioneers by The Bay Conference brings awareness of the importance of environmental activism and sustainability.  Connecting for Change is committed to affordable access for all to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals. Discounted (30%-off) Early Bird Registration is available ONLY until midnight on Friday, September 30.
 

Healthy Communities Grant Program ~ April 20 & 26, 2011

The 2011 Healthy Communities Grant Program integrates nine EPA New England programs  Assistance & Pollution Prevention, Asthma, Children¹s Environmental Health, Environmental Justice, Pesticides, Targeted Watershed, Tools for Schools, Toxics,  and Urban Environmental Program.

These programs are working in partnership to improve environmental conditions by competitively identifying projects that will achieve measurable environmental, human health and quality of life improvements in communities across New England.
 
In order to qualify for funding, projects must meet two criteria: (1) be located in and directly benefit one or more of the four Target Investment Areas; and (2) identify measurable environmental and public health results in one or more of the six Target Program Areas.
 
In 2011, Target Investment Areas include: Environmental justice areas of potential concern, Sensitive populations, Narragansett Bay Watershed (RI & MA), and/or Urban Areas in one or more of the EPA Region I States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and/or Vermont.  Target Program Areas include: Asthma, Capacity-Building on Environmental and Public Health Issues, Healthy Indoor/Outdoor Environments, Healthy Schools, Narragansett Bay Watershed-Based Water Quality Management, and/or Urban Natural Resources.
 
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, local government, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, state or regional agencies, K-12 schools or school districts and tribes.
Proposals may be submitted for amounts up to $35,000 for projects with a New England-wide focus. Proposals for projects taking place in a defined geographic area (e.g., neighborhood, city, state, county) may be submitted for amounts up to $25,000. For projects identifying the Narragansett Bay Watershed-Based Water Quality Management Target Program Area, proposals may be submitted for amounts up to $25,000 for single-state projects taking place in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and up to $40,000 for projects with a Narragansett Bay bi-state (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) watershed focus.  The Healthy Communities Grant Program anticipates awarding approximately 10-20 cooperative agreements through this competitive program, based on availability of funding. Project periods will be for one or two years.

The deadline for Initial Project Summaries is May 2, 2011.
 
The Healthy Communities Grant Program will sponsor four telephone conference calls to address questions before the Initial Project Summary deadline.  Participation in the informational sessions is optional, but RSVPs are required.  The informational sessions for the Initial Summary Outlines are scheduled for the following dates/times:
 
April 14, 2011  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
April 20, 2011  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
April 26, 2011  10:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
 
Please see Attachment F of the Application Guidance for more details and registration information.  After submitting your RSVP, you will receive instructions on how to participate in the conference calls.
 
The Application Guidance can be found at http://epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/pdfs/2011-HC-Application-Guidance.pdf
 
For more information, please contact me at Padula.Jennifer@epa.gov or 617-918-1698.

 

Press Release from EPA

Fifth Annual Health Policy Legislative Forum ~ February 9, 2011

Presented by the Public Health Think Tank of the Rhode Island Public Health Association (RIPHA) and the Rhode Island General Assembly

Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Governor’s Room, Rhode Island State House
 
Program Highlights

• Welcoming by Rhode Island Dignitaries and Health Leaders
• Keynote Address by Dorothy Hebert Brayley, Kids First and Healthy Schools Coalition will be speaking on, "Successes in Advocacy in Rhode Island - Notes from the Field"
• Networking event with health-related advocacy organizations including RICOSH, Clean Water Action, Ocean State Action, EJ League, Southside Community Land Trust
• Panel discussion with legislators

Rhode Island organizations and individuals interested in public health and policy advocacy are invited to learn about successes in advocacy and to network with colleagues and legislators who are equally engaged in these processes. Please join us to broaden the support for your legislative agendas and increase exposure for your organization with the General Assembly and your public health colleagues.
 
Register online at www.ripha.org or mail the attached form with payment of $10 for RIPHA members or $15 for non-RIPHA members by February 7, 2011. Be sure to submit registration and payment for each individual who will attend the event. Space is limited, so pre-registration is recommended.

Beach Program 2011 Water Use Survey ~ January 2011

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) Beach Program is coordinating a water use survey for the calendar year of 2011.  We are looking for year round water users to participate (surfers, swimmers, etc.)   We are looking for individuals who are generally in the water at least once a month, year round.
 
Participation is completely voluntary.  The survey consists of a short 3-5 minute survey following each water exposure.  If an illness is observed there will be an additional short 3-5 minute survey.  The survey may be completed online, in writing, or over the phone.  The information gathered in this study will help HEALTH to better understand state wide year round water use and associated health risks.
 
We will be signing up participants in January 2011.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are interested in participating.
 
Thank you,
 
Lauren S. Russo
Program Assistant
Beach Program
Rhode Island Department of Health
3 Capitol Hill, Room 203
Providence, RI 02908
Phone (401) 222-1406
Fax (401) 222-4775
Lauren.Russo@health.ri.gov

Green Chemistry Forum ~ December 16, 2010

EPA’s New England office is working collaboratively with Beyond Benign to sponsor a Green Chemistry Networking Forum on Dec. 16 at the MIT Faculty Club in Cambridge. The forum is a free event meant to support and help further develop a network of cutting-edge scientists engaged in finding safer, less-toxic chemical uses to advance sustainability in our society.

Green Chemistry is the design, development, and implementation of products, materials, and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of toxic and hazardous waste. Green Chemistry is a philosophy and approach to design new materials and products derived from renewable feedstock. Green Chemistry considers the entire life cycle of the materials and products manufactured.

The networking forum will take place on Dec. 16, 2010 at the MIT Faculty Club – 6th Floor, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge Mass. between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The goals of the forum are to:

• Bring together green chemistry practitioners and potential customers and/or funders
• Enlist participation in strategic groups
• Showcase the many successful green chemistry activities in New England

The focus of the meeting is networking:

• Network with green chemistry leaders in
  • Education
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Investment and Development
  • Healthcare
  • Advocacy
• Participate in creating a sustainable green chemistry future
• Showcase your work with a poster or table exhibit

There is no cost for the Forum but registration is required.
Please register by December 10, 2010, space is limited.

Source: Press release and Forum website

On Co-existing with Black Bears in Rhode Island ~ November 4, 2010

DEM OFFERS TIPS ON CO-EXISTING WITH BLACK BEARS IN RESPONSE TO A RECENT INCIDENT IN SOUTH KINGSTOWN WHERE A BEAR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE KILLED SEVERAL SHEEP

The Department of Environmental Management has received a complaint from a landowner on Ministerial Road in South Kingstown that over the past week, four sheep on his property are believed to have been killed by a black bear.  Environmental police officers from DEM’s Division of Law Enforcement, wildlife biologists in the Division of Fish & Wildlife, and the RI State Veterinarian are investigating the complaint and monitoring activity on the property.           

Per Departmental policy, black bears that have demonstrated repeated aggression toward domestic livestock are candidates for capture and elimination by the Department. As of this writing, no animals have been captured or filmed on a trail camera set up at the site. The Department recommends that livestock owners secure their animals and all grain and food sources that might serve as an attractant to the bear. The Department also recommends that property owners report sightings or suspected bear activity to the Division of Law Enforcement at 222-3070.            

Free Soil Testing Demo for Providence Residents ~ November 3, 2010

Southside Community Land Trust to Offer Free Soil Testing Demonstration for Providence Residents

Workshop Will Cover Strategies for Avoiding Lead Exposure in Homegrown Food

Who: Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) and the Urban Agriculture Task Force of Providence
What: Soil testing demonstration
When: Wednesday, November 3rd at 3:00 p.m.
Where: 4 Theresa Ct. at Willow St., Providence ~ near Armory Park

Why: Give people in Providence an understanding of the components of soil and empower them with knowledge of how to conduct a soil test, interpret the results, and take steps to reduce or avoid lead contamination in their homegrown fruits and vegetables.

As part of its mission to educate Providence residents on how to safely grow their own food in the city, Southside Community Land Trust is offering a hands-on soil testing demonstration on Wednesday, November 3rd. The workshop is free and open to the public and will be held at 3:00 p.m. in the backyard of a private home at 4 Theresa Ct. on the west side of Providence.

At the workshop, which will be taught by Southside Community Land Trust’s director of education Leo Pollock, participants will not only be shown a systematic method of taking representative samples, but also have the opportunity to practice collecting soil and learn where they can send dirt to be analyzed for nutrient and contaminant content. They will be able to view the actual results of a soil test conducted previously at the same site and find out about methods for lead remediation and abatement as well as preventative growing practices such as the use of raised beds.

In addition to alerting gardeners and farmers to the presence of potentially toxic elements like heavy metals, soil tests also allow them to assess the fertility of a plot of land based on its acidity (measured by its pH level) and its particular composition of chemical compounds. These include essential macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which all plants need to grow. Fall is often an ideal time to conduct a soil test so that gardeners can decide what nutrients are needed for the next growing season, depending upon the crops to be raised.

Southside Community Land Trust’s urban agriculture programs include community gardens, urban farms, and youth and adult education workshops. The soil testing demonstration is a collaboration between Southside Community Land Trust and the Urban Agriculture Task Force, which puts together an annual calendar of free public workshops as part of the Plant Providence: Growing Food in the City initiative. The calendar is available online at www.plantprovidence.org.

For more information on the workshop, contact Southside Community Land Trust at (401) 273-9419.

Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) provides access to land, education and other resources so people in Greater Providence can grow food in environmentally sustainable ways and create community food systems where locally produced, affordable, and healthy food is available to all. For more information, please visit www.southsideclt.org

Dispose of Medications Safely

There is an environmentally safe way of disposing of unused, unwanted medications.  Until recently people were instructed to just pour the pills into the toilet and flush.  The government has found  that many pharmaceuticals are ending up in our waterways. There are many reasons for this, but flushing unused/unwanted medications into the ground and septic systems is one way they get there.

Proper disposal of unwanted medications was a problem no one wanted to own.  At Ocean Pharmacy we feel it is our obligation to fill that void and give people a safe outlet for there unwanted products.

Bring in your unused, unwanted medications to the Ocean Pharmacy in Charlestown, RI (3986 Old Post Rd). Our pharmacist will check to make sure there are no federally controlled medications, which we can not accept.  We place them into the Dispose My Meds box.  When the box is full we ship it to Dispose My Meds and they incinerate the medications, which is the government approved preferred way of getting rid of them.  This will keep them out of our landfills, and waterways.

We feel so strongly about this program that we will continue to sponsor it until a better solution comes along, and we will accept the meds anytime we are open.

NOTE: See Dispose My Meds for a list of pharmacies that will accept unused or expired medications.

Healing Garden at Waterfire ~ October 9, 2010

It's difficult to miss hearing about his Saturday's Gloria Gemma 5k Run/Walk/Dog Walk and Flames of Hope Waterfire sponsored by the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation.

But you might not know that new this year is the Art, Health & Wellness and the Healing Garden tents that will give people the tools to healing the body, mind and spirit. Take time to discover the keys to health and wellness at the Flames of Hope Village from 6:30pm til midnight in Station Park (the open space between the train station and Providence Place Mall), Providence, RI.

Providence Hill Climb Challenge ~ October 3, 2010

From US Open Cycling:

Summer is over. School's in. The colleges throughout our beautiful state are bustling and you're back to work.  Time to start storing nuts in preparation for a hard winter ahead? 

Not quite! 

Time, instead, to stay toned just a bit longer before the cold and dark of winter seals us up until March. 

Time for the Inaugural Providence Hill Climb Challenge!

It's just over 1,000 feet long and only 63 feet up, but Providence's Capitol Hill will generate miles of smiles as bicyclists young to old, novice to expert climb it to raise money so U.S. Open Cycling can continue to help people - and the environment - be healthier.  Our mission is to reduce overweight and obesity by helping people integrate bicycling for fitness, fun and transportation into their daily lives.

One solution to America's weight, environment and oil dependence problems is, simply, the bicycle.  But it takes you to pedal it!  We have designed the Providence Hill Climb to be challenging - not daunting - to everyone with a bicycle and a heartbeat.

So please join us, and put your mettle to the pedal, on October 3rd between 11:30 and 3:00pm at the corner of Canal and Smith Streets in Providence. 

Parking is free along Canal and Main Streets on Sunday. The US Open Cycling website has registration and other info. Sign-in will be at the Roger Williams National Memorial opposite the start line.

If you cannot come, please show your support by donating to our cause! 

Thank you!  Your health, America's health, depends on you.  We're here to help!