What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Winter Coat Giveaway ~ Friday, November 23, 2012

Winter coats to be given away at 9 locations around Rhode island this Friday

Contact: Greg Gerritt 401-331-0529 [email protected]

Location of all Winter coat exchange sites http://prosperityforri.com/2012-bnd-sites/

The 16th Annual Buy Nothing Day Winter Coat Exchange will take place at 9 locations in Rhode Island on Friday November 23. Winter Coats will be given away starting at 9 or 10 AM at locations in Bristol, Cranston, East Providence, Newport, North Kingstown, Pawtucket, Providence, Wakefield, and Warwick. In the age of Wall St crashing the economy and climate change, we have raised overconsumption to an art form that is tearing apart the ecosystems of the planet and our communities. To remind us of the madness many years ago people started celebrating Buy Nothing Day to protest basing our society on consumerism.

This year for the 16th year people in Rhode island will gather to collect winter coats from those who no longer need them, and distribute them to Rhode Islanders who can use them. Over the years we have grown to 9 sites and hundreds of volunteers (thanks to the YMCA for adding a number of sites to the network this year) that collect and give away winter coats instead of heading to the malls, We are sending a message of rethinking consumerism while actively providing a resource for our communities.

Anyone who can donate a coat is asked to donate a coat. Anyone who needs a coat is invited to come get a coat. Visit http://prosperityforri.com/2012-bnd-sites/ for the sites near you.

RI Agriculture Day ~ April 26, 2012

From RI Department of Environmental Management:

DEM Director to Release RI Agriculture Economic Impact Study

PROVIDENCE - To recognize the importance of the state's $100+ million agriculture industry, the Department of Environmental Management will host Rhode Island Agriculture Day at the State House on Thursday, April 26.

This year’s RI Agriculture Day program will feature a rollout of the Agricultural Economic Impact Study conducted by URI in partnership with DEM, the RI Nursery and Landscape Association, RI Turf Grass Foundation, RI Agricultural Partnership and EDC.  As part of the Rhode Island Agriculture Day festivities, approximately 50 exhibitors will host displays and offer local food samples in the State House Rotunda from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.            

The Agricultural Economic Impact Study to be released on Agricultural Day is a very recent assessment of the economic impact of local agriculture as well as what are commonly termed “green” industries (golf courses, landscaping, retail garden centers etc.).   The study has revealed a very significant and wide-spread economic impact, to which Tom Sproul of URI will speak.

The Agriculture Day speaking program will begin at 2 p.m. in the Governor's State Room, and the exhibits will be on display through much of the day in the State House Rotunda.  Along with DEM Director Coit, participants in the program include Tom Sproul, URI Agricultural Economist, Senator Susan Sosnowski, Representative Deborah Ruggiero, and Sarah Partyka and her father John of The Farmer’s Daughter and South County Farms, Inc. South Kingstown.

RI Agriculture Day is coordinated by DEM’s Division of Agriculture.

Resilience: Adapting for Man-Made or Natural Disasters ~ December 1, 2011

                         Special Seminar on Disaster Planning and Response through Resilience

5:00 to 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, December 1
Weaver Auditorium, Coastal Institute (Kingston Campus)
6:20 to 7:00 p.m. - Reception at the University Club
University of Rhode Island

Resilience: How do we learn to live with water, or earth, or wind, or fire? What is the theory? How do we measure resiliency? We can (and must) adapt to the changing environment. Learn about tsunami or storm surge mitigation and evacuation systems, floating cities, artificial barrier islands, land use restrictions, floodable environments and buildings. Examples are gleaned from work done in Christchurch, New Zealand, New Orleans, Chile and San Francisco. The speaker has done fieldwork in these locations and is in the forefront of resilience planning.

Doug Ahlers, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, founded the Harvard Kennedy School Broadmoor Project, a collaborative redevelopment effort between the Katrina-devastated Broadmoor New Orleans neighborhood and the Kennedy School. Ahlers has been a Fellow at the Preventative Defense Project at Stanford University¡¯s Center for International Security and Cooperation where he worked on a plan for San Francisco in preparing to recover faster after a disaster strikes. A Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs, and a Fellow at the Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard, Ahlers teaches courses on the management of disaster recovery which blend case teaching with field-research (Community Recovery: Rebuilding Disaster Damaged Communities in Chile; Disaster Recovery Management and Urban Development: Rebuilding Cities After a Disaster). Mr. Ahlers is the cofounder of Modem Media (now Publicis Modem) and is on the Smithsonian Institution¡¯s National Board and the board of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Are You Ready for the Future?
Find out on Tuesday nights: http://www.uri.edu/hc

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.
 

Buy All You Can at the Farmers' Markets and Farm Stands before Irene Barrels In!

From Coastal Market Manager, Bevan Linsley (Casey Farm, Saunderstown)

As Irene blows up the coast your farmers are working frantically to harvest everything they can just in case she really does hit us hard.  If she does, the damage to crops here may be substantial and our guys are already pretty tired at this time of the year.  Now, at the height of the harvest season, they have to stop their usual work, store everything away, tie everything else down, make sure the animals are safe and then harvest, harvest, harvest just in case there is nothing left next week. And then what to do with all that fresh produce if we don't come to market?  This is where we understand what local and sustainable really means, for this is the time for us to come to the aid of our farmers and share the risks of the weather and the season with them.

So, what they need from us now is our support on Saturday morning at the market. Come early, come often and buy as much as you can possibly afford to cook, can, freeze and eat while you are stuck inside during the storm this weekend!  The forecast currently anticipates Irene arriving here later on Sunday, so we are likely looking at a stormy morning on Saturday with wind and maybe a little rain but the [SOUTH COUNTY] MARKET WILL BE HELD AS ALWAYS!

See What Grows On in Rhode Island Sales Subcalendar for an easy-to-see summary of times and locations of upcoming Farmers' Markets. Full details about what's for sale when and where, and who sells what in addition to lists of farm stands, are on the Farm Fresh RI website.

RenewableNow.TV ~ Wednesdays Beginning on May 11, 2011

New Web-based Show, ReNewable Now,

Focuses on the “Business Side of Green”
 

On May 11, the creators of Arpin Renewable Energy will debut a new Web-based show, ReNewable Now, an eco-conscious series dedicated to the “business side of green.” Peter Arpin, partner of Arpin International Group and award-winning green business advocate, hosts the program at ReNewableNow.TV.
 
“Businesses today are only just beginning to realize the substantial cost savings that ‘going green’ can create for them,” said Peter Arpin. “Our show features discussions with experts at the intersection of green technology and business, who offer valuable data and convincing arguments for why companies should adopt environmentally friendly programs and how they can take steps to implement them.”
 
The show will be launched through a world premiere broadcast on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at ReNewableNow.TV. Every week, a new episode will premier live and then be made available “on demand” the next day.
 
The inaugural show will feature guest Julian Dash, director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation’s Renewable Energy Fund, who will discuss how his organization is helping businesses move towards a greener economy.
 
ReNewable Now brings together government officials, business leaders, community groups, inventors, activists and others from around the world to shed light on ways in which companies can introduce green technologies, programs and practices for conducting activities in an environmentally and economically responsible manner.
 
During each broadcast, Peter Arpin and his guests will explore ways to help companies around the world progress toward sustainable development and engage in environmentally smart practices. The ReNewable Now series challenges viewers to recognize how effective environmental management can positively impact corporate profitability and sustainability.
 
ReNewable Now is currently inviting guests from companies, non-profits, and government organizations from around the world who have a story to share about the “business side of green.”  To be featured on an upcoming episode, visit ReNewableNow.TV and click on the “Become a Guest” button to submit your application.
 
About Peter Arpin
Peter Arpin is part of the fourth generation of family members to run Arpin Group, the U.S.-based moving and storage company first established in 1900. Via his company, Arpin Renewable Energy, Peter Arpin currently leads a team which conducts low-carbon growth research and develops initiatives for businesses. Visit Peter Arpin’s ReNewable Now Blog.

Scituate Environment Community Night ~ April 4, 2011

Scituate High School Science and the Environment Community Night

Monday, April 4th from 5:45 pm – 8:15 pm

Press Release

 

Please join Scituate High School at our Science and the Environment Community Night on the evening of Monday, April 4th from 5:45 – 8:15 as our physical science and chemistry students join forces to bring you loads of information about energy conservation, renewable energy, well water quality, and ground water protection.   The night will include poster presentations about energy resources, and a slide presentation revealing the latest results of our well water analysis and a discussion of this data for homeowners in Scituate.

Scituate High School students are working together to increase the awareness, understanding, and

interest in water resources within the Scituate Reservoir Watershed by participating in the GET WET! Program

developed and provided through the University of Maine and implemented under the direction of the Northern RI Conservation District with funding from Providence Water. GET WET! is an acronym for Groundwater Education Through Water Evaluation and Testing.

Approximately 120 chemistry and applied science students from Mrs. Denise Collin’s and Mr. Brian Wentworth’s classes tested their own well water to screen for several indicator parameters in the school chemistry lab.  The results were recorded and several professionals from entities including Richard Blodgett and Christopher Riely of Providence Water, Patrick Craft of RI Department of Health, Christopher Modisette of RI Resource Conservation and Development and Gina DeMarco and Elizabeth Berg of Northern RI Conservation District dedicated their time to help one of Mrs. Collins’ classes research issues to consider in analyzing water quality.  The students used the information to develop a presentation to assist their own community in understanding and protecting their drinking water wells.

Fifty students in Ms. Donovan’s Physical and Earth Science classes and student leaders in the SHS & SMS NEED Project will be presenting posters and children’s activities related to energy conservation and renewable energy. They hope that some of the information provided to members of the community through this event will help our community reduce energy waste and encourage increased production of renewable energy.

We thank you in advance for attending this event – for your presence demonstrates that the education of our young leaders is something that you value.  We at Scituate High School appreciate your assistance in providing quality educational experiences.  The opportunity that the students involved in this event have to discuss their work with adults who are not their parents or teachers is a valuable experience that can help them improve important communication skills.  Your anonymous written feedback will be used by students as they reflect on this experience and the effectiveness of their communication so that they can grow as communicators, problem solvers and leaders.

Wind Energy, Carbon Footprints, Sustainable Building ~ Noon, March 17, 2011

Brown University Center for Environmental Studies

Capstone Presentations
THURSDAY, March 17th, 2011
Urban Environmental Lab, Rm 106, 135 Angell St, Providence, RI
Starting @ Noon

12:00 - 12:25pm :: Emily Alvarez :: Topic - BI Wind

12:25 - 1:05pm :: Adam Maynard /  Mark Towill :: Topic - Campus Conservation Nationals Dorm Energy Capstone

1:05- 1:30pm ::  Sylvia Stone :: Topic - Managing the carbon footprint of the Australian Open , plus application to regional events in NE

1:30 - 1:55pm :: Robert Warner :: Title - Sustainable retrofitting/repurposing of historic buildings

BuildEnergy Early Bird Registration Ends ~ February 7, 2011

Register now, while early bird pricing is still in effect. Early bird ends February 7.
 
BuildingEnergy is an annual event organized by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). It is the nation's oldest and largest regional conference for renewable energy and high performance building professionals, with participants from across the US and Europe. It will take place this year March 8-10, 2011, at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, MA.

NESEA RI Meeting Canceled Tonight ~ February 2, 2011

UPDATE - NESEA RI Event Tonight
 
We're canceling the event tonight but that doesn't mean you have to miss the early bird discount for NESEA's BuildingEnergy 2011 (BE11) - the industry leading conference on renewables, energy efficiency and whole systems thinking.

March 8-10 at the Boston Seaport World Trade Center

Sign up before rates go up next week.
 

You'll recognize a number of the BE11 speakers, exhibitors and organizers from NESEA RI events including:

• Paul Eldrenkamp - Byggmeister Inc (PassiveHaus)
• Chris Benedict – Architecture and Energy Limited, NY
• Joe Haskett/Peter Gill Case – Box Office
• Robert Leaver – New Commons
• Ken Payne – RI Office of Energy Resources
• Fred Unger – Heartwood Group
• John Jacobson – JTJ Investments
• Kurt Teichert – Brown University Environmental Studies
• Karina Lutz – People Power & Light
• Bob Chew – Alteris Renewables

Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your career by networking and learning from the best and the brightest in the industry.
 
If you have any questions, please let me know.  Hope to see you there!

Jo Lee
Green Machine PR
NESEA Board Member
http://www.greenmachinepr.com
401.338.5445