What Grows On in Rhode Island News

RI Recycling Program Article in Recycling Today magazine ~ April 23, 2012

Rhode Island Pilots Recycling Program

Municipal Recycling

Burrillville and North Smithfield, R.I., residents have been asked to participate in the new recycling process before the program rolls out statewide in mid-June.

 

via www.recyclingtoday.com

Pumpkin Take back program from ECORI

It's No Trick ecoRI News and Whole Foods Market Waterman Street Team Up to Compost Used Jack-O-Lanterns
 
PROVIDENCE — In the days after Halloween, many pumpkins, having burned through their 15 minutes of fame on Halloween night, are destined for the trash.
 
But, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 3-6 p.m., ecoRI News will be giving those pumpkins a second act. Staff members will be collecting used pumpkins at Whole Foods' Waterman Street and using them for compost.
 
"Carve them; smash them — just make sure to bring them down after you're done having some fun so we don't waste a valuable resource. We can use this year's pumpkins to make compost to grow next year's crop of jack-o-lanterns," ecoRI News executive director Frank Carini said.
 
Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are welcome. Donors should just be sure to remove any candle holders and wax before dropping off their squash. At the end of the pumpkin take-back, ecoRI News will deliver collected materials to New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket.

Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Restoration Planning Public Information Meetings ~ September 21 & 22, 2011

State and Federal Officials Schedule Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Restoration Planning Public Information Meetings

Public Invited to Attend Meetings in Fall River and at Mass. Maritime Academy

The Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council (NRTC) for the Buzzards Bay oil spill has scheduled two public information meetings next week as part of the development of a Restoration Plan (RP) to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of natural resources injured by the April 2003 Bouchard B-120 barge oil spill and spill clean-up in Buzzards Bay. The development and implementation of the Restoration Plan will be funded by a May 2011 Natural Resource Damages (NRD) settlement of $6 million with Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc.

The public is invited to learn about the process for developing the RP and is welcomed to offer input on potential restoration projects addressing the injured natural resources. The following are the injury categories that will be addressed by the NRTC and discussed at the public meetings.

• Shoreline resources, including tidal marshes, sand beaches, rocky coast, and gravel and boulder shorelines;
• Aquatic resources, including benthic organisms such as American lobster and their habitats, and finfish such as river herring and their habitats;
• Ram Island shoreline resources, including marsh fringe, rocky coast, and gravel and boulder shorelines ;
• Piping Plovers (a federally threatened shorebird); and
• Lost uses, including coastal access, recreational shellfishing, and boating.

“We are excited to start this Natural Resource Damages process, an important milestone that will serve to restore Buzzards Bay’s precious resources,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., who serves as Massachusetts’ Trustee for natural resources. “I urge residents in the Buzzards Bay area to attend one of these meetings and offer thoughts on how best to restore these valuable resources.”
 
“The State of Rhode Island joins Massachusetts and the Federal Trustees in looking forward to starting the restoration process,” said Janet Coit, the State of Rhode Island Director of Environmental Management.
 
A range of reasonable project alternatives will be included as part of the RP. Examples of projects that restore the injuries may include: tidal marsh restoration; fish passage projects such as dam removals and fishways; eelgrass bed plantings; enhancement of shellfish beds; acquisition of properties for public coastal access; installation of coastal boat ramps or access trails; and shoreline management for piping plovers. Restoration projects will be expected to address the natural resource injuries that resulted to both Massachusetts and Rhode Island shorelines and coastal waters.

The format of the public meetings will be as follows: The meeting will begin with an informal discussion at 6 p.m., followed by a formal Trustee Council presentation at 7 p.m., and concluded by a question-and-answer session. Following the public meetings, information obtained during the meetings will be used by the Trustee Council and technical agency staff to develop the RP and project alternatives. Once completed, a Draft RP will be released to the public for review and comment.

For the current settlement, the Trustee Council is composed of representatives from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, represented by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; United States Fish and Wildlife Service, representing the U.S Department of Interior; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, representing the U.S. Department of Commerce. The spill also affected tribal resources, and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head previously settled separately with Bouchard.
 

The meetings will be held at:

Wednesday, September 21st   6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Admirals Hall, Harrington Building
101 Academy Drive  
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

 

Thursday, September 22nd   6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Heritage State Park
Visitor’s Center
200 Davol Street
Fall River, MA 02720

Volunteers Needed for Beach Cleanup ~ September 17, 2011

Audubon Society of Rhode Island and local beach cleanup leaders are seeking volunteers for the International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 17, 2011. Interested participants should contact Audubon at 949-5454 or the local beach cleanup leader to sign up for the event.
 
Beach cleanups especially in need of help are:

• Aunt Carrie’s Beach, Narragansett: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Contact Heather Biben at [email protected]
• Barrington Beach—West Side: 2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Bill & Deb Dwyer at 245-2684 or [email protected].
• Warwick City Park: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. William Quirk at 952-8967 or [email protected]

Time to Sign Up for International Coastal Cleanup ~ September 17, 2011

September 17, 2011  ~ 9 a.m.-­noon*

*Some cleanups occur on a different date or time; check the Rhode Island International Coastal Cleanups for details.

Each year, volunteers around the world show they care about their coasts by flocking to the beaches to clean up and document the trash they find. The Audubon Society of Rhode Island is proud to coordinate cleanup efforts for the Ocean State. If you would like to volunteer, please contact one of the local cleanup leaders listed below. For general questions, contact July Lewis at 401-­949-­5454 x3044 or [email protected]. This is a rain-­or-­shine event, but may be postponed in the event of a severe storm.

Bring a pair of gloves and come prepared to make a difference!

Barrington Conservation Workshop & Film Series

Presentations on Sustainable Turf Management; Natives, Invasives, Biodiversity; Gardening to Attract Birds; and Home Composting; plus the films King Corn, HOME, two in the National Geographic's Planet Earth Series, and two for kids and families ~ WALL-E and Microcosmos ~ will be held each week at the Barrington Library from June 29 through the end of August. The Barrington Conservation Commission, Barrington Land Conservation Trust, and the Barrington Public Library organized these events.

These events are also in What Grows On in Rhode Island. Find the films and presentations in keyword search: Barrington Conservation Series. The Calendar has lots to do ~ check it often!

Kudos to the Barrington Conservation Commission, Barrington Land Conservation Trust, and the Barrington Public Library for organizing these 7 p.m. events. Barrington is fortunate in having a particularly active municipal conservation commission, and the Providential Gardener hopes other conservation commissions will arrange similar series in the future for their communities. (You can go even if you don't live in Barrington, though!)

You can also download a pdf of the Summer Edutainment Series through this link: Download Summer Edutainment Series 2011

Audubon: RI's air quality will be threatened if this Bill passes ~ Hearing June 16, 2011

From the Audubon Society of Rhode Island:

House Bill No. 5315, sponsored by Rep. Brien, entitled, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ENERGY proposes to allow burning of garbage in Woonsocket. Air pollutants, including potential dioxins plus increased acid rain and fog accompany incineration. 
 
Burning garbage to generate energy is inefficient and unhealthy.
  
Air pollutants don't know town boundaries. This is not just a Woonsocket issue.

Current RI General Law says:  
 
R.I.G.L. §23-19-3 declares that the "ultimate solid waste management objective of the state is to maximize recycling and reuse of solid waste."  
 
R.I.G.L. §23-19-3(16) declares that it is a policy of the state that "incineration of solid waste is the most costly method of waste disposal with known and escalating costs that would place substantial and unreasonable burdens on both state and municipal budgets to the point of seriously jeopardizing the public's interest." (emphasis added).  
 
Air pollutants move.  
 
Your taxes or disposal fees are at risk.
  
Please call or email your State Representative to express your concerns. To find your state rep use the links in the right-hand column.
 
Use this sample letter/ talking points:  
 
Dear Rep. or Sen. _____________________:  
 
As your constituent, I am concerned about the H-5315, proposing a municipal waste incinerator for Woonsocket.  
 
Woonsocket claims it will help their finances, but I am concerned about my family's health.  
 
Incinerating municipal waste can create dioxins, increase the acidity of atmospheric moisture (rain & snow), and vaporize toxic elements in the trash.
 
I wonder whether there will be sufficient enforcement in DEM, given recent budget cuts, to protect air quality from this proposed facility. Air does not recognize town boundaries.  
 
We live in the "air shed" of a Woonsocket incinerator.  
 
I think about the transportation of toxic ash from this plant, potentially through our communities.   
 
Please oppose this legislation.    
 
Thank you, [your name]

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If you would like more information on this important issue or help in contacting your representative, please contact me directly.

Please share this information with friends and neighbors by using the "forward email" button below or spread the word on Facebook.
 
Sincerely,
Eugenia Marks
Senior Director of Policy
Audubon Society of Rhode Island

[email protected]

Contact your representative
 
Find the contact info. for your state representatives by clicking on the links below:
 
Your Representative

Your Senator
 
Just scroll down to "View general voter information", enter your address, and hit search. That's it! 
 
You can click on each official's name to get all their contact info and other details.
 
When you feel strongly about an issue, let them know-it really does make a difference.

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Ed. note: There is a hearing today on this bill in the House Committee on Municipal Government at the Rise of the House (after they meet in their session this afternoon), which will be somewhere around 4:30 or 5:00pm.

 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

---

 

NOTICE OF MEETING

 

DATE:    Thursday, June 16, 2011

TIME:    Rise of the House

PLACE:    House Lounge

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION


House Bill No. 5315
BY Brien
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ENERGY {LC258}
02/09/2011 Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government
03/24/2011 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
03/24/2011 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
06/16/2011 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration

Eco-Depot Collection in Smithfield ~ June 18, 2011

RIRRC offers free service for Rhode Islanders
 
JOHNSTON, R.I.  – On Saturday, June 18, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, together with the Town of Smithfield, will hold an Eco-Depot collection for household hazardous waste (HHW).  From 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Rhode Islanders can drop off their assorted poisons, propane gas tanks and mercury products at the Smithfield Department of Public Works at 3 Spragueville Road.

This program is a free service for Rhode Island residents, and appointments are required to reduce customer waiting times.

“We are excited to work closely with RIRRC at this event,” said Lori Gagnon, Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Smithfield.  “It’s a great opportunity for Smithfield residents to clean and clear out their hazardous waste and dispose of all their unwanted products conveniently and properly right here in the town.”

Eco-Depot is the popular household hazardous waste program run by RIRRC.  Nearly all households have some amount of HHW stored in sheds, garages, and basements.  Any product that is flammable, combustible, explosive, toxic, corrosive, poisonous and hazardous to health qualifies as HHW.  Examples of common HHW include oil-based paint, fluorescent light bulbs, lawn chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze, pool chemicals, turpentine, muriatic acid, propane gas tanks and fire extinguishers.  They are banned from landfill disposal because they can pollute the environment if discarded improperly.
For a complete list of eligible materials, go to www.rirrc.org.  To make an appointment, click on the Eco-Depot button at the bottom of the page or call 942-1430 x241.   Follow on Twitter @RIRRC.
 
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with environmentally sound programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program, and owns and operates the Materials Recycling Facility and Central Landfill in Johnston.

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Press Release

Contact: Sarah Kite, 401-942-1430 x112

ReUse Sale for ecoRI ~ June 4 & 5, 2011

The sale is at 111 Hope Street, Providence, 8am to 1pm each day.

Do you have unwanted antiques, books, magazines, sports collectibles and memorabilia, photographs, movies, CDs, kids and adult clothing, gardening supplies, household items, computer accessories or tools? You can still donate stuff! Open those closets and drawers, and empty the cellar. Find out more at ecoRI.com.

Science Café: The Science of Waste ~ May 26, 2011

Please join us for the event, The Science of Waste on Thursday, May 26th, from 6-7 pm at  the Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House (209 Douglas Avenue, Providence, RI).  This will be a dynamic presentation and discussion about the consequences of trash in Rhode Island, and the possibilities for change.  The event will be led by Ellie Leonardsmith with the organization Clean Water Action, who will discuss the concept of "producer responsibility" and its political reality in Rhode Island.  All are welcome.

The event sponsored by the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, Clean Water Action, the Brown University Superfund Research Program, and the Brown University Children's Environmental Health Initiative, and is part of the monthly Science Café series. The event is free and coffee and snacks will be provided.  We hope that you can make it!  Please see the attached flyer for more information. If you have questions, please contact David Ciplet: [email protected].

Press Release