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Kathy Costello's Earth Calendar
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Kathy Costello updates environmental news and local events Monday-Saturday at 10:30 a.m., and Monday-Friday afternoons at 1:40 on 89.7 WNKU. For a weekly, in-depth look at the world around us, tune in for National Public Radio's Living on Earth, Saturdays from 6-7 a.m.; and check out the environmental news from our Public NewsRoom™. The "E-Chievement Awards" celebrate folks around the country who make a difference in thier communities on E-Town, each Sunday from 3-4 PM.
From our calendar: |
February 6th, 2:00 p.m. Petroleum Free in One Year. Author Doug Fine will bring his “Green Stand-Up” routine to the Main Library. His 90-minute talk, “Petroleum Free in One Year,” based on his best-selling book, Farewell, My Subaru, uses humor, rather than fear, to show how anyone can move seamlessly to sustainability through solar power and other easy tips at home, vegetable oil-powered autos, and a sustainable diet. For information call (513) 921-5124.
February 7th, Noon- 1:30 p.m. Eco Friendly Class at Park & Vine. Learn how to make your own custom eco-friendly earring/bracelet set with Josie Lamb Williams of Mayapple Creations noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, February 7th at Park + Vine. Skills covered include beading, crimps, attaching clasps and basic wire work techniques. All tools and materials, as well as locally-roasted coffee and a vegan breakfast treat will be provided. Class size is limited to 10 participants. $35.00 per person/couple. RSVP info@parkandvine.com before February 6th.
February 7th, 2:00 p.m. Build Your Own Backyard Bird Sanctuary at Sharon Woods Sharon Centre. Learn how to turn your backyard into a bird sanctuary. From bird feeders to bird houses, learn how to attract the feathered friends to your backyard February 7th 2:00 p.m. at Sharon Woods Sharon center. For information call (513)521-7275.
February 13th, 11:00 a.m. Backyard Sugaring at Pattison Park Lodge. Visit the Pattison Park sugar bush to learn all about making maple syrup. Follow the process step by step, and see how you can make your very own maple syrup right in your backyard, February 13, 11:00 a.m. Please call 513.876.9013 to sign up.
February 13th, 1:00 p.m. Valentines Day Crafts at Campbell County Environmental Education Center. Campbell County Environmental Education Center has tin cans, egg cartons, and plastic bottles. Join them in time for Valentine's day to bring the love back to these commonly used items by turning them into bird feeders, flower pots, and flowers!
The program is free and open to all ages. Bringing materials to recycle from home is encouraged. Also wear older clothes since some of these crafts can be quite messy!
Please register by calling 859-572-2600 or going online to ces.ca.uky.edu/campbell. Registration limited to 20.
February 20th, 2:00 p.m. Save Energy, Save Green - Covedale Branch Library, 4980 Glenway Ave. Meet at the Covedale Library for a workshop on home energy usage and the cost to the consumer and the environment. Learn how to reduce your energy bill and help the environment. The presentation includes an interactive presentation with fun, informative activities and games. Prizes and refreshments. Register by calling (513) 369-4460.
The Campbell County Environmental Education Center is a 50 acre education park with two hiking trails and several exhibits. Located just 20 minutes south of NKU in Alexandria KY, it is next to AJ Jolly Park off of Route 27 on Racetrack Rd.
The Center offers educational and passive recreational services to all County residents and regional visitors. The building, which is open Wednesday thru Sunday from 8:30 am till 5 pm, offers exhibits on Tree Identification, Wildlife Tracks, and Solar energy.
The Center houses a working bee hive, animal mounts, and a wildlife blind! The main trail is a little under a mile and includes numerous educational signs describing the many natural features of the Center. A side trail, which is under a half-mile, is a more naturalized trail that takes visitors past an old home site and well.
Meet at the center for daily fireside chats at 10 am and interpretive walks at 4 pm, as well as general programs about Campbell County nature and ecology. Bring friends and family and explore this gem of southern Campbell County! For more details visit http://ces.ca.uky.edu/campbell/EnvironmentalEducationCenter.
Kenton County Parks are accepting reservations for the upcoming outdoor season for all shelterhouses in the parks maintained by Kenton County Fiscal Court, including those located in Lincoln Ridge, Middleton-Mills, Richardson Road, and Pioneer parks.
The eight shelterhouses are available by advance reservation and payment of a non-refundable permit fee. A permit entitles you to exclusive use of the shelterhouse from 9:00 am until dusk. Personal checks, money orders, and cash are accepted.
The KCP&R office is located at 3902 Richardson Rd., Independence, KY 41051, and just inside the entrance to the Golf Courses of Kenton County. Directions: From I-275, go south on Turkeyfoot Rd., past Industrial Rd. Turn left on Richardson Rd. at St. Barbara’s Church. The entrance to the Golf Courses of Kenton County is down about a mile on your right. As you turn in off Richardson Rd., look for a sign and driveway on your left. Follow driveway to the office.
You may make reservations any weekday during regular business hours, between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm. Call (859) 525-PLAY (7529) for shelterhouse availability.
For news of upcoming programs, activities, and events to be held in Kenton County's parks, call the Parks & Recreation office at (859) 525-PLAY (7529). Sign up for a once-a-week e-mail update of What’s Happening in Kenton County’s parks or check out our web site. Go to kentoncounty.org, scroll down and click on County Departments, then on Parks and Recreation, and then on Recreation.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM'S FREE COLORING BOOK FOR SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS. What is a wildlife habitat? What kind of habitat do certain animals need and How can children help? Kids can learn the answers to those questions and many more in the pages of a new National Wildlife Refuge System Coloring Book, designed for second and third graders
Illustrated by a student from the Art Institute of Washington, D.C., the coloring book contains simple pictures of crocodiles, bears, eagles and other wildlife, as well as images of a variety of habitat types. On each page, children can find fun facts about wildlife species and the refuges they call home. They can also learn about the employees that protect these special places.
The book seeks to connect children to the natural world and foster a new generation of conservationists, as well as introduce them to the National Wildlife Refuge System. “If we’re serious about environmental protection and protecting the many wild creatures that depend on wild places, then we have to teach youngsters to make that special connection to nature,” said Sam Hamilton, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “A coloring book is a good first step. But nothing replaces the real thing — getting outdoors and visiting a National Wildlife Refuge.”
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
The Refuge System welcomes more than 40 million people annually to participate in wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife observation, wildlife photography, fishing, hunting, environmental education and nature interpretation programs.
A copy of the coloring book is free for downloading at www.fws.gov/refuges/kids/ or can be purchased by calling 1-800-344-WILD.
WE CAN HELP SAVE RAINFORESTS WITH A DAILY CLICK OF THE MOUSE! Rainforests are some of the world's most ancient and complex ecosystems. They cover a mere 2% of the Earth, yet more than half of all plant and animal species live there. The rainforest is home to creatures as famous as the jaguar and poison dart frog, as well as lesser-known and even unidentified species. These ecosystems are an amazing resource that is quickly slipping away.
The rainforest is where many modern food staples originated, including tomatoes, corn, and chocolate, but we use a mere fraction of the edible plants available there. Western science has analyzed less than one percent of rainforest plants for medicinal compounds, and the indigenous tribes that use these plants are rapidly disappearing.
To complicate matters more, the rate of species extinction in the rainforest is undeniably high. As the forests are burned for short-term farming, grazed, and harvested for wood and other compounds at an unsustainable rate, we are swiftly losing the very species that may someday provide needed cures or disease-resistant crops. With them, we lose an extraordinary number of unique creatures found nowhere else in the world.
The Rainforest web site provides a feel-good way to help promote awareness and prevent deforestation every day — through easy and quick online activities. And we can help
With a simple, daily click of the green "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button at The Rainforest Site, visitors help to preserve rainforest land. Visitors pay nothing. Critical habitat is preserved by charitable partners.
Please remember to click every day to save important ecosystems and give hope to future generations. Every click counts in the battle to save our rainforests. Visit www.therainforestsite.com to do your part.
Visit CNC to explore the bounty and natural resources provided by our land. Join in on upcoming adult and family programs, including Abner Hollow Cabin Drop-In Opportunities on Saturdays and lectures by local historians. Stop by the Rowe Visitor Center to view our new exhibit featuring animal pelts and mounts, tree nuts, and other displays showing the area's natural bounty. Then hit the trails with our history hike or "Nature Calls" tour and experience firsthand the legacy of CNC's land. For information visit http://www.cincynature.org/.
Wildlife Watch Website. The change of seasons is an important influence on animal behavior. Whether it’s the hot season turning cold or the dry season turning wet, wildlife has to adapt to survive. One strategy is migration. Songbirds, waterfowl, raptors and hummingbirds travel north and south each year, some as far as the tropics! Caribou and pronghorn shift their ranges to find access to food. Even insects such as monarch butterflies and green darner dragonflies travel great distances to survive the change in season.
So, migratory species are now on the move! The fall season offers great wildlife-watching opportunities in your own backyard or at a local park or nature preserve. Report your sightings on the National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Watch website www.nwf.org. Your observations will be used by researchers will review your findings and track the health and behavior of wildlife and plant species nationwide.
Volunteers Needed!! The Community Collaborative… Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) organizes volunteers in communities throughout the United States to collect and measure precipitation rain, hail and snow in their communities. Citizen volunteers are trained how to measure precipitation using a rain gauge and hail pad, record their data and report their measurements online. Data collected by volunteers complements observations made by the National Weather Service and is used by local meteorologists, researchers, emergency managers, farmers, outdoor enthusiasts, teachers and others. Remember, every drop counts! Sign up to become a Volunteer Observer or Local Volunteer Coordinator with Community Collaboration Rain Hail and snow in Kentucky or Ohio or Indiana to help this network grow. You can volunteer as an individual or as part of a community or school group. Check out www.cocorahs.org to learn more.
Kenton County Parks & Recreation is on a mission. They hope to collect ONE MILLION aluminum can tabs to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House and they are hoping you will help by saving the little tabs you pull to open your aluminum soda or soup can.
The tabs collected will be recycled to generate funds to offset Ronald McDonald House expenses such as helping care for families who stay there during trying times each year.
So far, they have reached one fifth of their goal. As of this week, they have collected 215,000 pop tops-that’s just 785,000 away from a million! With your help, they will meet their lofty goal. When the goal of 1 million tabs is reached Kenton County Parks and Recreation will need 2,000 people wearing necklaces of 500 can-tabs each to do a “hands-across-the-park” chain when Ronald McDonald comes to visit and collect 1 million pop tops
There is no need to wait until you have many, MANY thousands to donate but If you have a whole bunch, call Steve Trauger at (859) 525-PLAY to work out a delivery or pickup.
Save ‘em! String ‘em! Donate ‘em to KCP&R for Ronald McDonald House!
Paper Calculator
Who hasn't been frustrated by a neighbor in the next cubicle who tosses office paper into the trash, rather than the recycling bin? Who hasn't wondered if the paper in that recycling bin actually gets recycled? Or if the office really needs to use all that paper in the first place?
If you've found yourself feeling guilty about all the trees that were sacrificed for that memo about the new company dress code, try the Environmental Defense Fund's new Paper Calculator 2.0, an updated version of a tool that has helped thousands of businesses reduce their paper use.
The tool quantifies the environmental impact of a company's choice in paper. Having those numbers can arm the interested employee with the facts needed to change purchasing decisions.
For instance, switching your annual order of 100 tons of copy paper to a paper with 50% recycled content could save 173 tons of wood, 100,000 pounds of greenhouse gases, hundreds of pounds of toxic air and water pollutants and more than 50,000 pounds of solid waste.
The average American consumes more than 700 pounds of paper a year.
The paper industry is the fourth-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among manufacturers and paper accounts for one-third of landfill waste. Reducing paper consumption just 10% – the rough equivalent of getting your office to buy paper with more recycled content – would be like taking 280,000 cars off the road. Paper calculator at www.edf.org/papercalculator/.
The Boone County Arboretum is the nation’s first arboretum within an active recreation park setting. They are located just outside Union, KY. – a short, 25 minute drive southwest from downtown Cincinnati. They are open daily from dawn to dusk for your year-round enjoyment of more than 2,700 trees and shrubs. There is no charge for admission or parking. The Arboretum encompasses 121 acres, and has over 2 miles of paved walking trails, winding through our various plant collections, woodland settings, and athletic fields. Special attractions at the Arboretum include the Children’s Garden, a Wildlife Viewing area in our Native Kentucky Grassland, and two short woodland trails. Three informational kiosks are located at the main trail entrances. Here you will find horticultural information, Extension class offerings, and the Arboretum map, all free to the public. For information on classes and programs visit http://www.bcarboretum.org/.
GAS SAVING TIPS
The surest way you can improve your fuel cost problem is to change your motoring habits. Listed below are some ideas!
1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.
2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.
3. Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.
4. Avoid "revving" the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.
5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.
6. Exceeding 40 mph forces your car to overcome tremendous wind resistance.
7. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.
8. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.
9. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.
10. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.
11. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.
Conserve Energy in Your Home
The surest way to kill a phantom load, otherwise known as standby power or lopomo, low power mode, is to simply pull the plug. That means when you're done with your coffee pot, microwave, hair dryer and other devices, disconnect them totally from their power sources.
Next to the TV, which can draw 12 watts of electricity even after you flick off American Idol, the biggest standby energy hog is the home computer and its suite of devices. A printer can draw 11.5 watts when idling, and a subwoofer, 10.8.
Plug them all into a power strip and, when you're through cruising for green tips, turn it off!
Now is a great time to inspect your sprinkler system because it gives you a chance to fix any problems before peak watering season begins. Keeping your sprinkler system in tip-top shape can reduce the amount of water your system uses by up to 15 percent - that’s about 9,000 gallons of water each year, or the same amount that would flow from a continuously-running garden hose in one day! Look for broken or clogged sprinkler heads, leaks, and misdirected spray (make sure you’re not watering the sidewalk!). You can also ask an irrigation professional to inspect your system for any problems.
Want to save even more water this spring and summer? Install rain or soil moisture sensors. Rain sensors detect rainfall, and override any scheduled watering when adequate rainfall has occurred. Soil moisture sensors detect moisture at the level of your lawn’s roots - they are more complicated to install, but are more accurate than rain sensors and can add up to bigger water savings.
Cell Phone Recycling
In 2007, only ten percent of unwanted cell phones were recycled in the U.S. When you recycle your phone instead of tossing it in the trash can, you help to keep valuable reusable materials out of the landfill, prevent air and water pollution, save energy and materials needed to make new products, and reduce emissions that impact air quality. As a matter of fact, if Americans recycle the 100 million cell phones that are no longer used, we could save enough energy to power 18,500 homes for one year! Instead of throwing old cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) out or letting them sit in storage, recycle! Precious metals, plastics, and copper from the phones can be recovered, and phones in working order may be donated to charitable organizations who can re-use them. EPA's Plug-In to Recycling program has partnered with a number of retailers and service providers - including AT&T, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless - for in-store and online recycling opportunities. Learn more by visiting: www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/index.htm.
Paint Disposal
To dispose of water based paint, fill a plastic-lined box with cat litter or sawdust, pour the paint into the container, and let it dry before putting it in the garbage. Latex and oil-based paint can be thrown away with your regular garbage, as long as it is dried. To dry out your paint, simply mix sand, sawdust, or cat litter with your paint and leave the lid off. Once dried, dispose with your regular garbage (with the lid off).
Safely Store or Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste.
Did you know that there are about 100 pounds of household hazardous wastes - oil, antifreeze, paints, pesticides, fertilizers, and other products) in the average home? In most American households, hazardous wastes are hiding-out in the garage - 94 percent of households indicate there is at least one HHW product in their garage. Not only do these products take up space, but some can release carbon monoxide or volatile organic compounds that impact indoor and outdoor air quality. And, if products are stored in an area where rainwater, snowmelt, or floodwater can reach them, they can be transported into storm drains, rivers and streams, and even well water, putting water quality at risk.
Take advantage of mild weather to get a head-start on cleaning the garage. Make sure that products are stored safely, and properly dispose of those you no longer need. It’s best to store HHW products in their original containers (which also have directions and warning labels attached), and keep them away from pilot lights, water heaters and electrical outlets, which could start a fire. Keep your products in an area that stays dry and is not accessible to kids or pets. Once you’ve gathered up products you no longer need, take them to a local hazardous waste collection site - visit www.cleanup.org or call 1-800-CLEANUP to find one in your area.
* MYSTIFIED BY A NEW BIRD YOU'VE SEEN? Find out what it is online by visiting http://www.allaboutbirds.org for photos, sounds, and fascinating information about 500 North American birds! Very cool!
* ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF HOMES IN THE U.S. HAVE AT LEAST TWO REFRIGERATORS, and often, one of those refrigerators is kept in the garage. While the extra space may be helpful, the extra energy used to power a refrigerator in the garage can add up fast - especially during hot weather, when garage temperatures can be significantly higher than indoor temperatures. Each one degree change from a normal kitchen temperature results in a 2.25 to 2.5 percent change in energy use by your refrigerator. That means that a refrigerator stored in an 80 degree garage would use between 22 and 25 percent more energy than the same appliance in a 70 degree kitchen!
Avoid placing refrigerators or freezers in the garage or other areas of your home where it is hard to regulate air temperature. Inside, place your refrigerator away from heat sources, such as ovens, dishwashers and direct sunlight. Make sure the seals on refrigerator doors are tight, and try to reduce the amount of time the doors are open so that your appliance doesn't have to work overtime to stay cool.
GREEN CONSUMER WEBSITE According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, more than 2 million tons of used electronics are disposed of each year. Based on current disposal rates, Americans will have discarded up to 154 million computers by 2005. You can help reduce this number by visiting WWW.GREENERCHOICES.ORG |
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Do you know of an event that should be listed here? Send it at least two weeks in advance to:
Earth Calendar
89.7 FM WNKU
301 Landrum Acadmic Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
or e-mail us at radio@nku.edu
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