CT Green Scene

The Green Harbors Project—A Community Effort

The Green Harbors Project is an initiative that is aiming to address and solve urban harbors environmental challenges that lead to habitat degradation and the loss of biodiversity, as well as human health concerns. Dr. Anamarija Frankic, director of the Green Harbors Project and founder of the Biomimicry LivingLabs, as well as an internationally-recognized researcher, professor and leader in the field of biomimicry, is leading a team of students from UMass Boston that is focused on designing and testing greener products and solutions that imitate nature to mitigate and restore our urban harbors. The team has established Biomimicry LivingLabs across the world, including Zadar, Croatia as well as many sites around Massachusetts, including Savin Hill Cove, Nantucket, Wellfleet, Mystic River, Neponset River and Pier 5 in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

  The Green Harbors Project is a community oriented effort with local businesses stepping in to help. Here in Massachusetts, for example, Spencer-based FLEXcon, a manufacturer of engineered films and pressure-sensitive films and adhesives, has donated materials so that the team can design and test a solution that will prevent biofouling—one of the many environmental issues the team is tackling as part of the Green Harbors Project. Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted organic material on solid submerged surfaces such as the underside of boats, pilings, nets and other harbor infrastructure. Not only are removal costs very high, but the materials that are used (such as formaldehyde) are detrimental to the environment and humans alike. Dr. Frankic and her team are working to create sustainable alternatives.  

 

Sept 21 - Lighthouse Point Park Migration Festival

Who: Audubon CT

What: Lighthouse Point Park Migration Festival Celebrating Birds, Butterflies & Dragonflies

When: Sunday, September 21, 2014 - 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (No Rain Date)

Where: Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven, CT

For more information on this event including the schedule of activities, click here. 

 

June 11th - A VISION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW YORK-CONNECTICUT REGION

Who: MetroPool

What: Please join us for MetroPool's Annual Board meeting and a special presentation: "A Vision for Sustainable Development in the New York-Connecticut Region.” 

An unprecedented bi-state collaboration of cities, counties and regional planning organizations came together three years ago to launch the New York-Connecticut Sustainable Communities Initiative. Funded with a $3.5 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant to integrate housing, economic development, transportation and environmental planning, the Consortium’s goal is to reposition the New York-Connecticut region to fully harness its innovation capabilities in a competitive global environment, build on its strong foundation of energy efficiency, and become as equitable as it is efficient. Three years of collaborative planning has resulted in an agenda to create more sustainable and equitable economic growth.

Partners in the Consortium and guest speakers, Dr. Floyd Lapp, Executive Director, South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) and Elizabeth Cheteny, Commissioner of Planning, City of White Plains, will offer reflections on the planning phase of the Sustainable Communities Initiative Program as well as insights into the major challenges and opportunities that may be ahead as the important work of implementing the plan begins.  Specific attention will be given to Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and to rethinking the Westchester Avenue corridor.

When: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Where:

UBS
677 Washington Blvd
Stamford, CT 06901

Networking and refreshments to follow.

Register for the meeting by Monday, June 9, 2014.  Attendees need to present photo identificationat the reception desk upon arrival. 

May 10th - Come Celebrate Migrating Birds with Audubon Connecticut & Menunkatuck Audubon Society

Who: Audubon Connecticut & Menunkatuck Audubon Society

What: Spring is a busy time in the bird world, with millions of birds making their way to northern breeding sites, after a warm winter in Central and South America. Migration is such an important- and impressive- event in the animal world, that bird enthusiasts like Audubon Connecticut throw a festival in its honor.

Join us for guided bird walks, live birds of prey programs and various family-friendly activities.

When: Saturday, May 10, 8am-3pm 

Where: East Rock Park, New Haven, CT

For more information on this event and Audubon CT click here.

 

May 4th - WESTPORT ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) RALLY

Who: The Westport Electric Car Club

What: WECC announces its second annual Electric Car Rally. The club expected 20 entries for the 2013 rally and ended up with 33. The models entered were the Tesla Model S, Tesla Roadster, Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, BMW ActiveE, Smart Car EV, Ford C-Max Energi, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Fisker Karma. This year the club expects between 50 and 100 vehicles to be entered. The public will have an opportunity to speak with EV owners, learn about EV technology, visit sponsor tents, and enjoy snacks and drinks.

When: May 4th - Rally registration begins at 9AM and the rally will start at 10AM. The public event will begin at 1PM when the cars are expected to finish.  

Where:  The Rally begins and ends at the Westport Saugatuck Metro-North train depot. Registration will occur in front of the Steam Coffee Bar on the New Haven bound side, next to the 4 EV charging stations. There will be a mid-rally stopping point at the Wilton GoGreen Festival, and a free public event at the finish in Westport.

Entrants must be “plug-in” vehicles, either partially (plug-in hybrid) or fully electric.  It is not necessary to be a member of the club or to live in Westport to participate. Any and all EV drivers are welcome! Eligibility for entry this year has been expanded to include plug-in motorcycles and scooters. Some of the newer models are expected to enter.

John Shuck is returning as rally master, along with co-rally master Larry Liesner. To register a car, visit the club’s website

Photos are available on the website. Visit the club’s Facebook event page for updates, as they are announced, and other news about EVs.

 The mission of the Westport Electric Car club is to promote vehicle electrification and the supporting infrastructure in the service of reaching low or zero emission transportation. The club welcomes for membership anyone with an interest in electric vehicles. It is not a requirement to be an EV owner or to live in Westport. In fact, for anyone considering an EV purchase, the club is a great resource for information. Prospective members may join on the website.

Convergence XV: Shaping Market Systems - March 24th-26th

Who: Criterion Institute 

What: Convergence XV is a conference about real system change: how to build new fields of activity, to shift the flows of capital, to rejigger the power structures of our economy. The gathering will give you structured time and space to think about the impact of your work and to push the broader questions of changing the rules of the game.

In March, the people who are working to change the systems that define how our economies and markets work will come together for the first time.

You want to transform finance? Restructure supply chains? Catalyze local market ecosystems? Cool.

This will be a room full of leaders asking the same questions and sharing lessons learned.

We system-shapers will not complain about all the things that we wish were different. We will work on HOW to change market systems for good.

Criterion designs the conference based on who registers. No speakers, no workshops. We interview you once you register and ask you what you are thinking about, working on and then design a series of intentional conversation with leaders thinking about the same things. It’s our fifteenth time running this kind of conference - It works.

When: March 24th-March 26th

Where: Simsbury Inn, Simsbury, Connecticut

Register Here

November 9th - Ribbon-Cutting on Solarize Newtown’s First Installation of Residential Solar

Who: Solarize Newtown

What: Solarize Newtown is celebrating its first installation of residential solar panels, using the Solarize Connecticut^sm approach to community solar adoption. The installation will take place on Saturday, November 9^th, at the home of David Stout. Astrum Solar, the official installer for Solarize Newtown, will host the event.

Since Solarize Newtown launched in September, more than 70 Newtown homeowners have asked for solar home assessments to see if their homes would be a good fit for solar. The more residents who participate in the program, the more the price drops, with all residents receiving the lowest possible price for their installation no matter when they sign up for the program. In addition, if Newtown reaches 100 installations, Astrum Solar will donate $25,000 worth of solar panels for a Newtown civic building.

When: Saturday, November 9, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Where: Stout Residence – 9 Grand Place – Newtown, CT

Contact: Chelsey Saatkamp, [email protected] or 212-576-2700

More information about Solarize Newtown, including upcoming workshops, can be found by visiting www.solarizect.com/Newtown. For additional information on Solarize Connecticut or Solarize Newtown, contact Chelsey Saatkamp as shown above.

 

WESTPORT PASSIVHAUS TOUR - November 9th

Who: Sponsored by People’s Action for Clean Energy (PACE), the only all-volunteer nonprofit public health organization in Connecticut devoted solely to clean energy education, and the Connecticut Chapter of the Sierra Club.

What: Tours and seminars will be held for the Westport, Connecticut Passivhaus. The three-story, 3,800-square-foot concrete structure is among the most energy-efficient homes in the United States, and could be the first house in the country to receive a retrofit certification from the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany. Heated primarily by an energy recovery ventilator, solar thermal panels; the heat of the occupants; and the same electronic equipment most of us have in our homes, the owner’s certified Passivhaus home uses 90 percent less energy than a traditional home. The house has 23-inch thick walls, with insulation from recycled glass; triple pane windows; a large solar water tank; incredibly oxygenated air; and radiant floor heating. There is no outside noise. Because of the revolutionary technologies, the house temperature is 73-74 degrees, with relative humidity at 45-50 percent all year. Additional energy-saving features include lighting from LED and compact fluorescent bulbs, plus daylighting; energy-efficient appliances; and no-irrigation landscaping. A Tesla electric car will also be on site.

When: Saturday, November 9, 2013 at 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm

Where: Westport, CT. Order tickets for more information.

Reservations will be accepted in order of receipt for the November 9 tour, which will be held rain or shine. The non-refundable tickets are $20.00 per person. To order tickets, go online to www.pace-cleanenergy.org and click on Events, indicating the choice of time for the tour/seminar. Tickets may also be ordered by sending $20.00 per person to PACE, Pam McDonald, 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT 06070 Include the ticketholder’s name, phone number, address, email address and choice of time. For ticket information, call 860-796-4543. For tour information, call 860-693-4813.

OCTOBER 5 - NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR IN CT!

Who: The 18th Annual National Solar Tour with People’s Action for Clean Energy and Sierra Club volunteers.

What: A Canton home with a large solar electric installation and exciting new heating and cooling technologies will be open for free tours. A new 2013 “Solarize Canton” photovoltaic installation features 18 Sunpower 250-watt panels which are leaders in the industry and are more than 20 percent efficient. The Daikin super-efficient air source heating, cooling and humidity-controlling system uses no conventional fuel, greatly reducing energy consumption. 

Visitors will also see the owners’ 2013 electric plug-in hybrid Prius. So far, the car has traveled 850 miles using solar energy and just one tank of gas. An electric Tesla automobile will also be on exhibit.

  

This unique home uses solar irrigation, a patio pool solar pump and solar hot water systems; energy-efficient appliances, a wood stove and window quilts. Many other earth-friendly practices include the use of LED bulbs; a sun tube; an organic garden and an aquaculture pond.

When: Saturday, October 5 - 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

Where: To reach the home, turn north onto Lawton Road at the intersection of routes 44 and 177. Travel for .8 mile, bearing left at the fork. Turn right at the top of the hill onto the dirt driveway and follow the parking signs, or park on Lawton Road.

To learn about other buildings that are part of the National Solar Tour, see:  www.pacecleanenergy.org; www.solarconnecticut.org; www.nesea.org or www.ases.org.

 

October 6th - FIRST SUNDAY BIRD WALK AT GREENWICH POINT

Who: Friends of Greenwich Point

What: Come learn about the birds of Greenwich Point on the Sunday Bird Walk. Meet near the second (southern) concession stand. All levels of experience are welcome, bring binoculars and dress warmly. The event is free of charge. 

Held in collaboration with Bruce Museum, Wild Wings, and Audubon Greenwich.

When: Sunday, October 6, 2013, 9:00 AM

Where: Greenwich Point Park, Shore Rd, Greenwich, CT 06830

 

September 20th - Bike to Work or School for a Free Breakfast!

 

 

Who: Elm City Cycling and Cold Spring School

What: Free breakfast for all bicyclists & pedestrians!

When: Friday, September 20th. 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Where: Pitkin Plaza, Orange Street between Chapel & Court Streets, New Haven, CT.

for more information contact Elm City Cycling 203-287-9811 or elmcitycycling.org

 

Changing the Rules of the Game - The Green Sports Alliance Summit

by Benjamin Hastings

 

On August 26-28 2013, sustainability leaders representing 50+ companies active in the sports industry gathered together in Brooklyn, New York, for the Green Sports Alliance Summit. Founded in February 2010, the Green Sports Alliance is a non-profit organization that brings together different levels of sports teams, venue representatives and sustainability experts. 

 

There were a wide range of attendees -- from governmental agencies and environmental organizations such as EPA and NRDC to product companies such as Liberty Bottleworks and Electronic Recyclers International. Not to mention the incredible lineup of featured speakers including, Andrew Ference of the Edmonton Oilers; Bob Nutting Chairman of the Board for the Pittsburgh Pirates; and Andrew Winston, founder of Winston Eco Strategies, just to name a few. 

 

As a recent graduate, attending a conference with hundreds of professionals who have been successful in the sustainability field - one that I myself are trying to break into - was pretty overwhelming at first. That quickly changed as I started to converse with a multitude of representatives from a lot of different companies. Everyone was eager to share their stories about how they came to be in the sustainability world, and how it relates to sports. 

 

I learned about a wide range of projects related to the sports world, including the revamping of arenas into LEED certified buildings, recycling programs at stadiums, and the inclusion of compostable utensils and containers to organization’s food programs. In fact, the competition between teams has moved from on the field, to off the field initiatives -- including who is recycling the most or who is saving the most energy. I would have to say that this kind of rivalry has the potential to benefit everyone!

 

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to spend a couple days at The Green Sports Alliance Summit, and to learn a lot about some initiatives business and sports teams are doing to reduce their impact on the environment. Before attending this event, I had no idea how the sports world and the sustainability industry were intertwined, even as an avid sports fan. It was really amazing to see how the greening of sports is beginning to take over nationwide, and I hope to see more sports organizations tap the wisdom of the sustainable businesses I met at the conference into their practices in the future!

2nd Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brew Fest June 14th

Friday and Saturday, June 14th and 15th

 6:00 PM-9:00 PM

$35.00 to Register

21 and Up

The Armory

Somerville, MA

This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate beverage producers who pull together local ingredients to make ciders, mead, artisan beverages, and brews. This event is a huge fundraiser for the Sustainable Business Network and all of New England is encouraged to join in the fun. In addition to unlimited 2 ounce tastes tests of the locally brewed and cultivated beverages, people are welcome to taste tests of locally produced food from local companies such as Taza Chocolates and Valicenti Organico. Local ingredients from cranberries to hops will be presented by experts in the beverage industry. Moreover, for the first time ever, there will be a presentation of a hyper-local home brew showcase that will celebrate home brewing and brewing with locally grown ingredients, an experience that will encourage local brewers in the New England region by showing them the resources that are available to them. This event runs in three different sessions that can be mixed and matched at will during registration. Any over the age of 21 is encouraged to register for what is sure to be an exciting and enlightening experience. 

An Overview of the Sessions

Session I: Hyper-Local Home Brew Showcase Night & Brewfest

Friday, June 14, 2013, 6:30 - 9:30pm

Session II: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 3:00 - 6:00pm

Session III: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 7:00 - 10:00pm

 

To register for the event and learn more information on the different sessions: http://hyperlocalbrew.eventbrite.com/

April 27 Summit on Creating Bike-Friendly, Walk-Friendly Places

April 27th

9:00 AM-2:30 PM

Yale, Linsley, Chittenden Hall

New Haven, CT

Registration Required

Summit participants will hear from Bill Nesper, Vice President, League of American Bicyclists, about the Bike Friendly America program and from Keynote Speaker Jeff Olson, Principal, Alta Planning & Design, author "The Third Mode: Towards a Green Society."

 The summit will include breakout sessions on "Attacking the Application Process for Bike Friendly Communities, Businesses and Universities;" "Complete Streets Engineering - A Key Component to Bike and Walk Friendly Communities;" and "How to Get Your Project Funded."  The program will conclude with optional bike or walk tours of New Haven courtesy of Elm City Cycling, followed by a networking and social hour at O'Toole's.  Copies of The Third Mode will be available for purchase at the conference. Attendees who join Bike Walk CT will be awarded $10 off of their individual registration, registration ends April 15th.

Members, Full-time Students & Yale Employees:

Early BIrd, until April 15: $25

General Registration: $30  

Non-Members:

Early Bird:  $35

General Registraion: $45 

*Continental breakfast and lunch included.

Register Here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=5vvygggab&oeidk=a07e74qzm1z79b79281

For More Information: http://www.bikewalkct.org/summit-2013.html

Celebrate Solarize Solar Tour April 13th

13 April 2013

1:00 PM-4:00 PM

$15.00 per Person

Canton, MA

People's Action for Clean Energy (PACE) is sponsoring a tour that will introduce the public to the latest trends in solar power. This tour will feature two seminars, where experts in the field will talk about how implementing solar panels can help everyone to live cleaner, healthier lives. There will be a presentation on how the solar panels will be able to charge electric vehicles enough that they will be able to handle an 18 mile commute before the fuel from the gas tank even needs to take over. Owners of these electric vehicles will also be available to share their real experiences with these cars. Later, guests will be able to see how entire houses can be customized to reduce energy costs both to the environment and to the family budget. Also, guests will see the incredible opportunity for cost shaving that can be captured by encouraging their entire community to go green. Registration for this tour is required and is non-refundable and it costs a mere $15.

Register Here: http://www.pace-cleanenergy.org/site/webtickets/tour20130413

For More Information: http://www.pace-cleanenergy.org/resources/includestatic?url=..%2Faction_files%2Fhouse_tour_20130413.html

April 2, 2013 NERC Textile Recovery Workshop

2 April 2013

8:30 AM-4:30 PM

Registration Fee Depends on Status

Nathan Hale Inn & Conference Center

Storrs, CT

    The Northeast Recylcing Council is hosting Collecting Textiles: Make it Work for Your Community at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. This event will offer municipalities, recycling coordinators, schools, colleges, universities, and civic groups an opportunity to learn key information about key players in the textile reuse and recycling industry. The even will also include practical information on how community leaders can set up textile reuse/recycling programs that can work for them. For a full schedule of the day, feel free to check out the agenda here.

*Registration Ends March 19, 2013: So Register Now

Registration

NERC Member (Board or Advisory Member): $285

Non-Member: $385

Students, Nonprofits, Municipal Employees: $100

For More Information: http://www.nerc.org/ 

To Register: http://www.nerc.org/registration/indexSpg13.php

 

Save the Date! Riverfront Earth Day

                                                                             SAVE THE DATE!
Sunday, April 21st 2013
                                                                         1:00pm - 4:00p
Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, Hartford CT

This event will bring together families and communities from all over central Connecticut who are looking for answers on how to reduce their own carbon footprint.  It will be THE Earth Day event in downtown Hartford. Come enjoy speakers, vendors, non-profit environmental groups, along with street and folk artists.  We anticipate the participation of local schools from elementary to college.  It will be a fun, inspiring, and informational day for the whole family!

CT NOFA's 31st Annual Winter Conference

2 March 2013

8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Registration Fee Depends on Status

Wilton High School

Wilton, CT

Join the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association as they celebrate 31 years of growing better together! There will be over fifty vendors providing fresh local food, crafts, and books as well as a raffle that includes offerings such as a basket of gardening supplies. Lunch will be Included for an extra fee, but it is worth the price. During the lunch break, attendees have the opportunity to taste delicious local flavors concocted by chefs involved in Fairfield County's farm-to-restaurant program. The New Connecticut Farming alliance will also meet during this time to discuss news and share information. 

    Guests may select from a wide variety of workshops to attend. There is no need to register for your desired workshop, you may simply show up at the allotted classroom. A program will be handed out to you upon registration that looks exactly like the link provided above. Parents and families are welcome to participate in children's workshops as well. There will also be a screenings of the GMO documentary "Genetic Roulette" throughout the afternoon, where Elaine Titus of GMO Free CT and GMO Free Moms will be available to answer any questions. 

Schedule for the Day                                                               Registration Fees

8:30-9:30 : Registration (pre-register at this link)                  Non-Member:      $60
9:30-10:45: Workshop I                                                          Member:           $50
11:00-12:30: Opening announcements and Keynote               Student/Senior:    $35
12:30-2:00: Lunch                                                                  Children:           FREE
2:15: 3:30: Workshop II                                                      *Lunch is optional: an extra $15 for adults
3:45 to 5:00 ~ Workshop II                                                  and $8 for children

2013 Conference Program: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013%20WC%20programOPT.pdf

Register at: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/2013WC_registration.html

If you forget to register for lunch: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/winterconference_lunch_registration.html

For more Information: http://www.ctnofa.org/winterconference/index.html

6th Annual Global Environmental Sustainability Symposium: Transportation, Human Mobility, and Sustainability at CCSU

April 4th, 2013

9:45 AM-7:15 PM 

FREE, Registration Required

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, Connecticut

The CCSU Global Environmental Sustainability Action Coalition invites the public to learn and to teach one another about the actions that we, as human beings, must take to ensure that we live in such a way that we are able to satisfy our needs while ensuring that our children and grandchildren will be able to satisfy their own. The symposium will offer 3 classes, two performances, a panel discussion, a tour, and an optional attendance at the town meeting, as well as opening and closing notes from distinguished professionals in sustainability. This event is FREE: anyone can register online to show up. *Exhibitor tables are still open.

Schedule

9:45-10:00 AM: Symposium opening and welcome with Dr. Charles Button and Dr. Jack Miller (tentative) at Alumni Hall

10:00-10:45: Transportation, Migration, and Sustainability in Four Worlds Alumni Hall

Dr. John Kelmelis expands upon a possibility raised by the United States National Intelligence Council when they published Global Trends 2030: Alternative World. This work explores four very possible future worlds. Dr. Kelmelis will explain what each of these worlds might mean for our future as well as what strategies we might use to make the most of each circumstance at the local, regional, national, and global levels. 

11:00-11:45: Panel Discussion: Electric Cars and Alternative Vehicles Alumni Hall

The president of the New England Electric Auto Association (Dave Oliveria), an environmental writer and speaker (Jim Motavalli), the Senior Associates Autos Editor for Consumer Reports (Eric Evarts), and a natural gas car owner (Joe Booth) all come together in one place to talk about the real value that hybrid, extended hybrid, and electric vehicles hold. This is a special opportunity to discover what users and reviewers genuinely think about these alternative vehicles.

12:00-1:45 (*with second free registration): Water Wars Performance and Lunch Alumni Hall

While you enjoy your lunch, the Sonia Plumb Dance Company will be performing Water Wars. This is an emotionally charged piece of art that exposes the very important and very tenuous relationship that human beings have with one of our primary sources of life: water.

Are you a Parent? Are you Awake?

by Heather Burns

I only needed to open the door a few days ago to my child's gymnasium and take one whiff of the newly polished floor to be reminded of how much work still needs to be done to create awareness, turn inaction into action and create real change when it comes to the toxic environment our children are exposed to.

And while I may not be able to instantly control what school administrators put on floors, on the lunch menu, or on the school yards - I can create change to the degree I feel comfortable, have time for or feel compelled.

Healthy Child, Healthy World is a stand up organization helping keep "conscious" parents like me well informed so I can make sound choices on behalf of my children.

Getting Pinched for Cash: The Canton Volunteer Firefighters' Lobsterfest '09

by: James Simpkins

I don’t really like lobster. Being a chef, this makes me somewhat of a pariah among colleagues as lobster is known as a dish in the upper echelon of gourmet cooking. But almost everyone I know has that one little ‘thing’ about what they put-or won’t put- in their mouths. Mine’s lobster. Now that I think about it, it’s just the tail I don’t care for. If I could just order the claws, I would not only be content, I’d be a fan! But in 100% of my dining experiences that has never been an option. I was hoping (to no avail) my lucky break would come this past weekend in Canton, CT where the 29th annual Canton Volunteer Firefighters’ Lobsterfest ‘09 kicked off on Friday, August 14th.

A big fund-raiser for the station, I was told originally it was “someone’s hare-brained idea” that turned into a smashing success. Apparently its current incarnation is a lot better executed, however; the joke around the station is that it’s taken all twenty nine years to figure out how to do it efficiently. After seeing the production first-hand, it is no joke. Here are just the mainstays of what they ordered this year:

·        5,000 wild-caught lobsters from Maine & Massachusetts

·        100+ bushels of local sweet corn (from The Pickin’ Patch in Avon, CT)

·        15 ½ barrels of Budweiser beer (that’s about 2500 bottles)

…and LOTS of chowda to go with it. Sadly, this was concentrated clam chowder from SYSCO and the only culinary snafu of the event. I wondered, though, of the 5,000 lobsters that were ordered, how many do they actually use?

All of them.

The guys at the firehouse told me that in the last four years they haven’t had a single lobster leftover—and they ordered 4,000 each year. This time around, determined to grow their numbers and break that glass ceiling, they added another 1,000 and crossed their fingers. The event starts Friday night, then all day Saturday, and from 9am Sunday until they’re gone. With 1500 lobsters sold on Friday night alone (just four hours), it was no contest.

Edible School Gardens

by Eileen Weber

We have an epidemic. No, it doesn’t involve an incurable virus or Dustin Hoffman in a Hazmat suit à la Outbreak. However, it does involve kids, their parents, and the schools they attend.

Edible school gardens are growing at a rapid pace. Increasingly, school districts are making the gardens part of their curriculum. The Edible School Gardens Workshop at the Unitarian Church in Westport, sponsored in part by the Westport Green Village Initiative in partnership with Amy Kalafa, founder of Two Angry Moms, featured an expert panel of school garden organizers. With a room filled almost to capacity this morning, parents, farmers, gardeners, and school officials alike listened intently about how to start one in their own school system.

Dorothy Mullen, founder of the Riverside Elementary School gardens in Princeton, NJ, discussed how she got the project underway in her district. Only a few weeks post-9/11 in November 2001, she wanted to make a change in the school lunch system by introducing fresh food.

She noted how nutrition positively or negatively affects the body. “The brain is the most sensitive organ to poor nutrition,” she said. At the very least, kids can have a loss in concentration that prevents learning. “When the brain is out fuel,” she said, “we can’t learn correctly.”

Mullen, who is also an addiction counselor, said she started small by taking kids on a walking tour to her backyard garden. Then, the concept grew. She wanted to take it to the school. This was one way to instill the benefits of nutrition. She pointed out that, with a garden, there is a teaching opportunity for other subjects: science, math, food and nutrition, and art. From an environmental perspective, conservation in composting and water usage is a valuable lesson as well.

The Winner’s Cup Is Green

by Eileen Weber

For the month of January, three towns in Fairfield County are having a little friendly competition to see which one is the most energy conscious. According to an article dated January 2nd in The Hour, Westport, Wilton, and Weston have taken up the “Green Cup Challenge” initiated by the Wilton Energy Commission and sponsored by Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P). The point of the competition, which will end on January 31st, is to raise awareness of exactly how environmentally conscious their communities are.

The Wilton Energy Commission hosted an open meeting looking to kick start this initiative and a Wilton high school student came to the rescue. Shwetha Rahguraman along with fellow student Kathryn Saphire “took the bull by the horns” and got the ball rolling.

An 11-question survey was formed and sent out to homes and businesses. A few of the questions from the survey, which is also available online, were “Do you own vehicles that get over 30mpg?” and “Do more than a quarter of the lights in your household use compact fluorescent bulbs?”

Points are awarded to how these questions are answered. CL&P will judge the final responses and award a “green” cup to the winning town. As of today, there are 228 participants signed up to take part in the competition.

Mitchell Reichgut, a member of the energy commission, said it’s not about winning the cup. “All of us who are involved in it,” Reichgut was quoted in The Hour as saying, “really feel like it’s a really important project and an important issue.”