To download the entire 2010 report click here.

Finding out how to qualify is quite easy – just answer a few questions.

For more information about WAP visit:

http://www.adeca.alabama.gov/C14/Weatherization%20Assistance%20Prog/default.aspx

As always, some quick tips for weatherizing your home are:

- Seal and weatherstrip doors and windows to prevent air from leaving and entering the home

- Replace air condition filters – a dirty one makes your furnace work harder, which means more enerrgy spent

- Install a programmable thermostat – control your thermostat’s temperature when you are away and at home. Some systems even have smart phone apps.

- Add attic insulation – the experts recommend at least 12 inches of insulation in your attic. If you can see your ceiling joints, your home is in need of additional insulation.

Be sure to consult our Green Guide to find local businesses who can help you weatherize your home. For more tips on greening and weatherizing your home, visit our Quick Tips page as well.

The new bill was created in an effort to help the private-sector recycling businesses grow, but when private industry does not provide the service, cities and counties should be allowed to step in and help, explains Churchman.

Largely due to the success of the Alabama Recycling Fund, brand new recycling trailers (such as the ones pictured) are currently being dispersed throughout Jefferson County and other areas across our state. Since the fund was establish in 2008, ADEM has distributed more than $5 million to Alabama cities, counties, and solid waste authorities to expand recycling efforts across our state.

Churchman says that many private recycling companies, such as KW Plastics in Troy, can’t even operate their plants for more than a few days a week based on the low percentage of plastic that is recycled in Alabama. KW Plastics is one of the largest recyclers of plastics in the U.S., yet the company has to import approximately 98% of its overall plastic material for recycling. Churchman says, Bill HB274 “would diminish recycling across our state by stopping existing municipal programs and certainly keep any new efforts from happening.”

For more information about Bill HB274, and to learn how to support for the recycling industry in Alabama, please visit www.aeconline.org/HB274

The first phase of the construction project was implemented this week by UM Physical Plant electrician Kerry Loveless, who along with UM student Aaron Traywick, coordinated volunteer workers from the UM Environmental Club and regional artist Andy Cummings’ sustainability-oriented TreePlay construction company. Eight solar panels and supporting scaffolding were installed at the site. Once connected to the electrical grid, the panels will generate enough clean energy to fully offset all energy use at the JWSO, and is the first step in a massive environmental turnaround for the site of the former campus landfill. 

The project also includes the installation of an 800-gallon rainwater collection and purification system to serve as the primary water supply for the JWSO, and the phytoremediation of the soil using sunflowers and other suitable plants to extract a variety of pollutants.  The landscaping is being designed by local organic farmer and Petals From The Past proprietor Jason Powell. The landscaping will showcase drought-resistant plant life indigenous to Alabama, and will include an area for fruit trees to benefit visitors to the site. The restrooms will feature self-composting toilets, their construction made possible through the support of UM President Dr. John W. Stewart III.

The JWSO continues to fulfill the vision of its directors, UM professors Dr. Michael Patton and Dr. Michael Sterner, whose tireless efforts over the past five years have resulted in the best public astronomical observing facility in the state, and one of only a handful in the entire country that is completely accessibleto persons with disabilities. The JWSO is free and open to the public during scheduled meetings of the Montevallo Astronomical Society and UM Astronomy Club.  Please consult the calendar at www.jwso.org for meeting dates for the next several months.

]]> http://www.mygreenbirmingham.com/2012/02/university-of-montevallo-observatory-complex-gets-green-makeover/feed/ 0 http://www.mygreenbirmingham.com/2012/02/uab-student-government-resolution-implores-ua-system-to-oppose-the-shepherd-bend-mine/ http://www.mygreenbirmingham.com/2012/02/uab-student-government-resolution-implores-ua-system-to-oppose-the-shepherd-bend-mine/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:36:46 +0000 Natalie Kelly http://www.mygreenbirmingham.com/?p=2603 The Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) at UAB has unanimously passed a Resolution imploring the University of Alabama (UA) to stop the proposed Shepherd Bend Mine from potentially polluting Birmingham’s drinking water.  UA is a major owner of land and mineral rights sought by the mining company Shepherd Bend, LLC for a proposed coal mine on the Black Warrior River’s Mulberry Fork in Walker County.  The 1,773-acre strip mine would discharge wastewater 800 feet across the river from a Birmingham Water Works Board intake facility providing tap water to 200,000 Birmingham-area residents.

USGA Senators at UAB are concerned that heavy metals and sediment discharged from the mine would lead to decreased water quality and increased filtration fees for Birmingham consumers.  Numerous scientists, civil rights and environmental organizations, UA and UAB alumni, faculty and students, and governments, including the Birmingham City Council, have implored UA not to lease or sell their land and minerals to Shepherd Bend, LLC.  The company is owned by Garry Drummond, a Trustee Emeritus of UA.  Without access to UA’s significant land and mineral holdings, it may not be practical for mining to begin at Shepherd Bend.

“This issue is very pertinent to our students and the decision made by the board will echo endlessly. We felt the need to clearly voice our opinion on behalf of the UAB student body,” said Andrew Hayes, USGA Senator and co-author of the Resolution.

“I hope that this resolution will encourage the UA System Board of Trustees to open up a dialogue about Shepherd Bend and join the students of the UA system in protecting our city’s drinking water,” said Dexter Forbes, President of the Green Initiative at UAB and co-Author of the Resolution.

“The UAB Student Government has made a strong statement that they want to protect their city’s drinking water and their University’s reputation from the Shepherd Bend Mine proposal,” said Charles Scribner, Executive Director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper.

To view the USGA Resolution, click here.

To view an aerial photo by Nelson Brooke, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, showing the water intake facility (top), the Black Warrior River’s Mulberry Fork (middle) and the proposed mine site (bottom), click here.

The event will run from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM, (doors will open at 5 PM) at the Birmingham Museum of Art in the Steiner Auditorium.                 Parking is available behind the museum using the Richard Arrington entrance on the north side. The entrance to the auditorium is on the north side of the building.  Light Refreshments will be served.

For more info, go to http://www.freshwaterlandtrust.org/2012/01/save-the-date-our-one-mile-unveiling-on-february-21/

Questions/RSVP: Heather Forbush – heather@clarusgroup.net

“Cities are responsible for about 75 percent of energy used, 60 percent of water consumed and 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide,” says Fouad H. Fouad, Ph.D., chair of UAB’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. “As the world’s population continues to urbanize, we need sustainable, smart cities with a strong infrastructure that makes them environmentally friendly, increases residents’ quality of life and cuts costs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

The goal of the daylong symposium, to be held at the UAB Alumni House, 1301 10th Ave. South, is to gather information and present innovative solutions to the City of Birmingham for improving its livability. The symposium, organized by the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, will foster cross-disciplinary research, training and outreach and capitalize on progress already achieved at UAB.

“The future of Birmingham and communities worldwide demands the sustainability of our urban resources environmentally, socially and economically,” says UAB President Carol Z. Garrison. “UAB is committed to drawing upon its intensely collaborative and innovative culture to discover ways of making Birmingham and cities everywhere greener, smarter and healthier. On campus, that commitment is reflected in UAB’s energy-efficiency and green-construction standards, the UAB Recycling Center, our Campus Green, carpooling and bike-riding initiatives and the creation of a new Sustainability Committee comprising faculty, staff and students. Beyond campus, UAB will carry on its longtime partnership with this community by working hand in hand with Birmingham Mayor William Bell, local civic and business leaders and pioneers in the field of smart growth to make Birmingham a global leader in urban sustainable living.”

The SSC Symposium features internationally renowned experts including Oscar Edmundo Diaz, who has helped the sustainable initiatives of 30 governments worldwide; Enrique Penalosa, former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, and green advisor to New York City; Manuel F. Olivera, regional director of the C40 Clinton Climate Initiative; and Carlo Ratti, director of MIT SENSEable City Lab.

“Ultimately, healthy cities promote the health, safety and well-being of all of its residents,” says Mona Fouad, M.D., MPH, director of the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center. “Green urban design and planning can motivate people of all ages to be more physically active — to walk and ride bikes rather than travel by car. Innovative, healthy solutions are especially important for the city of Birmingham, which suffers from high rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases linked in large part to sedentary lifestyle and poor fitness.”

Mayor Bell will open the event with an overview of Birmingham’s successes and plans for sustainability. There will be a panel discussion featuring the international experts and local experts Cathy Crenshaw, president of Sloss Real Estate, and Frank Franklin, M.D., Ph.D., professor emeritus, UAB School of Public Health. The discussion will be moderated by interim UAB Provost Linda Lucas and UAB School of Business Dean David R. Klock, Ph.D.

The symposium is a joint initiative of the UAB schools of Engineering, Business and Medicine and UAB’s Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center. Alabama Power is the presenting sponsor. Funding agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, and other invited dignitaries are scheduled to join State Forester Linda Casey, Arbor Day Foundation officials, and Tuscaloosa residents in announcing locations of the 16 initial communities across North Alabama to receive 30,000 tree seedlings in February. These include Cordova, Cullman, Fyffe, Glen Allen, Hanceville, Ider, Jasper, Lakeview, Oakman, Ohatchee, Pleasant Grove, Reform, Shiloh, Sipsey, Tuscaloosa, and Vance.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of more than one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org.

The Alabama Forestry Commission is a state agency committed to protecting, conserving, and increasing Alabama’s forest resource. For more information, visit www.forestry.alabama.gov.

n and revitalization by showcasing over 50 destinations unique to the area, highlighting independently-owned businesses and innovative “green” community projects. The map was completely researched, written, and designed by ValloCycle Board Members John Nicholson, Courtney Bennett, and Aaron Traywick, who are also University of Montevallo students and alumni.

ValloCycle’s map is designed to serve the needs of the entire Montevallo area. The map not only showcases artistic, commercial, and community-oriented destinations in downtown Montevallo, but also features sites of culture and sustainability in the Aldrich and Pea Ridge communities. Personalized descriptions of each listing, including business hours and unique features, are assembled in an appealing and easy-to-read format on the back of the map. The map provides a collection of local, independent shopping alternatives for all common household needs, and also publicizes unique community-oriented resources, such as Shelby Emergency Assistance, two urban community gardens, and the 2.5-mile nationally recognized Parks Trail greenway system.

ValloCycle’s primary goal in creating this free map is to promote Alabama’s first city-wide bike-sharing program, while providing citizens and visitors with a user-friendly tool that promotes public engagement with independent, community-oriented businesses and projects.

AEC haspurchased a 16-foot box truck along with barrels for each bar and restaurant, and started a twice-weekly pickup. This will allow pick up of the estimated 200 tons of glass that would be going into local landfills from localestablishments per year. The program is targeting 30-35 businesses toparticipate, and would expand to more businesses and a broader territory if needed. The first businesses to participate are Bottega Restaurant & Café, Highlands Bar & Grill, Chez Fon Fon, Rojo, The J. Clyde, Bottletree, Billy’s Bar& Grill, Jim ‘N Nicks, Cantina, Ocean, and UAB Recycling.

“We’ve wanted to be a part of a project like this for years,” says Michael Churchman,AEC’s Executive Director. “Without a local glass recycler to purchase theglass, the start-up costs were beyond the reach of our non-profit. It’s a great fit for ourorganization since we’re the only place to recycle glass in the County. This is a great example of how businesses can be environmentally mindful and achieve economic benefits.”

“We’ve looked forward to this since first hearing about it in 2010,” said local restaurateur Pardis Stitt. “We have recycled spent glass in our restaurants for four years, taking them to the AEC downtown Recycling Center ourselves. We are so happy that an organization like the AEC can provide the service of not only picking up twice a week but also providing the containers.

Along with the glass collected at the AEC’s downtown Birmingham recycling center, the group estimates it will help divert almost 1,000 tons of glass from landfills every year. As a community service, the cement manufacturer, Argos (formerly LaFargeNA), transports the glass to their Calera plant where it is used as an aggregate in their manufacturing process. “This partnership is key to providing citizens the opportunity to recycle glass,”says AEC Recycling Director, Alan Gurganus.

In conjunction with the glass recycling program, the AEC is launching a paper recycling program for Birmingham businesses in February. “This service will help offset the costs of the glass program,” says Alan Gurganus, “and offer businesses an opportunity to recycle non-confidential paper without the hassle of hauling it to the recycling center.”

To learn more about these programs and how to participate, contact the Alabama Environmental Council at Recycling@AEConline.org or (205)322-3126. Visit www.RecycleAL.com to find a recycler near you.