Due to circumstances beyond our control, Colin Beavan, the "No Impact Man" WILL NOT BE COMING TO SWFL on APRIL 13th and 14th. (Instead FGCU will host Fabian Cousteau)

We will not be launching a region wide "No Impact" Challenge at this time, but please feel free to take the challenge on your own! 

Have you been wanting to reduce your "Carbon Footprint" and begin treading more lightly on the planet but didn't know how and where to start?  Taking the "The No Impact" challenge for a week of carbon cleansing, will help to lead you down the path!  

For those of you who've not yet heard about the unusual and impressive challenge that Colin and his family (wife and 1 year old daughter) undertook together in New York City, please take a moment and watch this short video...it outlines the different aspects of the experiment quite well.

We encourage you to jump right in and explore what this experiment is all about - it will help you to start down the path to greater sustainability.

The "No Impact Team" has actually done quite a nice job of consolidating the year long experiment that the Beavan's undertook into a rather effective one week challenge.

Check out the "No Impact Project" manual  http://tinyurl.com/NoImpactProjectManual to get a good overview of the scope and structure of the challenge. And by all means, try to get your hands on a copy of "The No Impact Man" movie...it is actually quite entertaining and a good family film.

An excerpt from The New York Times states, "By pushing himself further than even the most conscientious recyclers and locavores are usually willing to go, Mr. Beavan hoped to raise awareness both about the ecological costs of overconsumption and about possible solutions to the problem."  Although most of us will not end up going to the lengths that the Beavans did to reduce their impact on the environment, it seems the greatest take away may be the critical importance of examining the balance between enlightened self-interest and the ethical and moral weight of social responsibility.

A great read is one man's experience in taking the week-long "No Impact" Challenge which you can access by clicking this link http://eartheasy.com/blog/2010/01/reflections-on-a-one-week-carbon-cleanse/. . It gives a wonderful overview of how the week unfolds as he gently glides into reducing his impact on the planet.

Here's an excerpt.... "I was also able to better understand the concept that convenience and the “easy” way of doing things do not always equal greater happiness. It’s convenient to use the bags the grocery stores give me, but I feel so much better bringing my own reusable bags and saving all that waste from going into the landfill. It was “easier” driving to the gym, but I am way happier (and healthier) riding my bike!"

Hopefully, as you embark upon this intriguing challenge you will gain some enlightening insights. Please feel free to share your experiences here!

• Won't you please join us NOW to start making a difference today and helping to gather momentum for upcoming events. We've created two Meetup groups for potential and prospective "Impactors" in both Naples and in Ft. Myers and would love to have you as part of the gang. Click below to get to the Meetup.com site where you can sign up! Together, we can and will make a difference!

   Find your local Meetup

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 Edison State College – Collier Campus is proud to present the 3rd annual green living Expo in Collier County - - Edison GreenFest.

 

On March 26th, 2011, from 10am until 4pm, The Edison GreenFest Expo will again present valuable information on a variety of sustainability issues and will showcase practical solutions through products, services, and practices which can reduce our community and global environmental impact.

 

What: Edison State College - Collier Campus hosts the 3rd GreenFest Expo, the area's largest annual green living festival in Collier County - bringing together business and organizations to share innovative products and services that are healthy, resource conserving, and good for the economy.

 

Who: Businesses and organizations in Southwest Florida will bring products and services to demonstrate on the following topics:

• Energy efficient homes - What is an Energy Star home? Should you install a solar water heater?
• Water conservation indoors and outdoors - Check out barrel irrigation.
• Alternative transportation - Ever ridden CAT, the Collier bus system? Try it on campus.
• Coastal protection - Who's keeping the beaches clean and how are they doing it?
• Bio-fuels - Florida's exciting new crop for creating bio-diesel, the jatropha. See it, learn about it.
• Local farm products - Buy local produce and saw palmetto honey.
• Food - How to make sustainable food choices

Where: Edison State College, Collier Campus, 7007 Lely Cultural Pkwy Naples, Florida 34113

The 2010 GreenFest Expo had over 50 exhibitors and drew over 1000 attendees.  The reviews indicate the event was a rousing success.  Over 150 of Edison College students were involved in the planning, execution, and attending the Saturday event.   Nearly 75 children participated in the Kid’s Kove activities.  The Speaker’s Program was well received and will be expanded this year.   Since last year’s successful event the “Green” buzz has become a roar and is expected to continue growing. Major sponsors will again include Naples News, Natural Awakenings, WINK-FM, WAVV-FM, and UGottaGoGreen.com. 

Mark your calendar now for this fun and informative family event!!

---

A note to area businesses:

Edison State College, Collier Campus’s over 4000 students will soon become business and government leaders, homeowners, and parents--and what they know and understand about sustainability will affect us all.  In addition, many of the nearly 400,000 Collier County residents are eager to understand how they can balance their lives for greater sustainability, save money, and still maintain their busy family lifestyles, but with less environmental impact.

Your business may have the product, service or solution attendees need - it's not too late to join us as a sponsor or exhibitor at Edison GreenFest 2011, Collier Campus, 7007 Lely Cultural Pkwy Naples, Florida 34113

Of interest to many is the opportunity to display at our on campus Student GreenFest Days, March 29/30 in our shady Quad. You are welcome to come and participate in educating the future leaders of Collier, by showing many of our 4000 students, your Green technology, services, and products. There is no additional charge beyond the regular registration fee for the Saturday March 26th event. Contact Kirk Otto for details.

For more information:

Dr. Kirk Otto, GreenFest Coordinator at 239-732-3743 or kotto@edison.edu. Visit our Sustainability Website at www.edison.edu, Click on Collier Campus, then “Sustainability Initiative”. 

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2011 Florida Renewable Energy Tour announces Ft. Myers/Naples Tour Stop

Florida Gulf Coast University will host an evening Town Hall after a day of touring solar and renewable energy installations in the Ft. Myers/Naples area.

The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE) is excited to announce the tour stop in its 2011 Renewable Energy Tour taking place on Thursday, February 17th. During the day the tour will consist of visits to various renewable energy installations in the area. At 5:00 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) will host a Town Hall event engaging local and state legislators, local business leaders and groups as well as renewable energy and cleantech industry experts to discuss the advancement of renewable energy in Florida.

The 2011 Renewable Energy Tour will be traveling across Florida, visiting 10 cities in the month of February, leading up to the beginning of March legislative session. The tour will focus on renewable energy policy, and discussion will include local job creation, manufacturing and export, and economic resurgence.

The Fort Myers/Naples 2011 Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy Tour & Town-Hall Meeting

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Tour Overview:

The Fort Myers/Naples 2011 Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE) Tour & Town-Hall Meeting will take place at

various locations throughout the day and evening of February 17, 2011. We have invited several distinguished Renewable/Clean

Energy executives, prominent industry participants, policy experts and state and local Florida elected officials to tour various

renewable energy sites, hold panel discussions and engage in industry expert talks. Please register now!

THIS IS A FREE EVENT!

Agenda:

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

8:15 – 9:00 a.m. - Tour Kick-Off Breakfast! - Costco, Fort Myers

Address: 10088 Gulf Center Drive, Fort Myers, FL

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. - Tour of FL Green Team, Fort Myers, FL

Address: 2213 Andrea Lane, Fort Myers, FL

Welcome Address & Tour –

Reed Wilson, President, FL Green Team

11:00 – 11:45 a.m. - Tour of John Wolske’s Solar Electrical Power System Residence

Address: 1833 Everest Parkway, Cape Coral, FL

12:00 – 2:00 p.m. - Hodges University, Fort Myers, FL

Address: 4501 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers, FL, Kleist Community Room 364

Welcome Address -

Joseph Frazier, Director of Campus Safety, Security and Disaster Preparedness, Hodges University

Creating Renewable Energy Jobs and a Clean Energy Economy in the U.S. and Especially Florida -

Dawn E. Dzurilla, Founder & Managing Partner, Gaia Human Capital Consultants

Florida’s Future as a Leader in Biofuels and Alternative Fuels –

Moderator: Thomas Mueller, Business Manager, Covanta Lee

Roy Beckford, University of Florida

Kenneth Spall, Managing Director, Algenol Biofuels

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. - Tour of Ray and Margaret Kordonowy’s Solar Electrical Power System Residence

Address: 3621 Heritage Lane, Fort Myers, FL

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. - Tour of Florida Gulf Coast University’s 2 MW Solar Farm & 75 Kw Solar Thermal System

Location: FGCU Visitors Center& FGCU’s Solar Farm

Dell Jones, Vice President, Regenesis Power, LLC.

Burt Saunders, Counsel at Gray Robinson, PA, former State Senator of Florida

4:30 – 5:00 p.m - Florida Gulf Coast University Town-Hall Registration

Location: Sugden Hall, Ballroom A

5:00 – 7:30 p.m. - Florida Gulf Coast University - Town-Hall Meeting Begins

Location: Sugden Hall, Ballroom A

5:00 – 5:15 p.m. - Welcome to FGCU! Hub of Innovation and Sustainability for Southwest, FL -

Wilson G. Bradshaw, Ph.D., President, Florida Gulf Coast University

5:15 - 5:30 p.m. - Job Creation and Local Economic Growth Through Renewable Energy –

Mike Antheil, Executive Director, Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE)

5:30 – 5:45 p.m. - Legislative Outlook –

Richard Pinsky, Government Affairs Expert & FARE Lobbyist

5:45 – 7:15 p.m. - Panel Discussions:

Panel One: Regional Economic Development Leaders & Officials

Panel Two: Florida State Legislators

7:15 – 8:00 p.m. - Q&A

Networking and Cocktail Reception to follow

Location: FGCU Sugden Hall, Ballroom B

Who will be attending?

Elected Florida Officials Members of the Press College and University Administrators

National Renewable Energy Leaders Regional Planning Councils Prominent academicians & faculty

Local Business Leaders City& Local Green Commissions Undergraduate & Graduate Students

City, County & Municipal employees Renewable & Clean Energy Supporters Job coalition & creation advocates

As a resident in the Fort Myers/Naples region, you will want to be a part in shaping a regional “green economy” and advancing

the renewable energy and energy efficiency future of Florida.

The entire event is FREE, thanks to the kind generosity of our Hosts and Sponsors.

“Thirty nine (39) U.S. States have set their own standards or have set exacting goals specifying that electric utilities generate a certain amount of electricity from renewable or alternative energy sources; Florida is presently not among them. These standards are called Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). As Florida policymakers consider energy, environmental, conservation, economic development and job creation goals, an RPS would no doubt incentivize development of a stronger regional economy, create well-paying jobs and further increase Florida’s path toward environmental sustainability.” states, Dawn Dzurilla, Managing Partner of Gaia Human Capital Consultants and Coordinator of the 2011 Florida Renewable Energy Tour in Fort Myers/Naples.

The 2011 Renewable Energy Tour is being held during the last 3 weeks of February 2011 with an official full schedule of locations and speakers posted at www.farenergy.org  For information about the Fort Myers/Naples tour contact Dawn Dzurilla at 212-734-4912 or at dawnd@gaiahumancapital.com.

Why you should be part of the tour:

• Be part of shaping the renewable energy and energy efficiency future of Florida
• Learn about pending legislation
• Interact with your elected officials
• Network with people from all phases and stages of involvement of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects
• Encourage and support a free market for renewable  energy in Florida

Discussion Topics:                   

• Local job creation
• Local economic growth
• Free market forces
• Energy security
• Pending legislation
• Innovations in industry
• Municipal approach to renewables
• Trickledown economics of renewable energy
• Renewable energy finance

About The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy:  www.farenergy.org

The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE) is a coalition of concerned individuals, businesses, manufacturers, communities, agricultural stakeholders, associations, policy makers, non-profits, and renewable energy producers.

About Gaia Human Capital Consultants:

Founded in 2006, Gaia Human Capital Consultants (GHCC) has become a highly recognized and well respected Executive Search leader at the intersection of Executive Search and Renewable Energy and Cleantech industries. Leveraging decades of senior-level retained executive search, teambuilding and organizational experience, GHCC partners with firms and investors at all levels of development and size from early to mid-stage to late-stage companies to multinationals worldwide to attract, evaluate and secure world-class, senior-executive talent.

GHCC has executed several search assignments for executives & professionals from CEO's to senior individual contributors. GHCC are active members of The American Council on Renewable Energy, The New England Clean Energy Council, The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy and a host of Human Resource organizations. Additional information can be found at www.gaiahumancapital.com.

Contact: Dawn E. Dzurilla, Fort Myers/Naples Coordinator - 2011 Florida Renewable Energy Tour dawnd@gaiahumancapital.com

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Hello, I’m Tiffany, the Official Spokesdog for Dogs For The Earth and a bone-carrying member of U Gotta Go Green!

Dogs For The Earth is dedicated to spreading the word about an all natural, eco-friendly lifestyle for pets.

At Dogs For The Earth we know sometimes it’s not practical to do everything completely organic & eco-friendly; we say as long as everyone is doing their best, that’s all that matters.

My job is to help you help your dog (and cats, too!) make good choices for the environment and healthy choices for themselves. You can ask me questions about anything: flea control, food, vaccinations, training, even poop. (I can give you the real poop on poop!) Anything that has to do with pet care is fair game...I can help you go 'au natural' and become a greener, cleaner pet!  That’s what I do. So ASK TIFFY now, I'm at your beg and call!

My friend Kathy Splawn, co-founder of DogsfortheEarth.com will be doing all the typing for me since her paws are more adept on the keyboard. Kathy began her animal training as a Junior Zoo Keeper at the age of 12. From there she gained her Zoology degree at the University of Texas. Following 8 years at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, she received her Masters Degree as a Marine Scientist from the University of South Florida. Kathy's passion now is to help dogs! As an animal behaviorist & nutritionist, scientific reasoning supports all her advice. Certified by the red cross, Kathy is an active environmentalist & her ambition is to educate dog owners about the importance and availability of organic, natural products & lifestyles for pets.

So post your questions below and let’s get started: the sooner you know, the sooner your pet will become the healthiest & happiest pet in town! ASK TIFFY NOW!

Our latest question is one that many of us humans can relate to and comes from Little Gracie:

Hello Tiffany, Can you help me?

I am a tiny 6 year old poodle called Gracie.  Sometimes when I get up in the morning I have a  hunched up back.  I don't cry or wince when it is touched but I keep it hunched up.  My vet took x-rays but my back looked fine so he gave my mom some pain killers for me but we don't like pills in this house.  I saw on your web site you support natural and organic solutions to problems.  Can you help me & my hunched up back?  My mom is very worried & it makes me worry, too!

Thank you Tiffy!

Tiffy explains how to put a smile on your dog's face when getting up out of bed!

Hi Gracie,
 
Isn't it great to be a dog!!!  We really have a lot in common.  I have the same back issue.  Not every day, but often enough for me to be able to give advice.  Mine is from an old sports injury.  I got it surfing off the coast of Australia in the Great Barrier Reef.  Okay, truth be told, it was in the backyard in my swimming pool, but like fish stories, sports injuries get bigger everytime you tell them.  How did you get yours?  Was it skydiving, mountain climbing or playing touch football with the Big Dogs?  Well however it happened, I'm sorry you have to go through that.

Here's some great tips that I think will help.

• When you awaken in the morning, after potties and breakfast of course, have your Mom help you with some stretching.  Lay on your side and she can lightly grab your front legs with one hand and your back legs with the other.  Slowly stretch your body to full extension and hold for a couple of seconds.  Start out slowly the first few days and work your way up.
• Doga (doggie Yoga) is another great way to learn some great exercise.  Ask your Mom to find a local class in your area.  Make sure you get plenty of exercise.  You don't want your back to get used to staying in one position.   Don't overdo it or you might find you have another injury "tail" to tell. 
• Tell your Mom to turn a heating pad on LOW and place a small towel on your back with the heating pad on top for 3-4 minutes.  It really feels great.  I LOVE it.
• There are also some great Organic, Natural  Joint and Back supplements that are great for imflammation.  These are the two that I use: 

 
1. Seven Forests Liquidambar 15--A chinese herbal remedy that invigorates your meridians and stimulates your vessels to help get blood flow to your back area. 
Your meridians are the pathways of the energy power, which carries some of the communitcation between different parts of the body.  Cool, Right?? 
 
2. Newton Homeopathic Rheumatic Joint Care--Relieves discomfort in mucles, tendons and joints. 
 
One more thing Gracie, let me know if you live in the Naples area.  I would love to start a Doga class.  I'm not trained in Doga, but my friend Ali is and I'm sure she would be more than happy to be our teacher.  Please, no more skateboarding or waterskiing for now.
 
Namaste!!
 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com
 

I know you have all been itching to hear the answer to our next question from Cali!

Hi Tiffy, First of all let me say, you sure are cute and look very smart, so here is my question for you.  I am a Schnauzer mix named Cali and although my Mom takes special care to wash all my bedding, somehow it is still itchy.  Can you help me?  I know she'll do whatever she can, so I am looking for some good advice.

Hi Cali.  First of all, I want to wish you and your human family Peace, Prosperity and a Problem-free 2011!  Isn't it true, that itchy bedding leads to itchy skin and it always seems to itch worse right in the middle of your back where you find yourself spinning around in circles trying to get that one spot!  Instead of making yourself dizzy, lets see if I can help.   It sounds like it could be your detergent.  Some detergents have dyes and fragrances in them and some are just too harsh for your sweet delicate skin.  I have a friend that is a schnauzer and she tells me that her breed has very sensitive skin, so ask your human family to buy you a detergent that is free of dyes and fragrances.  It would be better for her as well, but maybe she just wants to try it first on you and then she'll see how great it really works.

I know here at Dogs for the Earth headquarters we use "Seventh Generation" free and clear laundry detergent (available at your local supermarket). It is tough on dirt and stains, is hypoallergenic and best of all, it's biodegradable, so it won't harm this beautiful planet either.  It's a win, win situation for all.  By the way, did you know that if every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of petroleum-based laundry detergent with a plant-derived product like Seventh Generation, we could save 185,000 barrels of oil...enough to  heat and cool 10,600 U.S. homes for a year! Come to think of it, "Seventh Generation" should ask us to do a commercial for them...it works so well on my bedding they should call it "dogtergent". 

I think we've found your solution, so keep in touch and let us know how your new dogtergent works for you!

And in the New Year, please keep in mind this Iroquios quote from which Seventh Generaton derived its name..."In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations".

 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com

We were so happy to hear from Liz with a great question about how much activity and exercise smaller dogs should have...

Tiff how much time does my owner need to walk me each day.  I am a petite Yorkie and I don’t know if my mom is walking me like she should.  How long should each walk be??  Besides I like being outside so I can show off to all the other breeds

Love,  Katie

Hi Tiffy,

Finally!  I was really excited when I came across this site.  I can never trust the answers I get at the pet food store or even my Vet because they just don’t think along those lines.  Also, just a short year or so ago, me and my wife started eating and drinking as many organic products as we could in the way of substitution for other products.  We found out early on that you have to be very careful about the word ‘organic’!  If that’s true for people food it’s true for pet food too. So again, I’m so glad I now have a real source to get the true scoop on what’s really healthy for pets.  Dogs in my case.

I have two Bernese Mountain Dog/Golden Retrievers’ that are about 100 lbs. each. According to the Vet they are both in healthy weight ranges for their sizes. They have no current medical issues. They get a good walk everyday but for the most part are home by themselves during the work week.  So, the basics then Tiffy, what dog food and treats do you recommend?  Also, what about flea/tic and worm medicine?  What’s the best of these for my particular dogs?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks,
Walt

Wow Walt, you sure have a lot of questions and I am doggone happy to answer them.  It sounds like your dogs are already very happy and healthy.  You are right about their food....my FAVORITE subject by the way.....organic and natural ingredients are always the way to go, I mean who wants to eat a bunch of pesticides and preservatives anyway.  I prefer my steak without those nasty chemicals I can't even pronounce.

When I first arrived at my people's home, I was actually 2 Yorkies in one.  I weighed almost 14 lbs.  WOW, that was a lot of extra weight to carry around.  I have my own line of Organic Dog Food that has really helped me in the last couple of years.  Now, I am at a perfect 7 lb., slim and trim weight and I never felt better.  I always say " if you take care of your body, it will take care of you".  Same goes for the Earth, by the way. 

There is a really good website, www.onlynaturalpet.com and they have many good foods (almost as good as mine) that are only natural and organic as well.  The same goes for treats.  Just make sure they don't have any sugar or salt in them....we don't really need any in our diet and quite frankly, I'm sure my human friends could cut down a little as well!   One last thing about food (I could go on forever),  please get a couple of varieties, because just like you, we don't like to eat the same thing every morning and night.  We like to mix it up.  So, you are always welcome to try my Organic Dog Food (we send samples) or find other ones that are equally as healthy for your pet.
 
Fleas and Ticks and Worms, oh my!!  I think their only purpose in life is to bother me and all my furry friends.  I haven't had one in a while, but when I first moved to sunny Florida, whew, they really loved to bite me.  I learned the most important thing to do is to treat your environment.  A female flea can lay up to 300 eggs a day....can you believe it...300!  She must not do anything else all day but lay eggs!!!  There are a lot of products available that are not harmful to any of us but those pesky fleas.   Have you ever heard of diatomaceous earth?  It dehydrates the fleas and will NOT harm me or you.  It comes in powder form and you can even sprinkle it on your carpet and outdoor areas.

Also, www.onlynaturalpet.com, mentioned above, carries a line of shampoos and conditioners that you can use simultaneously to rid your self of those nasty little buggers.  Also, if you get some garlic and brewers yeast tablets to mix in with your food, it really helps.  You know they say "Garlic keeps the Vampires Away" and for us dogs, fleas = vampires! Oh and one last think that you may want to consider, there's this really cool thing called a tic-clip that goes on your collar and sends out electromagnetic waves.  Not only will you look cool wearing your own piece of futuristic jewelry, but the fleas will be stopped by your super force field.  How about that??
 
Well Walt, I hope I was able to answer your questions and could you please send me your two dog's names along with a picture to my executive assistant at Kathy@DogsfortheEarth.com so they can join me in the fight for a cleaner Earth.  Now, I'm off to take a catnap.  Yes, dogs take them too.
 
Puppy Hugs and Kisses to you!!
Tiffy the Earthdog over and out for DogsfortheEarth.com
 

Editorial: Florida should be a leader in biofuels

Written by news-press.com Filed Under Opinion

Here is an excerpt from the second half of an Op Ed article that came into our inbox today...what's your opinion? Let us hear from you and please take action in support of this issue by contacting your representative as outlined below! For the whole article :http://www.news-press.com/article/20110213/OPINION/110212029/0/GCLIVEFRONT/Editorial-Florida-should-leader-biofuels?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Boost needed

But without a boost from government, we could miss the opportunity to reduce Florida’s energy imports, now estimated at $60 billion annually for transportation and electricity fuel, and keep some of that money here to generate jobs. Jobs. That’s the magic word that could turn conservative dominated Tallahassee in favor of a policy to encourage biofuels. Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature are intent on sweeping spending cuts. But Scott is equally committed to creating jobs.

State Sen. Mike Bennett, whose District 21 includes part of Lee County, says “(Scott)’s going to be looking at what can create jobs in Florida quickly, and at the same time bring the cost of government down, for example by using bio-diesel in state trucks or school buses.” There is already a federal mandate that fuel companies use 36 billion gallons of ethanol a year by 2022.

 With criticism growing of corn ethanol’s energy inefficiency, environmental impacts and controversial effects on engine parts, Florida should be trying to grab a part of that mandate with cleaner, more efficient biofuels. But there is a bigger issue. The costs of fossil fuels in terms of human disease; poisoned air, water and soil; or an altered climate are hard to calculate, but are real and inevitable, and fall ultimately on the taxpayer. They are a powerful argument in favor of aggressively encouraging clean, safe, renewable alternative energy, including Florida biofuels.

Urge our leaders in Tallahassee to seize the opportunity to make Florida a world leader in biofuels.

Join 1Sky for the Swanky South Beach “Pollution Party”

Saturday, Feb 12th, starting at 7 PM
Carlton Hotel, 1433 Collins Ave Miami Beach, FL

Interested in A Caravan/Carpool to South Beach on Saturday for the Big Party? FREE Music, FREE Hors D'Oeuvres, Costume contest and Much more! Contact us at UGottaGoGreen@live.com and let us know...

Come dressed as your most detested pollution!!!!!! 

No cover!

Live performances from local artists:

Tom Gorrio (of Radar Vs. Wolf)
Michael Quinn (with a special song about the BP Oil Spill)
Pocket of Lollipops

1Sky continues building the local movement to stop climate change with parties nationwide this month.

We are raising awareness about attempts to undermine The Clean Air Act by planning citizen visits in large groups to local congressional offices.

In 2007, The Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency could begin using The Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases from coal-fired power plants...our nation's largest single source of greenhouse gases and the biggest win to fight climate change! Now industries are trying to undo the ruling in legislation through Congress. But a citizen movement can stop them- it's the only thing that ever does!

Our main goals: You signing up to join friends from 1Sky to meet with your local congressional leaders! Also, signing the petition for a ballot initiative to end new drilling in state waters- let the people vote!

Let's try to gather a group from this area to network and support initiatves underway on the other coast in Florida! East meets West in South Beach!!!

$2 drink specials for the first two hours, and specialty drink "Pollution on the Beach"
Friends of all ages welcome as attendees will be carded at the bar.

Free hors d'oeuvres!!!!
Costume contest!!!!

Discounted Room rates available for overnight stay!!!!

RSVP at http://local.1sky.org/actions/events/show/348
sign up on facebook- see some of the others who are signing up and share the facebook announcement: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=137591479636815

Contact: Andrea Cuccaro, 1Sky Florida Organizer, 786-925-1151, 1skyflorida@gmail.com
www.1sky.org -national site, www.1skyfl.org -local site

Officials look into
U.S. 41 shift

 Written by

Denes Husty III
dhusty@news-press.com

11:37 PM, Feb. 9, 2011|

1:10 A.M. — City and county officials
agreed to work together Wednesday to
eliminate what is called “the Berlin Wall in
Naples” — otherwise known as U.S. 41.

The bustling, six-lane highway traveled by
40,000 to 50,000 vehicles a day
effectively divides Naples into west and
east zones, said Naples Councilwoman
Margaret Sulik.
Council members and county
commissioners at a joint meeting will now
have their staffs study the possibility of
relocating U.S. 41 to the parallel
Goodlette-Frank Road, Sulik said.

What is now U.S. 41 — also known as Ninth
Street — would revert to a local route that
would create a business district friendlier
to pedestrians and motorists, Sulik said.
Two lanes could be eliminated to provide
parking for easier access to businesses,
she said.

Currently, trying to walk across the road at
what is known as the Four Corners — the
intersection where U.S. 41 North, U.S. 41
East, Ninth Street South and Fifth Avenue
South meet — “is like playing chicken,”
Sulik said.

“I think it’s worth looking into. More parking
would be perfect. There is no parking
here,” said Patty Kirk, owner of Captain
Kirk’s Stone Crabs Inc. in the Fifth Avenue
shopping district.

No specific timeline has been set on the
project, but both council members and
commissioners hope to have detailed
reports ready to present by the summer.
Additional turn lanes would be needed for
through traffic, and signs would be posted
to turn Goodlette-Frank Road into U.S. 41
from Golden Gate Parkway south to U.S. 41
East, Sulik said.

“It’s a need that has to be addressed for
pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles. A lot of
county residents don’t go to the downtown
area because of the traffic,” said local
resident Michelle Avola, who represents a
coalition of some 3,000 city and county
residents who support the plan.

Other options include better signs directing
traffic destined for Miami or Marco Island
to use alternate routes and pedestrian

overpasses above U.S. 41, officials said.
They said state and federal governments
would have the final say on whether U.S. 41
is moved.

What's your opinion??  Let us hear from you and tell us what you think...place your comments below and let's get a dialog started!! We're working on a Transportation Transformation in this region...please check out http://www.ugottagogreen.com/post/takin_it_to_the_streets_-_9_days_of_transportation_transformation_in_s/ and start thinking about ways in which you can get involved!! This is gonna be BIG!

Welcome to Southwest Florida's eco-networking, resource and information-sharing website. We hope that you enjoy our magazine-style, news digest format and find lots of interesting ways to get involved in the burgeoning green community.  As a comprehensive web portal and online community for everything and anything Green, Sustainable and Eco-friendly in the SWFL region, we encourage  you to stop in and check out what’s new on a daily basis.  You can think of us the Green Facebook for Southwest Florida where you can come and connect with others who are interested in your opinions, products and services! We can't wait for you to jump in and join the conversation.

Please bear with us as we continue to develop and add features and functionality to the site.  We expect that there will be some growing pains for a while but hope that you see the tremendous power and potential of the UGottaGoGreen.com website.  We not only invite your input, comments, suggestions and feedback but are counting on your active participation and involvement. We need you, the community,  to make this a dynamic, useful and effective tool for positive environmental and economic impact in our local area!

Our vision is to become a nexus of communication, interactive collaboration and activity for all of the important and pressing sustainability, energy and climate issues that  are affecting each and every one of us here in Southwest Florida. We see a tremendous need to connect and co-ordinate initiatives arising out of several different realms:

• Business and Commerce
• Local Government
• Academia/Education
• Scientific Community
• Residents/Visitors

Only with more cooperative interaction and communication can we hope to create the synergy required to make substantive changes. We need to join forces, collaborate, support and promote one another and make sure that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.  Together, we can and will make a difference. Won’t you please join us on the path to a “Greener” future?

Here’s what you can do right now to help make this a thriving and empowered community:

• Advertise on our site to promote your Green business
• Enter your business with an “Enhanced” listing on the “U Gotta Go Green Business Directory”
• Sign up for our “Green Insider” Newsletter
• Add our RSS feed to your feed reader or website
• Join our Facebook fan page or Blog page at at http://bit.ly/UGottaGoGreenFacebook
• Tweet about our new website, an event or article
• Follow us on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/UGottaGoGreen.com
• Link to us on your website or blogroll
• Add our widget to your website or blog
• Make a comment about one of our articles using the comment box at the end of our posts
• Join our Meetup.com/UGottaGoGreen Activity group at http://Meetup.com/UGottaGoGreen
• Join our Online community at http://heyGottaGoGreen.ning.com, complete your member profile, and customize your own home page!
• Add your “Green, Eco-friendly, Environmentally Sustainable special interest or action group or, non-profit organization to our             http://heyUGottaGoGreen.ning.com/Groups online community “GreenGroups” listing
• Add a Blog entry, brief article or opinion commentary on our http://heyUGottaGoGreen.ning.com/Blog “Blog”
• Start a discussion on a forum topic on our http://heyUGottaGoGreen.ning.com/Forum “Forum”
• Create and/or discover a topic–related video and submit it to our http://heyUGottaGoGreen.ning.com/Videos online community “Member Contributed Videos” section

Again, we welcome you to UGottaGoGreen.com and are hopeful and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead when the community unifies it's efforts to become more Green, Eco-friendly and Sustainable in Southwest Florida!

Please feel free to contact us at info@UGottaGoGreen.com for more information, comments or suggestions.

Yours in Hope,

The U Gotta Go Green Team

One of the brightest, most engaging and most articulate on the subject of climate change, ocean acidification and all things green and sustainable, is Naples’ own, Cloe Waterfield.  Recently, Ms. Waterfield was contracted of Naples to oversee energy savings work and develop a voluntary green business program. Last year she completed an energy audit for Collier County and delivered a summary of those findings and a 76 page report to county officials.

Keep your eyes and ears open for more news related to this research and what is being proposed to address the issues brought to light.  Below you will find a Naples Daily News cached article covering the presentation of the report as well as an excerpt from the actual document explaining the “Impacts of Climate Change in Collier County”.

Ms. Waterfield is the founder of Twenty-fifty.com a scientific research and consulting company that helps organizations and individuals optimize the environment in their daily operations and long-term business goals.  It is optimistically named Twenty-Fifty because it’s been hypothesized that “Halving Carbon Dioxide Emissions By 2050 Could Stabilize Global Warming”.  The following information is taken from their website which you can visit by clicking on this link: Twenty-fifty.com.

So what will Twenty-fifty be able to do for you? Provide practical guidance on how to consider the environment in your daily operations and to…

Save money and help save the planet.

Twenty-fifty provides comprehensive sustainability strategies to help you navigate the new green economy. They develop simple, adaptable plans to help municipalities, businesses and homeowners assess their environmental footprint (including greenhouse gas emissions), reduce waste, minimize resource use and educate residents, staff and clients. They identify and maximize the environmental attributes of your operation and grow new profit centers through green marketing.

Concern for the environment is at an all-time high and set to climb as more and more consumers recognize the importance of being environmentally and socially responsible, and are willing to pay for it. With just a few simple changes you can maximize the efficiency of your home or place of work and send the profits where they should be, instead of out the window or down the drain.

Twenty-fifty’s network of environmental professionals in south Florida and the Caribbean. can offer assistance in the following areas of expertise:

• Energy efficiency
• Environmental education
• Greenhouse gas management
• Waste and water minimization
• Sustainable building design
• Native landscaping design
• Green marketing and communications
• Field biology (monitoring/mapping tropical habitats)
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Environmental Management Plans

Twenty-fifty is based here in Naples, Florida, and they have project and academic links throughout south Florida, The Bahamas and Caribbean.  There is a growing advisory board with decades of experience in environmental operations, education and sustainability issues.

Cloe Waterfield, Twenty-fifty in the News:

Here's a few excerpts from a Naples Daily News article that appeared 12/02/09:

...Florida, with its miles of coastline, is the most vulnerable state in the nation to the effects of sea level rise, one of global warming’s biggest threats, environmental consultant Cloe Waterfield, who wrote the county audit, told commissioners this week. “I think that puts Collier County, right on the tip of peninsular Florida, at the forefront of those impacts,” she said.

...With Collier’s future at stake, Waterfield said, the county should consider setting even higher targets for the community. Commissioners took no action on the recommendations in the report, which had been awaiting a hearing since July. The audit acknowledges progress county government has already made to cut its own energy use, but the effort must extend to the county’s homes and businesses, the audit says.

...More than $3 million in economic stimulus money the county received this year to promote energy efficiency and conservation will add up to only a “drop in the bucket,” Waterfield said.

Check out this article for more information: Collier’s carbon footprint a long way from 10 percent reduction goal » Naples Daily News

And here is an excerpted section of the comprehensive report that Ms. Waterfield furnished to the county outlining the “Impacts of Climate Change in Collier County” (see Pew, 2009);

A brief summary of the anticipated effects of climate change include:

•Continued global temperature rise,
•Continued rise in global sea levels (related to temperature rise as oceans warm and expand and glaciers and icecaps melt). Mid-range projections are for a rise of 2-3 feet by 2100.
•Changes in marine and terrestrial habitat zones (for plants, including agricultural species, and wildlife). Further loss of coral reefs from bleaching and more frequent harmful algal blooms like red tide will occur, all exacerbated by rising temperatures.
•Alterations in marine species lifecycles and distributions as CO2 is absorbed by the oceans leading to reduced Ph (acidification).
•More intense and sporadic rainfall (flooding in some locations, drought in others) with additional pressure on aquifer water resources (from continued saltwater intrusion as seas push inland). Water will become more expensive as it becomes harder and more energy intensive to extract and treat it.
•The potential of climate refugees, forced to flee inundated coastal areas.
•Spread of vector borne disease.

For Florida, particularly low lying tourism dependant coastal areas, the ramifications are potentially very serious. Governor Charlie Crist has described Florida as the most vulnerable state in the nation to the effect of climate change. The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council and Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program released a draft climate change vulnerability assessment in June (Beever et al, 2009) which asserts that not only is climate change already underway in our region, but that of the study area (Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties), Collier has the greatest area and percentage of total land vulnerable to sea level rise. The report identifies alteration of hydrology as the region’s most critical issue. A report from Tufts University (Stanton and Ackermann, 2007), estimated the financial loss to various sectors of the Florida economy at $92 billion by 2050.

We are pleased to welcome Cloe Waterfield as one of our distinguished contributors. If you have the opportunity to engage the services of  Twenty-fifty, please let them know that you read about them on UGottaGoGreen.com and let us know about your experience with their business.

Heidi Van Korff a LEED certified Engineer, Designer and President of the firm, Sustainable Civil, took to the road in the middle of last year and travelled 9000 miles during a 4-month period on a “Sustainability Tour” taking her all over North America.

She is a “Green” mover and a shaker wherever she goes and has been coordinating the Green Drinks Group here in the SWFL area. The “Green Drinks” program operates all over the country in an effort to convene interested parties in dialoging, communicating and learning more about sustainable building, design and living.

The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Coconut Point Hyatt Regency which is a 2-Palm certified hotel.  “Green Drinks” presents a great opportunity here in SWFL to get to know other professionals, business owners and service providers who work in fields related to the environment, green products or services or simply have passion for helping to forward sustainability initiatives.

It is an easy-going group with plenty of lively conversation about a range of interesting issues and there’s often a short presentation on some related topic to kick things off. It begins at 6:00 and usually runs until about 8:00 p.m. There is usually a host sponsoring nice array of some free appetizers.

So mark your calendars now and come out and meet, mingle and network with others every month who share your concern for the environment and our future sustainability. Click here for a map and directions to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

For more information: Heidi Van Korff -  352-207-8052 or heidi@sustainablecivil.com

Check out: Green Drinks Meet and Mingle - U Gotta Go Green ! (Naples, FL) - Meetup.com

Here’s a brief excerpt from a great article that was published in December 2009 in the Charlotte Florida weekly that highlights Ms. Van Korff’s adventure and speaks to the issues of sustainability.

Going Green

BY EVAN WILLIAMS ewilliams@floridaweekly.com

In an attempt to track down a recent copy of Consumer Reports at a local library, the reference desk aide wondered what search term to plug into the computer. She was looking for an article on solar hot water heaters, as it wasn’t available free online.

“Would it be under alternative energy?” her co-worker wondered out loud. “Solar power? Water heater? Green?”

The silver-haired librarian wrinkled her nose at the last suggestion. “That’s kind of ambiguous,” she said.

The meaning of “green” is vague because it has been used loosely to describe almost any environmental topic or claim. It has been used by newspapers, magazines, marketers and public speakers everywhere to refer to solar power, “clean coal,” building codes, organic cotton pants, a brand of paper towels, recycling, eating leftovers and many other things…

For the Full Article: Charlotte Florida Weekly.

“Civil Engineering is more than standard designs and plans.  It is about creating unique design and construction practices that are cost-effective, healthier, and easier to maintain. Sustainable Civil is committed to developing smart, innovative designs that protect our natural environment.”

We are pleased to welcome Heidi Van Korff as one of our distinguished contributors.  If you have the opportunity to engage the services of Sustainable Civil, please let them know that you read about them on UGottaGoGreen.com and let us know about your experience with their business.
 

“Doctor of Green”,  Un-Earthing the Truth!

Dr. Jennifer L. Languell - The Engineer

[Bio from the Discovery Channel]

Dr. Jennifer Languell is a trail blazer. Not only is she a female engineer in a field that is still largely a man’s world, but she is also leading the way in revolutionizing the real estate, design and construction industries through her award-winning company, Trifecta Construction Solutions. Through Trifecta, Dr. Languell focuses on the construction industry, helping companies realize the benefits of green building and sustainable development.

Dr. Languell is an award-winning author and has developed a guide for green residential construction in Florida, co-authored the life-cycle cost guidelines for materials and building systems for Florida’s public education facilities, and published numerous articles on green building and life-cycle costing. She is also the co-founder and vice president of ConstructGreen and the director of planning for Florida Gulf Coast University’s WCI Green Building Demonstration and Learning Center.

There is no engineering problem that Dr. Languell won’t turn her hand to and, in a modern world where resources are running low and the climate is changing, she will demonstrate engineering challenges and solutions.

Dr. Languell is also available for speaking engagements and can be found on the Discovery Channel providing information (and entertainment) for her audience.  Look for her “Dr. of Green” - Un-Earthing the Truth column on UGottaGoGreen.com!

Trifecta Construction SolutionsTrifecta provides consulting, certification and educational services in the field of Green Building. With more than a decade experience, Trifecta can help you achieve your environment goals. Clients include builders and developers, architects, engineers, contractors, government, cities and counties, and green product manufacturers.

A Throne of Your Own

Anyone who has had the pleasure and good fortune to meet Jennifer Languell and hear her speak, knows that she can handily address a multitude of topics from an expert’s standpoint. They might also find out that she has a penchant for seeing things from just a bit off center.  That’s what makes her so eminently capable of delivering even dry or technical information in a captivating and wryly humorous manner.

Take toilets for example, actually not dry, and not normally that technical.  But ask Dr. Languell what things should be considered in making the most environmentally friendly choice, and she can regale you with a long list of features and attributes that her scientific mind goes through in the due diligence process before purchase.  In the end, suffice it to say that you don’t need to worry so much about the flow rate once you’ve chosen a MAP rated model (it will already have an appropriate rate; 350 is golden according to Languell) but you should check out the duel flush models.  That way you have options for how much water and force you may need for each flush so it is more customized to your own individuals needs.  As she put it, in that way you can have a “Throne of your own”!

•••

The following article from National Geographic’s True Green Home Book  will give you more information on Bathroom Basics:

Bathroom Basics

The Taming of the Loo: Five easy tips for practicing conservation in your bathroom, from National Geographic’s True Green Home book.

Sink or Swim:
Don’t let the faucet run, wasting our most precious resource, as part of your family’s daily bathroom routine. Embrace the drain stop and use your sink as it was intended, by pouring in some water to wash your hands and face or to shave. Don’t run the faucet when brushing your teeth-use a cup of water instead. Any of these simple ideas can save as much as one gallon of water a minute. Check that your drain stop is actually keeping water in the basin, as a leaky plug equals water wasted.
Flushed Away:
Toilet flushing is responsible for about 30 percent of all water used by the average American household, which means that almost 44,000 gallons of quality water is flushed away per family every year. Upgrade to a high-efficiency or WaterSense-labeled toilets; without one, your single-flush unit can use 3.5 to 7 gallons in one flush, compared to a high-efficiency unit’s 1.3 gallons or less. Check with your local government-you might even be able to switch to a waterless composting toilet. If you’re stuck with your old model, place an inexpensive toilet dam (available from your hardware store) in the cistern to reduce the amount of water in each flush, or fill an empty soda bottle and place that in the cistern. Silent leaks can waste up to 200 gallons a day: drop a little food coloring into your tank and wait 15 minutes-if the color turns up in the toilet bowl, call your plumber.
Reading Material:
That two-ply designer toilet paper is indeed an expensive luxury. Amazingly, every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 4,000 kilowatts of electricity, 3 cubic yards of landfill and 7,000 gallons of water. But recycled toilet paper makes up only 2 percent share of the American market-much of the rest is made from plantation-grown or native forest trees. Make the switch to environmentally friendly toilet paper that is unbleached, chlorine-free and, if possible, 100 percent recycled.
Light Showers:
Showers are the biggest resource-guzzlers in the home, but you can reduce this just by spending less time in the shower and using a timer. Replacing your old showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled or energy-efficient model can save you almost 3 gallons of water a minute. Take advantage of rebates and offers provided by your local government or water authority to make the switch. If one out of every 100 U.S. homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we could avoid 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. Keep a bucket handy to collect gray water for use in the garden. Install a thermostat that keeps hot water at a usable temperature so no cold water is wasted.
Picking up the Steam:
It is essential to have an exhaust fan in your bathroom to reduce mold and other harmful contaminants, but that’s no reason to forget the fan’s negative environmental impact. Choose energy-saving exhaust fans that are thermostatically controlled and not connected to the light switch, so they turn on when the air temperature rises rather than when someone turns on the light. Clean the fan’s filter once a month to ensure that it runs efficiently.

Get more tips on making your bathroom more efficient in True Green Home, a National Geographic book.

Check the Discovery Channel Guide to make sure you catch the Discovery Channel’s newest Environmental Series starring Dr. Languell.

Click here for More Information

•••

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Jennifer Languell as one of our distinguished contributors.  If you or a colleague should be interested in engaging Trifecta Construction Solutions‘s consulting, certification or educational services now or at any time in the future, make sure to hover below to grab the code below for a special “U Gotta Go Green” discount on services.

TrifectaConstruction/UGGG discount code

Here Comes the Sun

By PAUL KRUGMAN Published: November 6, 2011 New York Times 

For decades the story of technology has been dominated, in the popular mind and to a large extent in reality, by computing and the things you can do with it. Moore’s Law — in which the price of computing power falls roughly 50 percent every 18 months — has powered an ever-expanding range of applications, from faxes to Facebook. Our mastery of the material world, on the other hand, has advanced much more slowly.

The “Green Drinks” program operates all over the world in an effort to convene interested parties in dialoging, communicating and learning more about sustainable building, design and living.

The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Coconut Point Hyatt Regency which is a 3-Palm certified hotel.  “Green Drinks” presents a great opportunity here in SWFL to get to know other professionals, business owners and service providers who work in fields related to the environment, green products or services or simply have passion for helping to forward sustainability initiatives.

It is an easy-going group with plenty of lively conversation about a range of interesting issues and there’s often a short presentation on some related topic to kick things off. It begins at 6:00 and normally runs until about 8:00 p.m. There is usually a host sponsoring nice array of some free appetizers.

So mark your calendars now and come out and meet, mingle and network with others every month who share your concern for the environment and our future sustainability. Click here for a map and directions to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

For more information: Tessa Lesage -  239-533-2240 or tlesage@leegov.com And also check out http://Meetup.com/UGottaGoGreen/calendar for listings of more green events!

Here are some of the logos for different Green drinks groups around the world.  Which of the following appeals to you the most? Which do you think is the Most creative? Funniest? Most captivating? Best design? Most interesting? Let us know your opinion!

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Here's a fantastic way to rid yourself of unwanted items, to help others in need and to RECYCLE, REDUCE, and REUSE all at the same time!

As a direct outgrowth of the proliferation of *"STUFF" that we all collect and often find only contributes to clutter, disarrray, disorganization and excess, "Really, Really Free Markets" have been springing up all over the country for years and we are now fortunate enough to have one crop up in Naples!! 

The RRFM (Really, Really, Free Market) will be held the first Saturday of every month out on the green at Fleishmann Park - come check it out and divest yourself of your "excess baggage"!

No money. No Barter. No trade. Everything is FREE!

Here is the description of the Really, Really free Market taken directly from their website:

About the RRFM (Really, Really Free Market)

Because there is enough for everyone

Because sharing is more fufilling than owning

Because corporations would rather see landfills overflow than anyone get anything for free

Because scarcity is a myth constructed to keep us at the mercy of the economy

Because a sunny day outside is better than anything money can buy

Because "free trade" is a contradiction of terms

Because no one should have to do without food, shelter, entertainment, and community

Because life should be a picnic, but it only will be if we make it happen

Have you ever picked up something you found on the sidewalk? Or saved your neighbor from throwing away something useful?

A Really Really Free Market is like a potluck for whatever you want to give or take away. Have you ever brought one dish to a potluck and gone away with a full belly and a balanced meal? Everybody brings something and goes away with more.

We all have skills, ideas, objects, smiles, talents, friendship, excitement, discussions, and many other things to share. If we bring them all together at the Really Really Free Market, we can provide more balanced and full lives for everyone.

As a community we have many more resources than we do as individuals. If we share our resources we won't need to buy as many new ones. This uses fewer of the Earth's resources, and fewer of our working hours, leaving us more time to devote to ourselves and our communities.

Would we all work forty hours a week at one job if we didn't feel we had to? What if instead we worked at improving our individual skills and talents and shared them with each other? We would all spend more time doing things we enjoyed.

The Really Really Free Market is an attempt to put these ideas into practice for four hours every month.

Please help us keep the Really Really Free Market a 100% FREE and non-commercial event.

Once a month, let's come together and forget about trading, bartering and money. Leave the business cards at home and remember the joy of giving for the sake of giving.

The idea is to gather once a month to share everything from useable items, skills, ideas, resources, MUSIC, smiles, talents/performances, crafts, games, plants, discussions and anything else. The most beautiful aspect of this event is to witness the friendships blossom and the community growing together.

Everyone is welcome at this free event, where all are encouraged to give, receive, and create on their own terms.

To find more information here about our Naples Really, Really Free Market started by Melissa Plotkin, check out these two links:

NaplesReallyReallyfree.Wikispaces.com/

Naples Really, Really Free Market on Facebook

* Watch Annie Leonard's "Story of Stuff" video to gain more of an appreciation for the unneccessary STUFF that we often unthinkingly and unwittingly clutter up our lives and our planet with.

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With no economic base to speak of, supplies are scarce and help has been slim to non-existent ever since the catastrophic earthquake hit the already poor and struggling citizens in January 2010, killing more than 200,000 people and injuring and maiming another estimated 300,000 men, women and children.

This coming Saturday, May 21st from 5:45 - 8:00 p.m. there will be a "Rice and Beans for Haiti" Fundraiser held at the Salvation Army, 3180 Estey Avenue (off Airport Road)  in Naples, FL.  This community event is a symbolic rice and beans dinner to raise funds to buy Rice and Beans for a Tent City in Haiti. Even a modest contribution from our prosperous nation can make a tremendous difference for these children who are still fighting to recover from the disaster that hit their third world country nearly a year and a half ago.

Suggested arrival time for the event is 5:45 p.m. This heart warming evening will begin with an opening ceremony including music, a 5-minute video and short talk by Lulu Carter, Founder/Director of the House of Gaia and organizer of this meaningful event.  Accompanied by a performance of Bossa nova music, a one hour Brazilian Vegan dinner of rice, beans, greens provided by Food and Thought, and a vegan dessert provided by Loving Hut will follow. The evening will continue outdoors with a fire poi ceremony and a candle lit closing ceremony.  Kids are welcome!

For the dinner, the suggested minimum donation is $40.00 for an individual and $80.00 for a family but any generous amount that your heart wants to give would be gratefully appreciated. Seating is limited; please call Lulu at 239-272-6152 for tickets no later than Monday, May 16th. If you'd like to support this project with a donation but are unable to attend the dinner, please make your donation payable to BeeGaia, Inc., (the nonprofit entity under which House of Gaia operates).

Your check can be mailed directly to Lulu Carter at 1610 Trade Center Way, Suite 4, Naples, FL.  Donations of clean clothing, shoes, new bath and beauty items, school supplies and working battery operated electronics (with batteries) are also being collected at that address and will be shipped to Haiti to by container.

All monetary donations will go directly towards purchasing and distributing rice, beans, salt and water in Haiti which will be orchestrated and personally assured by House of Gaia Director Lulu Carter during her visit to an orphanage in Haiti in June. All container items will also be guaranteed for distribution to children in need during the trip.  

  Beautiful posters and note cards will be for sale at the event made from art work painted by children at the New Life Orphanage in Haiti shortly after the disaster. The proceeds will be used to buy food for the children at the orphanage.  Posters are $10 and note cards, $12 per box. Please call 239-272-6152 if you would like to purchase this expressive art and are unable to attend the event.

Please open your heart wide and respond to the cries of these children in need...your generosity and concern will help to heal the shattered lives of those who cannot fend for themselves. 

For More Information: Luisa Carter - Director, House of Gaia

1610 Trade Center Way  Naples, FL 34109  • 239-272-6152

For a haunting pictorial in the New York Times and a greater understanding of the breadth, depth and magnitude of the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake, check out:

"The Shattered Year"  -  After a year of almost unfathomable hardship in Haiti, more than a million displaced people still live under tents and tarpaulins, and reconstruction has barely begun.

 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/world/americas/2010-haiti-shattered-year.html

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For people who care about the Earth … a place to socialize - every couple of months! With live music, coffee-tea-juice bar, snack and dessert “potluck” and all of the current local information on Southwest Florida environmental happenings!
 
“The Mangrove Gathering” blends both information and entertainment into an evening that goes beyond consciousness raising, to give long-time and newly made friends options to become involved firsthand with the Earth and all its life.

At “The Mangrove Gathering” you can find answers to your questions, express comments and opinions or check the wall calendar for upcoming environmental meetings and events. Sharing environmental concerns and solutions is the framework of the evening.
 
“The Mangrove Gathering” takes place between 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.and is free and open to the public.

*Please bring your favorite snack or dessert for the community “potluck” and your own mug or pay a $1.00 “Earth Tax” to use a throwaway paper cup.

The Mangrove Cafe will now alternate between three different locations as follows:

The 3rd Friday of every month from 7:30 - 10:00 pm

FREE at one of the 3 “host” locations across Lee County:

April 15th - July 15th - October 21st 2011

Rotary Park Environmental Center in Cape Coral

5505 Rose Garden Road Parkway (off Pelican Blvd south of Cape Coral)

May 20th - August 19th - November 18th 2011

Iona House at The Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium in Fort Myers

3450 Ortiz Ave (north of Colonial Blvd near I-75)

March 18th - June 17th - September 16th - December 16th 2011

Eco Living Center at Rutenberg Park in South Lee County

6490 South Pointe Blvd (between College Parkway & Cypress Lake Blvd)

The Rutenberg Eco Center provides space for training sessions, workshops, and meetings which are hosted by Parks & Recreation staff members or Volunteer Organizational Partners with Lee County Parks & Recreation. It also houses full time staff working with environmental programs, volunteer services, Calusa Blueway paddling trail, Park & Preserve Rangers, Florida Yards & Neighborhood Program, coastal preserves, and staff development.

An Environmental Resource Center housing books, videos, dvd's, manuals, magazines, and community organization newsletters is available for use by Staff, Volunteers, and the General Public by appointment. To access a list of resources available, click here! Free guided tours of the Florida Yards & Neighborhood Demonstration Landscape are available every Wednesday at 10:30am.

For more information about the  Eco Living Center at Rutenberg Park, contact John Kiseda 239-432-2163 or 239-432-2163

Congratulations to the Lee County Parks and Recreation Eco Living Center at Rutenberg Park!!
The SWFL Branch of the US Green Building Council has recognized the Eco Living Center at Rutenberg Park as a Green Friend.

The award was presented to Lee County Parks and Recreation for the support and efforts toward sustainable, eco-conscious design & construction in our community.
Congrats to all the staff and volunteers who work at the Eco Living Center!
John Kiseda received the award on behalf of Lee County Parks and Rec.

• Rutenberg

   

  http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=6500+South+Pointe+Blvd,,+Fort+Myers,+Florida,+33919&sll=26.549818,-81.906853&sspn=0.004588,0.007231&ie=UTF8&t=h&hq=&hnear=6500+S+Pointe+Blvd,+Fort+Myers,+Lee,+Florida+33919&ll=26.549376,-81.907539&spn=0.023034,0.025749&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed"> />http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=6500+South+Pointe+Blvd,,+Fort+Myers,+Florida,+33919&sll=26.549818,-81.906853&sspn=0.004588,0.007231&ie=UTF8&t=h&hq=&hnear=6500+S+Pointe+Blvd,+Fort+Myers,+Lee,+Florida+33919&ll=26.549376,-81.907539&spn=0.023034,0.025749&z=14&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map
   

• 
  Planetarium

   

  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&cid=0,0,17957732074053457904&fb=1&hnear=Fort+Myers,+FL&gl=us&daddr=3450+Ortiz+Avenue,+Fort+Myers,+FL+33905-7811&geocode=11099643836672630752,26.614851,-81.812696&sqi=2&ll=26.614851,-81.812696&spn=0.006295,0.007041&output=embed"> />http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&cid=0,0,17957732074053457904&fb=1&hnear=Fort+Myers,+FL&gl=us&daddr=3450+Ortiz+Avenue,+Fort+Myers,+FL+33905-7811&geocode=11099643836672630752,26.614851,-81.812696&sqi=2&ll=26.614851,-81.812696&spn=0.006295,0.007041&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map

• 
  Rotary

   

  http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&cid=0,0,13501900732831253823&fb=1&hnear=Fort+Myers,+FL&gl=us&daddr=5505+Rose+Garden+Road,+Cape+Coral,+FL+33914&geocode=2669805553152151510,26.547549,-81.980379&ll=26.547549,-81.980379&spn=0.006295,0.007037&output=embed"> />http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&cid=0,0,13501900732831253823&fb=1&hnear=Fort+Myers,+FL&gl=us&daddr=5505+Rose+Garden+Road,+Cape+Coral,+FL+33914&geocode=2669805553152151510,26.547549,-81.980379&ll=26.547549,-81.980379&spn=0.006295,0.007037&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map

   

   

   

   

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Naples Council leaning toward rerouting U.S. 41

By TRACY X. MIGUEL

Posted May 18, 2011

The state-controlled Four Corners intersection in downtown Naples is one step closer to becoming a pedestrian-friendly main street controlled by the city.

After a six hour discussion about the future of Four Corners — where U.S. 41 intersects with Fifth Avenue South — Naples City Council decided Wednesday to move forward on the proposal to redirect U.S. 41 to nearby roads and change its concurrency policies, which dictate how the state and city work on road projects.

Supporters say the plan would create connectivity, and enhance safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, while supporting the economic development of Four Corners.

Wednesday was the first time council discussed the options of rerouting U.S. 41.

“I think it will be better for business and connectivity and just make it a bigger and more enjoyable downtown experience,” said Michelle Avola, executive director Naples Pathways Coalition.

However, some business owners along U.S. 41 are concerned they would lose customers if traffic was rerouted away from their storefronts.

“The decision we make will reshape Old Naples for years to come,” Mayor Bill Barnett said.Connect with Tracy X. Miguel at www.naplesnews.com/staff/tracy_x_miguel/

© 2011 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For Full article:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/may/18/naples-council-leaning-toward-rerouting-us-41/ 

United Nations: 10 Billion People by End of Century

The United Nations released its revised population projections this month, and the news is not good. Global human population -- previously projected to peak at 9 billion in 2050 and then begin declining -- is now projected to hit 10 billion by 2100. Previous estimates of stabilizing and falling fertility rates have not panned out, largely due to overly optimistic hopes of contraceptive use and availability. Whatever the engine of continued growth may be, there is no doubt that 10 billion people on this planet will spell disaster for countless species of plants and animals already struggling to survive the current extinction crisis.

Unfortunately, the latest estimates from the U.N. come as no surprise. Funding for international family-planning programs has been flat for several years, and more than 200 million women around the world who want access to contraception still don't have it. The U.N. report makes it clear that stabilizing runaway human population growth will not happen by itself. It will take a renewed commitment and increased funding for reproductive health and family-planning programs, as we pointed out in last month's Pop X with a piece on the "Million for a Billion" campaign. Check it out, and sign the petition if you haven't already done so.

For more information on the U.N. report, visit the United Nations website and read a story in The New York Times.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/overpopulation/index.html

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"RECYCLING CHALLENGE WINNERS ANNOUNCED"

To identify more opportunities to improve recycling efforts, The School District of Collier County formed a partnership with Collier County Solid Waste Management, The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Sunshine Recycling Services, Inc. From that partnership was born the Collier County School Beverage Container Recycling Challenge. The challenge, now in its fourth year, contains an embedded competition called "Recycle, We've Got Plans for Your Bottles and Cans." Staff and students from across the district battle for trophies, plaques, and certificates in the following categories: art, recycling videos, TV commercials, and school vs. school recycling.

Art – Winning and runner-up art will be featured on the 2012 School Calendar.

(For details, see news release dated 5/17/11 for "Keep Collier Beautiful" calendar contest.)

Recycling Videos – Winners receive a plaque.

1st place – "Recycling Benefits" – Jimmy Stamps, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

2nd place – "Make a Wave" – Esslyn Alvarado, Hunter Erickson, Lindsey Lindheim, Jennifer Meulenberg, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

3rd place – "Recycle Water Bottles" – Daniel Acosta, Pablo Gastaldi, TK Okubo, Naples High School – Teacher, Tom Rife

Creative Recycling – "If the Earth Could Speak" – Madison Absher, Dakota Doyle, Mary Leslie, Gulf Coast High School – Teacher, Scarlett Lavite

Elementary School – "Recycle Dance" – Laurel Oak Elementary School – Teacher, Amy Gaillard

School vs. School Recycling – Winners receive a traveling trophy. (Other schools and students will have a chance to win the recycling trophies and plaques next school year).

Naples High School

Manatee Middle School

Palmetto Elementary School

Special Category – Winners will receive an award.

Top Recycling Average Per Student – Everglades City School. Averaged 7.31 pounds of recyclable materials per student, per month.

Honorable Mention – Alternative Schools, Immokalee Technical Center, and Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology for their efforts to increase recycling at their schools.

According to the school district’s Director of Security and Environmental Management, Phil Reid, "Leadership and support for this challenge is always critical to its success. Remember, increasing recycling saves the Earth’s vital resources."

To learn more please contact Reid at 377-0356 or via e-mail at Reidph@collier.k12.fl.us.

Artful purses with a purpose: Artist recycles to help save the planet

By LAURA ARCHAZKI-PACTER

NaplesNews.com

Posted May 18, 2011

In today’s economy, many businesses are tightening their purse strings. But for Virginia Bryant and her design label ANON, an instant idea in her artist studio transformed her abstract art into wearable and functional one-of-kind hand bags.

“Last year, I decided to use whatever I had to make a new design. I had old paintings I could not finish,” Bryant recalls from her peaceful studio hidden in a quiet neighborhood in Naples.

Instead of toting her discarded or unfinished original paintings to the trash, Bryant recycled the incomplete pieces into various-sized hand bags, and even larger professional briefcases, with delicately hand-painted designs, and hand-braided shoulder straps.

For Full Article: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/may/18/artful-purses-purpose-artist-recycles-help-save-pl/

Please check out Virginia's article in UGottaGoGreen.com at http://www.ugottagogreen.com/post/cultural_engineering_in_paradise/

 Photo courtesy of Walter Coker

FGCU's Food Forest is the first Campus-based Food Forest in the Nation!

Be a part of this momentous undertaking and become a part of groundbreaking history...literally!

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NBC's Jinah Kim reports

Published : Monday, 19 Apr 2010

LOS ANGELES, (NBC) - We've come a long way since we first started thinking about the impact our daily lives have on our planet, but environmentalists say Americans are still the most wasteful people in the world. So as we look to the next 40 years, what's next? Well, as NBC's Jinah Kim reports, it just might be composting.

10th Annual Earthday Festival at Koreshan State Park on Saturday, April 23rd, 2010  9:45 am - 6:30 pm

Honor and Celebrate Mother Earth and be a part of a Warm and Wonderful Community event!

Co-sponsored by the Sierra Club Calusa Group & The Happehatcheee Eco-Spiritual Center

Eco-Exhibits - Environmental Presentations - Kids Activities - Art - Music -  Food - Fun for the Whole Family!

Explore the beautiful Estero River! Hike along our trails and pathways!

OPENING CEREMONY – 9:45 AM

Rosie Emery sings 10:00 AM

An Honoring of Mother Earth byLas Mayas De HuehueTenango

Environmental Presentations and FREE Kayak Rides start at 10:30 AM

Kids’ Activities start at 11:00 AM

LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY ON THE GREEN

Solar powered stage by Fafco Solar / Mike Pacanza running sound

Rosie Emery 10:00 – 11:00 AM

James Willhite Band 11:45–12:45 PM

The Lids 1:00-2:00 PM

Adam Mac 2:15 – 3:15PM

Natasha Hazard will perform belly dancing between sets 2 & 3 (in front of the stage)

PLEASE BRING CHAIRS OR BLANKETS TO ENJOY THE MUSIC ON THE GREEN!

 In honor of Earth Day and our commitment to preserving and protecting the planet, won't you please try to...

Walk Or Bike, Bus, Or Share-a-ride?

10^thannual earth Day Celebration At Koreshan state Park

 2011 Attendees

Environmental Presentation by UGottaGoGreen.com - Held in the Art Hall 

“Taking it to the Streets”, Transportation Transformation in Southwest Florida -

PLEASE CONSIDER WALKING or BIKING, BUSING or CARPOOLING

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3rd Annual FGCU EagleSprint Triathlon presented by the Emerging Recreation Leaders of FGCU

This fun, no frills race features a 400m pool swim, approximately 11 mile road bike, and a 3.1 mile run.

Race start at 7:30am. Pre-race meeting at 7:10am.

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Although data is still being collected and added to the map system for many cities, there are a handful of routes already noted in the Southwest Florida region. Of limited use here in our area at this point in time, this tool is great to know about and quite handy in established bike-friendly cities such as San Francisco.

Try it out!

Day 7 of Transportation Transformation!

Try this today:  RIDE TRANSIT!

Stay-n-Play in the Everglades

Everglades Bike Ride

april 17, 2011

www.evergladesROGG.org

the vibe: cycling, nature, local kitsch

everglades city is a wild-west cowboy town in the swamp -- renegade, independent,

adventurous – with great seafood and stories to tell. lots of opportunities for other

activities before/after ride, and during ride for the “others” (non-cyclists).

Fresh seafood at Camellia St Grill saturday night

kayak, boardwalks, fishing, hiking, airboats, museums...

the ride: not a single hill, but a great stretch of road in the wilds of the everglades, with few

stop signs, no chasing dogs, and warm temps in mid-April.

courses for all riders16, 23, 50, 62, 82 miles

see website for more info: everlgadesROGG.org

the kudos: • for the benefit of FROGG, friends of the ROGG

ROGG = River of Grass Greenway -- a proposed paved trail along US 41

between miami and naples, proposed by Naples Pathways Coalition.

a way-big goal, with extreme benefits for active

and wanna-be-active people in south florida

• for the benefit of Friends of Fakahatchee

www.friendsoffakahatchee.org

the location: McLeod Park in the center of everglades city

40 miles south of immokalee

30 miles east of naples

the extras: rest stops along the route, SAG vehicle support, maps,

and lunch by Havana Café !

http://www.naplespathways.org/download-rogg-flyer-here.pdf

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT COMBINES CYCLING, NATURE, HISTORY AND CULTURE. Ride registration includes continental breakfast, rest stops along the route, SAG vehicle support, maps, and lunch from Havana Cafe. The ride starts at McLeod Park in Everglades City, 30 miles east of Naples. BRING YOUR FAMILY TO ENJOY THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE EVERGLADES AREA: DINNER AND MUSIC AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS, KAYAKING, AIRBOAT RIDES, MUSEUMS!

1st Annual Immokalee Run & Ride for Literacy

A charity event for Jump Start Family Literacy Academy on Saturday & Sunday: April 16 & 17, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Collier County Commissioners Encourage Everyone to

Try Transit on April 19

April 19 was today proclaimed “Try Transit Day” by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners (BCC). The BCC also designated April 13 through April 23 as “Taking it to the Streets Southwest Florida” participation week. Through these promotions Collier Area Transit (CAT), the county’s transit system, is encouraging those who normally commute alone, to try riding on CAT. Using CAT reduces the number of vehicles on the roadways, thus reducing traffic congestion and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, walking or riding a bike to and from the bus stop improves health and physical fitness.

To help spread the word, CAT staff will be providing some incentives in the form of free bus passes and free passes to Sun-N-Fun Lagoon at the Sweetbay Supermarket, 5926 Premier Way (just off Pine Ridge Road east of Goodlette-Frank Road) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 19. Easy to get to on CAT’s Route 6/Yellow Route and Route 10/Lime Green Route. Just stop by and learn more about the benefits of transit.

With ever increasing gasoline prices, riding CAT is still the most economical way to travel in and around Collier County. A ride on most CAT routes costs only $1.50. Transfer to another CAT route is just 75 cents. Reduced fares of 75 cents are available to senior citizens 65 years and older, people with disabilities, and children under 17 years-old. Children 5 years of age and younger ride for free. Daily, weekly and monthly passes are available. (The current fare chart is located at the end of this release.)

All CAT buses are equipped to handle wheelchairs and each bus has a bicycle rack on the front and each bus has a bicycle carrier rack on the front so anyone wishing to ride their bike to the bus stop can then take it along and continue riding to their destination. Bicycle racks are also available at CAT bus stop shelters and at the transfer facilities.

CAT operates seven days a week, except for major holidays. CAT’s primary passenger transfer location is situated at the Collier County Government Complex at Airport-Pulling Road and U.S. 41 (East Tamiami Trail).

CAT route maps are available at area libraries, employment agencies, government office buildings, hospitals, Naples Area Chamber of Commerce locations and various area businesses and shopping centers. Route and fare information can also be obtained at: http://colliergov.net/CAT

For additional information on transportation choices and ways to record Vehicle Miles Reduced (VMR), through the Trip Track program link, visit: CommuterServicesFL.com.

For more information on CAT, contact Alternative Transportation Modes Director Michelle Edwards-Arnold at 239-252-8192.

###

Fabian Cousteau will speak at FGCU in honor of Earth Day on Wednesday evening, April 13th

Fabian Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau, was destined to follow in the family footsteps of exploring and tirelessly working to protect our planet’s immense and endangered marine habitats.

"Not until more (if not all) of humanity becomes enlightened to the undeniable fact that our health and well-being as a species is directly linked to our stewardship of the marine ecosystems that cover 73% of our planet, we will continue to over consume, pollute, and destroy the natural systems we depend upon for sustainable life." 

It is with this thought that Fabien set out to show what could be done in the business world. He successfully spearheaded new product development and business models for environmental sustainability. Having proven his skills in business, he returned to the deep-rooted family passion for exploration. He joined his father, Jean-Michel, and Deep Ocean Odyssey, as the third generation to carry on the tradition of adventure and exploration in the deep ocean; originally pioneered by his grandfather more than half a century ago.

Recently he co-launched Natural Entertainment, which is working on numerous projects related to exploration and environmental awareness through television and other media.

In 2006, Fabien once again partnered with his father, Jean Michel Cousteau, and sister Celine to complete a three year multi hour series for PBS called Ocean Adventures (www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures). Topics explored ranged from the Grey whale migration of the west coast of the Americas to the magical coral spawning of the Caribbean to diving with squadrons of goliath groupers to the ghost ships of the Great Lakes. Additional hours cover exotic places such as the Amazon, Samoa, Christmas Island, Papua New Guinea, the Arctic and many other wonders of nature. The most recent expeditions covering the topics of Belugas, Orcas and man started airing on PBS in April of 2009.

Fabien keeps his personal life similarly involved in projects like his new initiative to actively involve the public in undersea restoration initiatives coupled with government protection of the restored areas. Deeply concerned about the well-being of future generations, he is on the board of the New York Harbor School (http://www.newyorkharborschool.org/) where he volunteers his time to empower youth about the water world. Being part of the Water Innovation Alliance (http://www.waterinnovations.org/), Fabien brings attention about water issues to business executives in order for them to make better, more informed decisions. He also partners with outside initiatives such as Save Bimini (http://www.savebimini.org) in an effort to impassion people into changing the tide of current events that threaten to blindly destroy the environmental wealth of our future generations. 

Perhaps Fabien's most ambitious endeavor to date is creating a new foundation committed to educating the public on the alarming need to restore our marine habitats. The Plant-a-Fish Initiative will spearhead public education programs as well as guiding large environmentally sensitive corporations with a genuine commitment to making the world a healthier place for mankind. 

An active writer, he is currently working on a children’s book trilogy. Fabien has been seen on network television, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and as a regular guest/contributor to NBC’s Today Show. Additionally, he is a sought after speaker at a variety of foreign and domestic environmental and water conferences. 

Find out more about the
Plant a Fish
initiative

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                        (Photo Credit - Grist.org)

How bicycling will save the economy (if we let it)

Imagine getting a $3,000 to $12,000 tax rebate this year. Now imagine it coming again and again. Every year it grows by around a thousand dollars.

Imagine how this would change your daily life.

Sounds like a teabagger's wet dream, but it's actually a conservative estimate of how much you'd save by ditching your car, or even just one of your cars -- and getting on a bicycle instead.

Car-centric conditions don't always make it easy to choose the bicycle. Communities designed exclusively for motor vehicles impose a major financial penalty on those who are compelled to take on the expense of driving. But if you're one of those who lives in a bike-friendlier place, you'll be doing your local business community a good turn and padding Uncle Sam's pockets as well as your own if you trade four wheels for two.

In the many North American cities where two-wheeled transportation is taking off, a new bicycle economy is emerging. It's amazing how much money can stay in your community when it isn't being pumped into the gas tank, big insurance, and the auto market.

What will this new bicycle economy look like?

For the FULL ARTICLE: http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-02-28-how-bicycling-will-save-the-economy

2011 “Designing with Nature” Workshop Series

This thirteen-part “smart” gardening series provides new and creative eco-friendly solutions for sustaining a healthy and beautiful landscape. Each session takes place from 9:00-10:30 am  at the Eco Living Center at Rutenberg Park and encourages Florida-Friendly landscaping design, installation and plant care.

Attend any 10 of the above sessions and receive a free Rain Barrel

or Worm Composting Bin!

$3.00 per session - Registration necessary:

On-line at: https://webtrac.leegov.com/

OR  call Claudia at 239-533-7514

Jan 5     Going Green with Smart Landscape Design

Jan 12   Site Analysis & Landscape Problem Solving 

Jan 19   Ground Cover Alternatives

Jan 26   NO CLASS

Feb 2    Fabulous Plants for Entryways  

Feb 9     Shrubs, Fences & Vines as Property Borders

Feb 16    Landscape Design in Planned Communities

Feb 23    Smart use of Trees and Palms

Mar 2    Creating Wildlife Habitat with Native Plants

Mar  9    Rain Garden Design, Planting and Care

Mar 16   Beautiful Littorals on the Shoreline

Mar 23   Irrigation that Saves Water

Mar 30   Rain Water Harvesting with Rain Barrels

Apr 6      Worm Composting

 John Kiseda, CIG
Sustainability - Education Coordinator
Lee County Parks & Recreation

Eco Living Center     
Support Services Facility

6490 South Pointe Blvd
Ft Myers, FLL  33919

239-432-2163 office
239-229-0553 cell
239-432-2030 fax

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Florida Bicycle Association’s revolutionary cycling education program comes to Fort Myers!

Learn the truth and techniques of traffic cycling. Through guided discussion with video and animation, this classroom-based session familiarizes students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space. An additional segment specific to group riding will be part of this class.

Discover that bicycling is very safe and that with a few simple techniques, you can make your own cycling virtually conflict-free.

Monday, April 4, 2011, 8am – Noon

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
1925 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers
(Just west of US-41 one block south of bridge & downtown)

Cost: $30 ($25 for Caloosa Rider Bike Club Members)
Space is Limited. For More Information, Contact:

Dan Moser, Cycling Savvy Certified Instructor
dan@floridabicycle.org or (239) 334-6417

COMING SOON!!! STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM PRESENTED BY DAN MOSER ON FRIDAY, APRIL 15th....AND AN EXTRA SPECIAL EARTH DAY BIKE RIDE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO ORGANIZE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22nd!!!!!!

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Here's a great opportunity to learn how rain barrels can manage and conserve roof-top storm water for your lawn and garden and to make one of your very own! The rain barrel is simple and easy to assemble. Participants spend one hour learning how to set up the barrel, connect it to a downspout, maintain it and paint it if desired. The workshop cost of $45 covers the cost of one rain barrel, assembly and instructions.

Lee County Extension Educators will teach you how to set up a recycled 55-gallon plastic barrel to collect rain water from your roof.  Use the water for your landscape plants, potted plants, vegetable and herb gardens, special plant collections, etc.  Workshop provides set-up instruction, maintenance, artistic possibilities and a reference booklet included.  This workshop will show you how to conserve water, save money, and protect water quality

Volunteers will drill and cut holes to customize each barrel for your home. To register call 239-533-4327. (Please register in advance if you are interested and keep checking their website for info. about cancellations, etc...an additional session is currently scheduled for March 30th, 2011)

For more information about the workshop, contact - Tom Becker - 239-533-7515

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To register call 239-533-4327.

A Town Hall Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the City Council Chamber at City Hall.

(Please refer to this article for more background http://www.ugottagogreen.com/post/hot_off_the_press_-_officials_consider_u.s._41_shift/)

The purpose is for Jon Sewell, of Kimley-Horn, to make a presentation to inform the public about the feasibility of taking local control of US 41 from Golden Gate Parkway to the Gordon River Bridge. The purpose of local control is to allow the local community to have a voice in the use and design of the road, how it may affect multi-modal forms of transportation (pedestrians, bicycles, motor vehicles, etc.), and how it may affect land use and development in the US 41 – 10th Street Corridor.

Imagine taking the current "Berlin Wall" (a.k.a. US 41 / Tamiami Trail) and transforming it into a city center that has wider sidewalks, navigable crosswalks, safe bike lanes, and reduced travel lanes with a re-route option for those who pass through - who are not going TO the downtown area, just passing THROUGH it.

Imagine expanding the bustling and booming activity on 5th Avenue and 3rd Street when businesses on the east AND west sides of Tamiami Trail become more inviting and easier to get to.

Imagine residents and guests alike experiencing the feeling of having arrived in the gorgeous "whole" of the City of Naples - more than just an enjoyable visit to a particular street, establishment or amenity.

This could all be within reach if those of us with a vested interest in the beauty and vitality of Naples take action and make our voices heard for the needed changes in Naples.

Everyone's attendance and participation are welcome and very important. The meeting will be televised on the City Cable Channel (98). Please forward this message to other interested persons and groups.

WE NEED THE VOICE OF THE ACTIVE COMMUNITY!
 

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Remember to mark your calendar now for this year's Earth Hour on March 26th 2011 and please don't forget to turn off your lights promptly at 8:30 pm as a symbol of solidarity for energy effiency and environmental responsibility. By partcipating in this worldwide event you will help to spread the word, create more awareness, drive home a point and unify the community regarding important eco-initiatives!

Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 8:30 p.m., you will be making the switch to a cleaner, more secure nation and prosperous America.  Earth Hour will once again cascade around the globe, becoming a Global phenomenon from New Zealand to Hawaii.

On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation.

Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2010 – the largest climate event in history involving 4,500 cities in 128 countries on seven continents. In 2009, 80 million Americans and 318 U.S. cities officially voted for action with their light switch, joining iconic landmarks from around the world that went dark for Earth Hour, including:

•Empire State Building

•Brooklyn Bridge

•Broadway Theater Marquees

•Las Vegas Strip

•United Nations Headquarters

•Golden Gate Bridge

•Seattle’s Space Needle

•Gateway Arch in St. Louis

•Great Pyramids of Giza

•Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens

•Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro

•St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City

•Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London

•Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris

•Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube

•Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong

•Sydney’s Opera House

Symbolic events can be very effective at galvanizing public opinion and fostering social change. As polls show, large majorities here in America and around the world want action on climate change. Earth Hour provides a fun and easy platform through which they demonstrate their demand for action on this critical issue!

This Earth Hour we want you to go beyond the hour, so after the lights go back on think about what else you can do to make a difference. Together our actions add up.Your individual participation really can make a big difference in the success of this year's event - let's show the world that SWFL is as "Greenly Enlightened" as the best of 'e

Remember, hit the lights!

Overcoming Bike Commuting Excuses

I’m out of shape

• Ride at an easy pace; in a few months you will be in great shape.

• Ride your route on a weekend to find the easiest way to work.

• You will improve your fitness level when you become a regular bike commuter.

It takes too long

• The average commuter travels at 10 mph; the more you ride, the faster you will become.

• Trips of less than three miles will be quicker by bike.

• Trips of five to seven miles in urban areas may take the same time or less as by car.

It’s too far

• Try riding to work and taking mass transit home, then alternating the next day.

• Combine riding and mass transit to shorten your commute.

• Ride to a coworker’s house and carpool to work.

No bike parking

• Look around for a storage area in your building or office.

• Stash your bike in a covered, secure place such as a closet or even your office.

• Formally request that your employer provide bike parking or lock it up outside.

My bike is beat up

• Tell a reputable bike shop that you are commuting and have them tune up your bike.

• If you can’t maintain your bike yourself, identify bike shops near your route.

• Make sure that your bike is reliable and in good working order before you ride.

No showers

• Most commuters don’t shower at work; ride at an easy pace to stay cool and dry.

• Ride home at a fast pace if you want a workout; shower when you get there.

• Health clubs offer showers; get a discounted membership for showers only.

I have to dress up

• Keep multiple sets of clothing at work; rotate them on days you drive.

• Have work clothes cleaned at nearby laundromats or dry cleaners.

• Pack clothes with you and change at work; try rolling clothes instead of folding.

It’s raining

• Fenders for your bike and raingear for your body will keep you dry.

• If you are at work, take transit or carpool to get home; ride home the next day.

• Take transit or drive if you don’t have the gear to ride comfortably in the rain.

The roads aren’t safe

• Obey traffic signs, ride on the right, signal turns, and stop at lights.

• Wear bright clothing.

• You are at no greater risk than driving a car.

• Wear a helmet every time you ride.

I have to run errands

• Bolt a rack to the back of your bike to add carrying capacity.

• Make sure that you have a lock to secure your bike while you are in a building.

• Allow extra time to get to scheduled appointments and find parking.

• Encourage your employer to provide a bicycle fleet for office use.

For more information on how to make your workplace more bicycle friendly visit

www.bikeleague.org.

Dan Moser, Program Director of the Florida Bicycle Association,sent us information on some of the recent awardees who have been recognized for helping to make Southwest Florida a more bicycle-friendly place in which to live, work and play!

2010 Bicycle Friendly Community of the Year:  City of Punta Gorda, Mayor Harvey Goldberg

Besides making a remarkable comeback from 2004’s Hurricane Charley, city leaders, its business community, and citizens chose to embrace the concept and implement its plan to provide a safe, efficient, and enjoyable environment for cyclists and pedestrians.  In the last three years, the City of Punta Gorda has come to embrace bicycling by not words alone, but by including facilities and infrastructure in its current and long range planning.  The “Ring Around the City” will make a huge impact on all riders in Punta Gorda, and from the experience of other bicycle trails around the state, it will be filled to capacity with local riders and visitors from all around the state and country.  Punta Gorda was the first city in Florida with a Free Bicycle Loaner Program.  The City, with the assistance of TEAM Punta Gorda, now offers single-speed yellow bicycles to anyone wanting to shop or tour the city on two wheels during daylight hours.  This foresighted approach is bringing more people to riding in the community and is a win-win partnership between local residents and business owners.  

Punta Gorda is on the cusp of becoming The Hub for bicycling and walking in SW Florida due to its strategic location to connect the cities of Ft. Myers, Cape Coral, Arcadia, Englewood, Venice and Sarasota.  What other community can boast of such a great location?  What other city can boast of such an enlightened community, civic organizations, and government? FBA is proud to honor the City of Punta Gorda.

2010 Citizen Bike Advocate:  Darla Letourneau, BikeWalkLee, Sanibel

Darla Letourneau was singled out for her efforts on behalf of cyclists and pedestrians through her in-depth research, influence in policy shaping, and role as steering committee member and driving force behind BikeWalkLee, a coalition working to create “Complete Streets” in Lee County (www.bikewalklee.org).  Among her accomplishments, Darla was instrumental in ensuring Federal stimulus monies that came into Lee County included significant bike/ped projects; convinced the MPO and Lee County Board of County Commissioners to formally adopt Complete Streets resolutions; and brought focus and pressure on Florida by her interaction with Transportation for America and the “Dangerous by Design” report.

Darla's background as a long-time federal employee who worked with a variety of policy matters, as well as her love of cycling, makes her an outstanding Citizen Bike Advocate. She is a member of FBA, Sanibel Bike Club, and BikeWalkLee's steering committee.  Darla’s perseverance and hard work impacts not only Southwest Florida but throughout the state and even places beyond Florida.

2011 Elected Official of the Year – Lee County Board of County Commissioners

Less than two years after approving a resolution embracing the concept of “complete streets”  for Lee County, the Board of County Commissioners have turned their philosophical commitment into formal policy.  From this point forward all transportation projects shall include context-sensitive features that will serve all users. 

Most recently, the County’s Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR), a document required by the State of Florida and which takes a detailed look at the Comprehensive Plan and improvements that will be made to it, puts “complete streets”  as a key component of the document.  Their continued focus on changing the way this county government deals with transportation and community planning, even as budgets are stretched to their limits, is a shining example of having the political will to make things happen.

Norm and Helen Flemington are active Sanibel Bicycle Club members, yet only spend three months each year in Sanibel, escaping the cold winters of their native Canada. This past season they offered themselves to serve and work on three club sponsored projects with enthusiasm, energy, commitment and time.

First, the Flemington’s  managed  the Bike Club’s used bicycle collection drive for the farm worker community of Immokalee which is located just 50 miles from Sanibel Island.   Secondly, Helen and Norm also lead one of the four teams  for our Annual Path Clean-up.  Each team takes an assigned area, recruits team members, receives supplies and then rides and/or walks to pick up and sort trash from recycles on both sides of the shared use path. Their third volunteer project is less noticeable but essential to the club’s mission, and that is their tireless help with the Club’s monthly pot luck dinners.  They give up a lot of the social aspect of the gathering to see that others are comfortable and getting what they need.

 According to their nominator,  “Helen and Norm are the type of Volunteers that make every club or group a joy to be a part of! They are easy to work with, always wear a smile and are exemplary givers".

Please look for more valuable information on www.floridabicycle.org. Dan Moser can be reached at dan@floridabicycle.org or 239-334-6417.
 

Photos by Dan Burden, courtesy of PBIC.

APHA Invites You to a Webinar Series on:

What Healthy Communities Need from their Transportation Networks

Public health and transportation professionals (and any interested parties) have the opportunity to participate in a new, free, four-part webinar series in 2011 that covers how transportation systems impact health in diverse communities across the nation and highlights innovative state and local programs that leverage opportunities in transportation that benefit health.

Transportation decisions affect our individual lives, economy and health. All communities use highways, streets, sidewalks and trails to get to work or school, to get medical care, to access healthy foods and recreation and to participate in countless other activities every day. However, many communities are negatively impacted by transportation decisions that are detrimental to health.

Through a diversity of expert speakers, this innovative, FREE, four-part webinar series by the American Public Health Association (APHA) explores the intersections between health and transportation, and highlights state and local programs that leverage opportunities in transportation that benefit health, and explains what the future may hold for the federal surface transportation authorization.

Note: By registering for session 3 or 4 below, you will be registered for the whole series.

Webinars 1 & 2 have already aired and can be veiwed for free in archive materials.

Webinar 1: Community Health and Transportation Planning (ARCHIVED WEBINAR - free for viewing at any time); was held on January 18, 2011.

 Presentations by:

• Andrew L. Dannenberg, consultant to the National Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Leslie A. Meehan, Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
• Jean Armbruster, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

 Webinar 2: The Health Benefits from Active Transportation (ARCHIVED WEBINAR- free for viewing at any time); was held on February 15, 2011.

 Presentations by: 

• Jeffrey Miller, Alliance for Biking & Walking
• Amanda Woodall, Active Transportation Alliance
• David Godfrey, City of Kirkland, Washington

Webinar 3: Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) in Transportation (Register); March 15, 2011 from 2-3 pm EST

 The health impact assessment (HIA) is gaining huge momentum as a tool to address the social and environmental determinants of health, particularly on transportation-related projects and policies. Presentations by:

•  Jonathan Heller, Human Impact Partners
• Megan Wier, San Francisco Department of Public Health
• Heidi Guenin, Upstream Public Health

Webinar 4: Preventing Roadway Fatalities and Injuries (Register)

April 5, 2011 from 2-3 pm EDT

Understand the public health professional’s role in the area of roadway safety and learn of innovative programs to prevent roadway fatalities and injuries, in particular for vulnerable populations. Presentations by:

•  Linda C. Degutis, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Sandra Viera, Prevention Institute
• Russell H. Henk, Texas Transportation Institute, Teens in the Driver Seat Program

Everything you ever wanted to know about CAT (Collier Area Transit)...but were afraid to ask! 

Mayor Randall P. Henderson, Jr. of Ft. Myers has endorsed the

"Taking it to the Streets" campaign and has pledged to

Here's a letter from the Sierra Club that was in our inbox today...

We Need a Transportation Bill that Fights Our Oil Addiction Our nation's transportation system is at a crossroads -- Florida Representative John Mica is writing a transportation bill that could further fuel our addiction to oil, or could prioritize investment in low and no carbon transportation choices that break our addiction to oil and put our country back to work. Today, transportation is responsible for more than 70% of our nation's oil use. The only way to end our dangerous addiction on this dirty fuel source is to update our transportation system to cut our dependence on oil. Tell your representative America needs a transportation system that ends our dependence on oil, cuts pollution, and provides clean, efficient, and affordable transportation options while putting the country back to work. Dear U Gotta Go Green, Tell your representative we need a transportation bill that fights our oil addiction. Today, we learned that American Solutions, the group founded by Big Oil friend Newt Gingrich, is relaunching its pro-oil drilling campaign.1 Why? Because Gingrich believes he can use the unrest in Libya to fool the American public into supporting more handouts for Big Oil. We know better. The only permanent solution to rising oil prices is to end our addiction to oil through better transportation choices, such as public transit and biking. Tell your representative to help us kick our oil addiction by supporting a bill that promotes cleaner, greener transportation choices. Currently, transportation accounts for over 70% of the oil we use.2 The only way to end our dangerous reliance on this dirty fuel source is to update our transportation system to cut our dependence on oil. We know that transportation choices work. The U.S. economy is better prepared for rising gas prices than it was in 20083 because we have REDUCED oil use by 7% since 2005, largely through greener transportation options.4 Don't let Congress reverse the gains we've made in the last five years to green our transportation system -- send a message to your representative today. The U.S. consumes over 25% of the world's oil, but we only control 2%.5 Pretending that we can drill our way out of our oil addiction only perpetuates the problem. But we can break-free of our dependence on oil by implementing smart transportation choices. Send a message today and help us demand a from Congress that bill fights our oil addiction. Thanks for all that you do, Ann Mesnikoff Sierra Club Green Transportation Campaign Director P.S. Interested in joining our Transportation Activists Network? Sign up to be a part of a team of people who work on transportation issues in their own communities.

A note about the Transportation Activists Network -

The Green Transportation Team is focused on creating a 21st century transportation system in the United States. Did you know that Americans spend about 4.2 billion hours each year stuck in traffic, and it's only getting worse? The Green Transportation Team believes that we can do better. This team is a place to learn about and take action on national transportation issues like ending our dependence on oil, expanding public transit, and promoting the development of walkable and bikeable communities where convenient transportation options are a reality for everyone.

Folks are encouraged to join the Transportation Activists, the Green Transportation team's front line of volunteers. Transportation Activists stay up to date through email alerts and monthly calls with the DC Green Transportation team, and are called upon to take action online and at home to improve the way America gets around. Our Projects Here's a short list of what we're working on: - Livable Communities - Transit-oriented development - Safe, convenient, and affordable transportation for all - Promoting transportation choices at all levels - Creating at 21st century transportation system in the United States. 

Adorable Pug sorts paper from plastic, rides mass transit, swaps carrots for cows and a whole bunch of other stuff that proves being green is totally easy! ** Song is Ray Charles' rendition of Kermit's 'It's Not Easy Being Green' **

Here's a little highlight on Sunrise Citrus Farm showcased in the Alliance for the Art's GreenMarket News from greenmarket@artinlee.org

SUNRISE CITRUS FARM

Robert and Anna Waite settled in SWFL and started planting citrus, avocados, and tropical fruit trees 35 years ago. As a young couple, they traveled through most of the U.S. and back-packed their way through Europe, then crossed the Mediterranean for a stint as volunteers in an Israeli kibbutz (communal settlement) specializing in citrus production. 

During citrus season, you'll find Anna (Sunrise Citrus Farm) at the The Lee County Alliance for the Art's GreenMarket every Saturday morning, with an wide variety of citrus including Valencia and Navel oranges, red and pink grapefruit and Honeybells, as well as, tropical fruit and produce. Anna is very passionate about what she does, or should we say, what she grows. She is always willing to explain the growing seasons and methods, differences in flavor and texture, and even suggest recipes, as you sample the different varieties of delicious, healthy fruit on her stand.

Here is Anna's special Recipe for a 'locavore' orange and carambola (starfruit) sweet-sour salad: 

1.  Purchase 4 ripe starfruit and 4 Navel or Valencia oranges.

2.  Wash and cut the starfruit width-wise in 1/4 inch slices. Discard both ends.

3.  Peel and cut the oranges in bite-size chunks. Mix in a bowl.

4.  Wash and chop fresh parsley or cilantro (available the GreenMarket). Add to bowl.

5.  Prepare the salad dressing with equal parts olive oil, vinegar, and honey (make sure

     the honey is 'raw', additive free and local. Orange blossom honey, available at the

     GreenMarket, works best). Mix in a different bowl, then add to the salad bowl. Chill

     and serve. Enjoy!

There's always LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT at the GreenMarket! 

  -  March 19th: Enjoy the upbeat sound of the Zany Ladies. 

 -  March 26th: Chip Withrow plays children's songs.

 -  March 26th: Chefs Reiner Drygala and Heath Higginbotham of Bistro 41 take the stage to present live cooking demonstrations.

RECYCLE! Bring your used printer cartridges, old cell phones and cell phone chargers to donate to the Alliance for a campus-wide commitment to recycling!

Lee County Alliance of the Arts

10091 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33919

(239) 939-2787

If you want to be astounded about the growing obesity and overweight trending in the United States, check out this amazing slide presentation "Getting People Moving Again" by Jeffrey Miller from http://PeoplePoweredMovement.org  that visually illustrates the annual change in statistics over the past twenty years right before your eyes...http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/FF95BDA2-1DD9-4DA3-888B-42201F0D7F08/0/W2JeffMiller.pdf

Active Transportation

Benefitting health, safety and equity

Get The Facts

Transportation decisions affect our individual lives, economy and health. Transportation networks either can promote or hinder the public’s health. Poor transportation policies and systems can negatively impact the public via higher incidences of obesity, asthma and cardiovascular disease and reduced levels of daily physical activity. Furthermore, the nation’s most vulnerable populations - such as the elderly, children, low-income communities - typically bear the greatest burden when it comes to these negative health impacts.

Communities and transportation systems primarily accommodate the automobile. However, transportation systems and the built environment also can significantly improve the public’s health when designed to include and encourage active transportation. Active transportation includes non-motorized transportation options such as walking and biking, and is ideally linked with transit (e.g., bus, rail, ferry) networks. Making active transportation a realistic, affordable and convenient option for all transportation users would help reduce health impacts and also promote physical activity, recreation and environmental preservation. Well-connected streets with safe pedestrian and bicyclist paths and infrastructure can promote a healthy and active lifestyle for everyone.

Facts

Consider the following alarming statistics:

• Three-quarters of American adults will be overweight or obese by 2015(1), while childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years(2)

• Physical inactivity can lead to chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoarthritis, cancer, stroke, and diabetes(3)

• Obesity costs account for approximately nine percent of all health care spending in the U.S., and part of these costs are attributable to auto-oriented transportation that inadvertently limits opportunities for physical activity(4)

• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), roughly 23 percent of U.S. children do not participate in at least 60 minutes of weekly physical activity and 44 percent do not attend physical education classes in an average school week(5)

Visit www.apha.org to learn more

The anticipated reauthorization of the federal surface transportation bill presents the nation with anopportunity to reinvent its transportation system to promote health across urban, suburban, and ruralcommunities. Consider these opportunities for health from an enhanced transportation network:

• Women who walk or bike 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer(6)

• Active commuting that incorporates cycling and walking is associated with an 11 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk(7)

• Active transportation as part of everyday travel is as effective as structured workouts for improving health(8)

• Teenagers who bike or walk to school watch less TV and are less likely to smoke than their peers who are driven to school, in addition to getting more overall physical activity daily(9)

• Public Transit users take 30 percent more steps and spend roughly eight more minutes walking each day than drivers(10)

• A 30-minute round-trip bicycle commute is associated with better mental health in men(11)

• New Yorkers save $19 billion per year because they rely less on cars than residents of other majorU.S. cities(12)

APHA Supports

• Active transportation options that are accessible and affordable for all users

• Transportation and land-use policies that provide opportunities for all people to be active and engaged in their communities

• The Complete Streets approach, where streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users

• The expansion of Safe Routes to School programs, which encourage children, including children with disabilities, to walk and bike to school safely

• The development of healthy communities and incentives for transportation and transit projects that promote health

References:

1) Wang, Y., and M. Beydoun. 2007. The obesity epidemic in the United States - gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiological Review 2007; 29:6-28.

2) CDC. 2010. http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity. Last accessed August 2, 2010.

3) APHA. 2009. At the Intersection of Public Health and Transportation: Promoting Healthy Transportation Policy.

4) APHA. 2010. The Hidden Health Costs of Transportation.

5) CDC. 2009. National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

6) Luoto, R., et al. 2000. The effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk: A cohort study of 30,548 women. European Journal of Epidemiology, 16, 973-80.

7) Hamer, M., and Y. Chida. 2007. Active commuting and cardiovascular risk: A meta-analytic review. Preventive Medicine, 46, 9-13.

8) Dunn, A., et al. 1999. Comparison of lifestyle and structured interventions to increase physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness: a randomized trial. JAMA, 281, 327-34.

9) Landsberg, B., et al. 2008. Associations between active commuting to school, fat mass, and lifestyle factors in adolescents: the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study (KOPS). European Journal ofClinical Nutrition, 62, 739-47.

10) Edwards, R. 2008. Public Transit, Obesity, and Medical Costs: Assessing the Magnitudes. Preventative Medicine, 46(1): 14-21. January 2008.

11) Ohta, M., et al., 2007. Effect of the physical activities in leisure time and commuting to work on mental health, Journal of Occupational Health, 49, 46-52.

12) CEOs for Cities. 2010. New York City’s Green Dividend.

800 I Street, NW • Washington, DC 20001 • www.apha.org

Here is some alarming data regarding Florida's track record with regard to Bike/Walk Activity Level Rankings and Bicyclist/Pedestrian Fatality Rankings amongst 50 States.

Lala on the road again for her shopping excursion....

Nothing like the pitter patter of little penquin feet as Lala heads out for her daily shopping stroll...if Lala can get up and out and is able to hoof it to the market with nothing but a backpack and sheer determination, we should be able to use our own propulsion to accomplish a few errands too!

Just like Lala, we're "Taking it to the Streets"!!

You can help move Southwest Florida forward in becoming an Alternative Transportation-friendly area in which to live, work and play!!

Join the "Taking it to the Streets" Transportation Transformation Challenge in Southwest Florida!!!

And, mark your calendar for April 13th-23rd, the "Taking it to the Streets" Campaign - Ten Days of Transportation Transformation in Southwest Florida and make sure to Walk, Run, Bike, Take a Bus, Share-a-Ride, Join a Vanpool or do anything that utilizes an alternative way of commuting, doing errands, recreating or getting from point A to point B!

Register today at http://CommuterServicesFL.com/ and start tracking your driving and commuting statistics now! During the campaign period, make sure you log your "VMR's" ...that is..."Vehicle Miles Reduced" and help us to transform Southwest Florida to a safer, healthier and less congested environment!

Check this out and enjoy!!

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Water Reservoir Container Gardens Class

 

Learn how to build and use water reservoir container gardens. These are special container gardens that have a water reservoir built into the bottom to allow for the perfect soil water and air ratio for growing vegetables. Everyone becomes an expert. They are the easiest way to grow vegetable crops and can fit anywhere. Can be made easily accessible for all ages and abilities. Perfect for schools, areas of poor soil, fire ant prone places, or beginners. Also learn essentials of potting mixes for growing.
Start your garden with a garden box that will grow for you! Call or email to reserve your spot ASAP space is limited.

• Sunday ~ March 12, 2011. 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Cost $30 per person for class only.
• Cost $80 per person for class plus take home a 4.5 cut organic garden.
• Bring a lunch for garden building.
 

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Date/Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Upcoming Session: March 11th
Location: Six Mile Slough / Center, Outdoor Classroom
Contact: Heather Gienapp Contact Number: 239-533-7556
Register: Click Here to Register
 

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Construction Specifications Institute
Florida Southwest Chapter (126)

Presents

"Local Sustainability: SW Florida Case Studies"

Thursday, March 10, 2011
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Edison State College - Fort Myers

The Southwest Florida Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, is presenting the forth annual day long "Sustainability Lecture Series"

The theme is “Local Sustainability: SW Florida Case Studies” with the emphasis on how various groups have successfully implemented sustainable practices in the Florida environment.  This will be an informative program outlining strategies used and successes and failures encountered during implementation of regional projects that were completed within the last two years. Each presentation will be approximately 45 ~ 50 minutes each. This Series has been very successful in the past and typically sells out early.

A limited number of table-top display spaces are also available for Vendors of related products to present their merchandise. These spaces will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Cost for a standard sized banquet table will be $500.00.

For further information contact:
Ken Buschle, CSI, LEED AP BD+C
(239) 275-0225
kbuschle@gora-mcgahey.com
 

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Electric Vehicles:
Myths vs. Reality

Myth 1: Switching to an electric vehicle will just mean that the same amount of pollution comes from the electricity generation rather than from the tailpipe — I'll just be switching from oil to coal.
Reality: According to a range of studies, an electric car leads to 35 to 60% less carbon dioxide pollution from electricity than the CO2 pollution from the oil of a conventional car with an internal combustion engine.[1][2][3] In some areas, like many on the West Coast that rely largely on wind or hydro power, the emissions are significantly lower for EVs. And that's today. As we retire more coal plants and bring cleaner sources of power online, the emissions from electric vehicle charging drop even further. Additionally, in some areas, night-time charging will increase the opportunity to take advantage of wind power -- another way to reduce emissions.

A caveat to consider, according to some studies, is that when coal plants supply the majority of the power mix in a given area, electric vehicles may emit more CO2 and SO2 pollution than hybrid electric vehicles.[4] Learn where your electricity comes from, what plans your state or community has for shifting to renewables, and whether you have options for switching to greener power.

The new all-electric Nissan Leaf. Photo by Darrell Clarke.

Myth 2: Plug-in cars will lead to the production of more coal and nuclear plants.
Reality: Even if the majority of drivers switched to electric, the existing electrical grid's off-peak/nighttime capacity for power generation is sufficient without building a single new power plant. Studies have shown that electric vehicle owners will largely charge their vehicles at night when there is plenty of capacity on the grid. In some areas, new "smart charging" allows you and the utility to set up a system by which you and other electricity users distribute the load evenly during charging so that the system is not overwhelmed by increased demand.

Myth 3: Electric car batteries pose a recycling problem.
Reality: Internal combustion engine vehicles use lead-acid batteries, and their recycle rate is about 98% in the US. The newer batteries for electric vehicles, such as those made of lithium-ion, include even more valuable and recyclable metals and will have a life well beyond the vehicle. In fact, a Belgian company plans to use Tesla Motor's electric vehicle battery pack material to produce an alloy it can further refine into cobalt, nickel, and other valuable metals as well as special grades of concrete. Technology will soon allow for EV batteries to store energy produced by solar or wind power.

Myth 4: My electricity bill will go way up.
Reality: While you'll spend more on electricity, the savings on gas will more than cover it. If you drive a pure battery electric vehicle 12,000 miles a year at current electricity rates (assuming $.12 per kilowatt hour though rates vary throughout the country), you'll pay about $389 per year for the electricity to charge your battery, but you'll save about $1200 in gas (assuming $3 per gallon, a 30 miles per gallon vehicle, and 12,000 miles driven). So $1200 minus $389 equals $811 in savings -a 68% reduction in fueling costs. Some utilities are offering EV owners lower off-peak/nighttime rates. The more we successfully advocate for these off-peak incentives, the lower your electricity payments will go.

Myth 5: Electric vehicles will just fail again like they did before.
Reality: Manufacturers are serious this time -- rolling out more than a dozen new plug-in models in the next couple of years, starting now. With higher gas prices and climate change worrying many consumers, stricter fuel economy standards for new vehicles required of auto manufacturers, and billions of public and corporate dollars being spent on an EV infrastructure and research in the US, EVs are here to stay.

Myth 6: My battery will run out of juice.
Reality: The majority of drivers in the US drive less than 35 miles each day, sufficient for a fully charged pure electric vehicle (most can go 80 to 140 miles on one charge), and an extended range electric vehicle (that drives about 35 miles on electric and then the gasoline power kicks in). Using a 220-volt outlet and charging station, a plug-in hybrid recharges in about 100 minutes, an extended range plug-in electric in about four hours, and a pure electric in six to eight hours. A regular 110-volt outlet will mean significantly longer charging times, but for plug-in hybrids and extended range electrics, this outlet may be sufficient. Most of the time, the battery will not be empty when you plug in, thus reducing charging time.

Most people will charge at home. However, some businesses and public entities are beginning to install 220-volt public chargers. Some are installing fast-charging stations along highways and in public places that can re-charge a car to 80% of battery capacity in less than 30 minutes.

Myth 7: Electric vehicles are much more expensive than traditional vehicles.
Reality: While the initial sticker price of EVs is higher than traditional vehicles, you need to do the math to account for a variety of factors. For individual consumers, there is currently a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of an electric vehicle, as well as a partial federal credit for the charging unit. Several states have additional tax credits on top of the federal ones. Additionally, the average EV driver will save more than $800 a year in fuel (the cost of electricity compared to gasoline). Due to a cleaner, more streamlined system under the hood, an EV may save the average driver about 46% in annual maintenance costs, according to one federal government study.[5]

Myth 8: Electric vehicles are only available in California.
Reality: While EVs are not yet available for purchase in every state, they are quickly becoming available in many. The fully electric Nissan Leaf is being sold to customers in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Tennessee. The Chevy Volt, an extended range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, is currently being sold at select dealerships in California, Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, DC. Customers in nearly all states are expected to be able to purchase or lease a Leaf, Volt, or plug-in Toyota Prius by late 2011 or early 2012. The Tesla Roadster, a fully electric luxury sportscar, is available in several locations throughout the country. By 2012, many other models will become available nationwide, including the Ford Focus EV, Tesla Model S, and the Mitsubishi iMiev.

Myth 9: Charging an EV on solar power is a futuristic dream.
Reality: The technology to power your EV with solar power is already available. The investment in solar panels pays off faster when the solar power is not only replacing grid electricity, but replacing much more expensive gasoline. According to Plug In America, EVs typically travel three to four miles (or more) per kWh (kilowatt hour) of electricity. If you drive 12,000 miles per year, you will need 3,000-4,000 kWh. Depending on where you live, you will need a 1.5kW-3kW photovoltaic (PV) system to generate that much power using about 150 to 300 square feet of space on your roof. Utility credits for the daytime solar power can offset the cost of charging the car at night. If solar PV isn't feasible at your home, find out if your utility offers a green energy option.

1. Boschert, Sherry. "The Cleanest Cars: Well to Wheels Emissions Comparions." Updated May 2008. Cited February 15, 2011.

2. MIT Energy Initiative. "The Electrification of the Transportation System." April, 2010.

3. Electric Power Research Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council. "Environmental Assessment of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles." 2007. Cited February 16, 2011.

4. Environmental Law and Policy Center. Cited February 15, 2011.

5. Touchstone Energy Business Energy Advisor. "Getting Charged Up Over Electric Vehicles." Cited February 16, 2011.

© 2011 Sierra Club. All Rights Reserved.  Material was reproduced from a Sierra Club website with permission of the Sierra Club.
 

Why not consider a great day of bicycling in lovely historic Punta Gorda on Saturday, March 19?
 

Date:    Saturday, March 19, 2011

Where: Laishley Marina Pavilions on picturesque Charlotte Harbor
             100 Nesbit St., in “Historic” Punta Gorda, Florida

Choose from Five different Rides:

• Metric Century 62-mile Tour
• 30-Mile Tour
• 15-Mile Tour
• 7-Mile Mystery Tour, 9 a.m.
• City Manager’s/History Tour, 2 p.m.

For your safety, the 62, 30, and 15-mile rides will not be mass start events.

Watch this short Pedal and Play video and learn all about it...

Dr. Will Tuttle will deliver a lecture /presentation on his best-selling book, The World Peace Diet at 7:00 pm, Wednesday evening March 9th at The Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant on Pine Ridge Road in Naples. An inspiring speaker on a provocative subject at a wonderful vegan restaurant should make for a very interesting and enjoyable evening for all.

The World Peace Diet, which became a #1 Amazon best-seller in March, 2010, offers a compelling and liberating new understanding of our food and our culture. It has been called one of the most important books of the 21st century: the foundation of a new society based on the truth of the interconnectedness of all life. It is the first book to make explicit the invisible connections between our culture, our food, and the source of our broad range of problems—and the way to a positive transformation in our individual and collective lives.

The World Peace Diet is an award-winning book. If you want to understand the big picture of our culture and why we have the unyielding dilemmas we face, and how we can solve them, this book is for you.

A few reviews:

“The World Peace Diet presents what is probably the most comprehensive case yet for eating a diet, and creating a society, free from cruelty and violence. Its central focus is the idea that cruelty to animals (particularly farmed animals) sets a tone in our society that plays out in interpersonal violence, war, and environmental destruction. It is a provocative thesis, one that merits the attention of all who claim to value life.” -- Dr. Daniel Redwood in Pathways Magazine

“Use The World Peace Diet as a guide to empower yourself and others in making dietary choices that are powerful beyond what you can possibly imagine.”
Julia Butterfly Hill, famed environmental activist, author, and founder, Circle of Life Foundation

“Will Tuttle brings a priceless perspective—not only to the planetary crisis confronting us all, but also to powerful ways we each can affect it. This book is radiant with his learning and his compassion.”
Dr. Joanna Macy, noted author, lecturer, educator, and peace activist

“Stripping away delusions and rationalizations, The World Peace Diet powerfully presents the connections between our current food choices and so many of the problems we face with our health, our environment, our politics, our society--and our spirits. Dr. Tuttle provides the understanding of why and how a change to a truly health supporting--and life affirming--way of eating can enable us to thrive as individuals--and to survive as a society."

“Profound, passionate--and ultimately hopeful and inspiring--Will Tuttle's The World Peace Diet should be required reading for students everywhere--and for all people with inquiring minds and open hearts. I recommend it most highly.”
Michael Klaper, M.D., noted author, lecturer, and health researcher

For more information:  Loving Hut Restaurant, 975 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34108-8902. (239) 254-9490. 

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Learn how to compost your yard waste and/or kitchen scraps into valuable soil amendments. Learn easy ways, fast ways, and best of all, worm ranching for the best fertility. Tour the Garden at Eden’s compost operations. There is no close second in garden nutrition to living compost and it is a great way to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

The Garden at Eden uses a compost system that provides the majority of all our fertility needs on our farm. We are using the best techniques to combine ease of operation and maximum production. Our final system calls for four distinct operations types and a green manure summer cover crop. Composting at Eden is based on over a decade of organic gardening experience specifically for our SW Florida environment. Our weather patterns make the use of widely know “northern” techniques much less effective. This one day intensive study is designed to remove the trial and error from your gardens compost. An extra benefit to the gardeners that visit our farm is we are building our system to be of a scale that they can be worked by student farmers. In other words the same type and size you would use at home, just more of them to meet our volume of compost. Compost is all living creations, managed through observation of general guidelines, not rigid or fast rules. As you learn, there is flexibility and opportunity for deviation in small percentages from ideal conditions...relax, nature happens…

• Saturday ~ March 5, 2011. 3:00 p.m. – 5:0 p.m.
• Cost $30 per person for class only.
• Cost $100 per person for class plus a take home worm ranch with worms and bedding.
• Learn low cost home made continuous process worm ranch, perfect for home.

Topics covered:
• Carbon to nitrogen ratios (visual examples given)
• Wood and compost
• Pests avoidance and common problems
• Aerobic conditions for compost
• Why in vessel compost is important for SW Florida
• Temperature and sunshine and your compost or worms
• Worm ranching verse traditional compost methods
• Batch worm production verse continual process
• Bio diversity of soil biota and worms function towards nutrient availability
• Compost teas preparations
 

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And will benefit the Naples Pathways Coalition to work for an integrated transportation network of sidewalks, bike lanes and multi-use pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, & individuals in wheelchairs