News
May 4, 2008 as seen in Keys Sunday
Planning truly ‘green’ event no easy task
BY PAMELA J. SUAREZThousands are expected to attend the Green Living and Energy Education Expo at Marathon High School this coming weekend, and all those people will be traveling, eating, drinking and otherwise “consuming” — activities that can harm the environment through emissions, fuel consumption and sizeable additions to the waste stream.
To minimize the damage,
Expo volunteers are in high
gear implementing strategies to
ensure that the event’s impact is
negligible. After all, the Expo’s
mission is to highlight ways to
protect the planet, and organizers
say they intend to practice
what they preach.(more)
May 7, 2008 as seen at Florida Keys Official Tourism Website
Keys Expo to provide living and energy solutions
MARATHON, Florida Keys -- At a time when fuel prices are at an all-time high, people are seeking solutions to conserve and spend less.
Set for Friday, May 9, through Sunday, May 11, the Green Living & Energy Education Expo in the Florida Keys is to showcase solar, biodiesel and other technologies to provide resolutions to energy and environmental challenges.
The centerpiece of the three-day event is a free showcase of 90 exhibits, 40 alternative-fuel vehicles, more than 30 free workshops and a selection of organic foods Saturday at Marathon High School, located on Sombrero Beach Boulevard, near mile marker 50 in the Middle Keys. (more)
March 24, 2008 as seen in the key west citizen
FKAA plans green building
BY Rob BusweilerThe Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority plans to break ground this summer on a $4.2 million administration building that officials say has just about every environmentally conscious bell and whistle available.
The building, slated for Manor Lane across from the Sombrero County Club golf course in Marathon, will be enrolled in the Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design program, aimed at encouraging the construction of green buildings throughout the nation.(more)
March 21, 2008 as seen in solares hill
First GLEE Employee
Bridget McDonald is the first employee to be hired by the green organization GLEE (Green Living Energy & Education). She will assist an all-volunteer planning committee for this year’s three-day GLEE Expo at Marathon High School, May 9-11.
McDonald is a 15-year
resident of Key West who has
worked with many Keys organizations
to create outreach and
education and to coordinate
special events. “The work of
GLEE is very important to the
future of the Keys and the generations
to come,” she said. “It’s
clear that residents are ready
to make changes in the way we
use our natural resources.”
March 16, 2008 as seen In Keys Sunday
Honk if you love biodiesel
BY Pamela J. SuarezLocal advocates of alternative fuel use will take their message to the streets on Saturday during a road rally designed to raise awareness of the benefits of biodiesel.
Event organizers say the rally, which will travel down U.S. 1 from Florida City to Key West, will not only demonstrate how the cleaner-burning fuel could be used in the Keys, but also how it could be produced locally on a commercial scale using leftover cooking oil.
It’s a concept independent islanders are sure to love, says rally organizer and Green Living and Energy Education president Alison Higgins. (more)
March 14, 2008 as seen in solares hill
How Green is Our Town
BY Mark HowellAt the commission meeting on March 4, the City of Key West resolved to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent by the year 2015.
In presenting the resolution
to the commissioners,
the city’s eco-consultant,
Jodi Smith Williams, gave
an overview of Key West’s
carbon footprint in the form
of an inventory report on
the island’s emissions. This
report provides the beginnings
of an answer to how
green is Key West.(more)
February 26, 2008 as seen on the keynoter.com
County goes a bit more green
BY Alyson CreanMonroe County's fleet of trucks and cars is about to go green, according to Public Works Director Dent Pierce.
In his monthly report to the County Commission, last week Pierce said his department is in the process of switching to a biodiesel blend of fuel.
“We're testing it out to see how it works,” he told the commission during its Feb. 20 meeting in Key Largo.
He said the blend is 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum fuel.
Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro was concerned the environmentally motivated move might be too expensive, but Pierce said the current load of the special fuel actually costs 2 cents less per gallon than regular diesel. (more)
February 21, 2008 Press release from the city of key west
Recycling rates increase, saving taxpayers thousands
BY Christie PhillipsKey West
Thanks to a concerted effort on the part of the City of Key West and its citizens, the city’s recycling rates increased 10 percent from Oct. 1, 2007 through Jan. 31, 2008 as compared to numbers from the same time period last year.
As a result of the increased recycling, city taxpayers saved approximately $8,000 in hauling and disposal fees over the same period last year.
“Last year’s recycling rate for that time period was 6.4 percent and this year’s number for that four-month period was 7.6 percent,” said Public Works Manager R.B. Havens. “That’s the highest recycling rate I have seen in the city the seven years I’ve been managing the system.”(more)
February 17, 2008 as seen in The Citizen
Green group's membership skyrockets
BY ROB BUSWEILERKey West
Heading into its second year of existence, Florida Keys Green Living and Energy Education (GLEE) President Alison Higgins marveled at just how much the program has grown.
GLEE recently wrapped up its first annual membership meeting, held at the Marathon Community Theater, which saw presentations by two speakers and many new faces in the crowd.
"I couldn't believe how many people in the audience I didn't recognize," Higgins said. "That speaks volumes about the potential that is out there."(more)
February 14, 2008 as seen in The Citizen Editorial Section
Enforcement could halt cigarette-butt litter
BY CHRIS BELLANDKey West
Disgusting! That's the only word to describe what I, and a bunch of other folks, did for half of our Saturday. We picked up other people's cigarette butts: wet ones, dry ones, with and without filters, Tiparillos, and a few cigar butts. ... Once in the bag and in the car, the overwhelming burnt smell almost made me throw up.
We did this not to rid the environment of one of the most egregious and rude forms of litter. That would be futile. ... We did do it to make a point.(more)
February 13, 2008 as seen in The New york times
Going Out to Eat, but Staying Green
BY FLORENCE FABRICANTNew York City
AT the Oko frozen yogurt shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the counter and walls are made from sunflower seeds and its awnings have solar panels.
Maury Rubin said that when he opens his third Birdbath organic bakery this spring, in Battery Park City, the roof will be planted with herbs to help air quality and insulate the store. Like the other Birdbaths in lower Manhattan, its furnishings will be made from recycled materials and wheat board.
Gusto Grilled Organics in Greenwich Village has been certified as organic under federal regulations by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and its construction complies with standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council, a national environmental building organization.(more)
February 2, 2008 as seen in The Keynoter
Gore disciple to speak
BY MICHAEL WELBERKey West
Dan Kipnis has made a living from the ocean.
A lifelong angler, he has been a commercial fisherman and had fish markets, charter boats and party fishing boats. He just loves to fish, traveling all over to do so. People in the Keys know him from the Islamorada Swordfish Tournament and a talk he gave at one of the crowd-drawing World Class Angler seminars in Marathon.
But now he’s worried. He’s seeing change in the oceans that warn of things to come.(more)
January 15, 2008 as seen in Go Go Key West
Our City Hall
Tonight's City Commission Meeting
BY PEGGY BUTLERKey West
Tonight’s meeting had none of the excitement of The Best Man, but it did stir something within the hearts of those in attendance as Chris Belland, who started the Love Your Island program, signified by the small red hearts many of us wear every day, spoke for the Mayor’s Coalition for a Green Key West and presented a slide show set to music. As gulls flew over Mt. Trashmore while yet more trash was heaped to the top of the pile and hands dropped cigarette butts all over the streets of Key West, the music became more ominous.
Belland called for strict enforcement laws such as fines for littering from property lines to curb sidewalk cleanliness and enforcing existing regulations and codes pertaining to environmental stewardship and cleanliness. He also urged the City, in concert with all local media, including radio, TV and newspaper, to enter into a city-wide education and outreach program for public awareness, recommending each City Commissioner be the point person in his or her District and use the Ambassadors who have been trained, at some expense, for this purpose.(more)
January 18, 2008 as seen in The Citizen
Think, Act, Demand
To Stop Pollution
BY CHRIS BELLANDKey West
I was most gratified at the tremendous support received at last night's City Commission meeting. Judging by the standing ovation from the audience and the commissioners alike, apparently my message about the state of our environment and what we should be doing, struck a chord.
Now what?
I was invited to join the Mayor's Coalition for a Green Key West as the representative from the Key West Chamber of Commerce. We have been meeting every week for the past several months and have participated in numerous events, cleanups, speaking engagements and general education and support efforts.(more)
December 2, 2007 as seen in Keys Sunday
Conserve drop by drop
Twenty ways to save water in the kitchen
BY KATHLEEN PURVIS
McClatchy Tribune
Saving water in the kitchen isn’t just the right thing to do during the dry season. It’s the right thing to do all of the time. Sure, it’s important to use clean water when we prepare food. But much of the water we use in our kitchens spills right down the sink.
Getting into these habits not only saves water — it can make your cooking more healthful and even tastier.(more)
November 30, 2007 as seen in The Citizen
Recycling fair was a huge success
Jody Smith Williams, GLEE vice president
On behalf of GLEE's R4 Team, we would like to thank everyone who participated in making the first Key West Recycling Fair on Nov. 17 a great success.
The attendance of nearly 400 people on a busy Saturday showed the community's enthusiasm for learning and practicing the 4 Rs of reduce, reuse, recycle and rot (compost). Two hundred recycling bins were given away in the first hour, leaving plenty of people on the waiting list for bins. Nearly 5,000 pounds of e-Waste was collected and kept out of the landfill. Jimmy Wray and friends juggled with batons made of recycled materials. High schoolers demonstrated the dos and don'ts of recycling (more)
November 30, 2007 as seen in Solares Hill
Belland Rides A New Wave of Green
BY Mark Howell
This wave of green is tossing up the most unexpected of bedfellows. Businessman Chris Belland, a founding partner in Historic Tours of America, has developed an Al Gore-style show-and-tell called “Love Your Island” that he brought to a luncheon this week held by the Ambassadors, a growing group of citizens who qualify by sitting in on city functions. (more)
November 9, 2007 as seen in Citizen
Cleaner recyclables fetch higher prices
BY BECKY IANNOTTA
Greg Sullivan compares recycling to diamonds. The more you polish and refine, the more it is worth when you try to sell it.
As the district manager in the Florida Keys for Waste Management, Sullivan is responsible for sending recycled products to a 40-acre materials recovery center in Pembroke Pines. There, it is sorted, compressed and sold to the highest bidder based on its quality.
"It's all about price and commodity at that level," Sullivan said last week. (more)
October 4, 2007 as seen in Keys Sunday
Rain Barrel collects new artists
BY CLAUDIA MILLER
Landmark’s team of owners stresses community
In the front gallery of the Rain Barrel in Islamorada, the soft tinkling of wind chimes mixes with the loud banging of hammers from ongoing renovations.
After changing hands three months ago, it is apparent that the artisan village is going through a metamorphosis, so (more)
October 26, 2007 as seen in The Keynoter
Better the second time around
BY Michael Welber
KEY WEST — A Keys group challenges the community to step up recycling efforts
November is when Keys residents can learn their three Rs. That's not reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic but reduce, reuse and recycle.
Nov. 15 is America Recycles Day and local green organization Green Living and Energy Education (GLEE) has dedicated the month to encouraging locals to reduce wasteful purchases and practices, reuse materials whenever possible and recycle as the last resort. (more)
October 22, 2007 as seen in The Citizen
Editorial: Measuring carbon use is step in the right direction
KEY WEST —The city of Key West is admitting that it has a problem. We, along with the rest of the nation and much of the world, are addicted to fossil fuels.
This habit is expensive, unhealthy and, according to overwhelming scientific evidence, likely to lead to large-scale climate changes. We are particularly vulnerable to such changes, living so close to sea level and so dependent on a degrading coral reef system.
(more)
October 11, 2007 as seen in The Citizen
City to measure its carbon footprint
BY MANDY BOLEN
KEY WEST — Green is the new black, at least in terms of Key West's environment, and city officials want to know how much effect the 2-by-4-mile island has on global warming.
City commissioners in August agreed to participate in a program called Cities for Climate Change in which municipalities, for $600 per year, use the organization's software to evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and fuel usage to come up with their "carbon footprint," or the size of the mark the city leaves on the planet that can lead to climate change.(more)
June 8, 2007 as seen in Solaris Hill
It’s a Green, Green, Green, Green World
by Nancy Klingener
What a difference 11 months make. On June 30 of last year, I wrote a big take-out in Solares Hill on global warming, the threat it poses for the Florida Keys, and the notable lack of local interest in the issue. (more)
April 6, 2007 as seen in The Citizen
Who will lead Key West to adopting a new paradigm for sustainability?
by Jody Smith-Williams
It's time Key West became a model city of sustainability. Local communities across the country are enacting their own standards of energy efficiency, alternative fuel consumption and investment in clean energy sources. Key West already has an out-of-the-box reputation; why not put ourselves on the map as the city of Southernmost Sustainability? (more)
March 30, 2007 as seen in Keys News
Make Green Living Expo part of your weekend
Following closely on the heels of the well-attended Sierra Club Energy Film Festival in Key West, the Green Living and Energy Education (GLEE) Expo in Marathon on Saturday promises to be a cornucopia of ideas, information, products and inspiration for green living and clean energy use. (more)
March 30, 2007 as seen in Solares Hill
Letter to the Editor
Click here to view paper (Pages 2 & 19)
March 25, 2007 as seen in Keys Sunday
Expo Offers a One-Stop Shop for Ideas, Education
March 25, 2007 as seen in The Key West Citizen
2007 Glee Expo Driving Home Green Transportation Messages
When biking or walking isn't an option for getting from here to there, some Florida Keys residents are still driving home messages about "green transportation:" Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve fuel and get better gas mileage.
In short, they think alternative vehicles can save the planet and save money."
Last summer, we took our grandchildren on a 3,000 mile road trip in our Prius and only spent $180 for fuel," said Karen Beal, who lives in Key Largo. "Political debate on global warming aside, driving a hybrid car makes sense because it's good for the environment, saves us money and we give up nothing in comfort or horsepower."...more
March 11, 2007
Green Living as Antidote to Global Warming
Global warming is a complicated issue that’s politically, economically, religiously and scientifically charged. In the United States, where energy consumption is the highest in the world, getting a grasp on how climate is changing, and what to do about it in such an environmentally sensitive area as the Florida Keys, is important to sustaining the quality of life here.
“The world is undoubtedly warming,” said Diane Marshall, a board member of the Florida Keys Green Living & Energy Education (GLEE) non-profit organization. “This warming is largely the result of emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes, and land use changes, such as deforestation.
“Fortunately, there is something we can do about it. It’s called green living—a grass roots movement and commitment to energy conservation” she said.
In an effort to conserve resources and soothe an ailing planet, thousands of people around the world, including hundreds in the Keys, are taking steps toward green living. Robert Glassman of Tankless Hot Water Heaters installs on-demand hot water heaters, which reduce electricity consumption. Larry Wexler drives a car that uses an alternative power source to gasoline, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Alison Higgins of The Nature Conservancy gives away native plants, which absorb CO2.
To help focus what green living is about, and the energy issues related to global warming, GLEE is holding its second expo on March 31. The one-day event features speakers and exhibitors for believers, non-believers and the bulk of people in between.
“The first GLEE expo brought out 1,500 people, who wanted to make their life better by conserving water and electricity—by learning about and finding alternative energy sources,” said Cristina Lindley, organizer of the Florida Keys Green Living and Energy Education 2007 Expo. “We’re expecting twice that many people this year to the free event.”
Andrew Devanas, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Key West, will address global warming in his GLEE workshop.
“Global warming is measurable, without question,” said Devanas, a meteorologist since 1989. “But whether climate change is man-induced or just a normal earth cycle is the question dividing scientists.
“In my workshop, I’ll present the arguments out there without going through the slide show from ‘An Inconvenient Truth’,” he said. “But because that documentary was made by a politician, some issues in it that scientists agree on, such as the rising sea level, don’t get the credibility they deserve.”
According to Devanas, more people “have a good working knowledge” of the issues surrounding global warming because hundreds of thousands have watched the Oscar-winning film.
“Al Gore’s slideshow, which was the basis for his documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, will be presented in Key West on March 23,” said Jody Smith Williams, who organized the Sierra Club Energy Film Festival in conjunction with GLEE.
From March 16-22, twenty films related to energy consumption and production—everything from climate to fossil fuels and what people can do to conserve their use—will be shown free to the public at Tropic Cinema’s newest theater, “The George.”
“’Too Hot Not to Handle’ is a 90 minute film that I think is just as good as ‘An Inconvenient Truth’,” said Williams. “It’s the most comprehensive of the films being shown and covers all the issues related to global warming as well as a detailed solution plan.
“’Kilowatt Ours’ is shorter and more folksy, yet still offers a concise overview of the problems and solutions. Steve Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, appears in this film and will participate in our March 22 panel discussion. He will also present Al Gore’s slideshow on March 23,” she said.
Williams says the film collection is powerful in tandem: “It underscores that we have all the technology we need to combat global warming, and that doing something about it has everything to do with whether our leaders and the people will act on the issues.”
“The film festival is really exciting, and an excellent educational prep for the GLEE Expo because one of GLEE’s roles is to help people understand how to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases,” said Marshall, who is also a panelist for the film festival’s March 22 wrap-up discussion on energy, conservation and clean energy production.
“Global warming is a result of what man has been doing to our planet. Green living is trying to reverse that through a grass-roots effort from people around the world, not just in the Keys,” said Lindley. “It’s the small steps that count—all the ones that fit into a bigger picture and make you feel pretty good about what you’ve done.”
With a new hurricane season on South Florida’s immediate horizon, with droughts and floods and tornadoes turning up at the most unexpected times and places, sustainable living starts at home, and the GLEE 2007 Expo and Sierra Club Energy Film Festival can help with the necessary jump-starts.
In addition to global warming issues, the GLEE Expo features more than 50 exhibitors and at least 40 workshops, some address home energy efficiency, clean boating and marinas, green tourism and recycling; all are designed to teach about energy, how to cut down on greenhouse emissions and how to do something at home about a global problem.
The GLEE 2007 Expo is free and takes place at the Stanley Switlik School in Marathon, 3400 Overseas Highway mm 48.5 bayside.
For details and schedules on the Florida Keys Green Living and Energy Education 2007 Expo log onto www.keysglee.com or call 305-293-7658. For the Sierra Club Energy Film Festival schedule log onto www.keywestfilm.org or call 305-304-2064.
Couple Renovates Their Home for the Ultimate in Energy and Water Conservation
Norma and Alan Williamson, a California couple, purchased a standard American home, converted it to a near-zero-energy home that includes enough solar power to “fill up” the tanks of their two electric vehicles. When asked why, they’ll tell you simply, “Retirement.” The home was featured in Solar Today magazine and on the Public Television program, Nova.
Norma and Alan Williamson, normal@wavecable.com
Green-home owners
Green Transportation
Bill Moore, editor of EV World magazine talks about electric, hybrid, and bioenergy vehicles. Green transportation is affordable, reliable, and really cool. He also offers ways to reduce your transportation costs, even if you don’t go green.
Contact info:
Bill Moore, evworldeditor@gmail.com
Editor, EV World magazine
www.evworld.com
(402) 339-9877
Green Transportation
GLEE’s Green Transportation Chairwoman, Karen Beal, put together a lineup of almost two dozen green vehicles, including hybrid-, biodiesel-, electric- and solar-powered cars. Owners and automobile dealers from Monroe and Miami-Dade counties will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate their vehicles, some of which get as much as 70 miles per gallon.
Contact info:
Karen Beal, kbeal1@aol.com
GLEE Green Transportation Chair
(305) 451-3000
Green Building
With consumers clamoring for greener homes, GLEE Expo answers the call by offering more than a dozen workshops for the building trades, including Continuing Education courses certified by Florida. The trade-oriented workshops include “Alternative Building Materials,” “Green Renovations,” and “Greening Commercial and Residential Buildings.” The three CEU workshops are “Concepts of Green Building,” “Photovoltaics for Professionals” and “Indoor Air Quality.”
Contact info:
Diane Marshall, dianemarshall@bellsouth.net
GLEE Board of Directors
(305) 852-8722
Green Lodging
Karen Moore of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection makes a special presentation to the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West and offers one-on-one consultations with lodging managers and owners. Look for Keys properties to go “green.”
Contact info:
Karen Moore, karen.s.moore@dep.state.fl.us
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
www.FloridaGreenLodging.com
(850) 245-8726
Joanna (Jodi) L. Weinhofer, President@KeysLodging.org
President, Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West
(305) 296-4959
GLEE Joins Sierra Club Energy Film Festival
GLEE has joined Jody Smith Williams in staging the Sierra Club Energy Film Festival, a week of free screenings of 20 films addressing energy consumption and production, March 16-22, at the Tropic Cinema in Key West. The seven-day film fest marks the Grand Opening of the Tropic’s third and newest state-of-the-art theater, "The George."
Contact Info:
Jody Smith Williams, kwjody@yahoo.com
Sierra Club Energy Film Festival
www.keywestfilm.org
(305) 304-2064
Who’s Reading Green
Monroe County is reading green. GLEE donated green magazines, Solar Today and Smart Homeowner, to the five Keys libraries to inform local residents and businesses about the advantages of sustainability.
Contact Info:
Cristina Lindley, lindleyc@bellsouth.net
GLEE Director
www.keysglee.com (you're already here!)
(305) 293-7658