February 2010

February 2010

Topics in this months newsletter

Cast Your Vote for the 3rd Annual Green Living Awards

Green Living Awards 2010It’s time to acknowledge those who have advanced the Florida Keys green agenda by casting your vote in the 3rd Annual Green Living Awards.

Nominees have been notified and voting for the Popular Vote Awardees begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb 3, and ends at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb 18. Please click here to cast your vote!

GLEE’s board of directors also conducts a blind vote for each Green Living Award category. These awards are separate from the Popular Vote.

All Awardees will be announced and honored at GLEE’s Annual Meeting & Green Living Awards Ceremony, to be held from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, March 13 at the Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
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In Memory of Fran Wagner: Fund Honors Rainwater Harvesting Pioneer

Fran and Mali WagnerFran Wagner passed away in January leaving behind a legacy of green living and resourceful thinking.

An engineer who studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Fran and his wife Mali have both served as models in resource conservation. The couple was presented a GLEE Green Living Award in 2009 in recognition of their innovation and tenacity.

When sewer lines replaced the need for septic tanks in the Saddlebunch Keys, Fran converted his septic tank into a cistern. Harvesting rainwater for non-potable purposes, the converted cistern helped the Wagners reduce their water and wastewater expenses, while also reducing run-off into near shore waters. After diligent research and repeated visits to Florida's Department of Health, the Wagners demonstrated that septic tanks could be flushed, sanitized and converted to cisterns. The Department of Health has since established a statewide septic-conversion rule. Because of Fran's efforts, millions of gallons of free rainwater will be put to good use.

The family requests that donations in Fran’s memory be made to GLEE’s Fran Wagner Memorial Fund. Please make your contribution in memory of Fran.

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February Focus: Water Quality & Ocean Awareness

As increasing ocean acidity threatens our marine food chain and Florida legislators consider offshore oil drilling, GLEE encourages Keys residents to take action. Below are links to help you address these threats to our oceans by educating others, taking action and supporting organizations that are working to protect our waters.

Ocean Acidification Guide: Ocean acidity has increased by 30 per cent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and the rate of acidification will accelerate in the coming decades, according to a new guide launched at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change summit. The results could spell disaster for critical parts of the marine food chain, with consequences for fishing communities and the global fishing industry, and wide-scale destruction of marine reefs. Download this guide and post it in your home, workplace or anywhere others will learn from it.

Hands Across the Sand - On Feb. 13, 2010, everyone will have an opportunity to show their opposition to oil drilling off Florida’s coast. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our shoreline, our tourism, our valuable properties and our way of life. Your passion for protecting our waterways and beaches from the devastating effects of oil drilling while sending elected officials a message can be demonstrated with a day at the beach.

Reef Relief - Founders of Reef Relief Craig and DeeVon Quirolo have developed a major project to provide an online resource on coral reefs. Their new website provides all the award-winning educational tools, grassroots strategies, project reports and images of coral reefs assembled during their work over the past 23 years in the Florida Keys and throughout the Caribbean protecting coral reefs. You can find this information and support their work at www.reefrelieffounders.com.

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Green Business Certification Program Gains New Partners

Florida Keys Electric Cooperative (FKEC) and Leigh Ann’s Coffee House are the latest additions to GLEE’s certified Green Business Program. Although the two businesses are very different in the product and services they provide, they do share a common trait. Both have greened their operations to minimize their impact on the environment, reduce solid waste and conserve natural resources. These actions also help reduce the cost of doing business, build employee morale and provide a marketing tool and positive community image.

FKEC receives GBP certification

FKEC receives GBP certification.

The FKEC Operation Center in Tavernier was certified last month following an on-site assessment of the 62,000-square-foot, poured concrete facility. Among the buildings energy efficient features are a 30,000-gallon cistern for watering landscape and washing the FKEC fleet of more than 100 vehicles. All rainwater from the roof is channeled into the cistern along with most condensation from air- conditioning systems. The facility uses high-efficiency chillers in lieu of standard central air and was built with a reflective white roof membrane to reduce heat and cooling expenses. Louvered red "eyebrow" overhangs direct natural light into windows while keeping direct sunlight out, and a solar-assisted water heating system includes four, 120-gallon units on the roof for emergency back up use. Coral rock mined from the site was reused on the front face of the building and for a front fence with minimal cost. Recycled building materials were used where possible and an energy-saving cross-ventilation design is used in the open-air warehouse. Inside, dual flush toilets and waterless urinals help conserve water, while a master lighting system turns building lights off at night and on in the morning. In addition to the structural

Leigh Ann's Coffee House becomes certified in GBP.

Leigh Ann's Coffee House becomes certified in GBP.

At Leigh Ann’s Coffee House, owners Leigh Ann and Pierre educate staff to recycle, compost and conserve energy. The 900-square-foot restaurant composts food scraps, recycles and uses 100 percent compostable and eco-friendly products. The rich compost material created from organic waste goes into a small backyard garden where the couple grows vegetables and herbs. The furniture in the cozy coffee house is reclaimed, as are the coffee mugs that are replenished with Salvation Army finds. A new deck is constructed of recycled resin and old shoes and roller skates serve as planters, adding to the character of the coffee shop that also sells baked goods, wine and gourmet cheese, among other specialties. In an effort to reduce energy consumption, Pierre removed the heat-producing compressors from two display coolers and installed them outside the café, eliminating the heat, as well as the additional load on the AC. Each is now operated by a remote. No water is wasted with AC condensation routed to plants and all dishes washed by hand. Local produce and honey are used, while condiments like sugar and jam are now served in refillable containers to eliminate the waste of individual packets.
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Thumbs Up

The Key West City Commission responded positively to a Zero Waste Workshop presentation with a 10-year strategy to resource recovery attended also by residents. Learn more about how Key West can begin a resource recovery process that will reduce GHG, conserve natural resources, save residents money and create local jobs.

A Zero Waste presentation made to county employees earlier that day was attended by County Extension Director Doug Gregory, Commissioner George Nuegent and his Assistant Terri Marble, County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Deputy County Administrator Debbie Frederick, County Engineer Elizabeth Wood, Solid Waste Staff Member Amy Shabdue and County Green Initiative Task Force Members Jed Regante, David Tuttle, Les Faust and Chris Fogarty.

Recycled at the Key West Seafood Festival: 1200 lbs of cardboard, 800 lbs of mixed glass, cans & plastics, 400 lbs of other waste. The resource recovery was led by Recycling Ambassadors, including city employees and county solid waste staff who all provided guidance and education.

John HammerstromJohn Hammerstrom was honored as GLEE’s Unsung Hero at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys award ceremony in January.

John and his wife Diane Marshall live in Key Largo in a home certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition. When they built a Green Home in Key Largo, they laid the groundwork for GLEE.

Always a dynamic duo, the couple began building their energy efficient and innovative sustainable home in 2000. Doing the leg work for their home led them on a journey that included researching products and materials, finding and educating contractors that could work with these materials and sharing that information with others who were interested in the process. The ‘sharing’ part ultimately became GLEE.

John is GLEE’s Unsung Hero because he has done more than simply work hard to fulfill his own dream of a beautiful green home. The rain that falls onto John’s roof is “harvested” and used for all the couple’s water needs. Inspired by the simplicity, efficiency and history of cisterns in the Keys, John created a lecture series that shared information with the community. He championed the work of Fran Wagner, who made it possible for residents to convert their abandoned septic tanks into cisterns.

John ‘s enthusiasm for learning and being part of the solution has led him to become an Accredited Professional of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA), where John now serves as a board member.

Always a proponent of education, in 2009 John created green continuing education courses for building industry workers who are required to take CEU courses regularly. Through these courses, which included rainwater harvesting certification, participants gained skills that would keep local builders working while bringing the Keys more potential for green building projects.

John was also instrumental in the implementation of a rebate program offered by the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority for rainwater harvesting using cisterns. He serves on the county’s Green Initiative Task Force, which is in the process of assessing green projects that could receive federal stimulus funds.

Through John Hammerstrom’s efforts, every citizen of Monroe County can take advantage of opportunities to save money while living with respect for our natural resources.

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Thumbs Down

Florida’s DEP report to the legislature on the 75% state recycling goal suggests waste burned in Florida’s waste-to-energy plants could account for 12% of the goal through “renewable energy.” Burning resources to create energy has not proven to be economically or environmentally efficient. But there’s hope that this misnomer will be challenged. The report qualifies the recommendation with the following: “The law allows renewable energy from solid waste to count towards the 75% goal. However, measuring that contribution presents a challenge. Consequently, DEP intends to appoint an ad hoc Technical Advisory Group to help develop a methodology for calculating and crediting WTE production.” The entire report is available here.
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GLEE Want Ads

Bloggers, writers, students of green living and energy issues needed to contribute to the monthly GLEE e-newsletter. info@KeysGLEE.com

Door to door canvassers being sought to continue the Key West Recycles education program. Community goodwill required. Materials supplied. info@KeysGLEE.com

Neighborhood volunteer coordinators – If you already have a neighborhood network, please contact us at info@KeysGLEE.com and share what you are working on or would like to accomplish.

GLEE Volunteer Coordinator – Needed: Someone to connect the green dots throughout the county to help build a stronger network. Work with data base, use Facebook and coordinate volunteer efforts. 10 hrs. per month requested. In lieu of payment, bartering options considered. info@KeysGLEE.com

The Big Pine Academy Eco-Class is expanding our garden project and needs help with an irrigation system, more indigenous plants, and outdoor furniture. Green technology and materials for the benches, cabinets and signs. Any suggestions or donations appreciated. Contact: Elizabeth Ripkey, bripkey@gmail.com or 305-744-0618.

Are you a "green people person"? The monthly Upper Keys Green Drinks is an informal gathering of people with an interest in local sustainability issues. Time commitment is approximately 3-4 hours per month, including attending the social event to greet and engage new faces. UK Green Drinks occur the first Thursday of each month from 6-8pm at various eco-minded restaurants throughout the Upper Keys. Contact: Karen Beal at kbeal1@aol.com
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