Clemson Gets Grant for Wind Energy Study

Clemson University has been awarded $98 million for research to support wind energy! It is the largest single grant ever received by the university, according to the Clemson Newsroom. The Department of Energy (DOE) is giving Clemson $45 million in federal financing under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Local sources are providing $53 million in matching money.

In this five-year grant, Clemson's Restoration Institute and its partners will test newly developed wind turbines and drive trains, in a facility to be built on the former Navy base in North Charleston. In the short term, the Institute estimates the initiative will create at least 113 temporary jobs associated with construction of the facility and 21 permanent jobs. It also will generate 568 indirect jobs for a total of 852 jobs.

Also, the market for wind energy is increasing in the other nine states along the East Coast. An off-shore wind farm is shown in the photo at left, from the DOE. South Carolina already has GE Energy’s wind turbine plant in Greenville, and port, rail and shipbuilding facilities near Charleston. With this exciting new research program, the state may become a hub for the industry, according to Nick Rigas, director of the Institute’s Renewable Energy focus area. In fact, the DOE estimates that the state could gain 10,000 to 20,000 new jobs related to the wind power industry, over the next 20 years.

“This is a great example of how a research university like Clemson can be a catalyst for economic development,” University President James F. Barker said. “We have expertise in many fields — energy, engineering, sustainability — as well as a track record of successful collaboration between the university and our partners in industry and the public sector." The university’s partners in this project are: the Charleston Naval Complex Redevelopment Authority; the State of South Carolina; the SC Department of Commerce; SC Public Railways; the SC State Ports Authority; and private partners RENK AG, Tony Bakker and James Meadors.

Planning and construction of the facility will begin in the first quarter of 2010 with a targeted operational date in the third quarter of 2012. We applaud the hard work of everyone that made this project a reality!

For more information, contact Nick Rigas or (843) 554-7226, ext. 114.

2009 Sustainable North Carolina Awards

Thursday night, Sustainable North Carolina (SNC) gave awards to groups and individuals that advance sustainability in our state. Click on the names of this year's award winners to find out more about the great work they are doing!

The first three awards go to businesses:
The Triple Bottom Line award is for a company that successfully integrates social, environmental, and economic objectives. The winner is SAS. For their many constructive efforts, we applaud this company, that built a one-megawatt solar farm, generating 1.7 million kilowatt hours per year, using "sheep to maintain the grass for the array." This year, the company also offered its SAS Curriculum Pathways free to educators and students in grades 8-14 for schools in the United States. Thank you!
Entrepreneurship recognizes Riley Life Industries, a small business that demonstrates a positive impact on its employees, community and environment.
The Innovation award goes to BreezePlay. Their energy management systems can be useful for individuals, communities, and energy providers.

The Catalyst award is given to non-profits, government agencies and educational institutions for outreach initiatives that have broad positive impact. This year the two winners are Central Piedmont Community College and Natural Capital Investment Fund.
More winning categories provided additional recognition for nominees. The Champions award recognized efforts for advancing sustainable “triple bottom line” approaches in our state’s businesses and institutions, and was presented to Patricia Johnson, City of Gastonia; and Eric Henry, T.S. Designs. Walking Fish/Duke University was selected for the new SparK Award for the most inspiring finalist.

For the event, they also asked three local caterers for culinary creations. Square Rabbit, Green Planet Catering and Kaplan Catering accepted the challenge, using organic and local foods. The audience chose Green Planet Catering as the winner for the Chefs Sustainability Challenge this year.

Congratulations to all the winners, and all the nominees for your work. Thanks so much to SNC, for creatively linking economic prosperity, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship together. For complete results, see 2009 Finalists and Winners.

Duke University To Go Climate Neutral

We applaud Duke University's plan to become "climate neutral" by 2024, one hundred years after its establishment. "Duke has long been a major center for the study of the environment," President Richard H. Brodhead said. "We are committed to being a leader in best practices in responding to climate change.” Since 2003, their new buildings have met the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

William Chameides, Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, and others began in 2007 to assess the university’s greenhouse gas emissions. It's about 300,000 metric tons, caused mostly by energy and transportation uses. Duke is addressing these, converting the East Campus steam plant to run on natural gas, for example. The plan includes reducing the number of commuters who drive to campus alone and increasing the number of those who take buses or park-and-ride shuttles. The university intends to offset the emissions it cannot reduce by investing in projects that improve the local environment. An example might be helping North Carolina farmers capture methane and other harmful gases found in hog waste.

More information is available at Duke News and the Raleigh News-Observer.

Play on National Public Lands Day

A free event to celebrate National Public Lands Day is happening at the Cradle of Forestry on Saturday, September 26th. A Naturalist will lead a "Water Wonders" (Maravillas del Agua) walk on the paved Forest Festival Trail. The tour will tell about public lands and how the forests affect watersheds and water quality. Kids ages 5-12 can then play in a short game to learn more about the water cycle. This program is presented in both English and Spanish, at different time periods. The Cradle of Forestry has free admission for everyone on this special day!

Habitat Weatherization - Volunteer Sept 26

Welcome to the home of Henry and Bertha Buchanan! Last month volunteers from Habitat for Humanity and the Sierra Club arrived to weatherize their house. It's part of a plan to preserve affordable housing, while reducing the need for energy. And the Buchanans will save on their monthly power bills. At 7 a.m. this Saturday morning, the partnership will tackle two more houses in South Charlotte. Want to help?

This project is exciting because of how well the pieces fit together. Sierra Club's Charlotte Cool Cities focuses on environmental education. For this, a laboratory is needed, and it is provided by Habitat for Humanity’s Critical Home Repairs Division. Tim O'Neil, of Habitat, says the Division has focused on necessities for owner-occupied homes, such as roofs and floors, to make them safer and drier. Now they are adding weatherization, to help conserve energy and to help the owners save money.

In the photo at left, volunteers are repairing the furnace ductwork, usually a leading cause of energy loss. Before the work begins, Matthew Coapman, of Greenhome, is donating comprehensive home energy audits and teaching volunteers. Some very eager volunteers are students in the Sustainable Technology program, begun this fall by Central Piedmont Community College. Mark Helms, CPCC's Director of Service Learning, met with a class in Energy Efficiency recently to explain this project. The class of 27 students is divided into 4 teams; each team will participate in the weatherization of at least one home, the first one this weekend.

Besides helping our neighbors stay warmer this winter, all parties plan to extend this project outward. The Sierra Club plans to share this model program nationally. Helms wants to prepare packets, to hand out at conferences, on replicable design. The goals would be learning how to do energy audits and weatherizations, lowering carbon footprints, and helping people save their homes.

If you can't make it this month, you can join in continuing efforts on this project. For more information, please contact Eric Geppi or call (704) 343-0047.

Buchanan and Sarah Little, relaxing on the porch after a job well done.

All photos by Rob Singh-Latulipe, copyright 2009.

River Trip!

The Riverspeak News from the Winyah Rivers Foundation offers an upcoming paddle trip on the Waccamaw River. This photo, taken by Ed Kay, shows members of the Yakkity Yakers Club on a previous river run. The paddle series, “If The River Could Talk,” continues with a new trip you can join. On Saturday, October 3rd, the morning float on the Waccamaw River departs at 9 a.m. from Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, SC. We can row along with the Waccamaw Riverkeeper and Foundation members to enjoy the river's delights.

A reservation is required. Contact Winyah Rivers Foundation in Conway, SC; 843-349-4007, wrk@coastal.edu, or www.winyahrivers.org for more details.

Asparagus Twilight Meeting

This evening, the farm of Mr. Garnett Carr in Roxboro, NC, will host an asparagus how-to class. I thought it was difficult, but the announcement states that this high-value vegetable crop is easy to grow.

Presented by Carl Cantaluppi, a Horticulture Agent for the NC Cooperative Extension Service, the meeting will tour variety trial plots planted there. They will examine yields, discuss soil requirements, fertility, insect control, and harvesting of asparagus. Cantaluppi will show us how to plant year-old crowns, and explain costs and marketing.

The meeting is free and open to the public. It's part of several great initiatives to help growers transform agricultural land from tobacco fields into healthy and profitable farms. Want to go? There is no pre-registration needed. It's at 6 p.m. on 980 Flem Clayton Road, Roxboro, NC. Reach Carl Cantaluppi for more information at 919-603-1350. Maybe we'll see you there!

Mountain Aid Festival in NC, June 19-20

Kathy Mattea, a self- described "recovering country music star," will be the host and feature performer at the Mountain Aid festival June 19th and 20th. Others appearing include Donna the Buffalo, the Slim Redmond Band, and Ben Sollee. This year's proceeds will go to the Pennies of Promise campaign, to build a school for the children of Marsh Fork Elementary. Their current school, in Raleigh County, West Virginia, is threatened by a coal sludge impoundment in the hills above them.

Mountain Aid 2009 will be held at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival farm, near Pittsboro, North Carolina. Tickets are $22.50 in advance and $30 on the concert day; kids are free. Gates will open at noon on June 19th. Tent camping is $10, vehicle camping, $4.

Robert Redford Gets LEAF Award

As Earth Month draws to a close, let's recognize Duke University's brand new LEAF Award, for Lifetime Environmental Achievement in the Fine Arts.

Robert Redford received the first LEAF during Duke's Reunion Activities. The photo at left is from Duke News. Since the early 70's, he has shown his concern for the environment and the arts in his films, and has used his talents and resources to share it with others. He has taken a leadership role in non-profits such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Apollo Alliance. He has lobbied Congress and convened conferences on these issues.

"Robert Redford’s body of work as an actor, director, producer . . . highlights the critical but often underappreciated role artists can play in inspiring people to take action for the environment,” said William L. Chameides, dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment.

For more information about the award or Redford's long career, see The Duke LEAF Award. The site includes video of the award ceremony and audio of Redford's acceptance speech.

At News 14's interview, Redford was asked how the award would be compared with getting an Oscar. He said, "I like this a lot."

Sunshine, Please

After many days of rain, everyone is ready to get out. Let's play in the sun, and dig in the dirt! If you are ready to plant something, check out the native plant sales in the area. Native plants require less work, and grow better and easier than other species. They behave themselves, and don't require you to trim them (with a machete) in a couple of years. Some non-natives are invasive, even pretty ones like wisterias and English ivy.

The NC/SC Native Plant Sale is this weekend, at the Museum of York County on Saturday, April 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The sale features iris, cardinal flower, butterfly weed, and native blueberry plants.

Greenville, SC hosts a Native Plant Society Sale on Saturday, April 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The sale will be held by the Upstate Chapter in the parking lot of Jeff Lynch Appliances in Greenville. Here is its Flyer, SCNPS_09Spring_sale.pdf.

Also on April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon, is the Spring Native Plant Sale and Bog Garden Workshop. The Lowcountry Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society presents it in the parking lot of Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, in Charleston. They also offer the Bog Garden Workshop at 10:00 a.m. Here is that Plant Sale Flyer/Poster.

Look for several events on the 25th: first, the TLC Irvin Learning Farm Primavera Preview, a mouthful that I can't say three times fast. Another event in North Carolina that day is the Duke Gardens Plant and Craft Festival, with music, crafts, and more.

The South Carolina Botanical Garden Plant Sale is also on April 25th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can talk to Master Gardeners there about plant selection and care. All proceeds benefit the SC Botanical Garden at Clemson, 295 acres of natural landscapes, gardens, streams, and nature trails. I really want to see the 400 varieties of camellias there!

Blue Balloons!

"Bless your buttons," my Grandmother used to say. That was my feeling, when I saw the blue balloon buttons all over the area on the Earth Hour map. Thank you to Laurens, and Columbia, South Carolina for joining in; we are so glad you are participating. In North Carolina we see Wilmington, New Bern, Fayetteville, Raleigh, Carrboro, Winston-Salem, Davidson, Charlotte, Asheville, and Dillsboro are turning off the power switches. We thank you, and thank all the companies and organizations supporting this world-wide effort.

We can all act to conserve our Earth's resources, and we can think about making wiser choices in our everyday actions to protect our environment. Please join in by turning off on Saturday, at 8:30 p.m. How beautiful the sky will be as we look up together, and see the heavens in their own natural light!

Community Winners

One award was given to Jasper County, SC, to help in the restoration of their farmer's market in Ridgeland. You'll enjoy the video on their website, about how an old bean shed became Jasper County Farmer's Market and Auction Center. This season, the retail market will be open on Fridays, beginning April 24.

At Riverview Charter School in Beaufort, volunteers from the Ward Edwards Company will help start a school-community program. Students will be able to learn about the region's local history, culture, and natural environment. In Hardeeville, they will work with the Jasper County School District in curriculum development. The High School and the Middle School Math/Science and Engineering Academy will be involved.

Lowcountry Local First, of North Charleston, SC, received a grant. The dollars will go toward LLF's development of Farm Fresh Food Guide, a local food directory to go online this spring. Another innovation of LLF, in partnership with the SC Department of Agriculture, is already in place: A few dozen restaurants have agreed to buy at least 25% of their menu from the State's sources. They display the Fresh on the Menu logo, shown at left.

And one of the stewardship awards went to the City of Savannah, GA, to make the city more bicycle friendly. This supports their Thrive Initiative; it began when the Mayor and City Council members signed a pledge to do everything they could to promote a healthy, sustainable environment in Savannah.

These five projects will receive a total of $9,000 in grants or in-kind contributions in this year's Healthy Community Grant Program. The competition, sponsored by the Ward Edwards Company, encourages non-profit organizations that want to improve the environment in coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

“New ideas, like the projects promoted by our grants, are the best economic development, and we need that more than ever in these difficult financial times,” said Allen Ward, President of Ward Edwards. Congratulations to the winners; and also to the company, for their vision and important contributions to the area.

Lead on, Lincolnton!

This just in: We have our first Earth Hour 2009 city in the Carolinas! Around 25 students from Lincolnton High School attended a City Council meeting to make a request. The students, members of the AP Earth and Environmental Science class, proposed that their town participate in Earth Hour and turn off all non-essential lights at 8:30 p.m. on March 28. The petition was granted, and Lincolnton, NC became the first Earth Hour city in the Carolinas. Thanks to your young people for leading the way!

An Hour's Difference

We are enjoying our beautiful weather today! This is one of the lovely times of year when the temperatures are so comfortable, heating or cooling is unnecessary.

Time went forward an hour this weekend for Daylight Savings, and as we adapt to the change in routines, I'm thinking of another hour marking this month. Our readers have asked us to participate in Earth Hour 2009, on March 28th, at 8:30 p.m. It is a collaborative effort (that's what we like best), working to bring the world's attention to how much energy we use, how much we need, and how we can conserve it.

Earth Hour is a global 'wave,' like arms up in concert at an arena. Like a voice or instrument raised in song, it can be wonderful; but with many voices in synchronicity, the effect is fantastic. We participated last year, and the family delighted in candlelight and darkness so much that it has been repeated-- and again requested-- just for the fun of it. Let the kids prepare by playing at a place just for them.

In looking at the web site for Earth Hour, there are no Carolina towns or businesses signed up to participate. The closest city to us listed is Atlanta. Atlanta! We love 'em, but hey, if they can rock it, then surely we can too!

So we are challenging ourselves to see who can be the Carolina leader in Earth Hour. We are writing and talking to towns and cities and businesses. Help us in asking them to put us on the Earth Hour map. We can have a fun community event that will save us money in energy bills!

Driving Clean

This spring, Clean Transportation, based at NC State University, will recognize individuals and groups for building better vehicles or advancing better fuel. They will present Mobile Clean Air Renewable Energy (CARE) awards in several categories.

Local pioneers are making a difference: reducing gasoline consumption and working to reduce air pollution. We've written about biodiesel fuel made from waste vegetable oils, and the conversion of gas-burners to electric cars. Golf carts, some with solar-powered batteries, are adapted to a variety of uses.

The City of Asheville was the 2008 Mobile CARE winner in the Public Fleet category. Their fleet includes eight compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. CNG is a clean burning, low carbon fuel. The City constructed the area's first public refueling station for CNG, in Mobile CARE's photo shown at left. A hospital nearby also uses the Asheville station to fuel its natural gas vehicles.

The 2009 Mobile CARE awards will be presented at the State Energy's Sixth Annual North Carolina Sustainable Energy Conference, April 14th to 15th at NC State. After that, drivers will be off on a Clean Transportation Technology Caravan, stopping at Greensboro and Charlotte on April 16th. So nominate someone by March 13, or register your own vehicle to drive in the Driving Clean and Green North Carolina Tour!

Run or Walk for Water Saturday

It's the 8K Run & 5K Family Fun Walk to Preserve and Improve Water Quality in the Charleston Area! Runners and walkers will head out from Folly Beach, SC, on Saturday, February 21st at 9 a.m.

The event is hosted annually by the Masters of Environmental Studies Student Association (MESSA) of the College of Charleston. All proceeds are donated to a local non-profit group working to improve water quality. Last year over 250 runners participated, raising $4,000 for the Friends of the Edisto (FRED).

This year's race will benefit LowCountry Earth Force. Fees are $25 for the Run and $20 for the Walk. Get more information and register at MESSA. More sponsors needed! To volunteer or to be a sponsor at this year's race, please contact the race director, Sarah Mooney.

Champions, Enter by March 13

Kids can make some green for being green! There is time for South Carolina kids to compete in the Champions of the Environment annual contest. Entries are due March 13, 2009 for the Environmental Awareness Middle School Competition. It is open to middle school-aged students: 6th, 7th and 8th graders in a public, private, or home school setting. Students can enter in the essay or poster division. Cash awards will be given in each division, up to $150 cash.

The theme for essays and posters is: “What Being Green Means To Me.” Entries must be submitted by a teacher, advisor or home school parent. Students can also contact the Champions’ coordinator to find out how to enter at (803) 898-4394 or lasallli@dhec.sc.gov. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation. This April, winners will be recognized at the Champions of the Environment Celebration at the South Carolina State Museum.

The poster shown at right is the 2008 Winner of First Place by Desmond S., of William J. Clark Middle School, in Orangeburg, SC. The web site of the SCDHEC also has grant awards for schools, and some great project ideas!

Juice for Cool Earth

Wait! Before you recycle that orange juice container, take a closer look at it. I almost missed the side that shows the promotion for Tropicana's Rescue the Rainforest. Their offer says that you can save 100 square feet of rainforest for every carton code you enter on a web site.

They ask for name, address, and e-mail, and you have the option to receive electronic announcements. That's something I'm willing to give for the effort to save acres of rainforest. This project with Cool Earth continues through the end of this year.

The company says, "We are committed to being respectful of mother nature and responsible in our use of natural resources... From turning our orange rinds into animal feed to utilizing renewable landfill gas to help power one of our plants, we continually look for new ways to reduce our impact on the environment."

Thanks, Tropicana. That makes the juice taste even sweeter.

Birds in Snow

It is really enjoyable to see what's happened This Week at Hilton Pond. The snow cover wasn't amazing this past week, but the bird studies really are. Be sure to scroll down that page to see the great photographs and read about them all. There is a good deal of information at Hilton Pond Center of Piedmont Natural History in York County, SC.

Director Bill Hilton Jr. is apparently heading for Costa Rica about this time to band hummingbirds in his Operation Rubythroat. Hmm.... it says space is still available for week two of this project. It would be so wonderful to go! For right now, I'll plan a field trip when he returns to Hilton Pond. What a treat it is to have such a resource and naturalist here.

Carolina Cooler on Jan. 24th

What's a Cool City? The Sierra Club says it has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions levels. On the Cool Cities America site, we can find local cities listed, from Bethania, NC, to Charleston, SC. Each city pursues its goal in its own way. A Cool City could increase its use of hybrid cars and renewable energy. Another might choose to connect greenways to bus routes and implement energy-efficient building codes.

Sierra's NC Chapter is offering a workshop, Building Solutions for Cool Cities, in Winston-Salem. Raleigh's project will be featured. Participants will hear about constructing or rehabbing municipal buildings for energy efficiency, along with steps toward LEED certification (explained here by Wikipedia).

It's this Saturday, January 24th, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Worrel Building, Wake Forest Law School, in Winston-Salem, NC. For more information and registration, please call 919-833-8467.

On the Wing

If you have ever thought of visiting Wing Haven Gardens and Bird Sanctuary in Charlotte, Thursday would be a good time. Michael Balough will begin this year's lecture series, speaking about Dwarf Conifers in Southern Gardens. Wing Haven, almost three acres enclosed in brick walls, includes formal gardens, fountains, and statuary, integrated with woodland areas and paths, as shown in the photo at right.

The lecture series is appropriate for novice or expert gardeners. Speakers will include authors, horticulturists, garden designers and conservators. There are also many other ways to get involved in Wing Haven. The education department offers a full schedule of public events: garden tours, workshops, classes for children and adults, and plant sales. Volunteers are welcome; gardeners are always needed in the nursery. A new group will help in the Herb Garden the first Thursday of the month, and others will be recruited to work with the antique plants in the Rose Garden.

Elizabeth Barnhill Clarkson wrote that her gardens "were no less than a paradise to the thousands of feathered guests, both winter and summer." Wing Haven continues to provide excellent habitats for many kinds of birds.

During this year, Wing Haven plans to open the garden of Elizabeth Lawrence. She produced very successful books about plants that she watched and studied. Her garden, located at 348 Ridgewood Avenue, will be also used to teach about preserving green space and conserving the environment.

The Balough presentation will be held at Wing Haven, 248 Ridgewood Avenue in Charlotte, on Thursday, January 22nd at 9:30 a.m. If you are interested in volunteering or finding out more about their programs, call Wing Haven at 704-331-0664.

Got Carbage?

Last month, a South Carolina group launched a company to create a better car litter bag. Do-GreenNow, based in Hilton Head, calls it the CarbageSac, intended to prevent highway litter. They must hate roadway trash as much as we do.

The idea began in a pick-up truck on the way to a recycling center. President Bretton Griffin says it is designed to hang from the glove compartment or headrest posts, for collecting litter in your vehicle. Griffin points out that it could also be good on boats; the water does need to stay clean too.

They say the well-designed bag can be imprinted as a marketing tool, for advertisers to distribute as an environmental initiative. We like it when someone works to clean up the joint! Get more information and contact the company at CarbageSac or phone (843) 384-6535.

Citizens for the Planet

"Who threw out Aunt Emma's bug spray?"

Here's a fun way learn about caring for our world. There are some neat resources on Citizens for Planet Earth, an educational campaign for the PBS series Journey to Planet Earth, hosted by Matt Damon. Another area offers field adventures that explore environmental issues. Check it out!