EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

from the (Pikeville) Medical Leader:

EKSC to construct permanent exhibit: Governor OKs $400,000 grant for energy-themed project

By: Mary Music - mary.music@pikevillehospital.org, Staff Writer
Published: 05/16/2008

PRESTONSBURG — The Eastern Kentucky Science Center is a step closer to constructing a new interactive energy exhibit after Governor Steve Beshear recommended his approval of a $400,000 grant.

Beshear and Tony Wilder, the commissioner of the Governor’s Office for Local Development, toured the center on May 6 with students and teachers from Jackson Independent Schools. Area officials were also present, including former Governor Paul Patton and his wife, Judi.

Beshear also announced his recommendation for the approval of a $400,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant that will fund the construction of Energy Transformations, a permanent interactive exhibit that will interest students in careers in science, technology engineering and mathematics. The Floyd County Fiscal Court has already allocated $100,000 in coal severance money for the exhibit.

In constructing the exhibit, the center hopes to decrease its dependence on expensive traveling exhibits and, promote interest in math and science. Once completed, the exhibit will be on display for half the year and then it will be stored on campus or leased to other institutions.

An advisory group consisting of center staff, teachers and volunteer patrons developed the concept for Energy Transformations. The Cincinnati Museum Center designed the initial exhibit concept in collaboration with the advisory group, the Floyd County Fiscal Court, Chesapeake Energy, Interstate Natural Gas and the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Corporation.

The exhibit pieces are workstations that explore aspects of different types of energy. Students who see the exhibit will learn what energy is, where it comes from, how it moves through systems, where energy is found, how it impacts the environment, were new energy sources can be located in the future and how to wisely use energy resources.

The East Kentucky Science Center draws in students from surrounding Kentucky counties and other states, he said. Each year, more than 10,000 people from over 22 Kentucky counties and 16 states visit the center.

The center opened in 1998 as a reaction to low student test scores in math and science, Beshear said.

“With the addition of a permanent Energy Transformations exhibit to the East Kentucky Science Center, we see the alignment of three key issues critical to Kentucky’s future,” he said. “First, improving the math and science skills of our children. Second, promoting the public’s understanding of energy production, supply, conservation and use. And finally, drawing additional tourism to this region.”

Appalachian Regional Commission grant applications are submitted to the Governor’s Office of Local Development for review. The grants can not be awarded without a recommendation from the governor. No project activity can begin until the ARC gives final federal approval.

During the Governor’s visit to the science center last week, the Pikeville Rotary Club donated $5,000 to the center’s student access program. Dr. Seema Sachdeva, president of the Pikeville Rotary Club, said her daughters visit the center and come home “beaming” about what they learned.

..........

from the Richmond Register:

Saving the river

Students working to help preserve Kentucky River

Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer
Published: May 12, 2008 08:25 am

The final exam for several Eastern Kentucky University students is more about just getting a good grade.

For a group of eight students under the leadership of professor Alan Banks, director of the EKU Center for Appalachian Studies, their final exam could result in saving the Kentucky River.

Students Ivy Brashear, Christopher Mullikin, Kelley Davidson, Ashley Evans, Ashley Hallis, Warren Oliver, Jeremy Roberts and Gary Underwood have worked to compile survey questions that are being distributed to elected officials representing the 41 counties located along the Kentucky River watershed.

The students met Wednesday at The Waterfront restaurant to discuss their initiative with local elected officials.

The Center for Appalachian Studies partnered with the Kentucky Riverkeepers to do a survey to get an idea of what is important to local elected representatives.

The surveys are a part of the project’s first phase which eventually will include a filmed documentary about the importance of saving the Kentucky River. It will be a two-year process, said Kentucky Riverkeepers and Berea artist Pat Banks.

“It’s going to be a great process,” said Kentucky Riverkeepers Pat Banks. “We hope to use these surveys to write grants, to bring resources to our region to make things happen.”

The 45-question survey asks officials what they consider important and relevant to their respective communities. Categories include community assets, problem areas in their communities and what they think about several issues related to the use, marketing and preservation of the Kentucky River.

The experience of compiling questions for the survey was a learning experience in itself for Brashear.

“It was a team effort,” she said. “I learned a lot about activism and how you get things done in an organized fashion. We also learned how to get results and how to reach the goal that you’re working toward in a civil manner.”

Richmond Mayor Connie Lawson expressed her love and appreciation for the Kentucky River at Wednesday’s meeting, but also said she was aware of its deterioration.

“The river, as we have known it, is gone,” Lawson said. “It breaks my heart.”

Rules and regulations have been put in place that many ignore, according to Pat Banks.

“There are laws in place for clean water, but we can’t swim in our river or eat our fish,” she said.

The Kentucky River was a large part of Mullikin’s childhood, but he has seen the decline in the community’s interest in the river, he said.

“The (Kentucky) river needs more publicity,” he said. “When was the last time you saw a commercial for the Kentucky River? I think we need to change people’s opinion about the river.”

The main goal of the EKU/Kentucky Riverkeepers relationship is to identify ways to find resources that can help increase community awareness about the needs of the Kentucky River and create a vision for the river’s future, Banks said.

The Kentucky Riverkeepers is a non-profit organization and is sponsored by the EKU Center for Appalachian Studies.

Send an e-mail to kyriverkeeper@eku.edu or call 622-1622 for more information about the project or the Kentucky Riverkeepers organization.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.

..........

from the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) website:

MACED Launches Energy Efficient Enterprises Project

May 8, 2008

Berea, Ky — The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development announced recently the launch of Energy Efficient Enterprises (E3) to enhance the financial strength of businesses and organizations and to benefit the natural environment. The program helps enterprises realize cost savings through the use of energy efficient equipment and systems or through renewable energy sources.

With rising energy prices, many companies are paying more for natural gas, propane and electricity. These vital inputs are cutting into profit margins and weakening the ability of businesses to invest in their futures.

In addition, growing awareness of the effects of carbon dioxide on climate change has spurred many people to seek ways to reduce emissions through greater energy efficiency and the adoption of other energy sources such as wind, solar and low impact hydro-electric power.

In response, MACED developed the E3 program. It begins with an on-site energy assessment, followed by recommendations for change and assistance with identifying and choosing an independent installation company. MACED provides financing for identified improvements at low rates and flexible terms for each enterprise.

According to Joshua Bills, MACED’s energy specialist, “Businesses and organizations that seek to be successful financially and which are careful to protect the natural world around them are the cornerstone of a vibrant Appalachia. By investing in energy efficiency, enterprises can be more profitable, improve working conditions and reduce negative effects on the environment. With the money saved from energy efficiency measures, enterprises may then choose to invest in renewable energy sources, further reducing their environmental impact.”

MACED is a 31-year-old nonprofit organization that works in eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia to create economic opportunity, strengthen democracy and support the sustainable use of natural resources. To find out more about MACED’s E3 project, visit www.maced.org or contact MACED’s energy specialist, Joshua Bills, at 859-986-2373 or jbills@maced.org.

The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide

The Second Edition of The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide is now available through ASPI Publications. The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide is a comprehensive resource for those interested in using solar energy in Kentucky. The Second Edition contains updated chapters on financial incentives, renewable energy and green building professionals in Kentucky, a new case study, and an updated cover!

The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide can be purchased from ASPI Publications for $13.95 plus shipping and handling. Due to our commitment to the environment, the Guide is printed on high-quality, 100% post-consumer, process-chlorine free recycled paper.

Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest
50 Lair Street
Mount Vernon, KY 40456
Phone (606)256-0077 (9am-4pm EST)

Shipping and Handling:

1-5 copies......$4.00
6-10 copies....$6.00
11+copies......please call for rates.

For more information (including excerpts from the Guide) visit the Kentucky Solar Partnership website.

...........

from the Kentucky Solar Partnership website:

Low-Interest Loans for Solar Water Heaters

The Kentucky Solar Partnership (KSP) and the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) are partnering to offer low interest loans for the installation of solar water heaters. Loans cover the full equipment and installation cost. Interest rates are fixed at 6.0%. All loans are to be repaid in monthly installments, with a fixed term of six years.

Who can apply?

Residents and businesses in Eastern Kentucky are eligible to apply. A credit check is required before final loan approval. Click here to see a map and list of the 51 counties in MACED’s service area.

What does a solar water heater cost?

Installing a residential solar water heater in Kentucky will typically cost $3,000 to $6,500 and will save a family about $150 to $400 or more per year on their utility bills. The price range for installing a system depends on the amount of hot water used each day, whether a new water storage tank is required, the size of the home, whether the system is installed by the homeowner or a professional contractor, and other factors.

To learn more about this low-interest loan program, visit KSP's website. Click here.

..........

Press Release from the KY Division of Waste Management:

Recycling organization will meet in June

Press Release Date: Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Contact Information: Fred Kirchhoff, 502-564-6716


FRANKFORT Ky. (May 7, 2008) – The Kentucky Recycling Interest Group (KRIG) will meet June 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Eastern Kentucky University campus in Richmond. The meeting is open to members and others interested in recycling in Kentucky.

The statewide networking organization membership includes key players in the recycling industry – collectors, processors, brokers and manufacturers who are end-users of recycled materials. An organization meeting was held earlier this year under sponsorship of the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection’s Division of Waste Management and the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC).

Attendees will have a chance to review draft mission and vision statements written by a steering committee from information developed at the initial meeting:

Mission Statement – “The Kentucky Recycling Interest Group promotes ‘zero waste’ through resource conservation, increased recycling, and waste reduction.”

Vision Statement – “The Kentucky Recycling Interest Group (KRIG) will identify and recommend practices to develop sustainable and economically viable recycling and waste reduction policy. The primary goal of this initiative is ‘net zero’ waste output for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This will be achieved through the examination, demonstration, and implementation of conservation, resource recovery, and waste reduction practices. KRIG will promote economically viable, safe, energy-conserving, sustainable recycling and waste management practices through public/private partnerships.”

To register for the June 17 meeting, go to the KPPC Web site -- www.kppc.org -- and look for KRIG under Upcoming Events. The registration page has a map and directions, and an agenda will be posted later.

For more information about KRIG, contact Fred Kirchhoff or Dara Carlisle at the Division of Waste Management, 502-564-6716. Their e-mail addresses are Fred.Kirchhoff@ky.gov and Dara.Carlisle@ky.gov

..........

from the Corbin Times Tribune:

Cumberland Falls Clean-up is May 17

Special to the Times-Tribune

Published: May 12, 2008 09:05 am

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is looking for volunteers to help clean up around one of Kentucky’s most scenic areas on Saturday, May 17.

Spring floods bring large amounts of trash down the Cumberland River and that garbage collects around Cumberland Falls. The park is asking volunteers to wear boots and bring work gloves to help clean up this area.

Registration will be at 9 a.m. at the gift shop near the falls. Trash bags will be distributed and areas will be designated for volunteer work. All participants will be able to take part in a cookout at noon. All volunteers will get a free T-shirt at 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Bret Smitley at 1-800-325-0063 or at bret.smitley@ky.gov

..........