Volunteers plant 1,000 seedlings at Seminole Campus

A small army of volunteers turned out at the Seminole campus on Saturday to plant 1,000 pine trees on the north end of the campus.

Students, faculty members, college staff and volunteers from the Seminole community took part in the planting, which started at 9 a.m. and lasted into the afternoon. Staff members mapped out the planting scheme, and then volunteers took over to poke holes in the ground, place the small seedling roots in the ground, and then soak them with about a quart of water each.

The planting took place near the spot where other volunteers worked a few weeks ago to pull non-indigenous plants from the ground.

Seminole Provost Jim Olliver, who worked Saturday as one of the volunteers, said the expansive site will one day be the home of a natural habitat park.

“Of course, we’re doing all this as a beautification measure, but this will also help the natural habitat,” he said. “It will benefit migratory birds, and it will offer an opportunity for the campus to have a natural habitat park and environmental center. Work on that may start within a month, and it will include walking paths, ponds, andf a dock.”
“We envision a place where all kinds of creatures and natural plants will be able to live and thrive.

Jim Waechter, Director of Facilities Services, obtained the pine seedlings and oversaw the planting. He said the planting project is a single step in improving the 63-acre north end of the campus, which he said is called the campus’ Habitat Area.

He said the college obtained a grant two years ago to remove non-native plants, and that effort left the area looking somewhat ravaged.

“Today is the first step in a restoration project,” he said. “It will look very good 10 years from now, and those people who are around 50 years from now will be able to see the fruits of our labors.”

Clearwater’s mayor says area needs a regional rail system

The Tampa Bay area needs some sort of rail transportation system if it is to serve residents and attract new business, Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard told a group of students and others Thursday at the Clearwater Campus of St. Petersburg College.

Hibbard serves on the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, a regional group that is working on plans for a regional rail transportation system.

A regional rail service would employ a “spine-and-rib” design, feeding riders from more far-flung areas to the rail stations by buses. The finished rail service would ease pressure on the region’s highway system, could tie in to a proposed Tampa-to-Orlando high speed rail service, and would be a major asset in attracting new business to the region, Hibbard said.

“We need it to attract jobs to this region – companies look for mass transit,” Hibbard said. “We are one of two top areas in the country that don’t have mass transit. Detroit is the other one.”

High-speed rail service, much discussed over the years in Florida, got a shot in the arm recently when President Obama visited the state to announce his administration’s Stimulus package would fund a high-speed rail system between Tampa Bay and Orlando.

Hibbard said that while the high-speed intercity system is important and desirable, it neither strengthens nor weakens the argument for a regional rail system. Such a system is needed, he said, whether it ties into a high-speed rail system or not.

“I support mass transit because I want an alternative to the automobile,” he said.

Hibbard said he had traveled to Japan to look at the rail systems of that country, and found them to be highly efficient. The trains in Japan, he said, “arrive within seconds of when they say they will arrive.”

Hibbard acknowledged the high cost of a regional rail system – anywhere between $40 million and $65 million per mile. But he pointed out that highway construction costs are also high; the complex new interchange near the Tampa Airport, he said, cost about three-quarters of a billion dollars. Maintenance costs for rail systems are lower than maintenance costs for highways.

About half of a new regional rail system could be paid for by the federal government, he said, and the local share might be funded by a one-cent increase in the sales tax. A significant portion of local sales taxes, he said, are paid through purchases made by tourists.

An increase in the regional sales tax might cost local residents around $143 per household, but residents could realize significant savings that could offset the higher cost and more, he said.

“What if you could do away with a second car?” Hibbard asked. “Everywhere rail has been initiated, ridership has exceeded what was anticipated.”

Hibbard’s presentation was sponsored by Clearwater Matters, an ongoing forum that examines various issues of interest to Clearwater residents. Clearwater Matters was founded by faculty and administrators at the Clearwater campus.

Audience members were encouraged to ask questions of Hibbard via their smart phones – questions were texted to him via Twitter or Facebook.

Go Green on Super Bowl Sunday

The Issue

Environmentally Un-friendly Super Bowl parties!

The Larger Issue

• A typical party of thirty guests can create 80 pounds of waste!

Be Part of the Solution

How can I entertain in an environmentally friendly way?

• Watch the big game on Energy Star certified TV’s, or better yet, listen to it on the radio, or better yet, wait until the next day to ask someone who won (Just Kidding)!
• Instead of sending out paper invitations, send electronic invitations from a site like www.evite.com!
• Bake your own snacks and desserts with organic, locally grown ingredients and extra love!
• Instead of using streamers and balloons, decorate with small plants.  You can give the plants away as parting gifts at the end of the party.
• Buy organic beer, or if the part is really big, rent a keg to decrease glass bottle and aluminum can waste!
• Instead of buying bottled water, use a filtered water pitcher!
• Use real plates, silverware and cloth napkins and stay away from disposable paper plates and utensils and napkins.  If you must use disposable plates, buy plates that are biodegradable, in fact, some disposable plates are made from corn, potato and sugar-cane pulp!
• Provide recycling bins for glass bottles, cans and plastic.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products and cloths rags to clean up after the party.

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Clearwater Mayor to speak at SPC on mass transit

As part of a new civic forum, “Clearwater Matters”, SPC has invited Clearwater Mayor, Frank Hibbard, to speak at the SPC Clearwater campus Fine Arts Auditorium on transit issues.  After his presentation, there will be a question and answer period.

Discussion of the mass transit issue has even greater consequence since President Obama announced last week that Florida would be the recipient of more than a billion dollars in federal funds to support the construction of a high speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando.  Mass transit is a complicated issue, and one which has enormous long-term implications for the Tampa Bay Region and St. Petersburg College.

Please attend this important presentation.

The event will be on Thursday, February 4 at 11 am. The SPC Clearwater Fine Arts Auditorium is located at: 2465 Drew Street, Clearwater Parking on all SPC campuses is free and does not require a parking pass.  For directions or a campus map, visit http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/campus/to_cl.htm

See you there!

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu. Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the Facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

See St. Pete’s LEED buildings on the SPC bus

Join other interested professionals and students on a bus tour of local LEED buildings Saturday, February 13, 2010, 9:30am-4pm.

Meet at:

St. Petersburg College, SP/Gibbs Campus Student Services building (6605 5th Avenue North, St Petersburg, Florida 33710) for a 9:30am tour, the bus leaves at 10:30am

Cost:

• FREE with valid SPC student ID (must sign up in advance by emailing green.jason@spcollege.edu)
• $10 for Students (sign up and pay at www.sustainabletampabay.org)
• $10 for USGBC members (sign up and pay at www.sustainabletampabay.org)
• $15 for non-USGBC members (sign up and pay at www.sustainabletampabay.org)

Seating is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. So whether you are a free or paying attendee, please sign up as soon as possible.

LEED stops include:

• SPC Student Services building
• Darren Brinkley residence
• Jordan Park Elementary School
• Dunkin Donuts (on 4th Street)

Lunch will be on your own at St. Petersburg’s Saturday Morning Market, so be sure to bring a few dollars or a bag lunch.

Please note all participants are required to sign a standard Release of Liability form upon initially boarding the bus.

For more information, contact Jason Green (727 341-3283 or green.jason@spcollege.edu).

See you there and thanks for supporting sustainable design in Tampa Bay!

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Botanical garden planted at SPC’s Clearwater Campus

Members of St. Petersburg College’s Honors College, Emerging Green Builders and Club Green  planted a teaching botanical garden, consisting only of native Florida plants, on the Clearwater campus on Jan. 11.

“Bio-diverse native gardens typically require less maintenance, water and herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer treatment,” said Jason Green, the college’s Sustainability Coordinator.  “Because of that, in Florida we expect to see an increase in this responsible way of gardening as natural resources become scarcer.”

The botanical garden will be used as a teaching tool for upper and lower level biology classes, according to John Williams, academic chair of the Natural Science Department.

“The garden will allow students an excellent opportunity to leave the classroom and learn in a more natural environment,” Williams said.

According to Williams, a number of partners were involved in the development of the garden:

• Bruce Turley of Wilcox Nursery designed the garden
• Tom Fowler, St Petersburg College’s Landscape Crew Leader installed a drip irrigation system and constructed a compacted mulch pathway for wheelchair access.
• Plans are being made for a site specific sculpture suitable for the garden which will be designed and developed by members of SPC Fine Arts Department under the direction of Department Chair Paul Miehl.
• Jason Green oversaw the planting, which was handled by ten volunteers from SPC’s “Club Green,” Emerging Green Builders and Honors College.

The garden is 60 feet wide by 25 feet deep and may be expanded over time.  Plantings include spider lilies, yaupon holly, Florida golden aster, coontie, wild petunias, flatwoods plum, Bahama cassia, beautyberry and other native species.

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Greening your New Year’s resolutions

We are a week into 2010 and you still don’t have your New Year’s resolutions in order?

Have no fear and commit to a few of the following suggestions.  These small changes can result in huge personal and environmental impacts (not to mention reduced utility bills).

Pledging to even a few of the following simple resolutions will help you (and the environment) have a happy new year.  Pick a few and have an earth friendly 2010.

1. In 2010, I resolve to turn off and unplug all electronics equipment and chargers when not in use.
2. In 2010, I resolve to purchase CFL light bulbs for use at home and at work.
3. In 2010, I resolve to set thermostat to 78 degrees F in the summer, 68 degrees F in the winter and turn off when not at home.
4. In 2010, I resolve to install low flow shower heads and take five minute showers.
5. In 2010, I resolve to wash clothes in cold water.
6. In 2010, I resolve to determine my impact on the climate by completing a carbon footprint calculation at http://www.nature.org
7. In 2010, I resolve to calculate my water usage at http://www.h2ouse.net/
8. In 2010, I resolve to set water heater thermostat to no more than 120 degrees F.
9. In 2010, I resolve to recycle all aluminum, paper, glass and plastic.
10. In 2010, I resolve to print only what is necessary, and when possible, print or copy double sided.
11. In 2010, I resolve to decrease page margins to .75″ or 1″, modify line spacing and increase font-size to reduce the amount of paper required to print my documents.
12. In 2010, I resolve to use only reusable stainless steel water bottles and food storage containers.
13. In 2010, I resolve to reduce bulk mail and catalogs by visiting http://www.dmachoice.org
14. In 2010, I resolve to purchase recycled paper, napkins, tissue, etc.
15. In 2010, I resolve to bring my own reusable bags when shopping.
16. In 2010, I resolve to purchase biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products and detergents.
17. In 2010, I resolve to take chemicals, paints, batteries and electronic waste to the Household Electronics & Chemical Collection Center at (727) 464-7500.
18. In 2010, I resolve to make every effort to buy local, organic, sustainable and/or fair trade products.
19. In 2010, I resolve to buy used items.
20. In 2010, I resolve to purchase Energy Star appliances and electronics.
21. In 2010, I resolve to purchase carbon offsets to balance my own greenhouse gas emissions at http://www.terrapass.com
22. In 2010, I resolve to walk, ride a bicycle or take the bus whenever possible.
23. In 2010, I resolve to carpool and purchase high fuel economy or hybrid vehicles.
24. In 2010, I resolve to take control of my future by getting involved in my community.

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Let’s make the holidays more environmentally friendly

The Issue

• Approximately 37 million Americans purchase disposable holiday trees annually.
• Americans send at least 2.6 billion holiday cards annually (most ending up in the garbage).
• During the holiday season, holiday lights in each home produce enough carbon dioxide to inflate 12 balloons.
• A typical holiday party of thirty guests can create 80 pounds of waste!
• Annually, Americans throw away 52 square miles of wrapping paper.

Be Part of the Solution

How can I celebrate the holiday season in an environmentally friendly way?

• Instead of mailing holiday cards, send free electronic cards from a site like www.hallmark.com!
• Prepare holiday meals and desserts with organic ingredients and extra love!
• Instead of buying a disposable tree, how about a live tree (bring your living tree indoors no more than a week before the holidays, and put it back outdoors soon after, plant in the spring).
• If you buy a disposable tree, why not plant two trees in its place?
• Save up to 90% on additional utility costs by using LED lights on your tree and on the outside of your house (be sure to put the lights on timers).  Try http://www.holidayleds.com/
• Find out how much energy your holiday lights use by visiting http://www.christmas-light-source.com/
• Instead of using indoor artificial lighting at night try renewable and biodegradable vegetable wax or beeswax candles to create holiday magic!
• For holiday parties, use real plates, silverware and cloth napkins and stay away from paper napkins, disposable paper plates and utensils.  If you must use disposable plates, buy plates that are biodegradable.  In fact, some disposable plates are made from corn, potato and sugar-cane pulp!
• Provide recycling bins for glass bottles, cans and plastic.
• Instead of gifts, ask friends to make donations to your favorite charity, if gifts are a must, use reused or recycled wrapping paper (or newsprint) and biodegradable tape.
• Buy gifts from local businesses!
• Surprise your loved ones by creating homemade gifts!
• Carpool to your holiday parties!
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products and cloths or micro fiber rags to clean up after the holidays.

To learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Composting: It’s not as hard as it looks

The Issue

Composting!

The Larger Issue

• Composting recycles or “downcycles” organic household and yard waste and manure into an extremely nutrient rich composted soil.
• Annually, an average household can keep 500 pounds of perfectly biodegradable kitchen and garden waste out of landfills.
• Composting recycles nutrients in your scraps, producing soil that’s tastes gourmet to your plants.

Be Part of the Solution

How can I learn more about composting?

• A biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable but is capable of being broken down completely but may take a very long time.
• A compostable material biodegrades substantially under composting conditions.
• Some of the things you can compost include:  fruits and vegetables, bread, cereals, pastas, coffee grounds and filters, teabags, eggshells, grass clippings, leaves, weeds, non chemically treated woodchips and sawdust.  Visit http://www.compostthis.co.uk/ for more information.
• Some things you cannot compost include: chemical treated wood, meat, bones and fat, human and animal waste, diseased plants and plants like poison ivy.
• Visit http://www.planetnatural.com, or http://www.gardeners.com to select your compost bin.
• Visit http://www.howtocompost.org/ to learn more about composting.
• Buy Barbara Plesant’s book The Complete Compost Gardening Guide, Mary Applehof’s book Worms Eat My Garbage or Stu Campbell’s Let It Rot!
• Call or visit UF-IFAS/Pinellas County Extension at (727) 582-2673, 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo to sign up for their next free Compost Happens Workshop or to see demonstration composting bins in action.

For more tips, or to learn more about sustainability at St. Petersburg College, contact Jason Green at green.jason@spcollege.edu.  Then visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability, join the facebook group and follow us at http://twitter.com/sustainableSPC.

Gasparilla Film Festival’s “Green the Screen” contest

Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) has partnered with Repower America to offer a short-video contest.

The “Green the Screen” film contest is your chance to get your voice heard on environmental solutions and calls to action.  GIFF is proud to announce this contest for filmmakers, activists, local celebrities and students, giving all an opportunity to create thoughtful and unique videos that will help to change the world one film at a time.

Contest winners will have their videos screened on the opening night of the Gasparilla International Film Festival, March 2010.

All entries will be posted on www.repoweramerica.org/wall, and select videos will be posted on the GIFF web site.  All are welcome to contribute, there is no fee and your activism is encouraged.

The Kick-off party will be held at the Hyatt Regency Tampa (211 North Tampa Street,Tampa, Florida) on Thursday December 10^th at 7:30pm.

The non-profit Gasparilla International Film Festival is one of Florida’s largest and fastest growing film festivals, and is dedicated to expanding art opportunities in the Tampa Bay community through the medium and culture of independent film.

Repower America, a non-profit and non-partisan in its efforts promoting good stewardship of the Earth and Clean Energy.