SPC hosts Gopher Tortoise inventory

Discussion about the biology of gopher tortoises and the reasons for their decline

On Sunday, 2/19, the SPC Seminole Campus Environmental Science Club hosted an Ecological Inventory of the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at Honeymoon Island State Park. Coastal strand and Mesic Pine Flatwoods were inventoried for burrows documenting the size and activity status. About 700 burrows were documented on a 10-acre parcel with an estimated 300 tortoises on the property. With the student’s data land managers can make decisions regarding property burn regimes and conservation of this threatened species. Students worked with the park biologist, Dan Larremore.

All SPC students who participated also received a free State Park pass courtesy of eco-Volunteer USA.

If you’d like more information regarding the SPC Seminole Campus Environmental Science Club contact the Faculty Advisor, Kelli Stickrath, at 394-6947.

UF offering Green Advantage® environmental certification

On February 23, 2012, University of Florida’s Program for Resource Efficient Communities will be holding Commercial/Residential Green Advantage training at Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo.

Green Advantage® is an environmental certification for building related practitioners. This program provides an overview of current commercial green building principles, materials, and techniques.

Participants will also become familiar with the LEED rating system. A Green Advantage® certification exam will be available for those who desire it. A LEED project may receive a LEED Innovative Credit if a significant percentage (30%) of the projects building force is Green Advantage® Certified.

The course will provide an overview of key building features that effect building performance. An overview of appropriate provisions found in the Florida Building Code is included.

The course addresses the Building as a System and examines building failures due to outdoor and indoor environments through both building design and building construction techniques.

An overview of green building certification programs is included, but not limited to, USGBC – LEED for Homes, NAHBA Green Building Standards, DOE/EPA Energy Star and FGBC – Green Homes Standard. (CILB / BCAI 0010514 / AR 9877732 / FBPE 4040)

8 CEHs will be awarded for attending this training.  The exam for certification is optional is managed by a third-party testing center at a later date.

What:  Green Advantage® Environmental Certification

When:  February 23, 2012,

Where:  Gardenia Room, Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo

Cost:  Registration is $100 for 8 CEHs

How to Register:  Visit  buildgreen.ufl.edu

Questions:  Call the Program For Resource Efficient Communities on (352) 392-5684

New energy forum series at Seminole Campus begins Jan. 11

Along with food, water and shelter, energy is among the most essential elements of human life in the modern world.  It lights and heats homes, powers transportation, and is essential to commerce. Yet in the post-recession, post-tsunami world of 2012, energy faces a very uncertain future.

A distinguished group of experts will explore that future in a series of free public forums at St. Petersburg College. The first forum in the series, focusing on the future of nuclear energy, will be held from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 11 in the Digitorium of the SPC Seminole Campus, 9200 113th Street North. Titled Our Energy Future: Are Nukes Still Viable, and Do Lawmakers Get It on Energy?, the forum is presented by SPC’s Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions and co-sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times and WUSF Public Media.

Is there a future for nuclear energy? Nukes have been the focus of heated debate over safety, cost, waste and siting concerns since their inception. That debate got much hotter after the March tsunami in Japan caused the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Plant. Since then, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Italy have announced plans to phase out nuclear plants.

Not in Florida. The state’s two largest utilities are seeking permits to add nuclear capacity even as the debate rages over cost and need factors and the perennial concern for safety and waste. Consumer advocates take issue with a state law that allows utilities to charge customers in advance for plants that are years down the road. They also question the need for new plants with per capita energy use declining and argue there are less expensive and less risky ways to meet energy demand. The industry defends its safety record, efficiency factor, and non-polluting benefits.

In March, the second forum in the series, will focus on renewable energy and conservation efforts. The third, in April, will assess energy policy from the 2012 session of the Florida Legislature.

The program is free, but advance registration is requested. To register, please visit our website at www.spcollege.edu/solutions.  For more information: 727-394-6942

SPC building named “Project of the Year” by US Green Building Council

St. Petersburg College announced today that the Clearwater Campus, LEED Gold certified Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education (NM) building was named the 2011 Outstanding Project of the Year: LEED-NC Higher Education by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.

The LEED Green Building Rating System™ is a nationally accepted certifier of high performance and environmentally sensitive buildings.

“Environmentally friendly building operations provide nearly 40% of the solution to the climate change issue,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator. “Even though climate change exists as part of a global challenge, we are attempting to address it locally through sustainable building design and other college-wide initiatives.”

The NM building was designed to decrease pollution and negative impacts on the environment; decrease impact on local aquifers; decrease energy consumption; and increase the quality of indoor air and the indoor working environment.

The building includes “Green Cleaning” products. Reflective roofing and paving materials result in cooler surfaces. Preferred parking spaces are provided for fuel-efficient vehicles/carpools, and bicycle storage and shower/changing facilities are located within the building.

Composite wood products contain no added urea formaldehyde, and all adhesives, paints and carpets meet low volatile organic compound (VOC) standards. To ensure proper function and minimize energy loss through building exhaust, chemistry laboratory fume hoods were tested and commissioned. There is no smoking within 25 feet of any entry.

The building’s design should inspire students, said Charm Callahan, SPC’s interior designer.

“This green building provides an example for students to actually experience the impact of thoughtful and responsible design,” she said.

From left: Mike Wilson, Mills Gilbane Project Executive; Jason Green, SPC Sustainability Coordinator; and Michael Carter, SPC Director of Design and Construction.

Additional facts about the building:

• The building houses the college’s first photovoltaic solar installation.
• 43 percent water savings achieved through low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals.
• At least 86 percent of all construction waste recycled. As a result, 3,147 tons of construction waste was diverted from landfill.
• On a cost basis, more than 5 percent of the materials used in the building were salvaged, refurbished or reused; 21 percent contain recycled content; and at least 30 percent were extracted, harvested, recovered, and/or manufactured within 500 miles of the building.
• 71 percent of wood-based materials and products were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria.

“We currently operate two LEED Gold buildings at SPC and we hope to complete two additional by the end of 2012,” said Michael Carter, SPC’s Director of Design and Construction.

For more information visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability/.

Help clean up Clearwater Beach, September 24, 2011

The Science Adventurer’s Club @ SPC is sponsoring a beach clean-up on North Shore Clearwater Beach (Lot 36), running from Rockaway St. to 880 Mandalay.

The beach clean-up will held be Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 8:00 am until 11:00.  Meet on the beach at Rockaway Street, right in front of the public parking lot.  Bags, gloves and water (courtesy of Palm Pavilion) will be provided, but please remember to wear a hat, sunscreen, closed toed shoes and pants for the dunes, etc.

A light breakfast and lunch will be provided by SPC Student Government Association.

You can park in the public beach parking or find residential parking further down the road then just walk back.

For more information, please contact science.adventurers.spc@gmail.com

Special thanks to Palm Pavilion for generously providing a free beverage to participants after the beach clean-up!  Hope to see you there!

SPC Students Talk Trash

Trash collection has evolved from a one man cart in Roman times to 243 million tons of waste collected every year. The enormity of waste disposal is at the center of the newest of three documentaries produced by St. Petersburg College media arts students in partnership with public media outlet WEDU. The 30-minute documentary “Away: A Story of Trash” will premiere on WEDU Thursday, Aug. 25 at 10 p.m.

“Away: A Story of Trash” will educate and entertain viewers about the history of waste management – the current practices, problems and what the average American’s perception of “throwing away” garbage really means. The program will identify new technologies and processes that have been created to reduce the amount of solid waste – and the many recycling and disposal programs of Pinellas County in particular. The viewer will ultimately walk away with an understanding of what they can do to help – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – the three R’s of waste management.

“It’s really amazing to see how much work actually goes into it,” said Katie Bishop, Executive Producer of Away: A Story of Trash. “I hope the viewers will be educated enough to be influenced to take action and reduce the amount of waste we create, so we can preserve the earth for future generations.”

“Local programs that both educate viewers and address topics important to the community are part of the mission of our station,” said Jack Conely, Vice President of Content for WEDU. “Additionally, our ongoing collaboration with St. Petersburg College has not only produced relevant content, but has given the students real-world experience and contributes significantly to the resumes of budding film producers.”

Previous documentaries produced by SPC students in conjunction with WEDU included the 30-minute “Go Green Tampa Bay” in 2008. The documentary was designed to inspire viewers to come up with ideas to counteract economic and environmental woes through the use of alternative resources.

The other documentary, produced in 2010, was entitled “Tony Jannus: American Aviator.” The 30-minute program educated viewers about American aviation history, advances in technology and industry pioneers, showing how the trillion dollar commercial aviation industry started from the purchase of one ticket: a flight on the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, piloted by Tony Jannus.

WEDU is west central Florida’s leading PBS station and public media company reaching 16 counties through multiple media platforms including on-air programming and online experiences that broaden horizons, transport and transform and open gateways to new ideas and new worlds. For more information, program schedules or to support WEDU visit WEDU.org.

Calling all phone books

Summertime is phone book delivery time. Thousands of new phone books will be delivered to Pinellas County residents’ doorsteps. Please recycle old phone books instead of trashing them.

There are many convenient options to recycle phone books. Residents of Belleair, Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, Indian Rocks Beach, Largo, Madeira Beach, Oldsmar, Redington Beach, Safety Harbor and St. Petersburg may recycle phone books in their curbside bin. In addition, there are over 340 local drop-off sites. See the attached listing, or visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/PDF/phone-book-sites.pdf. Please remove any magnets or plastic wrap before recycling phone books.

Each year, over 500 million telephone books are distributed nationwide—enough to circle the earth four times! A common myth is that phone books cannot be recycled, but they are 100% recyclable. Your old phone book can be recycled into insulation, cereal boxes, paper towels or new phone books.

You can cut waste if you receive more phone books than you need. For example, co-workers in an office can share phone books instead of receiving individual books. Another option is to use online listings instead of a hard copy. To stop deliveries of phone books at work or at home, visit www.YellowPagesOptOut.org. The website, provided by the Yellow Pages Association, covers both yellow and white page phone books.

For more information on recycling, contact Pinellas County Utilities at (727) 464-7500, or visit www.pinellascounty.org/recycle.

Help clean up St. Pete Beach, May 21, 2011

Panera Bread is  sponsoring a beach clean-up on St. Pete Beach (3400 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach, FL), starting at the Don CeSar Resort and ending at Sirata  Beach resort.

The beach clean-up will held be Saturday, May 21  from 8:00 am until 10:00 am.  Meet on the beach behind the Don CeSar at 3400 Gulf Blvd.  Complementary breakfast and volunteer T-shirts (courtesy of Panera Bread) will be provided, but please remember to wear a hat, sunscreen, closed toed shoes, etc.

For driving directions click here.

Volunteers can register at tampamarketing@covelli.com to sign up in advance, or for more information, please visit www.panera-tampa.com.

Hope to see you there!

Green Expo April 3-4, 2011

Free event for the entire family.

The Tampa Bay Living Green Expo is this Saturday, April 3rd and Sunday, April 4th. Join your friends and neighbors at the historic Coliseum in Downtown St. Petersburg and learn how to reduce your impact on the environment.

Living Green is fun and easy! Exhibitors will be available all weekend and will feature products and services that you can use use to live sustainably.

Click here for the list of exhibitors.

Tired of watering and mowing your lawn? Our vendors will show you how to save time AND have award-winning landscape using Florida native plants. You can also reduce water usage and save money on your lawn with micro- or drip- irrigation.

Redecorating? Paint your walls with high-end, no-VOC paint in hundreds of colors. Or, use recycled materials and sustainably harvested wood to remodel your home.

At the Tampa Bay Living Green Expo, you will find out why your neighbors are using rain barrels. You will learn how easy it is to start composting. Living green means making daily choices for you and your family that enhance your life while reducing your impact on the environment. Even the smallest changes make a difference.

Come to our free info sessions on both Saturday and Sunday to learn more about Green Jobs, Composting, Green Living, Green Pest Control, Energy Tips, Native Plants, and more! You could also be eligible to for one of our door prizes- composting bin, a rain barrel, a 100% bamboo table, a gift certificate for Eco Friendly pest control, and more!

Click here for the full schedule of workshops.

The Tampa Bay Living Green Expo is a free event and fun for the entire family. Enjoy kids activities, healthy AND delicious food, and our vendors and exhibitors. The info sessions and outdoor activities will be held in the parking lot to the East of the Coliseum, on the same side of the street.

See you this weekend!

Dunedin Life & Light Lantern Parade April 23–24, 2011

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
This event benefits the community as a fundraiser for Planting Seeds Workshops & the 1% Food Project

SO BRING YOUR KIDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS!
AND SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD!

Casa Tina’s family of Downtown Restaurants in partnership with The Dunedin Harvest Food & Garden Co-op will be holding our first Life & Light Lantern Parade & Festival on Earth Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24, 2011. This community art event is a fundraiser for the Planting Seeds workshop series and the 1% Food Project.

Saturday, April 23, 2- 7 PM

• Life & Light Lantern Festival w/ Live Music
• Paper Lantern Making Workshops
• Gardening & Sustainability Demonstrations
• Great FOOD at 3 downtown locations!

Sunday, April 24, 12 – 8:30 PM

• Life & Light Lantern Festival w/ Live Music
• Paper Lantern Making Workshops
• Gardening & Sustainability Demonstrations
• Great FOOD at 3 downtown locations!
• 8 PM LIFE & LIGHT LANTERN PARADE!

Symbolically held Earth Day weekend, the Life & Light Lantern Parade & Festival is a community celebration of all life! The festival will include FREE Paper Lantern Making Workshops held ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday in downtown Dunedin’s Pioneer Park. The workshops will be surrounded by Live Music and Entertainment along with FREE Gardening and Sustainability demonstrations. Workshop participants get to use their lanterns in Sunday’s Parade of Light, then keep and take their lanterns home!

This is a family friendly event with two goals in mind…to encourage public art for and by the public and to educate our community about sustainable living practices.

On Sunday at 8:00 pm Join the LIFE & LIGHT LANTERN PARADE! Event attendees, organizers, Casa Tina’s Staff, and members of the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons will take the Life & Light Lantern Parade celebration to the streets and parade their newly made, glowing paper lanterns through downtown Dunedin. Join us to light up the streets as this is an experience and spectacle not to be missed. You and the kids will love it!

Paper Lantern Workshops will be taught by professional lantern makers, Casa Tina’s is hosting members from The Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons from Atlanta, GA. The Krewe, nationally known for their creative and artistic efforts in organizing artistic community events, is being brought to town specifically to share their unique talent with our community.

Fundraiser Raffle, Donations and Profits from ALL Meals, Drinks and Merchandise sales at Casa Tina’s Mexican Restaurant, Cabana Café & Gifts and Pan y Vino Brick Oven Pizza, on both days will be donated to fund the Planting Seeds workshop series and the 1% Food Project.

Planting Seeds is a FREE Organic Gardening Workshop series offered to the general public.  The workshops provide free ongoing education to local residents with topics including Florida Vegetable Gardening and other Sustainable Living practices.

The Dunedin 1% Food Project is a community organized sustainable living initiative. The goal of the project is to encourage 1% of all households in Dunedin to pledge a small part of their land and their time to grow food. Growing food brings health, vitality and food security to individuals and our community.

Event Sponsors www.dunedinharvest.com and www.casatinas.com.

WE COULDN’T HAVE MADE IT ANY EASIER.

WHERE: Downtown Pioneer Park and three GREAT restaurants in Downtown Dunedin. Organic food options at Cabana & Pan y Vino!

Casa Tina’s Authentic Mexican www.casatinas.com
365 Main Street, Dunedin, FL 34698

Cabana Cafe and Gifts www.cabanacafeandgifts.com
833 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698

Pan y Vino Brick Oven Pizzawww.panyvino.com
369 Main Street, Dunedin, FL 34698

SEE YOU THERE!