District 9 Green Triangle eNews, December 4, 2013

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District 9

Green Triangle eNews

December 4, 2013


You are receiving this email because you have contacted the 9th District Office about the green initiatives.  If you would like to be removed from this communication please email Katie Holmes with “REMOVE” in the subject.  This is a bi-weekly eNews.

If you are having trouble viewing this email please click on the Microsoft Word version of the eNews at the bottom of this email. 

What is the Green Triangle?

The Green Triangle is a community-led sustainability initiative in the 9th District, working to realize the following vision: Imagine Individuals, Businesses and Government working together to create a 9th District of:

-Green spaces for people to connect with nature and each other;

-Green options for transportation; and

-Green thinking that promotes the conservation of resources and our small neighborhood feel.


Contact the Green Triangle:

Katie Holmes

 Special Projects Coordinator

Phone: 502.574-1109

katie.holmes@louisvilleky.gov

 

Tina Ward-Pugh

9th District Councilwoman


 

LINKS

My Green Triangle

Green Triangle Facebook

Green Triangle Blog

Green Triangle Twitter

9th District Blog

9th District Website


The Green Triangle thanks the following sponsors:

 

9th District Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh

DD Williamson

MSD

Mellwood Art Center

River Metals Recycling

eyedia

First Capital Bank

Heine Brothers' Coffee

Louisville Water Company

LG&E

McDonald's - Lower Brownsboro

 

Thanks as well to the Frankfort Avenue Business Association for serving as our fiscal agent.


Changes for the Green Triangle

GT Logo

A note from 9th District Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh:

After 4 years of work in District 9, the Green Triangle is entering a new partnership with Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability and the Louisville Sustainability Council (LSC), which will be working on a community wide scale to encourage green action and collect green data. Since April 2012 the Green Triangle website collected data from the 9th District about the steps people are taking to become more sustainable in their daily lives. You can see the exciting data that we collected here. The LSC will be researching the best way to expand green data collection to the full Louisville community.

Learn more about the Louisville Sustainability Council, how to become a member, and get involved in the Action Teams related to the Sustain Louisville Plan.

For the time being, the Green Triangle Blog will serve as a resource for learning about the work that the 9th District Green Triangle did from 2009 to 2013, and blog posts will continue to be updated. I have grown immeasurably while working with you all in the 9th District to create a more sustainable community, and I am excited to see this work continue in a more expansive and sophisticated format for the full Louisville community, which has been our long range goal from the beginning.


Upcoming Junk Pick Up and River Metals Incentives

River Metals

The 9th District Urban Services District (USD) will have junk collection set-out on a select weekend in December 2013, depending on your address.  You may begin setting out your junk Friday afternoon prior to your junk pick-up week and must have it all out by Monday at 6:00 AM.  For your specific junk set-out weekend please visit http://mapit.louisvilleky.gov/ and enter your address, call the 9th District Office at 574-1109, or email Kyle Ethridge.  For collection guidelines please visit www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste.      

From December 2-7, to correspond with Junk Pick Up dates, River Metals Recycling (RMR) is inviting 9th District Residents to receive higher rates for recycling scrap metal: an extra $10 per net ton for sheet metal/appliances and 5 cents per pound extra for aluminum cans and copperTo participate, print the coupon attached to this email and bring your scrap metal to RMR at 2045 River Road between December 2-7.  Thanks to RMR for offering this incentive and for its support of the Green Triangle.  Go green with RMR and get your green!  Keep metal out of the landfill by taking it to River Metals to be recycled instead of setting it out for Junk Pick Up.  Find your Junk Pick Up dates on the Louisville website.


Become a Park Steward

Olmsted Parks

A Park Steward is a volunteer leader who receives in-depth training by Olmsted Parks Conservancy staff in order to help with park projects, volunteer events and/or community outreach. The training program covers plant identification, best practices for invasive plant removal, proper planting techniques, the history of the Olmsted Parks and more.  January 23, 2014 is the start of the next Park Steward training. Register online at www.olmstedparks.org/events  or call 456-8125.


Louisville Tree Tracker

Tree Tracker

When you plant a new tree, Brightside wants you to use the Louisville Tree Tracker to help them keep a tally on Louisville’s tree canopy.  Visit the Louisville Tree Tracker here.


Project Warm Workshops

Project Warm

Project Warm is offering 30 minute “Do-It-Yourself” Energy Management Workshops in December at 810 Barret Avenue to teach participants ways to lower their energy bills.  Take home a free weatherization kit with a roll of plastic.  Click here for the schedule or call Project Warm at 636-9276 to find other class times and locations.


Shift Your Shopping Contest

shopping

Shopping locally helps build community and create a more sustainable local economy.  See the information below from Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) about an exciting contest to entice you to buy local this holiday season.  

The Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), an alliance of almost 600 locally owned and independent businesses, has launched the 6th annual Shift Your Shopping Contest. From November 20th to January 6th, LIBA will encourage shoppers to choose local and independent businesses for their holiday purchases. Making the shift to local independents is one of the fastest ways to build a strong local economy and create jobs in our community.*  

A recent study of Louisville-area businesses shows that for every $100 spent at a locally-owned, independent business, $55 is reinvested locally, whereas only $14 is reinvested when that same money is spent at a national chain. By shopping local, consumers also help to preserve the unique community character of the Metro Louisville area.  

But shopping from independent retailers this holiday season will yield more than just that warm and fuzzy feeling of supporting the local economy for one lucky person. The rules are easy: collect receipts from five member businesses by 1/6/14, mail in or present the receipts for review at one of the sponsor sites (Highland Cleaners or Feeders Supply), and you’ll be entered into the drawing to win $1000 in gift certificates to LIBA businesses. (Once receipts are verified, they are returned to the owner.) The winner of the Shift Your Shopping Contest will be drawn live on Monday, January 13, 2014 on WAVE-3 Listens at 12:30pm, and they will get to choose from close to 600 LIBA businesses where they wish to spend their $1,000.  Download a contest entry form.  

American Independent Business Alliance – The Multiplier Effect of Local Independent Business Ownership – http://www.amiba.net/resources/multiplier-effect


Sustainability Tip – Greening the Holidays

gifts

The holiday season is upon us.  No matter what holiday you celebrate, there are ways to make these occasions more sustainable.  Find a longer list of ideas on the Green Triangle Blog.

Many holiday traditions include gift giving – let’s first look at ways to think about greening these practices:

  • Buy local: buying from local establishments makes our community more sustainable in multiple ways.  A higher percentage of your purchase price stays in the community when you shop at a locally owned establishment.  Plus, buying local products often cuts down on fuel needed to transport goods.  Learn more from the Louisville Independent Business Association. Find a list of some 9th District local businesses on the Frankfort Avenue Business Association website.
  • If you get a new electronic item for a gift, recycle your old item through Eco-Cell and help raise funds for the Green Triangle’s sustainability efforts.  Handheld electronic items, laptops and smaller, are accepted.  Find a list of locations in the 9th district where you can drop off your electronic items to be recycled.  If you have larger electronic items to recycle, like microwaves, computers, and televisions, take them to the Louisville Waste Reduction Center at 636 Meriwether Avenue.  Find acceptable items and hours.  If you receive other gifts and feel the need to clean out old items, find charitable organizations that accept used clothes and other household items instead of throwing items away.

Family holiday meals:

  • Avoid disposable dishes.  If you must use them, try to find recyclable or compostable products.
  • Try to use some local produce.  Some of Louisville farmers’ markets are still open in December.  See a list here.
  • Compost food scraps (excluding meat and oils) leftover from preparing meals.

General:

  • If you decorate with lights for the holiday season, purchase energy efficient versions such as LED bulbs, and limit the amount of time that they are in use. 
  • If you have a live Christmas tree, turn it into mulch through Louisville Metro Solid Waste Management Services Tree-Cycling, which is available following the holidays.  Check the Solid Waste website for dates, to be announced later in December.  Residents with yard waste pickup may set their trees out for pickup on their collection day.