Botanica’s Founders Garden

Posted on June 18, 2013 by KHolmes

Botanica has created a Founders Garden at the site of the future Waterfront Botanical Gardens, near Frankfort Avenue and River Road. While they are not quite ready to start planting on the big 22-acre site, the Founders Garden gives Botanica a chance to start showcasing their horticultural skills and demonstrate the transforming beauty of gardens. It will exemplify the splendor the future botanical garden will bring, helping to inspire the community as they work to make the larger gardens a reality. The Heigold Façade, located near the proposed site, is both a local landmark and the northern entrance to Frankfort Avenue. The Founders Garden is situated around the base of the facade. Their landscape design, created by Karen Bohannon, embraces the notion of establishing a front yard and back yard for the home. Karen’s design brings four seasons of beauty to the site, using design elements and plants that would have been popular when the home was built in 1853. For more information and to support the project please visit Botanica’s website.

Botanica shared exciting news recently that the agreement with Louisville Metro Government has been completed and a lease for the future site of the Botanical Garden has been finalized. Read more on the Botanica website.

Biodiesel on MetroTV

Posted on June 17, 2013 by KHolmes

Councilwoman Ward-Pugh recently taped a new video for MetroTV that is available to watch online here. It is focused on Kelley Green Biofuel, which is creating clean burning biodiesel from waste cooking oil. You can recycle your waste cooking oil in a container in the Clifton Center’s west side parking lot (2117 Payne Street), and Kelley Green will use it to make biodiesel, which is sold to local farmers and for use in cars. If your restaurant is interested in having Kelley Green pick up your waste cooking oil for free, you can learn more at http://kelley-green.com/.

The other part of the MetroTV feature focuses on exciting initiatives in Parkland, in District 1, represented by Councilwoman Attica Scott. Watch it today to learn about these projects around Louisville.

Trash Mob Cleanup in Clifton June 20th

Posted on June 14, 2013 by KHolmes

From the Beargrass Creek Alliance:

The Beargrass Creek Alliance (BCA) wants you to pick up trash, but only for an hour and a half. The local organization is organizing short weekday cleanups to put a dent in the amount of trash washing into our creek. The cleanups happen from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and then everyone retires to a nearby establishment to relax. This month’s Trash Mob will be Thursday, June 20^th in the Clifton Neighborhood, meeting at the corners of Pope and Frankfort at 5:30 p.m. and then at the Silver Dollar afterwards. Everyone is welcome. Garbage bags and gloves are provided; refreshments are on your own. Look for details about next month’s Trash Mob location here: www.BeargrassCreek.org

The BCA meets monthly. The next meeting is scheduled for June 17 at Big Rock Shelter at Cherokee Park at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit: www.BeargrassCreek.org If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Tessa Edelen at tessa@kwalliance.org or (502) 589-8008.

Ohio River Sweep on Saturday, June 15th

Posted on June 13, 2013 by KHolmes

Message from MSD:

The 24th annual Ohio River Sweep is set for Saturday, June 15, from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon.

Since 1989, this award-winning cleanup for the Ohio River and its tributaries brings thousands of volunteers to the riverbanks to collect tons of trash and debris. River Sweep encompasses the entire length of the river, from its origin in Pittsburgh, PA to its end in Cairo, IL, including nearly 3,000 miles of shoreline and many tributaries. More than 15,000 volunteers will pick up trash and debris along 1,800 miles of riverbank. Six states and 72 counties are represented.

ORSANCO (The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission) is the regional coordinator for the event and the Metropolitan Sewer District is the local coordinator. Volunteers may contact Rhonda Boyle-Crotzer at 540-6552.

Below is a listing of the site locations in Louisville Metro:

Carrie Gaulbert Coxes Park Area, 3730 River Road
Eva Bandman Par, 1701 River Road
Hays Kennedy Park (Bass Avenue), 7003 Beachland Beach Road – Pick up supplies at Juniper Beach location
Juniper Beach, 5516 Juniper Beach Road -Harrod’s Creek Road Fire House Area (Lime Kiln & River Road)
Riverview Park, 8202 Greenwood Road (Greenwood Road and Cane Run Road)
Shawnee Park Area, 4501 W Broadway (W Market St between Northwestern Pkwy & Fontaine Landing Court) – Riverwalk entrance at Ball Field Parking Lot

Biodiesel Video

Posted on June 7, 2013 by KHolmes

Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh recently visited Kelley Green Biofuels in Goshen, where waste cooking oil is turned into sustainable biodiesel. See a video that she made during her visit below.

Learn more about Kelley Green.

Sustainability Tip – Local Food

Posted on June 6, 2013 by KHolmes

Summer is the prime time to eat locally grown food. View a list of what local foods are in season throughout the year in Kentucky. Look into options for joining a CSA – Community Supported Agriculture. There are many benefits to eating locally grown food:

You support local farmers, helping preserve farm land and strengthening the local economy.
Your food arrives to you fresh from the farm: healthy options with amazing fresh taste.
You can ask growers’ about their techniques and choose sustainable options.
Less fuel is used to transport your food, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.
By participating in the local food economy, you have the opportunity to grow community.

Farmers’ markets around Louisville offer a wide selection of locally grown food. Check out the following Farmers’ markets in the 9th District. Find a complete listing of all Louisville farmers’ markets.

Crescent Hill Farmers’ Market
Crescent Hill United Methodist Church, 201 S. Peterson Ave, 40206
Mondays & Fridays, 7 am – 10 am
May 24 – October 25 (Monday market starts July 1)
Accepts Cash, Check
Rainbow Blossom Farmers’ Market
3738 Lexington Rd, 40207
Sundays, 12 – 4 pm
June 2 – October 27
Accepts EBT/Debit/Credit, Cash
St. Matthews Farmers’ Market
Beargrass Christian Church, 4100 Shelbyville Rd, 40207
Saturdays, 8 am – 12 pm
May 11 – October 12
Cash, check, some vendors accept credit/debit

River Metals Recycling Incentives – Going on Now

Featured

Posted on June 5, 2013 by KHolmes

From June 14-23, 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 copper. To participate, print the coupon attached to the Green Triangle eNews from May 29 or June 12 and bring your scrap metal to RMR at 2045 River Road between June 14-23 and enter at Gate 1. 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.

The 9^th District will have junk collection set-out on a select weekend in June, depending on your address, within the Urban Services District. 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 6:00am. For your specific junk set-out weekend please visit http://mapit.louisvilleky.gov/ and enter your address OR call the 9th District office at 574-1109. For collection guidelines please visit www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste.

The Story of the Green Triangle

Posted on June 4, 2013 by KHolmes

Are you interested in learning more about the Green Triangle? Are you interested in starting a group focused on sustainability, getting new ideas for your green group, or infusing green topics into your neighborhood association? If you answered yes to any of these questions, The Story of the Green Triangle can help you!

The story tells the history of the Green Triangle, gives ideas for groups tackling similar issues, and tells about the tools that we have used and the successes we have had so far. The story is a living document and it will be updated as the Green Triangle continues to grow. We’re interested in your input as well – tell us what else you would like to learn about the Green Triangle or what would be helpful to include in future editions.

Find The Story of the Green Triangle on the Green Triangle website.

We hope that The Story of the Green Triangle inspires you to work with others in your community to create a greener future!

New Rain Garden in Breslin Park

Posted on June 3, 2013 by KHolmes

Last week the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service and volunteers installed a rain garden in Breslin Park, at the corner of Lexington Road and Payne Street in the 9th District. This rain garden has native plants that will attract butterflies and create cleaner air. The plants will absorb stormwater, clean it, and infiltrate it into the groundwater rather than it running straight into nearby Beargrass Creek. This will help improve water quality in the creek.

Rain gardens can be beautiful assets to a home’s yard while helping lessen stormwater pollution and runoff, which are major issues in Louisville. If you would like to learn more about rain gardens, contact the Jefferson County Extension Service. MSD also has a helpful webpage explaining the many benefits of a rain garden, along with a manual on rain garden installation.

Responsible Recycling Event a Success!

Posted on May 29, 2013 by KHolmes

On Saturday, May 11 Councilwoman Ward-Pugh, the Green Triangle, and the Energy Pros partnered to host the One Stop Drop Responsible Recycling event. The event was a great success, with 393 cars coming through to drop off items to be reused or recycled. Over 10,000 pounds of paper was kept out of the landfill and recycled and an entire tractor trailer was filled with electronics to be recycled. We are waiting to hear the final numbers of batteries recycled, household items given to Habitat Restore and Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement program, cardboard recycled, shoes given to WaterStep, and medical supplies given to Supplies Over Seas.

View a video of the event below

Thank you to everyone who participated in the event and kept your donations from ending up in the landfill. A special thanks to our volunteers, including 9 National Honor Society volunteers from St. Xavier High School.