I just got this email and don’t know more about it, so I’m posting in full. Sounds fun. The organizer stressed the importance of RSVPing.
Come to this fundraiser this weekend to help subsidize recycling on the commercial level on the peninsula. It’s downtown in a phat house on Charles St. (off St. Phillips), open bar will be provided, and DJ MooMoo will be spinning for entertainment. Raval will be donating drinks (open bar). We’ll be asking for $20 donations at the door.
The party will start at 9PM and go until 2AM. It’s gonna be a great
time! We’d love to see you–and it’s truly for a great cause! All proceeds will go towards the Citizen’s Collaboration’s primary goal for 2008, to implement recycling collection for all businesses on the peninsula!
I am writing you to (a) invite you, and (b) bring some friends!
As you approach Cannon they will see Charles St. on the left. Don’t
turn in, just park on the street and walk. House is last on the left
inside Charles St.
Please RSVP if you can. We will be turning people away after we
meet capacity, so give us a shout if you’re coming and we’ll put you
on “the list”
RSVP via phone or email:
Andrew Kelleher
andrew@citizencollaboration.org
843.460.0937
April 29 - Free Sustainable Home Renovation Workshop
The Sustainability Institute’s home renovation workshop will focus on easy-to-do suggestions for saving money, better health, and sustainability when renovating. Topics will include energy conservation, indoor air quality, moisture control, and native landscaping. Meet at The GreenHouse, 1441 East Montague Avenue in North Charleston. Call the Sustainability Institute at 843-529-3421 for more info.
May 3 - TrySports Green Village Tour 8k Race / 5k Walk
The Sustainability Institute hosts a family/dog/friend/planet-friendly event in the Park Circle area of North Charleston. Register online at www.Active.com.
May 3 - The Lowcounty Derby Party
At least in Charleston, the Kentucky Derby is going green. This year’s party will benefit the Lowcountry Housing Trust, the Sustainability Institute, and Sea Island Habitat for Humanity, with the goal of raising money for a LEED-certified Habitat home. At the Navy Yard at Noisette after the morning’s Green Village Tour, the event will feature music from Graham Whorley, a bourbon tasting, organic beers and wines, a hybrid boat display, an educational pavilion, and an organic fashion show. Renowned auctioneer Cookie Lockhart will be on hand to bid off fishing trips and dinner at area restaurants, in addition to a raffle for a $7,500 diamond from Skatells. And of course there will be plenty of flat screens to watch the horse race. www.lowcountryderbyparty.com
May 9 - Green Drinks Charleston at the Charleston Battery
Among the 325 Green Drinks chapters worldwide, Charleston’s is experiencing some of the fastest growth of any. In under a year, the second-Wednesday-of-the-month gathering of environmentally-minded people has grown from a few folks mingling to over 75 regular attendees. In May they branch out from the Trusted Palate on King St. to meet at the Battery soccer team’s Go Green night at Blackbaud Stadium. www.greendrinkscharleston.blogspot.com
May 21 - Alternative Energy Meeting
This group meets the third Wednesday of every month to talk and answer questions about progress in alternative energy sources. They meet at 7 p.m. at the College of Charleston’s Hollings Science Building, Room 112. Regular guest speakers, and hosted by Ian Sanchez of the Lowcountry Environmental Education Programs.
May 16 - 17 - The Green Living Festival
Natural Awakening’s magazine sponsors this gathering of local green businesses and organizations at the Omar Shrine Convention Center in Mt. Pleasant, on Friday from 12 - 7 p.m. and again Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Exhibitors will be on hand to explain the initiatives they’re taking, with plenty of freebies for the public.
That’s Nick the Shih Tzu. He was rescued from a puppy mill in Lexington County, and currently lives with his foster mom here in Charleston. You can read all about him and puppy mills in my story here.
Just after the paper went to press, we got word that the judge in Texas referenced in the story OKed the adoption of the 69 seized dogs by rescue groups. Several are on their way to Charleston this week. You can apply here to foster or adopt.
If you want to help a rescued dog or learn more about rescue groups, there are several options in the coming week.
The 2008 Kiawah Pet Expo is this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info here.
The Charleston Dog Show is in Marion Square the following Saturday. I went last year and it’s a riot - very informal, and includes a mutt competition. It benefits several area rescue groups, and all the information is at their website here.
Finally, Shih Tzu and Furbaby rescue hosts their own fundraiser at Lost Dog this Friday.
Blow this up to see the info on that fun event…
Finally, here’s some pictures of Nick a few months ago, just after being rescued.
Last week, Folly Beach City Councilman Dave Stormer sent out a draft ordinance of a smoking ban to the other members of Council. The item will likely be on the agenda at Council’s May 27 meeting, just as North Charleston, the only other major municipality in the county without a ban, debates their own.
“I’m a proponent of it for lots of reasons,” says Stormer. “The purpose of a smoking ordinance is a worker health issue. Secondhand smoke has been determined by most scientific studies to have detrimental effects on the health of employees, and that’s the bottom line. You can say, ‘Well geez, they can go someplace and work where there is no smoking,’ but there’s only a couple of places where food service people can work on Folly that are in fact nonsmoking.”
Kinder Morgan, the energy transportation company hoping to build a 20-acre coal pile along the Cooper River, was charged with another felony yesterday, this time for illegally dumping waste material in the ocean.
The Charleston Green Committee, only in existence for a few months so far, will present twelve immediate measures at 5 p.m. tonight that they recommend the City implement immediately. The group’s mission includes lowering the City’s greenhouse gas emissions 7 percent from 1990 levels by 2012.
This is a good list. Fortunately it doesn’t include clauses like the state bill which will phase in CFL bulbs by 2011, instead calling on this stuff immediately. Where it’s not all that specific, at least it sets precedents for things we should already be doing. Building only LEED government buildings is a great step.
Here’s an excerpt from the release and the list …
These measures do not purport to solve the serious and urgent issues of climate protection and sustainability facing our coastal city, but are an initial set of recommendations that they believe can have an impact.
The Green Committee is studying plans from municipalities from around the country and around the world and is considering proposals from internationally known experts to help them create an action plan that is both far-reaching in its goals and practical in its implementation. To that end, it will require thoughtful consideration as to how to tailor proven “best practices” to the needs and unique demands of our historic, Lowcountry city. They believe however, that as those best practices are identified that Charleston should not wait until the completion of the plan to begin to take meaningful action.
The list of items to be considered for immediate implementation are as follows:
1. Require that all City staff recycle paper, plastic (# 1&2,) aluminum and tin via Charleston County Curb Side Pick-up or the City Parks Department.
2. Require that all City staff recycle printer cartridges.
3. Require that all City staff use recycled copier paper for routine use.
4. Request that the Department of Public Service study the ability to pick up recyclable materials such as aluminum, tin, plastics, cardboard, and newspaper from the downtown business merchants as a pilot program that may be used to design an effective City-wide program including mandatory recycling where the program is offered.
5. Create a partnership with local stores to develop a plan to responsibly decrease the amount of plastic bag waste.
6. Identify and clearly advertise the CARTA route on which all City events are located.
7. Promote the City’s policy of providing CARTA passes to employees who choose a CARTA pass in lieu of a parking garage pass to new and current employees.
8. In partnership with individual businesses and institutions and groups such as the Downtown Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce initiate a lights out in buildings at night campaign.
9. Ensure that all City owned construction beginning with those buildings whose planning begins in 2009 will meet LEED certification.
10. City Council shall pass a resolution supporting the Federal Energy Block Grant Program.
11. Enforce the City’s current idling ordinance which prohibits idling for more than 5 minutes.
12. Create an eco hospitality program that welcomes visitors to help Charleston be a sustainable city by helping with some small acts such as indicating when new towels are needed or turning lights out when leaving a hotel room etc.
I’m not sure how many of my direct readers this applies to, but if you know any teachers, Scout leaders, or youth group directors working with this age group, this sounds like a fun opportunity. There is also a meet and greet at the boat this Saturday, April 26, from 12-3 for people to meet Captain Arrow, the crew, and learn about their 14-day excursion this summer that’s currently accepting student applications. Learn more here.
Harbor Fest Treasure Quest
What: A treasure hunt Where: Charleston Waterfront
(Maritime Center, Liberty Square, and Ansonborough Field) When: May 17th and 18th 2008 Who: 6 person teams consisting of 5 students who are rising 4th, 5th, or 6th graders and one adult chaperone. Why: To have fun and win a sail aboard the Spirit of South Carolina How much: $20 entry fee per team
Charleston Harbor Fest is an event that brings together the largest collection of maritime treasures – past, present, and future –
for three days of fun on and off the water. Come join in the fun by registering a team in the Harbor Fest Treasure Quest.
During this treasure hunt teams will have to use their knowledge of History, Math, Science, and Ship Terminology to solve the clues and find the treasure.
Teams should consist of students from South Carolina and they MUST represent a school or an official youth organization. All teams must be approved by SCMF prior to acceptance.
The winning team will receive one free educational sail aboard the Spirit of South Carolina for their school or organization.
Space is limited, so sign up Now! All teams must have their registration form and entry fee submitted by May 2nd, 2008
Senators Protect Base Funding for the Conservation Bank
This week the Senate debated the FY 2008-2009 Budget and unanimously voted to maintain the base funding for the Conservation Bank, which is projected to be approximately $12-14 million. The Bank’s base funding was in jeopardy of being diverted to other state needs since its enacting legislation required all Conservation Bank funding to cease in years that the state has severe budget shortfalls. Since the state is $180 million short this year, by law the Bank could not receive ANY funds the next fiscal year unless the General Assembly suspended this clause. This proviso must also be approved by the House during budget conference committee deliberations.
To ensure the Bank’s base funding will not be in jeopardy in future years, Senator Chip Campsen and 25 Senators have sponsored a bill, S. 1302, to permanently eliminate this harmful language from the law. S.1302 will be considered next Wednesday in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
Energy Efficiency Bills will be Heard in the Senate
Next week the Senate Finance Sales Tax Subcommittee, chaired by Senator Billy O’Dell (R-Abbeville), will reconsider several energy efficiency bills from Senator Glenn McConnell’s (R-Charleston) “Energizing the Future” package. Last week the Subcommittee did not approve the bills due to concerns the state could not afford to offer additional rebates, sales tax relief, or tax credits due to South Carolina’s recent economic downturn. However, Subcommittee members, recognizing the importance of this legislation to South Carolina, have agreed to reconsider the bills with amendments to address their concerns over the fiscal impacts.
•S.1141 would establish an incentive program for the purchase of ENERGY STAR certified manufactured homes in South Carolina by providing a $750 rebate payment and a sales tax exemption to consumers. • S.1142 provides a state income tax credit equal to 20% of the federal credit for qualified expenditures on photovoltaic, solar and fuel cell property and provides a sales tax exemption for the purchase of equipment that produces electricity from a renewable energy source. • S.1143 provides two one-month sales tax holidays for the purchase of energy efficiency appliances, ranging from water heaters to programmable thermostats during October, National Energy Efficiency Month, and April, National Earth Month.
Also next week, the Senate Agriculture Committee will consider S.1140, by Senator Glenn McConnell. The bill would establish energy efficiency and renewable energy goals for state government, and direct our state’s agencies to procure energy efficient products and to require all state agencies to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs by July 1, 2011.
Students One Step Closer to Healthier Meals
This week the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved the “South Carolina Farm to School Program Act.”H. 4833 by Representatives Dan Cooper (R-Anderson), Laurie Slade Funderburk (D-Kershaw) and others will foster relationships between SC farms and schools in order to provide schools with fresh and minimally processed foods in their school meals. The bill will also help develop healthy eating habits, improve farmers’ incomes and direct access to markets, and to provide students with hands on learning opportunities.
I still roll my eyes at S.1140 — it’s either sad or funny that we need a three year timespan to change our light bulbs.
That’s how long was too long a setbreak for local funk band Magic Bronson at the Rock and Roll Roadhouse Cafe on Folly Beach last Saturday. After a rocking first set, the bar’s owner “fired them mid-show for taking too long a break,” according to two bartenders. They also report that he made the call from home, watching on his webcam. Over thirty patrons there for the show quickly filtered out of the bar.
The County is sponsoring a Build-A-Dune day on Folly Beach on April 26, and they need volunteers. Dunes are a barrier island’s lifeline in a hurricane. The bigger they are, the more vegetation, the more roots, and the more protection for the rest of the island.
Here’s the release if you want to help…
Charleston County’s Project Impact initiative is sponsoring a Build-a-Dune Project at the Folly Beach County Park. Volunteers are being asked to help install sand dune fencing on Saturday, April 26, beginning at 9 a.m. near the far end of the park’s parking lot.
“The enhanced dune system provides protection for the barrier islands and inland areas against coastal storm-related flood losses,” said Joni Rennhack, who coordinates Charleston County’s Project Impact initiative. “The first part of the project will be the sand fencing, which is installed in a pattern that is conducive to sea turtle nesting.”
The Build-a-Dune Project will cover approximately 875 linear feet with a new dune system.
There are several steps to building the dune:
- Site location selection
- Permitting process
- Installation of posts in proper locations
- Installation of sand fencing
- Sign placement by dunes to advise the public to stay away from the area under construction
- Sea oat planting
Sea oats are planted on the dune system to stabilize the new dunes. The sea oat planting typically occurs approximately a year after the sand fencing is installed and the sand has had a chance to accumulate from the wind on the fencing units.
Anyone interested in volunteering may contact Joni Rennhack with Project Impact at (843) 202-6940 or jrennhack@charlestoncounty.org.
"Way back in the days when the grass was still green
and the pond was still wet
and the clouds were still clean,
and the song of the Swomee-Swans rang out in space...
one morning, I came to this glorious place."
—Dr. Seuss
