Green Bay's bikeshare program

from today's Press-Gazette:

Green Bay gets greener with bike program

Mayor Schmitt really supports this and wants it to be successful. Anything that gets more bikes out there is worth a chance. I think the six stations were well selected. What really makes for some "interesting" reading is the comments people are posting about the article!

local food summer

The Urban Frog is organizing a "Local Food Summer." They are encouraging everyone to eat locally this summer and pledge to eat one meal per week made from ingredients grown or produced (excluding spices) not farther than 100 miles from home.

By signing the pledge you are making a commitment to eat one local meal a week until August 31, 2008. They hope that this challenge will spark some lively conversations about food and equally important, act as a means of promoting conscious consuming. Now more than ever we need to recognize local agriculture and the food dollars it brings into our local economy. With both farmers markets up and running there's no better time than now to make this commitment. Take the pledge at The Urban Frog and get a free sample of homemade dishwasher detergent along with the recipe so you can make your own. They hope to do a big celebration event come this September (think block party with Howard Lyman a.k.a. Mad Cowboy).

Thanks Urban Frog!!!!!

Join Us For "Green Drinks" - May 15

Green Bay, WI Green Drinks

Green Bay Green Drinks is a monthly 'social gathering' of environmentalists. We meet every third Thursday of the month at Kavarna Coffeehouse, on Broadway.

If some people suggest that "green" is your middle name, you'll probably find value in Green Drinks Green Bay. At this monthly event, people who have a passion for anything "environmental" meet for friendly conversation. Since we started in April 2005, we've been visited by folks with a wide variety of interests: science, art, politics, music, film, health, psychology, nutrition to name a few. Many work in an environmental field as professionals, educators, entrepreneurs or neighborhood activists. You never know who will be there! If you look elsewhere on the website http://www.greendrinks.org/ , you'll see that "Green Drinks" is an international movement.

We start to gather shortly after 6pm, but don't worry if you can't show up until much later. Peak attendance has been 7:30-8:30pm so far. The hours you attend will influence who you may meet, however. People come and go all evening until Kavarna closes at 10pm. Kavarna is a smokefree vegetarian coffeehouse/restaurant that sells bottled beers and wine. Soups, salads, chai and juices are among the many other offerings. All ages welcome. Feel free to bring your kids.

See http://www.kavarna.com/ for directions to Kavarna at 112 S. Broadway, located on downtown Green Bay's near west side.

Look for the group with a pile of books on the table. First-timers get a free book! Also, please let Crystal know that you would like to be added to the email reiminder list.

Hosting committee includes Crystal Osman, Rich Krieg, and Kim Biederman.

Happy Earth Day Green Bay!

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution (Orange) for Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond Du Lac, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago counties effective 9:00 am on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 through 10:00 am on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 .

The advisory is being issued because of persistent elevated levels of fine particles in the air. These fine particles come primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and wood fires.

The Air Quality Index is currently in the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for people in sensitive groups. People in those sensitive groups include those with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults and children. When an orange advisory for particle pollution is issued, people in those groups are advised to reschedule or cut back on strenuous activities.

People with lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, and heart disease should pay attention to cardiac symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath or respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and discomfort when taking a breath, and consult with their physician if they have co ncerns or are experiencing symptoms. Fine particle pollution deposits itself deep into the lungs and cannot easily be exhaled. People who are at risk are particularly vulnerable after several days of high particle pollution exposure.

To receive air quality advisories by e-mail, visit http://dnr.wi.gov/air/newsletters/.

There are several actions the public can take to reduce their contributions to this regional air quality problem.

• Reduce driving when possible and don't leave vehicle engines idling.


• Postpone activities that use small gasoline and diesel engines.


• Minimize outdoor wood fires.


• Conserve electricity.


• For more ideas on how you can reduce your emissions today and every day visit: Do a little, save a lot!

For more information:

• Air Quality Watches and Advisories Status Web Site


• Daily Air Quality Hotline - 1-866-324-5924 (1-866-DAILY AIR)


• Federal interagency air quality web site, for information on the Air Quality Index and nationwide air quality forecasts and air quality conditions, http://airnow.gov/


• DNR's statewide air quality monitoring web page, http://dnrmaps.wisconsin.gov/wisards


• For local DNR air management program contacts, http://dnr.wi.gov/air/about/regions.htm

Celebrate Earth Day & Participate in Earth Week 2008!

Saturday April 19 - Sunday April 27

Saturday, April 19 -

• Health and Sustainability of the Great Lakes; a forum on the Great Lakes Compact. Keynote speaker Peter Annin, author of the Great Lakes Water Wars, along with other presenters and Q & A panel discussion. (UW-Green Bay, Rose Hall, Room 250, 1-4 p.m.)


• Fox River Clean Up. (St. Francis Park, 9-NOON)


• Joannes Park Clean Up. (Joannes Park, 9-NOON)

Sunday, April 20 -

• Take Back the Pavement! Watch as Green Bay’s streets are reinvented with artistic greenery displays! (Broadway Avenue, downtown Green Bay, 9-11 a.m.)

Monday, April 21 -

• What's all the Woof about Wolves? Bring your children and join naturalist Cindy Mueller to learn about wolves. (Brown County Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, 6-8 p.m.)

Tuesday, April 22 -

• Earth Day Story Time. (Brown County Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, 10:30-11 a.m.)


• Earth Day Recycled Craft Projects. (Brown County Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, 5:30-7:30 p.m.)

Thursday, April 24 -

• Leave Your Car At Home Day Challenge! Join the City-wide challenge to bike, walk, run, take the bus, etc. to work, school, or anywhere else you have to go today!


• Story Time at Barnes & Noble. (2498 S. Oneida Street, Ashwaubenon, 7-8 p.m.)

Friday, April 25 -

• FREE showing of the film, "The 11th Hour" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. A portrayal of humanity's impact on our planet. Discussion lead by Dr. Mike Draney and others immediately following film. (Brown County Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, 6-9 p.m.)

Saturday, April 26 -

• Baird Creek Clean Up. (Triangle Hill Pavilion, Beverly Rd., Green Bay, 9-NOON)


• Willow Creek Clean Up. (NEW Lutheran Cul de sac, 1311 S. Robinson Ave, Green Bay, 9-NOON)


• Hikes, Rain Barrel and Composting Demonstrations. Learn all about composting and rain barrels, while your children go on nature hikes and fish and macro invertebrate counts! (Triangle Hill Pavilion, Beverly Road, Green Bay, 1-3 p.m.)


• Rain Garden Demonstration. (Christa Mc Auliffe Park, Green Bay, time TBA)


• Ecojam! Featuring Burnt Toast & Jam and Kojo. $5 per person, otherwise $4 with a used cell phone donation. (Holiday Inn City Center, 200 Main Street, Green Bay, 5:30-MIDNIGHT)

Sunday, April 27 -

• Izaak Walton League's Teddy Bear Hunt in Bellevue! Food, Fishing and more! A family 'hunting license' will cost $10 (Osprey Point Hwy GV ~1 mile south of 172, NOON-4 p.m.)

Questions? Ask Kim at 920.429.9008 or kim@conservationvoters.org

April 5: Spring Thaw Symposium

GREEN BAY BOTANICAL GARDEN
Spring Symposium
Going Green: Living and Gardening Sustainably
Saturday, April 5, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn City Centre

almost "Spring" thoughts

The white pelicans, those beautiful birds this blog is named after, are back! I saw my first ones of the season on Friday, March 14.

There have been several "air alerts" during the past month. I try to post all of them here but I know I missed a few. It is a little troubling to me that more people seem to be up in arms about second hand smoke in public places than are concerned about air pollution caused by cars and factories. I am pretty sure that cars and factories cause more health problems than second hand smoke.

Today's Press-Gazette chastised area Republican lawmakers for holding up a vote on the Great Lakes Compact!!!

Astonishingly, Republican lawmakers who represent the Great Lakes Basin voted with their misguided leaders to prevent the vote. Shame on our local GOP representatives, Garey Bies, Frank Lasee, Al Ott, Phil Montgomery, Gary Tauchen,
John Nygren and Karl Van Roy.

My sentiments exactly! (The grandchildren of these so-called "representatives" will also be ashamed of them.) The paper's editors need to remember these things come endorsement time. Read the full editorial HERE.


Quote of the season from an article in yesterday's Press-Gazette:

"Ethanol plants are buying all the corn and the government is paying farmers to grow corn (instead of other crops). It's causing shortages of everything. We are the only country in the world that sticks our food in the gas tank. Instead of paying high gas prices, we'll be paying high gas prices and high food prices."

-John Hubbard, owner of Gallagher's Pizza in Green Bay
(This guy really gets it.)