BEN - January 26, 2009 #314

Rhodes Park on Southside Birmingham

1) Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama Protects 100+ Acres 

2) Destruction of VX Mines in Anniston Completed

3) Alabama 4-H Environmental Science Center  Receives LEED Gold Certification

4) Alabama Cities Join Forces - Create the Alabama Green Initiative

5) BEN Notes: Job Opening - TNC Director of Philanthropy, Clean Water Partnership Water Conservation Kits, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Summer Educational Programs, Auntie Litter's "Be a Solution to the Pollution!", University of Alabama - Hurricanes and Climate Change, CRS Annual Meeting, Salamander Festival, Wild About Chocolate, Legacy 2009 Partnership Conference, Alabama Hiking Trail Society Conference, ARA Watershed Leadership Conference, EEAA Conference, Southeast Land Trust Alliance Conference 

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A new sustainability consulting firm - ReSolutions - has formed in Birmingham .  Check them out at - http://www.thinkresolutions.com  or call Shawn Wright at 205-871-5011

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Thicket Magazine has a story about Alabama's emerging biomass/alternative clean fuels industry.  Check out the article at http://thicketmag.com/content/?p=377  or better yet, purchase Thicket magazine at your local newsstand.

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Great Washington Post Travel article about Alabama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012301957.html

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1.  Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama Protects 100+ Acres - According to  the Huntsville Times, the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama wrapped up 2008 with two important land purchases in Madison County.

The first purchase of 97 acres was added to the Land Trust's Green Mountain holdings near the mountain's  southernmost tip.  Steve and Kimberly Clark donated the land, their second donation of land to the Trust in two years.  Eventually, the Land Trust hopes the land on the southern end of Green Mountain can be connected to property on the northern end of the mountain as part of trail system.

In another crucial purchase, District 2 County Commissioner Faye Dyer devoted some of her $11,000 allocation from the Madison County Commission to help the Trust purchase 5.67 acres of land on the west slope of Monte Sano.  The land will adjoin other land Trust properties on the slope.  

For additional information about the Land Trust's holding and their trail system plans, visit http://www.landtrust-hsv.org

2. Destruction of VX Mines in Anniston Completed - According to the Birmingham News, on Christmas Eve, the last VX filled land mine that had been stored at the Anniston Army Depot was destroyed. Overall, almost 362,000 munitions and more than 293,000 gallons of nerve agent were destroyed 

"With the VX mines gone, there is realistically no risk for the community," said Timothy K. Garrett, the site project manager at the Anniston incinerator.

The incinerator's work is not complete, with nearly 2 million pounds of mustard agents to burn.  But depot officials say mustard agents pose little threat without direct contact, as such, they pose little danger to the public while they are being burned.  The goal of the Army is to finish destroying the stockpile by 2012 to satisfy the terms of an international treaty.

3) Alabama 4-H Environmental Science Center  Receives LEED Gold Certification - In December, the Alabama 4-H Environmental Science Education Center in Columbiana, Alabama became the 2nd building in Alabama to receive gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project.   The first building in Alabama to receive the gold certification was the M. Miller Gorrie Building Science Center at Auburn University.

Some of the special features at the two story 17,400 square foot center include the use of rainwater to flush toilets and serve as fire sprinklers, use of natural light, use of automatic lighting and air conditioning systems that shut off when not needed and the use of recycled materials and new materials manufactured within 500 miles of the center.

To learn more about the 4-H Center visit http://www.aces.edu/4hcenter/

4) Alabama Cities Join Forces - Create the Alabama Green Initiative - Last week, several Birmingham area municipalities announced the formation of the Alabama Green Initiative (AGI), a  non-profit organization created to assist Metro Birmingham cities and Jefferson County in applying for green-only and stimulus grant monies from President Barack Obama's upcoming stimulus  package.  AGI organizers cite low emission vehicles, public works projects and large scale community structures utilizing green-building standards as examples of what programs will be targeted.

For more information on the Alabama Green Initiative and an upcoming January 29th press conference to held Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover - contact Lydia Wilbanks at 205-251-2225.

5) BEN Notes: Job Opening - TNC Director of Philanthropy, Clean Water Partnership Water Conservation Kits, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Summer Educational Programs, Auntie Litter's "Be a Solution to the Pollution!" University of Alabama - Hurricanes and Climate Change, CRS Annual Meeting, Salamander Festival, Wild About Chocolate, Legacy 2009 Partnership Conference, Alabama Hiking Trail Society Conference, ARA Watershed Leadership Conference, EEAA Conference,  Southeast Land Trust Alliance Conference 

Job Opening - TNC Director of Philanthropy - The Nature Conservancy of Alabama is seeking a Director of Philanthropy.  To apply, submit a cover letter and resume to job #10678 at http://www.nature.org/careers  by February 6th.  

Clean Water Partnership Water Conservation Kits - The Alabama Clean Water Partnership has water conservation kits available.  Each kit has information and tools available for checking for toilet leaks, conservation for lawn watering including a rain gauge, and a timer to save water when showering.  To request a free kit go to - http://www.cleanwaterpartnership.org/request-kit/

Dauphin Island Sea Lab Summer Educational Programs - Dauphin Island Sea Lab has opened up enrollment for its 2009 Summer Educational Programs.  To check out their programs and application info, visit http://www.disl.org or call 251-861-2141.

Auntie Litter's "Be a Solution to the Pollution!" - Auntie Litter is kicking off their 2009 "Be a Solution to the Pollution!" clean air campaign with outreach to Jefferson and Shelby county schools.  For information about this Alabama Partners for Clean Air sponsored campaign contact LaShanna Tripp at 205-879-3009 or email LTripp@AuntieLitter.org

University of Alabama - Hurricanes and Climate Change - The Alabama Perspectives on Sustainability and Climate Change lecture series at the University of Alabama will be holding a public talk featuring Dr. Kerry Emanuel, author of "Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes."  The presentation is scheduled to be held on Thursday, January 29th, 7:30 at the Biology Building Auditorium (Room 127)

CRS Annual Meeting - The Cahaba River Society will be holding their Annual Meeting on January 29th, 5:30 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.  For more information visit http://www.cahabariversociety.org

Salamander Festival - The annual Salamander Festival in Homewood, Alabama will be held this year on Sunday, January 31st, 3:00-5:30 at the Homewood Community Center at Homewood Central Park. There will be crafts, live salamanders and many displays. 

Wild About Chocolate - The Alabama Wildlife Center will be holding their 5th Annual Wild About Chocolate Valentine Gala on February 14th, 7:00 PM at Workplay in Birmingham, Alabama.  All proceeds from this wonderful event benefit the Center and the thousands of animals they save and rehabilitate over the year.  Tickets in advance are $75 and can ordered at 205-663-7930.  For additional details visit http://www.awrc.org 

Legacy 2009 Partnership Conference - Legacy will be holding their 2009 Environmental Partnership Conference on Feb. 18-20 at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach.  The deadline to register is January 23rd.  For details, visit the Legacy website at http://www.legacyenved.org/events/events_conf.htm

Alabama Hiking Trail Society Conference - The Alabama Hiking Trail Society will be holding their 7th Annual Conference, March 6th and 7th at the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort, Alabama.  For complete details about this event, visit http://www.hikealabama.org/conference.html .

ARA Watershed Leadership Conference - The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be holding their 11th Annual Watershed Leadership Conference on March 20-22 at beautiful Camp McDowell.  Visit http://www.alabamarivers.org for details.

EEAA Conference - The Environmental Education Association of Alabama will be holding their Annual Conference - titled "Woods and Water: Connections in Nature" from March 19 to March 21 at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana, Alabama.  For information about the event, visit http://www.eeaa.us   or call 256-426-5871.

Southeast Land Trust Alliance Conference - The 2009 Southeast Land Trust Conference is coming to Alabama on March 25-26 at Auburn University's Dixon Conference in Auburn, Alabama.  Check out  the conference schedule and details at http://www.lta.org  (visit "events" on the webpage)