1. "Organic Style" Magazine Ranks Healthy Cities - "Organic Style" magazine ranked Tuscaloosa, Alabama 46th and Birmingham, Alabama 97th in a study of 125 U.S. cities.

In a study conducted for "Organic Style", Robert Weinhold, author of the comprehensive "Rating Guide to Environmentally Healthy Metro Areas", surveyed more than 5,500 pieces of data and used the results to rank 10 zones and 125 cities for environmental toxicity.

The study used categories ranging from air quality, toxic releases, and agricultural pollution. To see how Alabama and region stacked up against the entire country, visit the "Organic Style" website at : http://www.organicstyle.com

2. ADEM Beach Monitoring Program A Success - According to the Birmingham News, Alabama's Beach Monitoring program has received praise from environmentalists for decreasing the number of beach advisories, while the program grew and exceeded federal recommendations.

Two years ago, Alabama's beaches were under advisories against swimming in bacteria-infected water 53 times. This year, according to the state, 18 advisories were issued. Nancy Stoner of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a beach monitoring watchdog group, praised Alabama for surpassing federal minimum requirements by testing twice weekly in some places.

To learn more about this very successful program go to http://www.adem.state.al.us.

3. Dauphin Island Sanctuaries Launch Campaign - Dauphin Island Sanctuaries (DIS) (formerly the Friends of Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary) has launched a $4 million campaign to protect 35 acres of Dauphin Island's remaining bird habitat.

Every year, millions of migratory birds begin their fall flight from the Yucatan to lower Alabama. According to John Porter, president of DIS, prothonotary warblers nest only in wet marshy forests. If there were no marshes on Dauphin Island, these gray-winged white bellied warblers would probably try to fly on, 50 miles northward to the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. But along the way, many of them would simply drop out of the sky and die of starvation and exhaustion, stated Porter in the Mobile Register.

Population and development on the island has doubled in the past two decades. In 1983 650 residents lived on Dauphin Island. Today, 1,371 residents reside on the island. More than 500 new houses have been built this past decade.

To learn more about this new campaign to protect one of Alabama's most important birding habitats, visit Dauphin Island Sanctuaries website at http://www.dauphinisland.org/bird.htm.

4. BEN Notes: Renew Our Rivers Cleanup Schedule, "Greenprint for Growth" On Land Trust Website, Moon Over Three Caves Dance, Mountain Longleaf Conference, 2003 Solar Home Tour, Urban Forestry Workshop.

Renew Our Rivers Cleanup Schedule - Five volunteer-led cleanups will take place this fall under the Renew Our Rivers campaign spearheaded by Alabama Power. Over the past three years, more than 2,600 volunteers and more than 75 volunteer groups have participated in Renew Our Rivers cleanups. Here is the fall schedule;

Sept. 20 - Bankhead Reservoir, Black Warrior River
Sept. 25-27 - Smith Lake (east side) Black Warrior River
Sept. 29- Oct. 4 - Harris Lake (Lake Wedowee) Tallapoosa River
Oct. 6-10 - Smith Lake (west side) Black Warrior River
Nov. 8 - Lake Mitchell, Coosa River

For more information about Renew Our Rivers and how to volunteer call Michael Sznajderman, Alabama Power at 205-257-4155 or email msznajde@southernco.com.

"Greenprint for Growth" On Land Trust Website - The Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama has published their groundbreaking study "Greenprint for Growth" in Huntsville and Madison County, on their website. Using the latest mapping technologies, the Land Trust study shows the impact population growth (50% over the past 2 decades) and development (developed land has doubled in 16 years) has had on Madison County. You can access this study by going to http://www.landtrust-hsv.org.

Moon Over Three Caves Dance - The Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama will be holding their 4th Annual "Moon Over Three Caves Dance" on September 20th. The event begins at 7:30 and ends at 11:00. There will be music, food and a silent auction. The event costs $35 and all proceeds benefit the Land Trust. For additional information call 256-534-5263.

Mountain Longleaf Conference - The Longleaf Alliance and Jacksonville State University will be hosting the "Mountain Longleaf Conference" at Jacksonville State University on October 15-17. The general sessions will focus on the protection, restoration and management needs of mountain longleaf pine. For more information about this impressive conference call Denise Davis at 256-782-8010.

2003 Solar Home Tour - The Alabama Solar Energy Co-op will be sponsoring a solar home tour in Blount County, October 4th, 9:00 a.m. The tour will include 5 sites including strawbale and underground homes. For more information about this innovative event call Stephen at 205-429-4120 or e-mail greenworks@juno.com (please make sure to put "home tour" in subject line).

Urban Forestry Workshop - The Alabama Urban Forestry Asociation (AUFA) will be holding a workshop titled "Developing and Maintaining Healthy Urban Landscapes" featuring Dr. Don Marx, on Sept. 30th, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The workshop costs $55. Learn more about this workshop and how to register at http://www.aufa.com.