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A new year is a great time to explore some fresh approaches. If you're interested in sharing your skills in exchange for other services, check out the Time Bank at the February SFM, and come early for a potluck dinner. The Student Conservation Corps and the Weed Warriors always welcome help as they work to create space for native plants to thrive. You can enjoy some social time at Green Drinks or educate yourself with the Bainbridge Beach Naturalists. And, make sure you read the inspiring story about the work of Positive Energy!
As always, if you have a sustainability issue that inspires or interests you, please let us know! Sharing our ideas strengthens relationships, weaves a community together and becomes the heart of sustainability. You can contact us by email or by phone at 206/842-4439. We look forward to hearing from you! |
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Sustainable First Monday: Introducing the West Sound Time Bank!
Monday, February 6
6:30 - 9 p.m. The Commons, 370 Brien Drive
Please join us for a community potluck starting at 6:30 p.m. The program will begin at 7 p.m. For the potluck, bring a dish to share, a plate and utensils. Glasses, mugs, napkins, water and tea will be provided.
A time bank is like a bank account using hours instead of dollars. It's about community and people helping each other, where everyone's skills are valued equally. Join us for our first public presentation and the launch of the West Sound Time Bank!
* What is a time bank? (Learn how members earn credit by using their skills to help others, and withdraw hours by asking for help when they need it.)
* How does the West Sound Time Bank work? (See a demonstration of how "deposits" and "withdrawals" are recorded in our online database.)
* What are our unique gifts and talents? What are our needs and wants? (Discover the many ways we can be in service to others.)
* What does it mean to be a member and how do we sign up? (Learn how to apply for/activate membership and participate in this community of giving and receiving.)
The West Sound Time Bank is a program of Sustainable Bainbridge. For more information, click HERE, visit our Facebook Page, email WestSoundTimeBank@gmail.com, OR call Mickey at 206-842-7904.
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Weed Warriors: February 4 at Strawberry Plant Park
Join Weed Warriors on Saturday, February 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Strawberry Plant Park, just off Weaver (which is perpendicular to Wyatt). Our 2012 priority is protecting the ground we've gained, and many noxious weeds are overwhelming the lovely native plants there. For more information contact Jeannette, 206-755-8461 or Mike, 206-245-7317
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Student Conservation Corps:  Time to Sign up for 2012! Share this with your favorite High School student: the 2012 SCoCo schedule is set! The Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Parks and Recreation District (BIMPRD) is offering 20 SCoCo positions this summer as a part of ongoing stewardship efforts in our parks, in partnership with Sustainable Bainbridge and the Bainbridge Island Land Trust. The Student Conservation Corps (SCoCo) is a summer paid field work and conservation education opportunity for kids age 15-18. Our Summer Program will run June 18th to July 3rd. The Program will run for 12 days between the end of school and the 4th of July holiday on weekdays, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm. Twenty SCoCo members commit to the full summer session and two additional fall volunteer work parties. Up to four additional positions may be made possible through extra fund-raising efforts, and a wait-list will be maintained. Questions? Visit the Student Conservation Corps webpage for application information, or email Barb Trafton for work party or information regarding our 2012 summer program. The Student Conservation Corps is a Sustainable Bainbridge Initiative, in partnership with the Bainbridge Island Metro Park and Rec District and The Bainbridge Island Land Trust. SCoCo gives local youth meaningful environmental work with the Park District, including field experience and a conservation education. |
 Green Drinks
Friday, February 24
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Bay Hay & Feed
10355 NE Valley Road
(January Green Drinks was cancelled due to the wintery weather. We look forward to rescheduling with our sponsor, |
Bainbridge Beach Naturalists
The wonderful low tides have come to an end for the night explorations. We had a great turnout for these events, as intrepid explorers joined beach naturalists in spite of cold and darkness. Now we are preparing the schedule for the spring and summer, when the low tides are during the day. Beach exploration events on Bainbridge Island will resume in May.
If you are interested in learning more about our nearshore environment and the critters that live there, consider taking a beach naturalist training course. There are two nearby; one in Bremerton with the WSU Extension - Kitsap County; the other with the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle. Both provide an excellent opportunity to learn about our marine environment.
For more information, or to sign up to receive notice of future beach explorations, contact the Bainbridge Beach Naturalists.
Special Event on February 4 at IslandWood!
Come to a special "Great Decisions at the Library" program on The State of the Oceans. Included is a sneak preview of a new, 80-minute documentary, Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship, by Green Fire Productions from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, at IslandWood. Ocean Frontiers provides a vision of sustainable ocean stewardship through real-life examples of what several regions in the U.S. are doing to protect the seas. Details are at http://ocean-frontiers.org. The post-film Q&A will be moderated by Executive Producer Karen Anspacher-Meyer and Bainbridge Islander James Brennan, Marine Habitat Specialist at the University of Washington and advisor to Washington Sea Grant.
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Positive Energy: Another success story
Members of Positive Energy spent many hours at the Saturday Farmers Market introducing Island residents to opportunities available for reducing energy use at home through improved insulation, upgraded heating systems, and other possibilities.
This month, Department of Energy people visited Bainbridge Island to meet with RePower Bainbridge, and to tour some of the homes that have been "ReEnergized." One visit was to a 40- year- old log cabin, and here's the story.
"I talked to her (the owner of the log cabin) last summer at the Farmers Market, and she said her home was hopeless, as 'you can't insulate a log cabin.' I convinced her to do a Check Up and when we visited yesterday, she was absolutely ecstatic with the results -- her heating bill is half what it was after implementing only a portion of RePower's recommendations, there are new products on the market for insulating log homes, she loves her ductless heat pump, and best of all, she had been seriously considering selling her house (at a huge loss in this market) because she couldn't keep it above 55 in cold weather. Yesterday it was a cozy 68 and she said she truly feels that RePower gave her her house back."
How cool is that?? "
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Positive Energy Invites Your Energy
With numerous worthy projects under consideration as we move toward our goal of helping B.I. be carbon-neutral by 2030, we are seeking more volunteer leaders for our projects.
Besides ongoing tabling activity to recruit more RePower Home Energy Review sites, we have other notable goals for 2012 and invite you to join in with us on any of them. We can:
- Lead community discussions about our collective energy future
- Support residents and businesses in making energy efficiency (EE) upgrades
- Facilitate local bulk-buying of EE materials, and/or "barn-raising"-type events
- Promote PSE's Green Power program
- Support growth of local solar energy production; for instance, by researching the total capacity for solar space on Bainbridge (a good student project, perhaps?)
We have regular team meetings (next up: Tues., Feb. 7, 4:00) and would welcome more positive energy to advance these efforts toward the common good by lowering our collective carbon footprint. You could have important impact on our energy future by joining this challenging and crucial endeavor to act locally as we think globally. Contact us via e-mail from our PosEn website and explore the helpful material there. Many thanks!
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If you are interested in working with great people and helping us coordinate some volunteer activity, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at info@sustainablebainbridge.org for more information.
titled "Crisis and Conscience."
Sincerely,
Sustainable Bainbridge Board
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