|
Featured Article | |
| |
KEC Focus Groups Seeking Members and Leaders
|
|
|
 |
|
Welcome to the December 2012 issue of the Kent Environmental Council newsletter. |
 | KEC Members and Friends Asked to Respond to Short Survey | |
As an all-volunteer organization, KEC relies upon its members and their enthusiasm to accomplish all that we do. Because of this, we want to take this holiday season to say a huge "Thank you!" for helping to keep this group contributing to the well-being of Kent and Portage County for over forty years. We would also like to ask you to take a couple of minutes and do one more thing for KEC. Give us your feedback on what you would like to see us do, and how we can best serve you. This is your council, members, and we want to make sure that Kent Environmental Council stays relevant in your life and reflects your priorities. So please go to Survey Monkey and give us your thoughts. We will use the information at our annual planning meeting on December 15 at 10 a.m. at the Kent Free Library. Happy holidays and best wishes for the New Year from KEC! |
| | KEC Focus Groups Seeking Members and Leaders | |
The Kent Environmental Council invites all environmentally concerned residents of the Kent area to join us in accomplishing our local action agenda for 2012-2013. We are in need of new, interested people to further our efforts as group members or group leaders. You also can contribute by offering your opinions about an area of environmental concern you believe needs action. Contact KEC Chair Lisa Regula Meyer at [email protected] or 419-231-2204 or the persons listed for each focus group with comments, questions or concerns. We look forward to hearing from you soon to help us plan for 2013. |
| | Water Resources | |
Purpose
 This focus group is committed to protecting and restoring local aquatic treasures with public participation. We are active in the stewardship of the Cuyahoga River watershed and tributaries, the Kent Bog, local parks and nature preserves, and wetlands.
Goals
- We seek to identify existing and emerging threats to area lakes, rivers and streams and then identify the causes and sources of these problems. For 2012, we will continue to participate in the development and completion of the Middle Cuyahoga Watershed Plan, along with other citizens and all local governments in this in the western Portage County watershed, which extends into Summit County.
- We also seek to involve citizens and local governments in focusing on high-priority issues. Once the Middle Cuyahoga Watershed Plan is submitted and approved, Federal funding may be available for addressing issues.
- We will look for ways to broaden public understanding of the importance of clean waterways by monitoring issues and educating the public about them. As part of this, we will continue to coordinate with Chris Carman, a teacher at Roosevelt High School, on water-quality issues for his fall environmental science classes.
- And last, but not least, we want to celebrate the Cuyahoga River as part of our natural heritage and seek ways to enjoy recreation and the benefits of a free-flowing river, such as canoeing and kayaking, fishing hiking and others things. We will coordinate with Kent Parks and Recreation as well as other organizations to plan annual River Day festivities, as one way to involve families in nature activities.
Contact
Edith Chase at 330-673-1193 |
| | Transportation | |
Purpose
 The purpose of this focus group is to promote sustainable transportation systems. This focus group believes that transportation and the habits of life fostered by the dominant transportation systems have broad and deep environmental impacts. The group studies the existing modes of transportation in our community and our region and advises the KEC board about advocacy and action affecting the future of our transportation systems and practices. Our areas of concern include the effects of transportation on land use; current energy sources and alternatives for transportation; issues affecting air pollution and global warming; alternative modes of transportation; communication with policy-making bodies; and transportation as a community-building influence.
Goal
Our goal is to plan for productive economic activity in a postcarbon future.
Contact
Harold Walker at 330-673-6534 |
| | Sustainable Community Development | |
Purpose
 The purpose of this focus group is to pursue sustainable community planning and development. We strive to monitor the plans and programs of the city of Kent, Kent State University, and Portage County in terms of environmental and ecological impacts and issues. Our goals are to help guide downtown redevelopment in terms of sufficient green space and plantings and to encourage green building methods; communicate the idea that the evolution of the downtown core is walkable and creates a pedestrian-friendly link to the KSU campus; and explore the ideas of the Transportage program for Kent city planning.
Goals
Our emphasis is on monitoring the emergence of the new business district and the new link to the KSU campus in terms of challenges to and opportunities for appropriate and/or increased sustainability measures. These may include green space, provisions for pedestrian and cycle use, traffic flow and ease of transfer from one mode to another.
Contact
Gene Wenninger at [email protected] |
| |
Parks and Trail Development | |
Purpose
 The purpose of this focus group is to support the extension, improvement and maintenance of the parks, trails, and open spaces of the city of Kent, Kent State University and Portage County.
Goals
We have participated with the process of park and trail development and will continue to actively pursue more opportunities for our community.
Contact
Charles Frederick at [email protected] |
|
Local Food | |
Purpose
 This focus group is working on making fresh local food available through the support of farmers markets, school gardens, and local food days in schools with farmer visits. It also is focusing on developing and strengthening new and existing infrastructure for food entrepreneurs in Portage County. The Portage Local Food Project developed from this focus group, and members are working on a network of licensed commercial kitchens to rent for the production of value-added agricultural products for sale. We need your help with in-kind donations to enable Kent Social Services to finish upgrading its kitchen, which would serve as a test site for the program.
Contact
Kelly Ferry at [email protected]
Lynn Gregor at [email protected] |
| |
Haymaker Parkway Adopt-a-Spot |
Purpose
 The area on the north side of Haymaker Parkway between Mantua and River streets is maintained by KEC members and friends, with leadership by Bob Wilson and Helen Green. Helen has been lending her horticultural skills, labor and encouragement for three years (driving from Geauga County to plant and offer guidance). Bob supports the project with the use of his truck for mulching and hauling weeds. And thanks to Sherry Gedeon, longtime KEC member, who donated plants in the fall of 2011.
Goals
We will maintain our section of the parkway, and encourage the city to maintain the remainder of the parkway (which was landscaped by KEC members and friends in the mid-1990s). We will also continue to look for donations of perennials, especially those that are drought tolerant. Native plants are nice, but not essential. Nothing from the invasive species list please. This is a labor-intensive project and more volunteers are needed to help maintain the area with weeding, pruning and planting. We also need signs to announce when we are working at the site.
Contact
Ann Ward at 330-285-0899 |
| |
Energy |
Purpose
 The purpose of this focus group is to educate people about the importance of energy conservation and cleaner, less destructive sources of energy.
Goals
The primary goal of this focus group is education. This may be subdivided into three major areas: energy conservation, fossil fuels as an energy source and alternative energy sources. First, is to inform the public on the methods to conserve energy by using less. Second, that burning fossil fuels not only contributes to serious health problems by filling the air and water with poisonous substances, it also contributes significantly to global warming and results in severe and often irreversible environmental damage (a current concern is the impact of gas drilling by fracking on the Portage County environment). Third, that a great deal more attention needs to be given to the use of wind, solar, water, and geothermal power sources. We welcome your participation in our educational efforts.
Contact
Ted Voneida (September to June)at [email protected]
Barb and John Brovarone (June to September) at [email protected] |
| |
Friends of the Kent Bog |
Purpose
 We are an informal group dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Tom S. Cooperrider Kent Bog State Nature Preserve and for the education, enjoyment, and inspiration of present and future generations.
Goals
Toward our goal of spreading the word about the gift of nature we have in our community, we write letters to news media and legislators and speak at public meetings that deal with the preserve. We distribute trail guides that point out interesting plants and animals that may be seen in the preserve during each season of the year. We also serve as greeters and guides during special events at the preserve.
Contact
Fred Skok at [email protected] |
| |
Environmental Education |
Purpose
 The purpose of the Environmental Education focus group is to reconnect people with the natural world. Research has shown that contact with nature promotes knowledge, appreciation and caring for the environment and, more importantly, is fundamental to human health and well-being.
Goal
Our goal is to provide opportunities for positive experiences within the natural areas that surround us for adults and children. We welcome your contributions as we plan this year's KEC events and activities.
Contact
Wayne Munson at [email protected] |
| |
Communication and Publicity |
Purpose
 The purpose of this focus group is to support the activities of other KEC focus areas by providing a variety of communication options for sending effective environmental information to KEC members and the general public. Avenues of communication include an e-newsletter, a hard-copy newsletter as needed, letters to the editor, legislative alerts, special events such as the Kent Heritage Festival and River Day, and public forums.
Goal
Our goal is to enhance KEC's Internet capabilities through more frequent e-newsletters and more timely use of KEC's Facebook pages. We always welcome individuals who are willing to help us prepare written copy or graphics for the website and Facebook page or work at special events.
Contact
Lorraine McCarty at [email protected] or330-554-3829
Jeff Ingram at [email protected] or 330-673-4970
Audrey Kessler at [email protected] or 330-677-1168 |
| |
Become a KEC Member or Gift a KEC Membership to a Friend | |
Become a member of KEC or gift a membership to a friend. Just fill out the KEC membership form. Our KEC membership levels are $45 Sustaining; $35, Family; $25, Individual; $15 Golden Buckeye; $10 Student; $500, Lifetime membership. Enclose the completed form and your check made payable to: Kent Environmental Council" along with the completed membership form to: KEC, P.O. Box 395, Kent OH 44240. |
|
|
|
|
