Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society
Restoring and promoting the health of all life in the Chesapeake Watershed
through education and action projects organized by volunteers
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Dear friends, 
In 2015, CHEARS begins its 9th year as a 501c3 non-profit. As seen in the chart, 2014 globally was the hottest year on record. As we begin 2015 we're reflecting on why we started CHEARS and who we need to be moving forward. In 2006 we wrote with hope in our hearts: "We are a non-profit organization and a tribe of friends and volunteers -environmentalists, natural and social scientists, artists, educators, children, parents, grandparents, and activists interested in learning together and facilitating and enabling others in the areas of ecological stewardship and artistic expression. We have a special focus on the cross-boundary linkages between our homes in urban, suburban and rural areas in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, and between the cross time linkages looking to the past heritage and future visions for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and our relationship to the past, current and future earth community worldwide."
We have not accomplished all we would have wished for....but together we are finding out who we are and hopefully we will continue with a renewed urgency that the chart above demands! Thanks for all you do!
Kind regards, Maggie Cahalan, Joan Clement and Bob Cahalan, Chears Co-founders
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Visit the calendar for a full listing of our events.
Did you know...you can update your contact information and CHEARS eNews preferences? Click here!
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...or text CHEARS to 22828
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Thank You for All You Do and Will Do!
Volunteer Maryland Project
Upcoming 2015 Community Service Opportunities
sponsored by the City of Greenbelt Department of Public Works in partnership with Chesapeake Education, Arts & Research Society (CHEARS).
Monday, January 19 Martin Luther King, Jr.Day
Buddy Attick Park Beaver Caging Tree Protection 10 am -1 pm, 555 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770
EARN SERVICE HOURS! HAVE FUN OUTSIDE! Individuals and groups are welcome to help with... - Beaver Caging Tree Protection
- Butterfly Garden Monitoring
- Earth Day / Green Man Festival Event Planning
- Eco Discovery Days
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Native Landscape Restoration
- Trails, Gardens & Food Forest Maintenance
- Walk / Bike to School Day---Event Planning
"Run Warren Run!" House Party. January 31, Saturday 5:30PM. Eugenia Kalnay is hosting a MoveOn.org event at her home to discuss what we can do to help Elizabeth Warren become the next president. We will have (and would also welcome if you bring some) healthy foods and snacks. Go to this site for more details and to register. http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=142808
Planning Underway for the 2015 Green Man Festival to be held May 9 and 10th 2015
The Green Man Festival in Greenbelt started in May of 2005. It has been held on Mother's Day Weekend for the last 10 years. The Green Man came to life in many cultures from the shadowy, forested world of early man. He made his way through the ages in folklore, songs, stone carvings in cathedrals and art in humble cottages. The Green Man is known to many as the Spirit of the Natural World, but takes on many different roles. Visit the project web page for details. Volunteers are especially needed to help with communications, art show, and children's programming, 
CHESTORY - Center for the Chesapeake Story became a legacy project of CHEARS in 2010, upon the death of one of its co-founders, Tom Wisner. CHESTORY was founded in 1999 by Sara Leeland and the late Tom Wisner, Maryland's first environmental educator and "Bard of the Chesapeake." The purpose is to bring the artist in each of us to express our role in the ongoing story of Chesapeake life and culture; and creating resources for all who want to bring their communities into deeper relationship to the Chesapeake river lands. Pictured here is the cover from the the Songbook/ CD Set completed in 2012, Singing the Chesapeake - Children's Songs by Tom Wisner with songs also by Teresa Whitaker & Mark Wisner. Tom wrote many songs, but the ones in this collection are those he sang often with children and groups of educators throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. The songs themselves are celebrations of imagination and wonder, and what it means to be both Chesapeake Bound and Chesapeake Free at the same time!
The songbook/CD can be purchased on line at the CHESTORY website.
CHEL- Chesapeake Environmental Literacy http://chears.org/environmentalliteracy/ This project supports creating and sharing fun ways learn about ecology and the environment through activities, workshops, and professional development training sessions for educators. Growing out of a CHEARS partnership project with Calvert Marine Museum, the Chestory Virtual Archives, http://chears.org/environmentalliteracy/CVA/ were developed by our 2012 Chesapeake Conservation Corp vounteer Concetta Laskey. These virtual archives provide a treasure chest of Tom Wisner's university-tested strategies, activities, and lessons focused on bringing the environment and the arts back together in the classroom and outside.
Many thanks to Cetta for all her work on this project and serving as the CHEARS communications and outreach co-ordinator for 3 years!
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Get Ready to Go Organic This Spring with a FREE Training Session From The Nation's Lawn Care Expert!
The City of Takoma Park and Beyond Pesticides will host a workshop on organic turf management. The workshop will focus on a Systems Approach to Natural Turf Management, which integrates three concepts: an understanding of the soil and its biomass; sound management techniques; and the use of natural, organic products. All attendees will have the chance to ask questions of the experts and prepare for the spring.Don't miss this opportunity to hear from the nation's expert on lawn and turf care! Chip Osborne, president of Osborne Organics, has over 15 years experience creating sustainable and healthy landscapes, and 35 years experience as a horticulturist. The event is free of charge and lunch will be provided, register for the event today ! Please email or call Nima Upadhyay at nimau@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7621 to register for the event. http://www.takomaparkmd.gov/safegrow About Safe Grow On July 22, 2013, the Takoma Park City Council unanimously passed the Safe Grow Act of 2013 (PDF), which generally restricts the use of cosmetic lawn pesticides on both private and public property throughout Takoma Park. This is the first time that a local jurisdiction of this size has used its authority to restrict pesticide use broadly on private and public property, exercising its responsibility to protect the health and welfare of its residents through its local government. The law fits into the City's strategic plan to lead community efforts in environmental sustainability, protection and restoration, and secures Takoma Park's role as a leader in sustainability in the state of Maryland and the nation. This landmark legislation will protect residents of Takoma Park from involuntary poisoning, reduce the poisoning of pets and wildlife, and protect the watershed from harm posed by pesticides used to maintain the cosmetic appearance of lawns. The Safe Grow Act of 2013 establishes public education requirements and phases in restrictions of harmful pesticides for lawn care on public and private property within the City.
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CHEARS Permaculture and Organic Land Care Projects
February 15 (Sunday 6:30-8:30). All are invited to join us for a Pot-Luck and Planning Meeting at the Greenbelt Community Center. Note the monthly meetings are moving from Fridays to Sundays. The February 15th meeting will focus on planning the 2015 theme and spring workshops for the Three Sisters Gardens and Food Forest. We will also introduce two new permaculture and organic land care projects (HEYCO and Many Streams Riparian Buffer; see the blurbs below). Bring finger food to share at 6:30 or join us at 7PM for the meeting. Zero waste dishes, napkins, and glasses provided.
Healthy Eco Yards Cooperative (HEYCO!) is a new co-op that CHEARS is incubating. HEYCO's mission is to promote the health of all life in the Watershed through implementation of organic Best Management Practices (BMP) and organic land care in residences, businesses and public lands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. We want to co-learn and help create landscapes which are beautiful to live in, that provide wildlife habitat and a community food harvest in the context of climate change. For more information see
Many Streams Farm Riparian Buffer. This project links urban-rural, with educational workshops being planned for this spring and fall. It features the use of permaculture and the Northeast Organic Land Care (NOFA) standards to design, implement and maintain a riparian buffer on 3.3 acres bordering Ebaugh's Creek in York County PA. The project involves site preparation, invasive plant removal without herbicides, and planting about 425 native trees and shrubs designed to improve the stream's water quality. We plan to use Hugelkultur as a tool, and to rely as much as possible on local inputs.
If you would like to volunteer to work in the Three Sisters Gardens or Food Forest, please contact one of the following Garden Volunteer Project Coordinators to arrange times to have fun and help in the gardens.
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MEETINGS
Our next GCAN Meeting is on Wed, Feb 4, 7-9:15 pm. The tentative topic is the "Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)". We also hope to get an update on Fracking from CCAN. You will receive a separate email with more details in late-January. In the meantime, Carol Nezzo and Marj Donn are scheduling visits to Steny Hoyer's Office to discuss the TPP. Please email Lore if you would like to join them.
DISCUSSION CIRCLES
We plan to start a new discussion circle this winter/spring. For more info, visit http://chears.org/gcan/discussion-circles/ . The most likely topic will be "Voluntary Simplicity" (back by popular demand!) If you are interested, please let Lore know what nights of the week work best for you.
GCAN "ACTIVISTS"
We continue to have a broad-spectrum focus.
CITY: We will ask the City Council to write a letter to the 22nd District Delegation in support of the RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) bill, to encourage them all to sign on as co-sponsors. We also continue to monitor the process of the Homes Improvement Project at GHI. [There will be a GHI Town Hall Meeting on Sun, Jan 25 at 2 pm.
COUNTY: We have been working with Susan Ungar of PG-OFA to lobby our representatives on the county level. We have collected signatures and attended rallies about Coal Powered Plants. We have attended presentations about Solar Energy. This winter, we hope to co-sponsor several events..
STATE: This winter we are working with CCAN on the Cove Point Campaign, Fracking in Maryland, opposition to the Pepco-Exelon Merger and the Renewable Portfolio Standard. To keep up to date, visit:
Click here to read about civil disobedience actions that took place in Lusby, MD on Dec 1-3, http://www.wearecovepoint.org/we-are-cove-point-gets-attention-and-support-in-lusbysolomons-island/
Additionally, we are supporting the work of "Get Money Out of Maryland" and "Move To Amend". We encourage you to sign this state-wide petition:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/maryland-says-dont-let There will be a rally in Annapolis on Tues., Jan 27, at 10:30 am http://www.getmoneyoutmd.org/rally-lobbyday. On Feb 16, Reel & Meal will show "Pay2Play". http://www.pay2play.tv/watch_now?splash=1
FEDERAL: We are continuing to fight the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Events seem to change on a daily basis, with the Congress threatening to pass a bill, the Supreme Court of Nebraska approving the permits, and the President threatening a VETO. You can follow the latest updates at http://nokxl.org/ and http://350.org/campaigns/stop-keystone-xl/ . CREDO is still considering next steps, based on the President and State Dept. actions.
http://act.credoaction.com/survey/lameduck_keystone_p/?t=1&akid=12232.3868718.i83mkH
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Our Greenbelt Time Bank is now up and running at www.greenbelttimebank.org with 83 members and 281 hours exchanged. Orientations took place in April, May, July & Dec. The next training will be on Sat, Feb 7, 1-2:30 pm. . Email
. You can join our next Core Team meeting on Wed, Jan 28 at 7 pm. Volunteers are needed to help with trainings and approving new members through our online system.
T he Greenbelt Cooperative "Incubator" Group continues to meet. Some of the most popular ideas are an Early Learning Center in Franklin Park, a Composting Co-op to make organic soil, A Worker Co-op for the Old Greenbelt Theater, A Kids Co-op to sell Smoothies at the Farmers Market, a Thrift Store, and an Edible Landscaping Co-op. The Incubator received a $5,000 grant from the Greenbelt Community Foundation to learn about writing bylaws, articles of incorporation, and how to register as a coop. Our third workshop will take place on Sun, March 1, 2-4 pm. Our next general Incubator Meeting will take place on Sun, April 12, 2-4 pm. You can also support the work of the Greenbelt Cinema Cooperative/Friends of Greenbelt Theater by attending the City Council Meeting on Mon, Jan 26 at 8 pm, where a final vote will take place. Contact greenbeltcoopincubator@gmail.com for more info.
Re-Skilling Workshop Committee - nothing scheduled. We had to cancel Mr. Vecchiarelli, the blade and reel mower sharpener, in October because it was too cold for him to work in his truck. We will try again in the spring, when the weather gets warmer than 45 degrees.
For more info on any of these listings, contact lore@simplicity-matters.org Lore Rosenthal 301-345-2234, Greenbelt Climate Action Network.
Also visit our Website www.chears.org/gcan/ , our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/chearsorg and the calendar on the CHEARS website for a full listing of events
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Chesapeake Education, Arts and Research Society
P.O. Box 1841 | Greenbelt, MD 20768
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Home Salons & Good CHEAR Parties
