ReNewport

You don’t have to wait for a community beach cleanup to do your part for the environment.

Save The Bay schedules beach cleanups for groups between 5 and 200 people, just give Stephany Hessler a call at 401-272-3540 ext. 130. After checking the tides and helping us choose a location, Stephany met us at the surfers’ side of Second Beach as part of our Green Friday. Save The Bay provided us with gloves and bags and Stephany contacted the town of Middletown for a dumpster for our collection. You would be surprised what a small group can accomplish, as the eight of us picked up approximately 800 pounds of trash in just 2 hours.

Since one of our goals on the Green Committee is to create a greater awareness of social responsibility, we plan to organize more events in the future. Save The Bay’s mission is to foster a personal connection between the people and Narragansett Bay and to encourage an investment in the bay’s future. With its motto of Protect, Restore and Explore, we think this organization is a perfect match for us and we are going to sign up for their eelgrass transplanting in May. Eelgrass beds are a primary source of food and shelter for marine life and serve as an indicator as to the health of the bay. A majority of the eelgrass beds in our region have been lost, so such special projects are crucial to our environment.

After a full day in the fresh air, I slept especially well that night with the thought that our Green Committee made a difference that day.

All photos courtesy of Marianne Groszko, www.mariannephotography.net

If you asked me what Green Drinks meant in August, I would have responded with an apple flavored martini or trendy new herbal tea. In September I was invited to the kick-off event for Newport, RI’s Green Drinks Chapter and learned how far off I was. Green Drinks is a worldwide movement to organize people in an informal way to discuss environmental issues. The idea is to welcome people from all backgrounds and get them talking about initiatives they are taking towards green living (and working).

Kara DiCamillo of 6 Square Design and Communications is the enthusiastic organizer of this chapter and a role model for business owners trying to offset their energy usage. The event was a huge success with approximately 40 attendees, including the mayor. Fluke Wine Bar & Kitchen was the generous host, providing delectable appetizers and libations made from freshly squeezed juices.

 I met Marci Recher, who works at EPI (Environmental Packaging International) in Jamestown. We were talking about wedding gifts and she introduced me to a great website www.greensage.com, which provides a variety of sustainable products for the home. I think the following tumblers made from recycled wine bottles are so unique and the design says “Protect Our Earth” in four languages. I know a few people on my holiday shopping list who would appreciate such a gift.

Kerry of Newport Biodiesel kept me informed of the latest developments in the area of alternative fuel. I learned that local restaurants donate their used vegetable oil and Newport Biodiesel is able to convert it into biodegradable, nontoxic fuel that is combined with petroleum diesel to produce a cleaner, more renewable fuel. I did not realize that such fuel could be used in most diesel cars and oil-heated homes with very little, if any, conversion. It will be exciting to see their future progress and the company plans to have accessible pumps in the future.

I learned a few things, made a few contacts and look forward to the next my next Green Drink event. Go to www.greendrinks.org to find one of the regularly scheduled events in over 280 cities worldwide.