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First US Small-Scale Food Waste Anaerobic Digester to Be Built
Earth Pledge Named Environmental Champion
by Interiors and Sources Magazine
New Funding for Viridian Green Roofs
Earth Pledge Workspace Featured in The
Wall Street Journal
Earth Pledge and Whole Foods Farm To Table
Work Sessions
Upcoming Class: Beekeeping in Practice, Anecdote and History
awAIR:
An Evening of Environmental Art and Music in Support of Earth
Pledge
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| First
US Small-Scale Food Waste Anaerobic Digester to Be Built
The
Earth Pledge Waste=Fuel Initiative is kicking into high gear.
We are starting construction of the first North American small-scale
anaerobic digester this fall at the Rutgers University EcoComplex.
The digester is funded by the US EPA, Mitsubishi International
Corporation, and the Ittleson Foundation.
Anaerobic digestion makes use of organic waste such as food
scraps that would otherwise go into landfills. Beneficial bacteria
break down waste to produce fertilizer and natural gas. The
fertilizer is composted and used as a soil enhancer; the natural
gas is used as a fuel for electricity or heat. At the EcoComplex,
the gas produced by the anaerobic digesters will provide fuel
for microturbines, which power and heat a year-round greenhouse.
Most anaerobic digesters function on an industrial scale, often
as a key component in a factory setting. The Earth Pledge anaerobic
digesters are unique because at only six to eight feet in diameter,
they are compatible with small urban spaces. The Waste=Fuel
Initiative will install two more of these small digesters by
the first quarter of 2005 while also expanding the use of digesters
in larger-scale facilities throughout the United States.
The Rutgers University EcoComplex is a living laboratory dedicated
to modeling technologies that promote sustainable development.
Earth Pledge is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with
EcoComplex; a unique operation that gives organizations such
as Earth Pledge an opportunity to test innovative waste solutions.
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Pledge Named Environmental Champion by Interiors and Sources
Magazine
Interiors & Sources magazine, one of the top architecture
and design industry publications, has selected Earth Pledge
for its list of 25 Environmental Champions for 2004. The list
recognizes “environmental guardians who are tirelessly
working to raise the level of awareness of vital ecological
issues, laying forth critical mandates for the future—and
sometimes achieving the impossible in the process.” The
magazine celebrates Earth Pledge work on innovative programs
that aim to mitigate urban environmental health problems. Executive
Director Leslie Hoffman is quoted: “Our real interest
is to twiddle the imagination of people so that they start to
see that life can actually be enhanced by struggling for sustainability.
It’s not about giving things up, it’s about having
an enhanced intellectual engagement with what it takes to really
sustain life on this planet.”
Click here to read the full story
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New
Funding for Viridian Green Roofs
Earth Pledge is pleased to announce four new grants
to expand the efforts of our Green Roofs Initiative and the Viridian
Project. The support of the Home Depot Foundation, the Baldwin
Foundation and an anonymous foundation will allow Earth Pledge
to increase Viridian support services, conduct an outreach campaign
to the affordable housing community, and select five to seven
new projects to receive our support over the next twelve months.
A grant from ConEdison will enhance all of the projects in which
the Green Roofs Initiative is currently engaged.
A growing number of nonprofit affordable housing developers are
interested in green roofs as a way to use green building practices
and improve tenants’ quality of life. The Viridian Project
increases the ability of these organizations to implement green
roofs by providing them with information, guidance, and technical
and financial support. Earth Pledge is currently facilitating
the construction of 18,000 square feet of green roof in Brooklyn,
Manhattan, and the Bronx with six nonprofit, community-based partners.
Executive Director Leslie Hoffman will be extending our outreach
to this community by presenting at the upcoming Enterprise Foundation
Conference.
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Earth
Pledge Workspace Featured in The Wall Street Journal
The ecologically renovated 1902 townhouse that
houses the Earth Pledge offices was featured in the Workspaces
column of The Wall Street Journal on August 4. The article
notes “green” features of the building ranging
from the low-toxin paints to the energy-saving coffee maker
in the kitchen. Construction of a green roof on the building
inspired Executive Director Leslie Hoffman to create the Earth
Pledge Green Roofs Initiative, and the article notes that
the roof garden is now used to grow vegetables for staff meals.
The Earth Pledge building in Manhattan retains the best features
of the early 20th century townhouse design while meeting the
needs of a modern, environmentally sound work and living environment.
Click
here to read the full text of the article
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Pledge and Whole Foods Farm To Table Work Sessions
As part of our continuing partnership with Whole Foods Market,
Earth Pledge has coordinated ten farm work sessions this season
for Whole Foods Tri-State area team members. These work sessions
provide the opportunity to plant, weed, mulch, harvest, paint
barns, and build split-rail fences on local, sustainable farms.
The sessions enable Whole Foods team members to experience first-hand
the importance of supporting and preserving local agriculture,
while building their teams and having fun.
Click here
to find out more about which farms are participating
For more information about availabilities, contact Jon Klar
at jklar@earthpledge.org.
A number of these sessions are open to the general public.
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| Upcoming
Class: Beekeeping in Practice, Anecdote and History
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Saturday,
October 16, 2004
3pm – 4:30pm
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture
Beekeeper Philip Mason will present a honeybee height
flyover of the basics of beekeeping. Aimed at the novice,
the presentation will include an introduction to the
history of honey and beekeeping along with a demonstration
of the hive and other equipment. Philip will also offer
practical hints and suggestions on how to start a hive,
such as where to order bees, how to introduce them to
the queen, and proper care.
The class will feature a tasting of honeys from around
the world, including clover, leatherwood, buckwheat,
and Philip’s own mille fleur.
The class costs $20 and is limited to 20 students.
To register, contact Jon Klar at jklar@earthpledge.org
or 212.725.6611 x225.
Click
here for more detailed information
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| awAIR:
An
Evening of Environmental Art and Music in Support of Earth Pledge |
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Saturday,
September 18, 2004
172 Classon Ave, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Join twenty multidisciplinary artists, an afrobeat band, spoken
word performers, and DJs for awAIR, a night of art and entertainment
in a 2,400 square foot Brooklyn loft. Inspired by issues of
air quality, degradation and protection, the show includes painting,
photography, sculpture, video, and even an interactive “smell
station.” AwAIR uses the creative arts to bring environmental
issues to the public through a fun, exploratory event for all
ages. Partial proceeds will benefit Earth Pledge. The art exhibition
runs from 6-9, with live performances from 9-11 and a party
from 11-4am. It is free until 9pm and $10 thereafter.
For more information
and directions visit awAIR
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