Fertile Earth’s Weblog

April is an exciting month for all Mother Earth lovers as we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2009 and various events filling the calendar around the world.  Its a month dedicated to raising community awareness as well as self-awareness around the delicate balance between Earth and our lives which we must work so diligently to preserve.  Earth is our home and  provider; feeding, sheltering and nurturing its inhabitants.  It is our life-long mission to care for our planet as we would care for our own selves and of our loved ones.   Just as we honor the lives of great leaders, healers, and other influential people throughout the year, we must take the time to honor the great life of Earth.  This can be in be done in countless ways; by awaking each day with a dedication to make a change in our life which will better care for Earth or by becoming involved in community projects which care for Earth.  Begin recycling, start a garden, begin composting, attend
events held in our community!   This year feels like it is alive and thriving with activism and community involvement moreso than ever before!  There is a need and a place for each person, regardless of age, nationality, education, income, to take a greater step into our communities, join forces with our neighbors and bring about the changes we desire deep within.  Miami-Dade County is host to a variety of events in celebration of Earth month; with festivals, workshops, symposiums, parades, and a wealth of information being distributed.  Be the Change and Celebrate!”

Composting has been picking up speed, even in cities that do not have citywide programs like in Seattle and San Franciso.  Fertile Earth has been heavily involved in creating a strong compost movement in South Florida. People eager to learn and take part are encouraged to contact us as well as attend our events.

One great way to compost is by using worms, whether you have a backyard, balcony or just some space underneath the sink.  Worms break down wastes fast, with no smell, and produce some of the most nutritious soil amendment known to man.  Most importantly it diverts potential fertilizer from being added to landfills. Methane gas, which is 23x more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2, is produced when food waste decomposes without air, which is one of the many reasons why composting is such a wonderful and necessary alternative.

Read the following NY Times article on how New Yorkers are finding any space available to compost. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/garden/19worms.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/N/Navarro,%20Mireya&pagewanted=all

* Miami Dade College Earth Day Event – April 15th, 10 am – 2 pm
Miami Dade College North Campus, Green Urban Living Center (3000 building)

* April 19 (Sun) – Crandon Park Key Biscayne Earthfest (we will have a booth and we will be selling worm bins and fresh coconut water!) – 11 am to sundown

http://crandonpark.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/3rd-annual-earthfest-april-19-2009/

*April 22 (Wed) – Earth Day @ Metro Zoo, all day, www.miamimetrozoo.com

*April 22(Wed)- Miami Goin’ Green,  Longest Procession of Alternative-fuel Vehicles to Take Place on Earth Day, 7 p.m. www.miamigoingreen.com.

* April 25 (Sat) – Miami Goin’ Green, Bayfront Park, 10 – 7 pm (We will have a booth and do a Worm workshop from 4 -4:20 pm) http://www.miamigoingreen.com/index.php

* April 25 & 26 (Sat & Sun) – Miami Metro Zoo “Party for the Planet”, 11 – 4 pm (We will have a booth and We will be doing worm bin workshops at 2pm.  Come enjoy samba & silt dancers, the world’s largest flowering tree show & sale, plus much more.  Donate a cell phone to be recycled & admission is free PLUS you are helping save endangered Gorillas!) http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/articles.asp?Id=358&categoryId=1

* May 2nd (Sat) – Miami Beach Botanical Gardens “Go Green Go Native”  (we will have a booth and will be giving a lecture on worms from 1:15 to 1:45 pm)

Tips on how to lighten the environmental load of any type of gathering.
Whether it’s a wedding, a conference, a launch party or a sleepover, you can take a few easy steps to make your event greener. You’ll impress your guests with your creativity and your conscience.

Pick an Easy Location
When you’re looking for that perfect setting, keep convenience, and global warming pollution, in mind. Choose a spot that your guests can get to without a Jetstream, and encourage them to leave their limos behind. Help arrange for your guests to carpool to the event, and let them know their public transportation options.

E-vite Your Guests
Emailing invitations saves paper (and money), especially if you have a long guest list. If a printed invitation is an absolute must for your event, use postconsumer recycled paper — easily available in stores and online — and give a phone number for RSVPs instead of reply cards.

Serve Local Food (and Feed the Locals)
Look for a restaurant or caterer that uses fresh, local or organic foods. If you’re planning on serving seafood, make sure it’s sustainably caught or farmed and low in mercury. (See ourguide to mercury in fish and sustainable seafood recipes for ideas.) Make arrangements with a local food bank to pick up any leftovers at the end of the day.

Use Reusable or Biodegradable Tableware
Stick to cloth napkins and real tableware to reduce the amount of resources your event consumes and the amount of garbage you’ll need to dispose of at the end of night. Many caterers can provide everything you need for serving, eating and drinking. For a gathering at home, use your own dishes, and borrow more from your friends if you need to. If you have to go for the take-and-toss variety, look for post-consumer recycled content paper napkins and biodegradable plates, cups and utensils made from corn starch or agricultural waste. They’ll degrade in just a couple of months in a commercial composter.

Decorate Naturally
Try using “living” décor such as moss, stones and succulent plants, or organic flowers instead of traditional pesticide-laden bouquets. Send your decorations home with your guests at the end of the night, or reuse them for another event. (Get more green design tips.)

Dazzle with Energy Efficient Lighting
A daytime event — held outdoors or in a place with plenty of windows — lets you save big on energy costs and global warming pollution from conventional lighting. For additional lighting, use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use only about one-third of the energy that regular light bulbs do. Look for energy efficient bulbs and fixtures marked with the Energy Star label.

Make Recycling Easy
Don’t rummage through trash bins the next day looking for stuff that shouldn’t have been thrown away. Make recycling easy by setting out clearly labeled recycling bins for items such as bottles, paper and cans. Check www.earth911.org to find recycling guidelines for your location.

Offset your Output
At the end of the day (or evening), your event is still going to produce some global warming pollution. You can help ease the burden by purchasing a renewable energy credit from a green energy company such as Native Energy or the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Each credit represents an investment in 100 percent clean, renewable energy that will offset the global warming pollution produced by your event.