219 GreenConnect

Chautauqua in the Dunes

Host Kathy Sipple talks with Becky Jascoviak of Chautauqua in the Dunes about the current 'Exhibit B' at the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center through October 22, 2023. Vote for your favorite photo here >> bit.ly/dunesphotovote. The entry with the most votes will win the 'Peoples' Choice Award.' A donation is not required in order to vote, but please consider supporting this great project if you're able.  Chautauqua in the Dunes has been around since 2018 and now features ongoing programming rather than a single exhibit so check their Facebook page to find out what's happening currently if you listen to this episode after Exhibit B wraps up.  Mind, Body, Soul and Spirit are the four pillars of chautauqua. This year's focus is around the letter 'B'. Exhibit B was the second art show (thus, the second letter of the alphabet); images in the exhibit were required to title their entries with the letter 'b' and most includes bugs, butterflies, beaches, birds, etc. 'B' also stands for the broader theme of 'Becoming' -- taking pieces of existing works and reimaging in them into a new whole.  Kathy shared her previous exposure to the term 'chautauqua' -- it was introduced to her by her previous Earth Charter Indiana mentor, John Gibson. He shared a strategic document with her in 2012 for his project SustainableIndiana 2016, a bicentennial initiative to help Indiana achieve certain sustainability benchmarks in advance of 2016, Indiana's bicentennial year.

Sand County Foundation Comes to Northwest Indiana

Host Kathy Sipple speaks with Carla Kenney, Master Urban Gardener and Nikki D'Adamo-Damery, Conservation Outreach & Equity Director at Sand County Foundation about the organization and her work with the Land Ethic Mentorship Program, supporting historically underserved farmers and ranchers. Nikki will visit Gary, Indiana in July 2023 for a tour and celebration of several innovative urban farmers, details about this and other events here. Learn about conservation at many scales and how smaller producers are pushing the needle on regenerative agriculture -- and why it’s important to support farmers working intensively on smaller plots of land. About Sand County Foundation In 1967, Sand County Foundation created a successful partnership among a group of private landowners to protect the land surrounding the famous “Shack” property of Aldo Leopold, America’s foremost conservation thinker. This pioneering cooperative venture led landowners to commit to voluntary conservation while raising awareness of Leopold’s land ethic, which inspires thousands of other owners of working land. Sand County Foundation's mission is to inspire and empower a growing number of land owners and managers to ethically care for the land to sustain water resources, build healthy soil, enhance wildlife habitat, and support outdoor recreation.

#OptOutside this Black Friday

Host Kathy Sipple speaks with Joshua Sutton, Retail Manager at Trailyard in Valparaiso. Trailyard is a community hub for bike and outdoor enthusiasts, conveniently located next to Creekside Trails, a mountain bike and multi-purpose trail destination. For the second year in a row, Trailyard is excited to host an #OptOutside event to encourage Northwest Indiana families to spend Black Friday together enjoying nature. On Friday, November 25, they're’re hosting a family friendly scavenger hunt and a nature inspired art project children can take home with them. Rethink Black Friday -- #OptOutside!

Carbon Neutral Indiana's Practical Guide to Climate Optimism

If you buy the book using this link. A $15 discount is applied at checkout. So the book will cost $14.95 or use coupon code: NWI. Discount ends 11/25/22, so act soon! Host Kathy Sipple speaks with Daniel Poynter from Carbon Neutral Indiana about their new book, Carbon Neutral Indiana: A Practical Guide to Climate Optimism. The book contains 60 stories of Hoosier entrepreneurs reducing carbon emissions. It also includes: ● 50 local organizations, how they can help you, contact info ● 20 relevant bills ● 31 group discussion questions ● 16 how-to guides ● 220 index entries Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions. It’s a list of ways to reduce carbon emissions -- ranging from solar and wind to methane digesters and alternative cement. We started by narrowing down Drawdown solutions relevant to Indiana. Then we identified local NGOs and subject matter experts working on each solution. Finally, we interviewed Hoosiers who implemented these solutions successfully at the household, organizational, or city level. The result? An easy to read guide that will inspire, educate, and activate you. Interested in joining a book discussion? Use this link to select a date with this link.

Diverting waste from the waste stream

Diverting waste from the waste stream