Rainwater Harvesting Class Free in OKC

Oklahoma City residents wanting to learn about rainwater harvesting can attend a free class from noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, July 26 at the OSU-OKC campus in the Agricultural Resources Center, Room 196. Presenter Jason R. Vogel, Ph.D., P.E. Assistant Professor and Stormwater Specialist from the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University will discuss research and demonstration projects related to both large and small-scale rainwater harvesting systems. The class is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Lunch is not provided, but participants are welcome to bring their lunch. This is the sixth in a series of free monthly green infrastructure classes offered through the City of Oklahoma City. Learn more about the green infrastructure education program at www.okc.gov/planning/gii/education/index.html.

Learn From OKC How to Make Shawnee a More 'Liveable" Community

Public Invited to Open House for City’s Comprehensive Plan - planokc

The public is invited to attend a summer update and open house about the development of Oklahoma City’s new comprehensive plan, planokc. The event will be held from 4 – 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 31 on the third floor in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 200 N. Walker.  A 30-minute meet-and-greet will be followed by a short presentation highlighting the goal creation process and the resulting goals. After the meeting participants can visit with City planners about each of the plan’s elements: future land use, transportation, environmental and natural resources, communities, appearance, parks and recreation, economic development, and public services.

The comprehensive plan is a long-range plan that will guide decisions about Oklahoma City’s growth and development over the next 20 years.  The plan is for the entire city and will strive to ensure a healthy environment, community and economy for its residents. The City’s Planning Department has involved more than 4,000 residents, business owners and neighborhood associations since the process kicked off in 2010.  Information about planokc can be found at www.okc.gov/planokc.

Energy Efficiency at Home: It's Not Just About Saving Money

A couple of years ago OG&E began energy efficiency programs in Oklahoma. The goal was to reduce overall use and shift demand from peak periods (2-7 pm in the summer months) to other times during the day. If the goal is reached, Oklahoma ratepayers can avoid the costly and litiguous process of siting and building a new coal or gas-fired power plant. Power plants of any kind take years to site, burn more energy not less and the ratepayers bear all the cost through their bills. Not a good deal but you can do something about it.

To find out more, read Sustainable Shawnee's "Sprouts" blog on the Shawnee News-Star's website.

Crow Family Farms and Shawnee Public Schools Recognized in First Lady's Book "American Grown"

SHAWNEE, Okla. — Shawnee Public Schools received national recognition for their Farm to School program, in part with Crow Farms. Family-owned Crow Farms and Shawnee Public Schools were featured in first lady Michelle Obama’s book, “American Grown.” The book highlights farms and gardens across America promoting healthy eating. Claudia Crow was interviewed about the Shawnee Farm to School program for the book.

For the complete story visit, http://www.news-star.com/features/x69084147/Shawnee-public-schools-get-recognition

Prozac in Drinking Water May Be Link to Autism, Study Says

Consider where your medications and pills end up BEFORE deciding to take them...

June 7 (Bloomberg) -- Fish exposed to psychiatric medicines showed gene patterns similar to those found in people with autism, in a study suggesting a link between drugs that get into the human water supply and the brain development disorder.

Researchers put antidepressants Prozac and Effexor, as well as antiseizure drug Tegratol into water tanks of minnows. Tests showed that the same genes turned on in people with autism were also triggered in the fish after exposure, according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE.

The findings suggest that small amounts of psychiatric medications found in the drinking supply may be a cause of autism, the researchers said. Psychiatric drugs have been linked to autism-like symptoms in studies of rats exposed to the medicines, according to the study.

"An environmental cause is really not on the radar for a lot of people," said study author Michael Thomas, a professor of evolutionary biology at Idaho State University in Pocatello, in a telephone interview. "My sincere hope is that this opens the door to a new question and allows people to look into that possibility."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/06/06/bloomberg_articlesM55YV10YHQ0X01-M57WH.DTL#ixzz1xD4VlxFZ

Cleaner Cruise Lines?

Can the Cruise Industry Clean Up Its Act?
by Micheal Behar

When you board a cruise ship, you’re sailing on some of the planet’s most polluting vessels. Can the industry clean up its act?  Royal Caribbean's new "green" mega-liner still burns the world's dirtiest fuel.

 It’s dawn in early December, and I’m standing barefoot on a deserted beach that overlooks Falmouth, a colonial-era port, population 7,800, on Jamaica’s breezy northern coast, about 90 miles from the capital, Kingston. The air is deliciously cool and silky. Seabirds are pecking in the sand, scavenging for mole crabs at low tide. On the opposite side of the harbor, across shimmering blue water, there is a new $220 million port development for cruise ships.

Click here for the complete article.

Shawnee Community Garden Featured in Oklahoma Gardener!

Check out the May Edition of Oklahoma Gardener to see a seven page profile of our very own Shawnee Community Garden!

Titled, "Growing Together: Community Gardening in Shawnee.” The good folks at State by State Gardening did a great job on the spread. It’s available online and at newsstands statewide.

Sustainable Living In Shawnee Candidates Forum

Thanks for joining Sustainable Shawnee at  City Commission Candidates Forum. I think we had a helpful discussion on a number "quality of life" issues including sidewalks, trails, bike lanes, water quality and recycling. Remember the election is in June so get out and VOTE!

Sustainable Shawnee plans to host another forum for the House and Senate candidates later this summer so keep an eye out for the date!

Look for an article on the event in the next edition of the Countywide! 

Sustainable Shawnee at St. Gregory's Art Trek 2012

Donna Schoenkopf at the Sustainable Shawnee Booth

Sustainable Shawnee's Cody Deem and Donna Schoenkopf spent a beautiful Saturday at St. Gregory's Art Trek. Sustainable Shawnee has had a children's booth at the Earth Day event for several years now and we enjoy showing kids how to reuse items they have at home. Rather than throw away magazines, small tin cans and the like use them for arts and crafts activities with the kids! Of course, don't forget the recycle the rest! Thanks again for your support of the arts and education.

Happy Earth Day!