| University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service ENRI Task Force |
Environmental &
Natural Resource
Issues Task Force
Newsletter
Winter 2011
Contents
Stream Management for Horse Owners
Noteworthy News
1
Surfing the Web
5
Grant Opportunities
7
From Stream Management for Horse Owners Brochure developed by Laura
Leavell, Amanda Gumbert, and Steve Higgins, UK College of Agriculture
Upcoming Events
8
Stream buffer zones, composed of trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers,
are untouched natural areas along streams. They form a border between
pasture and stream. Roots of plants in these zones hold soil in place and
help prevent erosion. Buffer zones also provide diverse wildlife habitats,
and absorb nutrients and pathogens from manure that might otherwise
run off into streams.
About this Newsletter…
This newsletter is available on the
ENRI web site in PDF format. The
newsletter is coordinated by Ashley
Osborne, Extension Associate for
Environmental and Natural
Resource Issues.
Farm managers can protect streams by fencing off designated areas and
creating buffer zones. The size of the buffer zone will depend on available
land, management strategies, and goals for protecting water quality. A
stream buffer of at least 30 feet will protect stream banks from erosion
and filter nutrients from runoff water. Stream buffer zones can be
improved through careful planting of trees, shrubs, and deep-rooted
grasses.
Benefits of responsible stream stewardship include:
 Increased land value
 Decrease soil erosion along the stream
 Improved water quality
 Diverse wildlife habitat
 Reduced severity of flooding
 Improved aesthetic quality
See UK CES Publication ID-175 Riparian Buffers for additional information.
University of Kentucky
Cooperative Extension
Service ENRI Task Force
N122 Agricultural Science North
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
P: 859-257-2505
E: ashley.osborne@uky.edu
Find us on the Web:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/enri/
Page 2
Noteworthy News
Child’s Play Should Be Outdoor Play
Written by Carole A. Gnatuk, Child Development Specialist
Did you know that children today are in danger of having shorter life spans than their parents? And did you
know that danger exists at least partially because of children’s unhealthy daily activities? A loud wake-up call is
sounding from America’s children if we have ears to hear. We need to pay attention to that call and redirect our
children firmly toward daily outdoor interaction with nature.
A recent research based report from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is called, “Whole Child: Developing
Mind, Body and Spirit through Outdoor Play.” It points out that when not in school, the average child in 2010
stays indoors watching television and playing with electronic media. By the time the average preschooler starts
kindergarten he will have watched more than 5000 hours of TV. Most school-age and adolescent children watch
television and other electronic media several hours each day. They get to school and after-school activities
primarily by being driven. Their families frequently eat fast food for dinner while dashing to evening activities.
When they arrive home, homework may be done in front of the television.
When are children walking anywhere or playing freely outdoors? Only around 25 percent of American children
now play outside daily, compared with about 75 percent of the previous generation. Children today also have
less opportunity to play during recess at school. Recess is being phased out of many schools. As the NWF notes,
“The nature of childhood has changed: There’s not much nature in it” (p. 1).
How much active time outdoors should kids have? The Center for Disease Control recommends one hour of
daily active play in nature. Children benefit from freely chosen outdoor play in various ways:

Children concentrate better in the classroom. They become more creative and better at problem solving
and critical thinking. They score higher on standardized tests and assessments. Studies show that regular
interaction with nature may also reduce Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Children are more physically active when playing outdoors. They burn more calories, gain stamina, and
strengthen their muscles. They get their quota of Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. It is necessary for bone
and heart strength.
Children feel less stressed and happier. Just looking at nature can produce this lightness, even before
playing in it. They are more likely to share and cooperate. They learn how to play in teams. They are more
likely to be kind and caring. In short, they act more human.

It takes more than a village to raise a child these days; it takes
time outdoors in a park or other natural space. It seems that
children are programmed to be outdoors for their total health.
If we as adults continue to encourage children to focus their
free time on indoor, electronic activities, we will actually
shorten their lives in a preventable way. Let us change our way
of using leisure time, before it is too late!
Reference: Rich, M. (2010). Whole child: Developing mind,
body and spirit through outdoor play. Reston, VA: National
Wildlife Federation. Available at http://www.beoutthere.org.
Page 3
Noteworthy News
Dropping Your Jeans for a Good Cause
The University of Kentucky collected over 11,600 pairs of denim during the university’s third annual denim
drive. The denim garments were collected for the COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.® program, which
recycles denim into household insulation for Habitat for Humanity homes. The amount of denim collected
during UK’s drive will allow Habitat for Humanity to insulate over 22 homes and divert nine tons of waste
from entering landfills. For more information visit the COTTON. FROM BLUE TO GREEN.® website
www.cottonfrombluetogreen.org or contact Dr. Elizabeth Easter, UK HES Professor, at eeaster@uky.edu or
Ms. Meredith Cinnamon, Merchandising, Apparel, and Textiles Club President, at mlcinn3@uky.edu. Photo
bottom right: Denim collected at Fort Harrod Homemakers Meeting during the 2009 Denim Drive.
The University of Kentucky was only one of five schools in the United States participating in the Denim drive.
Below are the states that participated in the drive and the approximate number of denim items collected by
each state.
States Participating:
Number of Denim Items Collected:
Kentucky
11,273
Nebraska
Syracuse
Wisconsin
Texas
4,533
1,229
1,127
890
Page 4
From UK’s Office of
Sustainability
Bring Your Own Bottle
The University of Kentucky’s
Student Center has twelve
new water fountains which
provide free purified drinking
water. The fountains are
equipped with a secondary
spout located high enough to
drop water into a reusable
water container, so BYOB
(bring your own bottle). In
addition to the new fountains,
the University has challenged
UK employees and students to
save 100,000 plastic water
bottles from landfills by the
end of the 2011 academic
year. The fountains are able to
count
the
approximate
amount of “bottles” that have
been “saved” by the amount
of water that flows. By
September
20th,
23,827
bottles had been saved.
Learn more about ongoing
efforts and programs at the
University of Kentucky that
promote sustainability. Visit
the University of Kentucky’s
Sustainability Homepage at
www.sustainability.uky.edu.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs & Mercury
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are becoming increasingly popular
because of their energy and money saving returns. According to the U.S.
Department of Energy, a CFL lasts up to ten times longer, uses
approximately one-fourth the energy, and produces 25 percent less heat
while producing more light per watt than a traditional incandescent bulb.
CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed in the glass tubing.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average CFL
contains approximately 5 milligrams of mercury, roughly equal to the
amount of ink on the tip of a ballpoint pen. For comparison, a traditional
thermometer contains between 600 milligrams (oral/rectal/baby
thermometers) to 2,250 milligrams (basal temperature thermometer).
In the U.S., the major source of mercury emissions is electricity use. Over
the life of a bulb, a CFL uses less electricity and results in fewer total
mercury emissions than an incandescent bulb.
Because CFLs contain mercury, certain precautions should be taken during
use and disposal. CFLs are made of glass, so it’s important to handle them
with care. If a CFL does break, have all people and animals exit the room
without stepping in or walking through the breakage. Once everyone has
left the room, open a window, and exit the room for at least fifteen
minutes. If a central forced-air heating /air conditioning system is in use,
shut it off.
For cleaning hard surfaces, use stiff paper or cardboard to scoop up glass
fragments and powder, and place all items in a glass jar with metal lid or
double bag the items in two sealed plastic baggies. Use sticky tape to pick
up any remaining glass pieces or powder, and then use damp paper towels
or disposable wet wipes to clean the area. Place sticky tape, paper towels,
and wet wipes in the glass jar or plastic baggies. Vacuums and brooms
should not be used to clean up broken CFLs on hard surfaces.
For cleaning carpeted areas or rugs, carefully pick up glass fragments and
seal them in a glass jar with metal lid or double bag the items in two sealed
plastic baggies. For any remaining glass pieces or powder, use sticky tape,
and place sticky tape in glass jar or plastic baggies. If vacuuming is needed,
vacuum the area, then remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the
canister), and place the bag (or vacuum debris) in sealed plastic baggies. For
the next several times you vacuum the area, shut off central forced-air
heating/air conditioning system (if in use) and open a window before you
begin. Once you have finished vacuuming, keep the central forced-air
heating/air conditioning system shut off and a window open for at least
fifteen minutes.
Continued on page 3…
Page 5
Surfing the Net
International Year of
Forests
The United Nations General
Assembly has declared 2011 as
the International Year of Forests:
Celebrating Forests for People. A
website maintained by the
United Nations will provide
information, resources, and
events throughout 2011 on
the subject of sustainable
management, conservation, and
development of forests.
A steering committee co-chaired
by
the
American
Forest
Foundation and the National
Association of State Foresters,
with support from the U.S.
Forest Service, will be developing
resources to celebrate the Year
of Forests in the U.S.
United Nations International
Year of Forests website:
www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/
American Forest Foundation
website:
www.forestfoundation.org/inter
national_year_of_forests.html
Kentucky Division of Forestry
Kentucky’s Forest Facts:
http://forestry.ky.gov/Pages/Ken
tuckys'ForestFacts.aspx
CFLs & Mercury continued…
Throw away any clothing or bedding materials that have come in contact
with a broken CFL. Clothing and bedding should not be washed because
mercury fragments may contaminate the washing machine and/or pollute
wastewater. However, clothing or materials that have been exposed to
mercury vapors can be washed as long as the clothing or materials have not
come in contact with the broken CFL. Shoes that come in contact with a
broken CFL can be wiped off with a damp paper towel or wet wipe. The
paper towels or wet wipes used should be placed in a glass jar with metal
lid or double bagged in two sealed plastic baggies.
All cleanup materials (including all sealed glass jars and sealed plastic
baggies) should be placed outdoors in a trash receptacle or protected area
to be disposed of in the next normal trash pickup time. Immediately wash
your hands after disposing of the cleanup materials.
For additional information visit the ENERGY STAR website (http://www.energystar.gov/) or contact the Kentucky Division of Waste Management
(502-564-6716) or your local solid waste coordinator.
Adapted from HENV: 701 Saving Energy and Money: Compact Fluorescent
Light Bulbs. Contact Ashley Osborne, Extension Associate for Environmental
and Natural Resource Issues, November 2010.
Spent CFL Recycling
Because CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, spent CFLs should be
recycled. To find a location near you that accepts spent CFLs visit Earth911 at
http://earth911.com/. You can also contact your local utility company or solid
waste coordinator for recycling information.
In 2008, Home Depot® launched a nationwide campaign offering free
recycling of spent CFLs. Simply bring your spent CFL to any Home Depot
location.
Page 6
Surfing the Net
WebRangers
Why is Coco Orange?
Read about Coco, a chameleon, and his friends at Lizard Lick Elementary
as they solve the mystery as to why Coco can’t change colors. This book,
designed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for children ages
4-8 and their caregivers, teaches about air quality and how to stay
healthy when air quality is bad. The book can be downloaded and
printed online free at AIRNow.
The U.S. National Park
Service’s WebRangers website
offers over 50 online activities.
Activities can be searched by
category or level of difficulty.
Activities vary from packing a
sled dog for ranger patrol in
Alaska to exploring the world
of Ancestral Pueblo people of
New Mexico.
WebRangers:
http://www.webrangers.us/
ScienceForCitizens.net
Project Learning Tree’s Environmental Experiences
for Early Childhood
Project Learning Tree’s Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood
has been selected as A Learning® Magazine 2011 Teachers ChoiceSM
Award Winner. The curriculum guide and CD offer 130 experiences to
engage children ages 3 to 6 in outdoor exploration and play using
senses, seasons, and trees.
SunWise with SHADE 2011 Poster Contest
The SunWise with SHADE 2011 Poster Contest, sponsored by the SHADE
Foundation of America, WeatherBug Schools, and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, is currently accepting entries now through April 1,
2011. Students K-8th grade are encouraged to enter a poster which
raises awareness about sun safety. Prizes include a family trip to Disney
World for the national winner in the 4th-8th grade category and a Crayola
Digital Camera Scrapbooking Kit for the top 5 entries in the K-5th grade
category. For more information visit the SHADE Foundation of America.
The Source for Science You Can
Do
Animals or electronics, the
environment or food science,
ScienceForCitizens.net allows
you to search science-related
opportunities
you
can
participate in. Join an official
research project or take part in
less formal activities.
Great World Wide Star Count,
Project FeederWatch, and
Sound Around You are just a
few of the projects that are in
need of citizen volunteers. Use
the Project Finder link to
search by topics, level of
difficulty, time involvement,
etc.
ScienceForCitizens.net:
http://scienceforcitizens.net/
Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Partners with
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
Service to Launch New 4-H Fishing Club
Article and Photo Submitted by Amanda Patrick, US Fish and Wildlife
Service
In continuing with efforts to offer a
myriad of opportunities to encourage
children to get outdoors and better
connect with nature, Wolf Creek
National Fish Hatchery kicked off a new
4-H Fishing Club during the month of
September. The year-long program,
coordinated in partnership with the
University of Kentucky Cooperative
Extension Service office in Russell
County, offers an engaging fish themed
set of activities through a series of
monthly meetings that will span
September 2010 through May 2011. From learning about the parts of
a fish to choosing tackle, the program will be geared towards children
ages 5 and up. The theme for September’s kick off meeting was
“Aquatic Ecology.” From wading wetlands to visiting hatchery creek,
participants learned about the differences between warm water and
cold water habitats.
KY CES Wins Environmental Education Award
Congratulations to Brooke Jenkins, Peggy Powell, and Linda Adler for
receiving the 2010 Environmental Education Award at the National
Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Conference for
their Living Green…A Matter of Choice educational lesson. The lesson,
taught to 2,730 individuals, presents practical tips for being an
environmentally conscious consumer. In addition to the Environmental
Education Award, Brooke was awarded the Greenwood Fellowship,
and Peggy was named the Extension Educator of the Year.
KY CES Wins Extension Housing Outreach Award
Congratulations to Gina Noe for receiving the 2010 Extension Housing
Outreach Award at the National Extension Association of Family and
Consumer Sciences Conference for her work with the Madison County
Home Energy Expo. The Expo provided energy conservation
information to local residents.
Page 7
Grants
Mantis Tiller/Cultivator
Giveaway
The
National
Gardening
Association, in partnership
with Mantis, will select 25
nonprofit organizations to
receive a Mantis Tiller/
Cultivator, a value of $349.
Applications are currently
being accepted until March 1,
2011. Applicants are asked to
send a photograph of the
garden area and a diagram of
the garden layout with
dimensions along with their
application. kidsgardening.org
Pepsi Refresh Project
The Pepsi Refresh Project is an
online grant program open to
individuals 13 years or older,
for profit organizations and
nonprofit organizations. The
grant program awards funding
to projects which are intended
to improve communities in
one of the six categories:
health, arts and culture, food
and shelter, education, the
planet, and neighborhoods.
Each month (1st through 15th)
the project accepts the first
1000
submissions.
The
submissions are then chosen
based on an online democratic
voting process. Pepsi Refresh
Project
Page 8
Upcoming Events
For more information about these and other events visit the
See Blue Go Green Upcoming Events webpage at
http://www.ca.uky.edu/gogreen/upcomingevents.php.
February 16-19
National Farm Machinery Show
KY Expo Center, Louisville, KY
February 28- March 4
National Invasive Species Week
February 25
All About Aquatics! Training – Project WET, WOW!
and Biologist-in-Training (BiT) Program. Wolf Creek
National Fish Hatchery, Jamestown, KY. Contact
Amanda Patrick at Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.
March 6-12
National Groundwater Awareness Week
March 15
National Ag Day
March 22-23
KY High Performance Sustainable Schools Workshop.
Bowling Green, KY.
March 25
Outdoor Inquiries® Professional Development
Workshop. Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery,
Jamestown, KY. Contact Amanda Patrick at
Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.
April 22
Earth Day
April 23
Earth Day Celebration! Wolf Creek National Fish
Hatchery, Jamestown, KY. Contact Amanda Patrick at
Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.
May
Kentucky Water Awareness Month
May
National Bike Month
May
American Wetlands Month
May 1-7
Drinking Water Week
June
Great Outdoors Month
June 11
National Get Outdoors Day
April 11-16
National Environmental Education Week
June 13-17
KY Forest and Entomology Leadership Program. Lake
Cumberland 4-H Educational Center. Jabez, KY.
Contact Doug McLaren at doug.mclaren@uky.edu.
April 15-17
Global Youth Service Day
June 16
All About WILD Training. Wolf Creek National Fish
April 15
Facing the Future Educator Training: Science, Action
and Engagement! Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery,
Jamestown, KY. Contact Amanda Patrick at
Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.
Hatchery, Jamestown, KY. Contact Amanda Patrick at
Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.
June 25
Great American Backyard Campout