| University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service ENRI Task Force | Environmental and Natural Resource Issues Task Force Newsletter Spring 2012 Contents Natural Resources and Environmental Science: A University of Kentucky Bachelor’s Degree Noteworthy News 1 Grant Opportunities 6 Upcoming Events 7 Surfing the Web 8 Written by Geri Philpott, NRES Academic Coordinator Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES) is an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree grounded in the natural and social sciences and housed within the College of Agriculture. The curriculum is rich in experiential learning, requiring a 3-week summer camp and an internship or research experience. With small class sizes, one-on-one faculty interactions, writing intensive courses, and a strong network of former graduates working in natural resources, environmental science, and environmental policy, NRES is a proven program that has been in existence for over 18 years. After acquiring a solid background in science, math, and society through the NRES major requirements, each student then focuses their degree by taking nine credit hours in each of two emphasis areas (Analytical Skills and Environmental Systems) of their choice (see image on page 2. Continued on page 2… 1|P a g e 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. 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/ Image above: Analytical Skills and Environmental Systems Upon completing a degree in NRES students will be well prepared to pursue graduate school, law school, or obtain a job working as a: Conservation Scientist Environmental Quality Manager Environmental Scientist Land Planning Consultant Natural Resource Manager Environmental Educator Naturalist Sustainability Coordinator Watershed Manager Wildlife Biologist And more! NRES graduates are able to find jobs in: Federal government State and local government Consulting firms Non-profit organizations Utilities Real estate developers Academic organizations For profit companies 2|P a g e For more information: Visit us at: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/nres/ or Contact: Geri Philpott, NRES Academic Coordinator Geri.Philpott@uky.edu, 859-257-2337 Disposing of Storm Debris Reprinted, with permission, from the Kentucky Division for Air Quality Storm-affected Kentuckians face a number of health, safety, and compliance hazards when handling and disposing of debris. Debris from homes and businesses should not be burned. This includes structural materials, roofing, insulation, siding, appliances, carpet, furniture, and other household items. Burning of vegetative debris is permitted; however, if local governments decide to burn woody and vegetative debris, local fire departments should oversee the burning and ensure there are adequate fire breaks. To be in compliance with state regulations, all trash, tires, appliances, construction/demolition debris, etc. must be removed prior to burning. To minimize environmental impact, debris should not be burned until dry, at least on exterior surfaces. Small amounts of clean diesel fuel or kerosene, not to exceed five gallons, may be used to aid ignition. Storm-damaged building materials, appliances and furniture may not be burned. For questions about open burning, call 888-BURN-LAW (888-287-6529). Recycling is the preferred disposal method for many kinds of debris. If it is not feasible to recycle all debris, cities or counties should identify staging areas where debris can be temporarily stored or, in the case of woody and vegetative debris, burned. At a minimum, staging areas must be well away from residences and businesses. They also must be out of floodplains and away from sinkholes and drainage channels. Local officials should contact the Division of Waste Management (502-564-6716) or Division for Air Quality (502-564-3999) with proposed staging areas. Inspectors will check the site to ensure it meets specific environmental criteria. Once a staging area is approved, material may be disposed using any combination of the following methods: Disposing of Woody & Vegetative Waste Local governments are strongly encouraged to recycle woody and vegetative debris by composting, shredding, or chipping for reuse as mulch. 3|P a g e Storm-generated vegetative debris managed at a staging area may be disposed of in a permitted, contained landfill or construction debris landfill. Use controlled burning for vegetative debris only. After burning, ashes may not be buried. There are three options for ash disposal: Small amounts of ash may be incorporated into the soil at the staging area using a tractor and disc. Ash may be given away to farmers for use as a soil amendment. Ash may be disposed of in a permitted landfill (check with landfill first). Disposing of Household/Business Debris Construction & Demolition Debris: All storm-related construction/demolition debris should be treated as potentially asbestos contaminated material (ACM) and maintained in a wet condition from demolition to final disposal activity. Construction and demolition debris may be disposed of at a permitted construction and demolition landfill or a contained landfill. Contact the Division for Waste Management for a list of permitted landfills: 502-564-6716. Contact the Kevin Flowers at the Division for Air Quality for more information about handling asbestos at 502-564-3999. Appliances: These can be picked up by a hauler and taken to a recycling center or county staging area. Contact the Division for Waste Management for a list of recycling centers: 502-564-6716. Household Garbage & Residential Waste: All residential waste must go to a contained landfill. Contact your county or city government to see if they have a special household hazardous waste drop-off for items like paint and pesticides. Special Handling Applies to: Livestock Carcasses: Contact the Department for Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health at 502-564-3956 for information and assistance on proper disposal. 55 Gallon Drums or Tanks: Don’t attempt to move a drum or tank, since it may contain hazardous materials or waste. Note the location and contact the Division for Waste Management at 502-564-6716. Disposing of Storm Debris continued… Important Contact Numbers: Environmental Response Team Office number – 502-564-2150 Spill Reporting Hotline – 800-928-2380 Division of Water Office number – 502- 564-3410 Wastewater issues – ask for Tom Gabbard Drinking water issues – ask for Julie Roney Division of Waste Management Office number – 502-564-6716 Division for Air Quality Office number – 502-564-3999 Open Burning Hotline: 888-287-6529 This factsheet can be downloaded and reprinted at http://tinyurl.com/87u9djs. ____________________________________________________________________________ Division for Air Quality Issues Precautions about Safe Handling of Storm Debris Mixed Building Debris Could Contain Asbestos Reprinted, with permission, from the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (March 8, 2012) The Kentucky Division for Air Quality (DAQ) is issuing guidelines to Kentuckians in storm-stricken counties for the safe handling of building debris which may contain asbestos. All debris from damaged buildings should be kept thoroughly wetted until final disposal to prevent the potential release of asbestos particles. Such debris should never be burned and must be properly disposed of in an approved landfill. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is commonly found in a variety of building construction materials such as roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, pipe insulation, and flame retardant products like asbestos cement. When asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed, microscopic fibers become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs, where they can cause significant health problems. The tornadoes that swept through Kentucky damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and left behind tons of debris. The high volume and mixed nature of the debris makes asbestos testing impractical. Therefore, all debris containing building or demolition materials should be treated as if it contains asbestos, and properly handled to protect public health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends keeping asbestos-containing material thoroughly wetted to prevent asbestos particles from being released. DAQ recommends wetting or misting demolition debris with water to keep it continuously moist until disposal in a landfill. Containers and tractor trailers should be covered before transporting debris to landfills. Open burning of demolition debris is dangerous and illegal. Burning this debris can release many types of toxic materials, including asbestos. For more information on safely handling and disposing of storm debris, Kentuckians can call: 888-BURN-LAW or 888-2876529. A complete copy of the guidelines can be found on the Division for Air Quality’s website at air.ky.gov/Pages/News-andEvents.aspx . ____________________________________________________________________________ Register Now for the KY Association of Environmental Education Conference September 14-15, 2012, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park Early Bird Registration Opens June 15, 2012 Keynote Speaker: Tim Farmer, KY Afield http://kaee.org/conference/ 4|P a g e University of Kentucky Becomes Empowered Reprinted, with permission, from Gail Hairston, UKNOW January 2012 http://www.empowered.uky.edu/ Are you an Energy Hog? With today’s launch of Empowered™ every individual in the University of Kentucky community will be able to discern exactly how much energy they use every day – from an energy-efficient desk lamp to an energy-guzzling mini refrigerator. Accessible through touch-screen kiosks located around campus, a public website, and a mobile version for smartphones and tablets, Empowered is an interactive, user-friendly educational resource, featuring a web-based, real-time campus energy dashboard that measures energy consumption in residence halls, classrooms and labs, as well as offices and public spaces. While the stated mission of the program is to elevate the energy IQ of the campus community, a secondary but no less important role is to inspire individuals to participate in a culture of conservation. “We are the only university that has taken these steps to deploy a program on such a broad level, serving such a large community. Through the deployment of these kiosks and the launch of the Empowered website, UK will be the model by which other campus programs around the country are measured,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. In terms of its comprehensive layers of interactive programs, including virtual rooms, a video library, and a behavior-based incentive program, Empowered is a one-of-a-kind resource for UK students, staff, faculty and researchers. There’s quite simply nothing like it anywhere in the country; it was developed by UK for UK. While the UK Office of Sustainability, Ameresco, and Yonder Interactive Neighborhoods were the primary creators and implementers of Empowered, the initiative is the result of collaborative efforts by many programs, departments and agencies, including: The President’s Sustainability Advisory Council, the Office of the Vice President for Facilities Management, the Office of University Capital Projects, Greenthumb (a students’ club), the Student Sustainability Council, the Center for Applied Energy Research, UK Energy Club (a 5|P a g e students’ club), Kentucky Geological Survey, the College of Engineering, and the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment. “We live in a world primarily powered by finite resources,” Capilouto said. “Our planet has limits. But our faculty researchers in research centers find new ways to work within these parameters and utilize our assets to maximize, in a responsible and respectful manner, the impact of these resources." “The Empowered Program exemplifies the university's continued commitment to being a responsible consumer of our energy resources and a respectful neighbor in the city of Lexington. At the heart of the matter, responsible behavior requires education and awareness. These new tools provide a fun, interactive resource for our students, faculty and staff to see the impact they have on the energy footprint of our campus,” said Capilouto, who has had the opportunity this past week to work with an Empowered kiosk temporarily located in his office suite. “Most people want to save money and to reduce their negative impact on the environment,” UK Sustainability Coordinator Shane Tedder said. “Empowered makes this easy to do by visualizing the impact that our daily decisions have on our wallets and our planet.” Empowered provides real-time energy usage from across the campus as well as an archive with data on historical energy usage and comparisons that put the numbers into perspective. While it can be used for friendly 'Who’s the Energy Hog' contests between individuals or residence halls or office buildings, Empowered is also loaded with conservation tips, videos, and a glossary of sustainability terms. “I am excited to see how Empowered will allow the campus community to learn how their individual actions affect the energy use at this university. Empowered will allow us to educate ourselves so that we may become better at protecting our resources,” said UK Student Body President Micah Fielden. Empowered continued… “Empowered will be essential in aiding UK students as they learn about how our resources are used and an invaluable tool as we work together to modify our behavior so that we become more environmentally friendly and work hard to reduce waste,” he added. Just two years ago, UK embarked on an ambitious, some may have even said risky, plan to dramatically reduce its energy usage. The Board of Trustees on Dec. 1, 2009, approved the initiation of an energy savings performance contract with Ameresco, an energy service company based in Louisville, Ky. provide these returns on the investment, the ESCO is responsible for the difference. The first phase of the project encompassed a yearlong, energy-savings retrofit of 61 campus buildings, which dramatically decreased the university’s carbon footprint, an annual emissions reduction of about 23,291 tons of CO2. That is roughly the equivalent of taking 45,755 cars off the road or planting 62,257 acres of trees or powering 5,251 homes -- each and every year. In addition, about 13,987,779 kilowatt hours and 37,673,020 gallons of water were saved. Vice President for Facilities Management Bob An energy service company (ESCO), such as Wiseman said, “Empowered is an exciting addition Ameresco, provides comprehensive energy and to our campus. It provides a very visible public water management analysis plans as well as energy interface to our recent centralized on-going, and water-related capital improvement services. energy-saving initiatives and projects. It encourages Enabled by Kentucky Revised Statute 56.774, individuals to make personal choices and assume energy savings performance contracting is a costindividual responsibility that will save more energy effective process for energy upgrades. Energy and money on campus. I believe that as faculty, service companies guarantee that utility savings staff and students are given specific energy generated by facility upgrades are sufficient to pay information and suggestions on conservation, they back the capital investment over a set period will do their part.” (generally 11 to 12 years). If the project does not ____________________________________________________________________________________ Grant Opportunities Do Something Club Grant Five $250 grants are awarded each month to clubs currently working on a project or have an idea of a project to benefit their community. For more information visit http://www.dosomething.org/clubs/grants. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Upcoming Events For more information about the events listed below (including contact information and web links) visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/gogreen/upcomingevents.php. April Earth Month 17: Incorporating Rain Gardens into Youth Water Education Let's G.O. (Get Outside) Month Workshop. West KY 4-H Camp, Dawson Springs, KY. National Garden Month Earthdays in the Bluegrass. University of Kentucky Campus 19: Incorporating Rain Gardens into Youth Water Education Workshop. Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp, Jabez, KY. 12: Improving Children's Health Webinar Series: Communities Working Together for Better Health 21-29: National Park Week 15-21: Environmental Education Week: Greening STEM 22: Earth Day (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) 6|P a g e April continued… June 29-May 6: Stewardship Week Great Outdoors Month National Rivers Month 30-May 6: Screen Free Week 9: National Get Outdoors Day May Kentucky Water Awareness Month 11-15: KY Forest Leadership Program. Lake Cumberland 4-H American Wetlands Month Educational Center, Jabez, KY. 7-11: Air Quality Awareness Week 11-15: KY Entomology Leadership Program. Lake Cumberland 4-H Educational Center, Jabez, KY. 7-12: International Compost Awareness Week 14: Improving Children's Health Webinar Series: Healthy 8: Incorporating Rain Gardens into Youth Water Education Homes Workshop. North Central KY 4-H Camp, Carlisle, KY. Contact Ashley Osborne. 18-24: Pollinator Week 9: Waste Not, Want Not: Tackling the Consumption and July Waste Path Webinar - National Wildlife Federation Lakes Appreciation Month Parks and Recreation Month 10: Improving Children's Health Webinar Series: Success Smart Irrigation Month Asthma Management August 11: Incorporating Rain Gardens into Youth Water Education 9: Improving Children's Health Webinar Series: Children's Workshop. Feltner KY 4-H Camp, London, KY. Contact Ashley Environmental Health Research Osborne. September 13: Improving Children's Health Webinar Series: National Children's Study 14-15: KY Association of Environmental Education Conference. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Jamestown, KY. Image designed by Misty Hamilton, UK Ag Communications. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Surfing the Net U.S. EPA Nutrient Pollution http://epa.gov/nutrientpollution/ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently unveiled a new website on nutrient pollution for homeowners, students, and educators. Included on the site is information explaining the problem of nutrient pollution; the sources of the pollution; how it affects the environment, economy, and public health; and what people can do to reduce the problem. In addition, an interactive map of local case studies in reducing nutrient pollution is provided. 7|P a g e