Category Archives: environmental

Metro Birmingham thinks “green” collectively

Posted on January 26, 2009 | 3 comments

Elected officials from throughout metro Birmingham announced the formation of the Alabama Green Initiative (AGI) on Friday. AGI is, according to Friday’s press release, “a non-profit organization created to assist the municipalities of the metro Birmingham area in applying for and receiving green-only and stimulus grant monies from President Barack Obama’s upcoming stimulus package.” It could be one of the most powerful moves yet to a truly regional approach to the area’s future.

According to reports, this is the first such partnership in Alabama and the United States. The organization will be headed up by Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford and Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos, with participation from other cities and the Jefferson County Commission.

Examples of programs that will be targeted by the new organization include low emission vehicles, public works’ projects and large-scale community structures utilizing green-building standards.

3 Comments

Posted in environmental, politics

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Drink beer, help environment… sweet!

Posted on October 3, 2008 | Leave a comment

Next time you’re out and about, look for the fish. SweetWater Brewing Company has teamed up with local bars here and in Tuscaloosa to declare October Save the Black Warrior month. Participating businesses will be selling paper fish for $1 and $5 as well as special edition T-shirts. Funds raised will support Black Warrior Riverkeeper‘s river patrol and water quality monitoring programs.

Kick-off for the Birmingham campaign is 10 p.m. tonight at Zydeco in Southside. Tickets are $10 at the door. The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker will headline. The campaign’s Tuscaloosa kick-off event will be at 9:30 pm on Oct. 16 at Jupiter Bar and Grill with the Athens, Ga., reggae pioneers Dubconscious.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in environmental

Tagged , , , , , ,

A rally for green jobs

Posted on September 30, 2008 | Leave a comment

Photo: Courtesy of Alabama Environmental Council.

This weekend dozens of people gathered in front of the Alabama Environmental Council‘s (AEC) Recycling  Center downtown to do their part in showing our government and our Presidential candidates that they were ready for the country to focus on the creation of green jobs in support of a green economy. The gathering was part of Green Jobs Now – A Day To Build The New Economy, one of the largest days of citizen action focusing on economic issues and global warming in our nation’s history. 

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in environmental

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Cafeteria trays disappear at Samford, across the country

Posted on September 24, 2008 | 8 comments

The new trend in the greening of America is the removal of trays from college cafeterias from Ohio to California). Birmingham’s own Samford University has joined in on the fun, leading to several degrees of reactions on the school’s campus. Here’s the story courtesy of the Samford Crimson. There’s also this piece (and the three pages of comments) over at Slashfood. Some food for thought (and hopefully for comments here too).

8 Comments

Posted in environmental

Tagged , , , , , , ,

A new look for downtown recycling center

Posted on September 23, 2008 | 5 comments

If you look at it now, the property on 25th Street and 2nd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham has a few recycling bins, along with a run-down building.  However, that area will eventually be transformed into a state of the art recycling center and office building.  While it’s still in the early planning stages, the Alabama Environmental Council (AEC) wants to move their state offices into the building’s second floor, and convert the first floor into an educational recycling center. “Signage is going to be very distinct,” says Michael Churchman, AEC executive director. “This is going to be the public face of the council and expose people as to what kind of work we are doing.”

Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in environmental

Tagged , , , , , ,

“An Evening with the Riverkeeper,” McWane Science Center

Posted on August 20, 2008 | Comments Off on “An Evening with the Riverkeeper,” McWane Science Center

Come celebrate Black Warrior Riverkeeper and McWane Science Center’s “An Evening with the Riverkeeper” on Tuesday, August 26th from 6-9:00 p.m. Begin the evening with a reception in the aquarium, take in a special presentation by Black Warrior Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke, watch a private viewing of “Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk” IMAX, and learn something new during special environmental shows.

Cost: $20; includes IMAX ticket, educational programs, 2 drink tickets and parking. Proceeds benefit McWane Science Center and Black Warrior Riverkeeper. Get tickets by calling 714-8414 or order online.

Comments Off on “An Evening with the Riverkeeper,” McWane Science Center

Posted in environmental, Events, Timetable

Regional cooperation for fuel savings

Posted on July 15, 2008 | 6 comments

Birmingham’s current effort to go green, which currently includes initiatives like Mayor Langford’s 4-day work week and scrap metal recycling program, could be expanded soon to include a plan to implement a regional plan to use E85 fuel made from wood waste in the city’s 130 current fleet of flex fuel vehicles and other vehicles in the area’s three largest cities.

The mayor’s office let us know that he recently met with Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos and Mayor Ed May of Bessemer to discuss the possibility of developing just such a regional plan. According to the press release, Birmingham alone generates an estimated 16,000 tons of wood waste per year.

“One ton of wood waste generates an estimated 215 gallons of E85 fuel. Just based on that, this City could generate three times our annual fuel consumption,” said Mayor Langford.

Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in environmental

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,