KFW HOT FLASH:
E-News for Everyone
You might think you don’t want a Hot Flash. You might think you’re too young or too old or even the wrong gender to be getting a Hot Flash, but that’s only because you haven’t seen the KFW Hot Flash! KFW’s email newsletter, a forum for feminist and arts-related announcements of all kinds, is called KFW Hot Flash: E-News for Everyone.
Everyone who receives the Hot Flash gets up-to-date information about feminist arts events all over Kentucky, and has the opportunity to submit notices about their own exhibits, performances, workshops, etc. The Hot Flash reaches over 1300 people across the state.
If you’d like to receive the KFW Hot Flash, email sue@kfw.org.
Sample issue:
KFW HOT FLASH:
E-News for Everyone
EARTH DAY ACTION EDITION
April 16, 2008
There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves, that heartfelt knowledge that we are caretakers of this planet.
Brooke Medicine Eagle
Earth Day, April 22, was first celebrated in 1970 and is celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. Now observed in 175 countries, and coordinated by the non-profit Earth Day Network, http://www.earthday.net, Earth Day activists connect, interact, impact their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies.
KFW STAFF SALUTES FEMINIST ARTISTS IN OUR STATE WHO ARE PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT BY SPEAKING OUT ABOUT MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL
Dobree Adams: Frankfort fiber artist who created the exhibit Mountain No Mountain combining her fiber work with photography and text to address the issue of mountain top removal mining and the impacts on the headwaters regions of eastern Kentucky. The results include a series of limited edition broadsides, along with an array of woven landscapes and photographs. http://www.dobreeadams.com
Cynthia Ryan Kelly: Lexington visual artist who created Stories About Mountaintop Removal, a series of paintings about the controversial coal-mining process in Eastern Kentucky and its impact on women and their families.
Public Outcry: An acoustic band with KFW grantees Kate Larken, George Ella Lyon, Anne Shelby, along with Jessie Lynn Keltner, Silas House and Jason Howard. Public Outcry formed for the purpose of raising awareness about mountaintop removal mining and tours college campuses to educate students about this devastating mining practice. http://www.myspace.com/publicoutcryky
Reel World String Band: Feminist hillbilly band from central Kentucky who uses their music to speak out against the mountaintop removal and often performs in support of environmental organizations such as Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and the Sierra Club. Public Outcry and Reel World are among the artists appearing on Songs for the Mountaintop , an anthology of musicians coming together to raise their voices in unison against the ruin of Appalachia’s mountains, valleys, waterways and culture. http://www.reelworldstringband.com
Margaret Stewart: Louisville poet and playwright working on the creation of a poetic play about mountaintop removal in Appalachia and its impact on the earth, on women, and on all people in the region.
Ecofeminism is the belief that “the domination of women and the domination of nature are fundamentally connected and that environmental efforts are therefore integral with work to overcome the oppression of women.”
Discussions and resources about ecofeminism can be found at these websites:
The Green Fuse: http://www.thegreenfuse.org/ecofem.htm
Eve On Line : http://eve.enviroweb.org
Ecofeminist Resources: http://www.ecofeminism.net Provides audio, visual and textual resources combined with the best online resources in ecofeminist philosophy and its related fields.
The Women Environmental Artists Directory provides information and listings specifically relating to women artists and environmental activism. Find out more at http://www.weadartists.org
HERE ARE SOME ACTION STEPS TO HELP PRESERVE OUR PLANET FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS:
LEARN
About your carbon footprint, then seek methods to reduce or offset it. This website will help you calculate just how much carbon you are creating, http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator.
How to conduct an energy audit of your home or workplace. http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic
Which art materials are earth safe.
http://www.weadartists.org
About Women Environmentalists: Rachel Carson, Wangari Maathai, Jane Goodall, Diane Fosey, Margaret Mead, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Rosalie Edge and Julia “Butterfy” Hill at http://womenshistory.about.com/od/environment/Environmentalists.htm.
CONSERVE
Share magazines and newspapers or read them online.
Make only 2 sided photocopies.
Use non-disposable cups, plates, napkins and eating utensils.
Bring your own “to-go” boxes when you eat out.
Turn off and unplug electrical equipment when not in use.
Use products made from recycled materials.
Walk, bike or use public transportation to your destination.
Carpool whenever possible.
Replace your incandescent light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.
Take your own reusable bags to the grocery and farmers market.
RECYCLE
Check out Earth 911 at http://earth911.org/earth-day for ways to get involved in Earth Day, and to find out where to recycle all sorts of waste. Earth 911 delivers actionable local information on recycling and product stewardship that empowers consumers to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability.
Visit these web sites http://www.myGreenElectronics.org and
E-cyclingCentral to find local recycling centers across the country that accept and recycle used electronic equipment.
MAKE YOUR OWN NON-TOXIC HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS
Try making your own non-toxic cleaners at home. Basic ingredients found in your kitchen can be used to make non-toxic cleaners for your different cleaning needs. Visit http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm for recipes.
PLANT
A garden:
Mulch trees, shrubs and gardens to save water: http://www.reducerubbish.govt.nz/compost/mulching-101.html
Water plants with household grey water: http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_m/m-106.html
Use native plants: http://www.shootingstarnursery.com/
Avoid using pesticides: http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/gardenerscorner/alternativepestiside.htm
Start a compost pile: http://www.composters.com/docs/tips.html
SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY
Buy locally produced products when possible.
Shop at Farmer’s Markets: http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/farmmarket/directory.htm
Take your family to a local “pick-your-own” market or take them wild Blackberry gathering. http://www.pickyourown.org/KY.htm
Join a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, and sign up to get your produce from a local farmer for the season. See http://www.localharvest.org for more information.
Start a community garden in your neighborhood.
Visit the new blog in Louisville for businesses and interested community members who care about sustainability: http://sustainablebusinessnetworks.blogspot.com/2007/02/sustainable-louisville-and-regional.html
Start a sustainability forum in your community or join one that already exists. The Louisville Sustainability Forum’s purpose is to hold and promote the intention of sustainability for Louisville. For more information email googlemeplease@aol.com.
Ask your mother or grandmother how she survived without all the “labor saving devices” we have today and think about reviving a few of her techniques.
SPEAK OUT AND SPEAK UP
Set up an environmental bulletin board
At work
At your place of worship
At community gathering places
Write an editorial for your local newspaper about how you and your neighbors can help protect the environment.
BECOME A MEMBER OF A LOCAL, STATE OR REGIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth: A grass roots organization that strives to protect Kentucky’s mountains, valleys, and water ways. http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes for recipes
Kentucky Heartwood : A non-profit volunteer group that seeks to protect and restore the integrity, stability, and beauty of Kentucky’s native forests and biotic communities through research, education, advocacy, and non-violent intervention. http://www.kyheartwood.org
Kentucky Chapter of The Nature Conservancy: The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. http://www.nature.org
Kentucky Waterways Alliance: Works to protect and restore Kentucky's waterways and their watersheds by building effective alliances for their stewardship. http://www.kwalliance.org
River Fields: Protects, preserves and enhances natural and cultural resources on the Ohio River between Westport and West Point, KY. http://www.riverfields.org
Breaking New Grounds: A sustainable pilot system to transform a plentiful waste product into a healthy, living soil, create neighborhood gardens, nutritious food, sustainable jobs and teach young people how this simple process can give birth to amazing possibilities. The concept is to develop with local farmers and other partners across the city a neighborhood-based, community food system. http://www.breakingnewgrounds.org/
Community Farm Alliance: A statewide grassroots organization that envisions a food and fiber system for Kentucky that provides safe, adequate, and nutritious food for human consumption in a manner that is socially, economically and ecologically sustainable and is a vital component of the state's economy. http://www.communityfarmalliance.org/
Cumberland Chapter Sierra Club Kentucky: This chapter of the Sierra Club encompasses the Commonwealth of Kentucky and is involved in many conservation issues including protection of our waterways from the impacts of coal mining and factory farming; protection of our wild areas. http://kentucky.sierraclub.org/
For a complete listing of Kentucky environmental organizations visit http://www.eco-usa.net/orgs/ky.shtml./wherewework/northamerica/states/kentucky
PARTICIPATE IN EARTH DAY OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS AROUND THE STATE
BOWLING GREEN
The Second Annual Earth Day Festival will be hosted by The GreenToppers Students for Campus Sustainability, and S.A.M. (Students Against Monotony) on April 22 at Western Kentucky University on the South Lawn, next to Downing University Center.
You can find out more information on the festival and the GreenToppers at http:// www.wku.edu/green .
CLARKSVILLE, IN
The Falls of the Ohio State Park is holding its Earth Day event April 19, from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center, 201 West Riverside Dr.
For additional information contact Kentucky Air Education at 502-574-6000 or visit their website at http://www.helptheair.org/EventDetails.aspx?Key=22.
FRANKFORT
Celebrate National Wildlife Week and Earth Day, April 22 through April 28, 10 AM – 5 PM Join the staff at Salato for the 2008 National Wildlife Week and Earth Day Celebration . Salato will once again be giving away free trees to the first 500 families who visit us on Earth Day, April 22.
For more information about Earth Day programs and activities call 800-858-1549 or visit their website http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/navigation.asp?cid=130.
No registration is required and all activities are free.
GEORGETOWN
April 19-20 : Seventh Annual Kite and Culture Festival , hosted by The Cardome Centre in Georgetown, Kentucky. For more information visit http://www.kitefest.com.
JAMESTOWN
Earth Day Celebration at the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. Saturday, April 19
Call 270-343-3797, email Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov or visit their website at http://www.fws.gov/wolfcreek for more information.
LANCASTER
Earth Day Festival: April 19th, from 10 AM – 5 PM. Sponsored by The Earth Angels and Community Hearth will be held at the Garrard County Fairgrounds. Admission is free.
Call 859-339-4599 or email earthangelsteach@aol.com for more information.
LEXINGTON
Earth Days in the Bluegrass is a month long promotion of responsible global citizenship and a celebration of the power of local action. Throughout the month there are workshops‚ films, community service opportunities and speakers that will highlight the many opportunities we have to make a positive impact through our daily choices. Visit http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Recycling/earthdays.html for a listing of events, times and locations.
LOUISVILLE
Mighty Kindness Earth Day Hootenanny at Willow Park in the Highlands, Saturday, April 19, from noon to 6 PM . The Cherokee Triangle event, presented by the local community group Mighty Kindness, will feature music, food, dance, storytelling, information booths and educational programs. The Art in Earth Performance Stage will include the music of KFW community members Troubadours of Divine Bliss and Kentucky Bootleggers.
For more information and a complete list of sponsors and performers visit http://www.mightykindness.org.
VANCEBURG
Lewis County Goes Green: Celebrate Earth Day on April 26 in from 9 AM to 5 PM in the Vanceburg Depot parking lot. At the first-ever local Earth Day celebration, sponsored by the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Vanceburg, visitors can learn more about recycling and becoming more energy efficient.
Smokey Bear will be on hand and visitors can take home a tree to plant. Vendors will be on hand selling plants for home gardens, as well as other Earth-friendly items.
For more information, call 606-796-0238.
KENTUCKY STATE NATURE PRESERVES COMMISSION
This website includes Earth Day events and activities sponsored by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/events.
KENTUCKY STATE PARKS
This website offers a complete description of all the Earth Day celebrations at Kentucky State Parks, http://www.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/parks/earthday.htm.
CHECK OUT THESE INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECOTOURISM
The International Ecotourism Society provides guidelines and standards, training, technical assistance, research and publications to foster sound ecotourism development. http://www.ecotourism.org
Women's Work along with African Excursions brings a well rounded exhibition of the best of Botswana, Africa . Both companies specialize in environmentally sustainable, culturally sensitive crafts and travel experiences from a couple that lived and worked in Botswana for three years, primarily with the San Bushmen communities of the Kalahari. Visit http://www.womensworkbw.com and http://www.african-excursions.com for more information.
VISIT THESE HELPFUL WEBSITES AND FIND OTHERS:
The Green Guide : http://thegreenguide.com
Consumers' go-to source for eco-product reviews, environmental health information, and green living advice. Well researched and easy to use.
The Louisville Green Guide : http://louisvillegreenguide.org
Provides a forum for people to share news and events on environmental issues in Louisville.
World Wildlife Fund: http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthday
Provides links for opportunities to take action for the environment.
Ecology Hall of Fame: http://www.ecotopia.org/ehof/index.html
Dedicated to the heroes of the American environmental movement.
