The Kent Environmental Council invites all environmentally concerned residents of the Kent area to join us in accomplishing our local action agenda for 2011. We will be working on the following focus areas:
Communication and Publicity
Purpose
The purpose of this focus group is to support, inform and educate KEC members and the public through targeted communications, including a Web site, a Facebook page, a newsletter; brochures, letters to the editor, legislative alerts and special events. Our agenda for this year is to enhance our Internet contacts, prepare written copy and/or graphics for environmental messages and plan and implement special events such as the Kent Heritage Festival. We always welcome individuals who are willing to help us communicate our environmental message effectively with those who need to know.
Contact
Nancy Adams
Archives 2011: KEC 40th Anniversary Celebration Draws More Than 100 Members, Friends, KEC Raffle Winners Announced
Energy
Purpose
The primary goal of this focus group is education. This may be subdivided into three major areas: energy conservation, fossil fuels as an energy source and alternative energy sources. First, is to inform the public on the methods to conserve energy by using less. Second, that burning fossil fuels not only contributes to serious health problems by filling the air and water with poisonous substances, it also contributes significantly to global warming and results in severe and often irreversible environmental damage (a current concern is the impact of gas drilling by fracking on the Portage County environment). Third, that a great deal more attention needs to be given to the use of wind, solar, water, and geothermal power sources. We need to educate more people about the importance of energy conservation and cleaner, less destructive sources of energy. We welcome your participation in our educational efforts.
Contact
Barb and John Brovarone, 330-297-1148
Archives 2011: KEC 40th Anniversary Celebration Draws More Than 100 Members, Friends, Frack, Baby, Frack! (Update), Questions on Fracking Posed by a KEC Member
Environmental Education
Purpose
The direction for 2011 is to reconnect people with the natural world. Research has shown that contact with nature promotes knowledge, appreciation and caring for the environment and, more important, is fundamental to human health and well-being. The agenda for this year is to promote positive experiences for adults and children within the natural areas that surround us. We welcome your contributions as we begin planning our year’s activities. To read more, click here.
Contact
Nancy Adams
Friends of the Kent Bog
Purpose
We are an informal support group of people of all ages. We are dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Tom S. Cooperrider Kent Bog State Nature Preserve for the education, enjoyment and inspiration of present and future generations. Our focus is to spread the word about what a precious gift of nature we have right here in our community; to write letters to the editor and speak at public meetings that deal with the preserve; to publish and distribute free trail guides that point out interesting plants and animals that may be seen in the preserve during each season of the year; and to serve as greeters and docents during special events at the preserve. We keep in touch through e-mail, occasional post card mailings and meetings.
Contact
Gordon Vars, 330-677-5008 (w) or 330-678-0006 (h)
Archives 2009: Report on Clean Fuels Ohio Meeting . . . Green Energy and Conservation Focus Group Concerns
Archives 2010: Frack, Baby, Frack!
Haymaker Parkway Adopt-a-Spot
Purpose
This area on the north side of Haymaker Parkway between Mantua and River streets is maintained by KEC members and friends, with leadership by Bob Wilson and Helen Green. Helen has been lending her horticultural skills, labor and encouragement for three years (driving from Geauga County to plant and offer guidance). Bob supports the project with the use of his truck for mulching and hauling weeds. This is a labor-intensive project and more volunteers are needed to help maintain the area with weeding, pruning and planting. Future needs include signs to announce when we are working there, donations of dry-tolerant plants, and encouraging the city to maintain the remainder of the parkway (which was landscaped by KEC members and friends in the mid-1990s. Thanks to Sherry Gedeon, longtime KEC member, we will have additional material to put in when cooler weather arrives in the fall.
Contact
Ann Ward, 330-285-0899
Archives 2009: Work Continues on KEC Haymaker Parkway Adopt-a-Spot
Archives 2011: Haymaker Landscaping Project
Local Food
Purpose
This focus group is working on making fresh local food available through the support of farmers markets, school gardens, and local food days in schools with farmer visits. It also is focusing on developing and strengthening new and existing infrastructure for food entrepreneurs in Portage County. The Portage Local Food Project developed from this focus group, and members are working on a network of licensed commercial kitchens to rent for the production of value-added agricultural products for sale. We need your help with in-kind donations to enable Kent Social Services to finish upgrading its kitchen, which would serve as a test site for the program.
Contact
Kelly Ferry and Lynn Gregor
Archives 2010: Holden School Gardeners Thank KEC for Support . . . Holden School Gardeners Offer Peak at Their Efforts
Parks and Trail Development
Purpose
The purpose of this focus gruoup is to support the extension, improvement and maintenance of the parks, trails, and open spaces of the city of Kent, Kent State University and Portage County. We have participated with the process of park and trail development and will continue to actively pursue more opportunities for our community.
Contact
Charles Frederick
Sustainable Community Development
Purpose
The purpose of this focus group is to pursue sustainable community planning and development. We strive to monitor the plans and programs of the city of Kent, Kent State University, and Portage County in terms of environmental and ecological impacts and issues. Our goals are to help guide downtown redevelopment in terms of sufficient green space and plantings and encourage green building methods; communicate the idea that the evolution of the downtown core is walkable and creates a pedestrian-friendly link to the KSU campus; and explore the ideas of the Transportage program for Kent city planning. r To read a 1994 working paper on KEC's inital push for sustainability, click here.
Contact
Gene Wenninger
Archives 2010: Sustainable Development 1994 Working Paper . . . Update on Sheetz Proposal
Transportation
Purpose
This focus groups believe that transportation and the habits of life fostered by the dominant transportation systems have broad and deep environmental impacts. The group studies the existing modes and influences of transportation in our community and our region and advises the KEC board about advocacy and action affecting the shape of our transportation systems and practices. Our areas of concern include the effects of transportation and land use; energy prospects and alternatives for transportation; issues affecting air pollution and global warming; alternative modes of transportation; communication with policy-making bodies; and transportation as a community-building influence.
Contact
Harold Walker, 330.673.6534
Archives 2009: KEC Members Take 'May Day' Field Trip to Akron METRO Intermodal Transit Center . . . Proposal for KEC Focus Group on Transportation
Water Resources
Purpose
MThis focus group is committed to protecting and restoring local aquatic treasures with public participation. We are active in the stewardship of the Cuyahoga River watershed and tributaries, the Kent Bog, local parks and nature preserves, and wetlands. Our objectives are to identify existing and emerging threats to area lakes, rivers and streams and then identify the causes and sources of these problems. We also seek to involve citizens and local governments in focusing on high-priority issues. For 2011, we will continue to work on the Middle Cuyahoga Watershed Plan (a detailed plan to be developed with participation by citizens and all local governments in this watershed in western Portage County, extending into Summit County) and coordinate with Chris Carman, a teacher at Roosevelt High School, on water-quality issues for his fall environmental science classes.
Contact
Edith Chase 330-673-1193
Archives 2009: Friends of the Kent Bog: A KEC Focus Group . . . KEC's Edith Chase Receives Environmental Award
Archives 2011: 2011 River Day Activities, Food for Thought about Protecting Our Drinking Water
For KEC'S 2010 Action Agenda, click HERE.
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