LOOK MA – WE’RE ON NATIONAL TV!

If you feel there’s too much rubbish on TV these days, switch to PBS for a nifty look at the solid waste stream, and ways to reduce it. Minnesota based DragonflyTV has just completed filming Garbology, a segment featuring middle school children touring the Southern Environmental Center. The youthful sleuths (Altamont School’s Joshua Holmes and Sean Tuteja) gain insights from our Interactive Museum’s Wall of Waste and related exhibits, tour a local recycling plant, and discover creative ways to turn waste products into resources.     

DragonflyTV, now in its 6th season, airs on nearly 200 PBS stations nationwide, which translates into roughly one million viewers. Garbology is one of seven new DragonflyTV episodes scheduled to air starting in 2007, along with segments filmed in Alaska and Hawaii. Garbology will air around Earth Day (4/22). For more on a show the Boston Herald calls “Zoom on Jolt Cola” visit  www.pbskidsgo.org/dragonflytv.

NEW ECOSCAPES PLANNED FOR 2007

Commissioner Shelia Smoot, Counselor Carol Reynolds, George Lee, Mayor Kincaid, Counselor Valerie Abbott, and Representative Oliver Robinson.

Regardless of whether Birmingham adopts our proposed “Gateway to Nature” slogan, SEC continues to create breathtaking eco portals. Two new EcoScapes will help define the College Hills, and Arlington-West End neighborhoods in 2007, bringing the total number of community parks we’ve created in our metropolitan area to seven!
The dedication of Brown Springs EcoScape last spring drew a big crowd (see photo below), and received a national award at NUSA 2006. Given SEC’s track record of transforming vacant lots into lush community parks, the program’s rapid expansion helps bring the Olmsted vision of a unified park and greenway system for Birmingham one step closer to reality.           
With support from Wachovia Foundation, Princeton BMC, and the Arlington-West End Neighborhood Association, work has started on a dramatic expansion of the Cotton Avenue EcoScape.

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The Magic School Bus

Nucor Steel’s Steve Messier accepts sponsor bus models from SEC’s Michelle Hampton.

Due to the sad financial shape of Birmingham’s public school system, many of its already disadvantaged schools have had to cut back on field trips. To help counter this, we’ve create d the Magic School Bus Program. For just $250, individuals or companies can enable a class to rent a school bus and to enjoy a full day of activities at SEC.
Each sponsor receives a handsome die cast school bus model, and the knowledge that they helping to promote environmental awareness in our community. Nucor Steel led the way in 2006, by sponsoring 4 magic school bus trips! To find out how you can make a difference, call 226-4934.

PAYING FOR THEIR EDUCATION WITH GREEN FUNDS

Brooke Wright received a $1,000 environmental internship award for 2006-2007 from the Associated Colleges of the South (www.colleges.org). With travel support from BSC’s Student Government, Brooke recently attended a green conference at Rollins College (FL), and now serves as BSC student liaison for environmental initiatives within the ACS consortium. Since Brooke also interns at the Southern Environmental Center, this naturally provides her with insider information on all the great things happening at BSC!

Jon Bernreuter is BSC’s 2006-’07 Recycling Center Intern. Funded through a $1,000 grant from ACS, Jon has done a remarkable job tackling the mountain of recyclables that had accumulated during the summer of 2006, and has established an effective transfer station for City of Birmingham recycling crews. Jon also worked with SGA’s community representative Daniel Gilbreath, to secure funding ($1,000) for new recycling bins at BSC.

Bryan Barnhill is the proud recipient of a $1,500 Alabama Legacy scholarship (www.legacyenved.org), and is currently in South Africa as part of a wildlife ecology exchange program. We’re hopeful that, upon his return, Bryan will refrain from bringing additional surprise gifts to SEC. We have already inherited the pet tarantula he was unable to sneak into his BSC dorm room, and can only imagine what he’ll try to bring back to Alabama!

Cori Anderson was one of 80 national recipients of the 2006 Morris K Udall Scholarship. Selected from among 445 candidates, Cori is the only scholar from a school in Alabama to have received this prestigious $5,000 award. The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders from across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, ranging from urban planning, to environmental health. Cori is also 2006-’07 President of the BSC Conservancy, and recently got BSC to become a signatory to the Talloires Declaration (www.ulsf.org/programs_talloires.html).

2006 Legacy Institute Participants

Proceeds from environmental license plate sales enable teachers from around Alabama to participate in this week-long conference at B.S.C. at no cost. www.legacyenved.org.