Rhode Island Feeds

http://www.pbn.com/detail/51897.html
The former managing editor of the Phoenix, Scott Pickering, is Rhode Island regional editor for PATCH.
"The nature of community journalism is about to change dramatically.

The recent launch of AOL Inc.’s Patch.com in Rhode Island and eight other states is expected to increase already-intense competition for local news and add the Internet as a major player in a field long dominated nationally by newspapers and television.

Bolstered with a $50 million investment by AOL, Patch initiated its presence in Rhode Island the first week of August, when three Patch.com websites went online – one each serving Middletown, Newport and Portsmouth – with more to come both in the Ocean State and elsewhere across the country. In Massachusetts, Patch.com sites are in 13 communities to date.

Patch intends to be the largest hirer of full-time journalists in the United States this year, the company said in a news release, expecting to hire more than 500 journalists by the end of the year. In Rhode Island, Patch has hired at least four local editors and last week was looking to fill 12 more positions from Westerly to Woonsocket."
(Full PBN article at link above)

Megabus goes to Boston as well.http://www.pbn.com/detail/51955.html

http://www.eastbayri.com/detail/137821.html?content_source=&category_id=1,6&search_filter=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=

RIRRC: Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum from raw materials. Now that's efficient!

By ecoRI staff

Microcystis is a blue-green algae.The recent algae bloom in the Ten Mile River, Central Pond, Turner Reservoir and Omega Pond may form a naturally occurring algal toxin, according to the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Department of Health.

The river originates in Massachusetts and forms the boundary between Massachusetts and Rhode Island along the northern half of East Providence and Seekonk. People should avoid recreational activities such as swimming, boating or fishing in these areas until further notice. In addition, people should not drink water or eat fish from any of these areas.

During a recent sampling, DEM officials observed a dense algae bloom turning the waters of Turner Reservoir a bright green color. DEM has confirmed the presence and predominance of the blue-green algae, microcystis. These algae also referred to as cyanobacteria have the potential to form the naturally occurring algal toxin microcystin.

Symptoms of exposure to microcystin in humans include stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle and joint pain, and irritation of the skin, eyes and throat. People who have been drinking from, swimming or fishing in these areas and experience those symptoms should contact their health-care provider. People are advised to avoid contact with water if they see similar conditions — dense algae blooms, bright green colored waters — in other lakes and ponds.

Pets can also be affected by exposure to microcystin, according to State Veterinarian Scott Marshall. Owners shouldn’t allow pets to drink this water or swim in the water.  Symptoms of exposure to microcystin in dogs can include rapid onset of lethargy, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle rigidity or convulsions.

DEM officials said the algae bloom and the natural production of the toxin will likely resolve itself.

Rhode Island officials are warning people and pets to avoid contact with a highly toxic algae that's growing in local waters.

Twelve of Cranston's Public Schools have earned the prestigious Energy Star label.

In all my years of reading the black-and-white Dilbert comic strip, who knew the man behind all the workplace blues was really green?

An article in the Wall Street Journal this week details how Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert strip, tried to build a totally green house.  His harrowing process of trying to “save the earth” with his house was witty and informative and caught my eye.

He shares some stark truths on his journey:

The greenest home is the one you don’t build. If you really want to save the Earth, move in with another family and share a house that’s already built. Better yet, live in the forest and eat whatever the squirrels don’t want. Don’t brag to me about riding your bicycle to work; a lot of energy went into building that bicycle. Stop being a hypocrite like me.

Between trying for a white roof, no windows and no lawn, a totally white pebble lawn, the house would be quite ugly as well. But Adams sums up the real kicker in environmentally friendly houses.

Heating and cooling are the biggest energy thieves. And roofs and windows matter the most for heat transfer. Focus your research and budget there. … If you’re thinking of buying a home that has lots of windows on the wrong side for your climate, you should pass. Few things make a home less liveable, and more of an energy hog, than improper orientation to the sun.

There is a ton of actual useful information in the article as well. So set your eyes on it if you’re buying or building a house.

Photo courtesy of Korrin Petersen, Coalition for Buzzard's Bay

Most people, whether they’re New Englanders or not, associate Cape Cod with pristine beaches, sparkling water, diverse plant and marine life. They don’t normally think of excessive algae blooms and scores of dead fish lining the shores of what many New Englanders consider their second home. Unfortunately, the Cape is rapidly becoming more of the latter (see photo above) due to untreated wastewater from septic systems flowing into Cape Cod’s waterways. The problem gets worse with each passing summer season.

Today, CLF and The Coalition for Buzzards Bay (CBB) took legal action to expedite the cleanup of the Cape’s legendary waterways by holding federal and county authorities accountable for reducing nitrogen pollution. In particular, the organizations called the EPA to the table to fulfill its legal obligations under the Clean Water Act to permit and regulate the discharge of nitrogen into the Cape’s waters.

Here’s what CLF President John Kassel had to say on the issue:

“The destruction of Cape Cod’s bays and estuaries must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Decades of foot-dragging are now threatening the very lifeblood of the Cape. We know the culprit and we know the solution. We need the Obama administration to prioritize clean-up of this treasured resource as it has with the Chesapeake Bay and for the EPA to step up to the plate and fulfill its legal obligation to control nitrogen pollution.”

Learn More:

Read the full news release at CLF.org>>
Learn more about nitrogen pollution on the Cape>>
Read the recent NY Times article on the issue>>

ecoRInews: Providence City Council to vote on chicken ordinance Sept. 2 & 16. To pass, a majority vote is needed at both meetings.

RIRRC is now accepting:
Plastic bottle caps (the type found on #1 & #2 soda bottles, milk bottles and detergent jugs)
Plastic trigger sprayers & pump sprayers (household cleaners, etc.)

When recycling your plastic caps and sprayers, you must attach them to the #1 or #2 containers with which they were originally purchased.
Please rinse any containers to be recycled before placing them in your recycling bin.
Thank you to Stan Dimock for sending in this important recycling info.

RIRRC: Tip for Reducing: Buy in bulk and concentrate. Not only does it mean less packaging per unit of the product, but it can save money too!

By now, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about the Circ, a proposed frivolous $60 million dollar highway project that threatens to rip through some of our state’s most pristine farmlands and wetlands. It’s unnecessary and destructive—and there are cheaper and cleaner alternatives.

What you may not have heard is that fewer than 20 people (according to the Burlington Free Press) have submitted comments voicing their opinion. No, that’s not a typo. Fewer than 20 people have spoken up about the Circ. We need to change that, and we need to change it now.

Here’s what we need you to do:

1. Submit a comment online against the proposed highway before the Friday, August 27 deadline.
2. Share this blog post via Twitter and Facebook with your family, friends and neighbors, asking them to submit a comment.

Not sure what to say in your comment to decisionmakers? Feel free to copy and paste the sample comment below:

The proposed Circ project is a bad idea for Vermont. The Circ will contribute harmful greenhouse gases, destroy farmlands and fragile wetlands, limit transportation choices, increase congestion—all while providing little benefit in travel time saved. Fixing existing roads and providing alternatives to driving—like freight rail, buses, carpooling and bike lanes—is cleaner, cheaper and more effective than the proposed Circ Highway project.

Comments are due by August 27—that’s this Friday! So please don’t wait. Our decisionmakers are listening, and we need as many people to speak up as possible. After you take action, please share this blog post far and wide to help get the word out.

Thank you for helping us put the breaks on the Circ project: Vermont deserves better!

Click the “like” button below to share this post on Facebook.

RIRRC: DYK... the landfill gas power plant at RIRRC generates enough electricity to power about 21,000 homes each year?

Please join NEURISA for a free webinar about the Northeast LiDAR Project. Mike Shillenn and other Photo Science staff will provide a technical overview of the project approach, specifications, deliverables, and schedule as well as discuss the potential applications served by this high resolution elevation data set.

To be held September 9th, 2010 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM EDT.

Abstract: Funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, as well as, direct funding from other federal, state and local entities, Photo Science was recently contracted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to collect and process LiDAR data for more than 8,000 square miles of the coastal zone and inland areas spanning six Northeastern states, including Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. Photo Science is tasked to provide project management, LiDAR data collection and processing, control surveys, product development, and quality control services. This project will not only help stimulate the U.S. economy and provide for more accurate floodplain mapping in the region, but will also represent the start of a regional LiDAR collection program that will be used as a test case for a national elevation program. The webinar will feature Photo Science staff providing a technical overview of the project approach, specifications, deliverables and schedule as well as discuss the potential applications served by this high resolution elevation data set.

Speaker: Mike Shillenn, Senior Program Director – Photo Science

Mike Shillenn has over 23 years of experience in the design, management and execution of a broad range of geospatial technology services projects supporting end user applications. He is currently a Senior Program Director at Photo Science’s West Chester, Pennsylvania office working with that firm’s federal, state, local, and commercial clients. He is the immediate Past President of the Pennsylvania Chapter Management Association of Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (PA-MAPPS) where he continues to serve on the Board of Directors. He has served for three terms on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium (PAMAGIC) and was a founding committee member of the Pennsylvania’s I-Team. He has also been active in a variety of professional organizations such as Mid-Atlantic Chapter of URISA (positions included president, vice president, & conference co-chair), GITA, and Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors.

Mike holds a BS in Geography from the Pennsylvania State University and has been granted the title of Certified Photogrammetrist (#R1027) by the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Mike lives in Downingtown, Pennsylvania with his wife, Dawn, and 20 year old daughter, Erin.

Cost: Free - Online Registration REQUIRED. See www.neurisa.org/events for more information.

More webcast details will be provided in confirmation e-mails prior to the event.

NEURISA sponsors:

Fugro (www.fugro.com)
Applied Geographics (www.appgeo.com)
Tighe & Bond (www.tighebond.com)
VHB (www.vhb.com)
In-Stock Design Supply, Inc. (www.instockdesign.com)
CDM (www.cdm.com)
DGT Survey Group (www.dgtsurvey.com)

A special Tri-town Bristol, Barrington and Warren Council Meeting has been scheduled for this Wednesday night, August 25, 2010 at 7pm at Town Hall in Bristol to review consideration of draft RFP for Audit Performance of the Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA)
See Public Notice above. Click on notice once to enlarge.

It’s time to harvest! It has been a while since I’ve posted my progress in worm composting. Things have gotten busy in my life recently. I’ve been preparing to move to a new apartment. The worm composting goes on even if my worms have been largely ignored for the past week  as I packed my belongings. So take heart. Even if you can’t get to your worms on a regular feeding schedule, they will prevail.

Within 60 days or so your compost will have turned into dark brown earthy smelling compost that looks a bit like crumbled chocolate cake. It is now it’s time to harvest.

How do you do this? There is a lot of advice on the best methods for harvesting worm compost and I’ve experimented with a few. You will probably want to pick one that suits you best.

One method is to arrange a table covered with plastic under a 100-watt bulb so that the light is within 2 feet of the table. Heap the compost on the plastic in a cone-shaped mound. Any worms exposed to light will scurry to the center of the mound, letting you scoop away compost from the perimeter. Wait another 10 to 20 minutes and you can remove another layer of compost. Eventually, all the worms will have burrowed into a compact mass in the center of the pile. You can then move the worms back into the bin after lining it with new bedding.

I decided to try this method first and found it ok, but a bit time consuming. I worked at it for an hour or so one evening, got a decent amount of worm castings and then put the worms and remaining compost back in the bin. After all, it was getting late and I had work in the morning.

If the sight of wriggling worms in a pile turns you off, there are other methods you can choose. One way is to simply push the bedding and worms to one side and place fresh bedding and table scraps at one end of the bin. In a few weeks the worms will navigate over to that side and you can harvest compost from the deserted side of bin.

Compost or worm castings can go directly into the garden or house plants or used as mulch. I’ve already noticed a big difference with the plants in my garden. I have cucumber plants growing all over the place and my tomato plants look good.    

Here is a picture of my broccoli plants at an early growing stage looking very healthy. My garden looks great and it appears that my worm composting a success!

My job isn’t over however. I’m now turning my attention to the grounds around my new apartment, which could certainly benefit from some worm compost.

By ecoRI staff

PROVIDENCE — Through a cooperative effort with the Department of Agriculture and Animal Plant Health Inspection Services, the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is coordinating a comprehensive city outreach and detection program for the Asian longhorned beetle.

The invasive insect came to the United States in wooden shipping crates from China and Korea more than 10 years ago. It affects hardwood shade trees such as maple, ash, birch, willow and elm by boring into the core of the tree and eventually killing it. This beetle has the potential of wiping out thousands of the state’s trees if it goes undetected.

The DEM has identified Providence for this survey because of the city’s large level of industry and enterprise. The survey will take place Aug. 24 in the Port of Providence and Aug. 26 Wanskuck Park. The state’s outreach and survey activities are designed to inform the public and keep the state free of Asian longhorned beetles. DEM also will conduct a tree survey in Burrillville in September.

Survey participants will be easily identifiable, dressed in bright-orange shirts, and will be inspecting the top portion of hardwood trees using binoculars. They will be looking for signs of the beetle, such as egg-laying sites and exit holes. If a survey participant needs access to private property, they will request permission from the home or business owner.

The beetle is large, ranging from 0.75 to 1.25 inches in length with long black-and-white antennae. The body is glossy black with irregular white spots. The distinctive antennae that give the beetle its common name are as long as the body itself in females, and almost twice the body length in males. Adult beetles emerge from late spring to early fall and feed on tree bark and tender twigs. During its larval stage, the beetle bores deep in the tree's heartwood, where it feeds on the tree’s nutrients.

Signs of beetle infestation include perfectly round, dime-sized exit holes; frass, a sawdust-like material comprised of tree shaving and insect waste; and oozing sap. Dead and dying tree limbs or branches and yellowing leaves in areas where there has been no drought may also be a sign of infestation.

Residents are asked to call 866-702-9938 to report any possible sightings of the beetles.  For more information, contact Liz Lopes-Duguay of DEM at 401-640-4509 or via e-mail at liz.lopesduguay@dem.ri.gov, or visit dem.ri.gov.

By ecoRI staff

From Sept. 16 to Oct. 16, Coastweeks 2010 will offer opportunities to explore the Ocean State’s coast by bike, boat and book. The month-long celebration also will feature beach cleanups and guided hikes.

On Oct. 2 and 9, Rhode Island Sea Grant will sponsor commercial fishing trawls for the public.

Coastweeks, in its 29th year, is a nationwide event dedicated to fostering awareness, understanding and improved management of the U.S. coast. For the full list of local events, visit seagrant.gso.uri or call Rhode Island Sea Grant at 401-874-6800.

This MSNBC article looks at the government-BP relationship (also see this from the Washington Post). Meanwhile, the mediator of the $20 billion compensation fund prepares to start work (LA Times, also see this from the NY Times).

China becomes the latest place to be hit by severe flooding (NY Times).

A new study measures the amount of plastic debris in the Atlantic Ocean (BBC).

Massachusetts orders NStar to rebid 3 wind farm contracts (Boston Globe). The AG’s office also released a report detailing the cost of Cape Wind power (Boston Globe). Meanwhile, pollution plagues Cape Cod waters (NY Times).

Technology has made people underestimate the risks in national parks (NY Times).