Green Drinks

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NEXT GREEN DRINKS:

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

7:00 - 9:00 PM

  

St. James Publick House, 167 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood

 

 

We're doing something different this month. There will be no speaker, but the Green Team will be there to tell you about what's in store for Green Day (on Saturday, April 28th).  There will be over 100 green vendors and exhibitors, more than 10 local food vendors, live bands all day, exhibitions, demonstrations, kids activities and much, much more.  This is going to be the best Green Day ever!  

 

No fee, cash bar.  Bring your friends!

 

February Green Drinks

Monika Hannemann, local gardening expert, talked to us about seed starting with some suburb-friendly, easy to grow vegetable plants for a food garden.

 

Monika worked as an educator and horticulturalist at the Horticultural Society of New York and The Brooklyn Botanic Garden for 12 years before moving to Maplewood.  Currently she teaches high school biology and runs the MapleFood garden, an education garden that works with volunteers and kids to grow and harvest vegetables for a local food pantry.

 

December Green Drinks

 

No speaker this month.  It's a Green Team party!  Come celebrate the holidays with the Green Team.  We will have artisanal pizzas from Roman Gourmet, organic beer and wine.  Please let us know you are attending so we can order the right amount of food.  Register here by sending us an email.  

 

If you haven't yet taken the Green Challenge, you can do so before December 9th and be eligible for the drawing which will be held at the party -- the winner gets an iPad!  All are welcome.  $8 cover at the door.  

 

October Green Drinks

October's speaker was Chris Murphy, owner of Smart Little House in Roseland, NJ (smartlittlehouse.com).  Smart Little House is several things -- a showroom, a materials business, a collaborative design practice, and a concept. They specialize in innovative and eco-friendly building and craft products.  With decades of experience in construction and interior design, they are collaborative design partners who develop unique solutions with other design professionals.  They also sell green building materials that they vet themselves, choosing not to rely on someone else's definition of "green."

 

The Maplewood Green Team is proud to bring this tradition to you. At these events, held periodically, you will meet many members of our community, both those actively involved in our green initiatives and those just finding out more. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, to learn all the latest environmental information, and to help make a difference in our town.  Everyone is welcome, so spread the word! 

 

There is a fee of $8 at the door which covers organic wine, beer, and snacks.  Click here for more information.

 

Register here by sending us an email.  

 

 

September Green Drinks

Dave HogenauerDave Hogenauer is a former Columbia High School teacher, 45-year Maplewood resident, Reservation historian and experienced hike leader. His brief talk will feature the history of the South Mountain Reservation which was designed by landscape architect Frederick Olmsted in the last century.  There will also be information about the various volunteer opportunities at the Reservation.

 

May Green Drinks 

 Our speaker was Tammy Toad Ryan, a local beekeeper who taught us about bees and beekeeping and treated us to a honey tasting.   

 

Tammy Toad RyanTammy Toad Ryan started keeping bees in British Columbia in 2007 because of her innate curiosity in how to work with nature in a harmonious way. Being told that one could only raise bees by feeding them sugar and chemicals she decided to begin her own path of study.  Tammy is studying treatment free beekeeping and is working on growing her apiary in NJ.  Tammy views beekeeping from a holistic model and enjoys finding lasting ways of relating with the little creatures.  As well as keeping bees, she has been practicing and studying biodynamic agriculture for over a decade and is currently starting a 5 acre farm in Clifton, NJ for City Green. 


February Green Drinks

Our speaker was Susan Switalski, who told us about green residential cleaning.  She is the owner of Ecomaids in Fairfield, NJ, and her focus is on more than just your basic cleaning.  WE learned about improving indoor air quality; protecting the health and safety of customers, pets, cleaning workers, and the general public; and how to do it all in a sustainable manner that minimizes its overall environmental impact.  

 

November Green Drinks

Our speaker was Grace Chow Grund, head of the Montclair United Chicken Keepers (MUCK).  She spoke to us about what you need to raise backyard chickens, how to plan your coop, and the pros and cons of chicken raising.

 

September Green Drinks  

Our speaker was Amy Rowe, Environmental and Resource Management Agent for Rutgers in Essex County.  She spoke to us about rain gardens and how to use a rain barrel in your garden.

 

June Green Drinks

 

Chris Czech, a local landscape designer, spoke at Green Drinks on Monday, June 21st at 7:30 p.m.  Her topic was attracting nature to your garden.  There was a discussion of design techniques and particular plant material which birds, butterflies, etc. will respond to.  Also, there are some elements, such as water, which make for a "critter-friendly" ecosystem for your yard.

 

April Green Drinks

Earth Week kick-off!  April's speaker was Steve Tesoriero, an expert on home energy efficiency and President of Renewable Resource Systems. He discussed tactical steps for specific ways you can implement effective, short term solutions as well as significant longer term home improvements that will have positive impact on your wallet & our environment.  

February Green Drinks


February's speaker Matthew Morra, from Green Energy People, provided us with information on the latest local changes in residential solar funding. These changes will make solar much more affordable for Maplewood and South Orange residents.

December Green Drinks -- Dennis Percher, Chair of the South Mountain Conservancy, and Tricia Zimic, Board member, provided an introduction to the South Mountain Conservancy and its activities with emphasis on the $800K multi-year forest regeneration project with the County.  In October, the Conservancy and Essex County announced the completion of a unique planting program to accelerate the restoration of the forest in the South Mountain Reservation.  Through this aggressive initiative, 48,000 native plant species were reintroduced into the reservation to reverse destruction caused by the overbrowsing of deer.

To help the forest regenerate more quickly and protect the flowers, bushes and trees that were planted, 41 new exclosures – ranging in size from 5,000 to 41,000 square feet – were created throughout South Mountain Reservation. These 41 regeneration sites total 500,000 square feet and were planted with 23,000 native plant species. In addition, 14 acres (600,000 square feet) of the former Essex County deer paddock were fenced in creating a Wildflower and Forest Preserve.  Here  25,000 native species have been planted and interpretive trails are being developed.  Ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the sites are being done by the Conservancy and the County Parks Department aided by monthly volunteer efforts and community groups such as the Girl Scouts and Seton Hall University through an Adopt-a-Site Program. 

 

Here is an excerpt from their presentation:

 

 

Here you can watch Cheryl Rogowski, CSA farmer speak about her program at September's Green Drinks: