Brazilian Filmmakers Film a News Story About The Green Movement in America on The Science Barge
April 14th, 2010On Wednesday, April 14th The Science Barge hosted a small news crew from the sister Brazilian television networks, TV Amazonica and Amazon Sat who are producing a series of informative TV news stories on critical environmental issues, to be jointly produced for broadcast throughout Brazil. The Charter School in Yonkers brought their 4th grade class for a tour. They had a great time in front of the camera and sent green tidings from Yonkers to Brazil!
The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Broadcast Support (OBS) in Washington D.C. invites serious, credible journalists to come to the U.S. to produce TV news reports and documentaries on subjects and themes of need or interest in their country. To that end, the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia and the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. are sponsoring this project, through a grant to TV Amazonica and Amazon Sat.
These timely reports will be taped in the United States to highlight “Successful ‘Green’ Experiences in the U.S.” that can serve as examples to the Amazon region. To that end, the series will examine efforts being made by the U.S. Federal government, State and Municipal governments, businesses, and private citizens to increase energy efficiency, and combat climate change, as well as preserve “green” spaces and natural resources.
Our Folks & The Environmental Food Team Field Trips
April 14th, 2010During our local high school’s Spring Break we brought together the Our Folks intergenerational program with The Environmental Food Team to go on a couple of field trips and get to know each other. The groups met at Phillipse Manor Hall for a tour of the historic site and also took a bus trip to The Cloisters, the branch of the Metropolitan Museum devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park, the building incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters.
The Our Folks Team from Riverside High School have been working since last summer to make needed repairs in the homes of older adults in the community. During these projects, the seniors and the youth get to know each other and socialize, helping to bridge the gap between generations. The Environmental Food Team is another group of older adults in the community who take classes at Phillpse Manor Hall once a week with Groundwork’s Curt Collier where they learn about the history of food and current issues surrounding nutrition and agriculture. Now that The EFT has been introduced to Our Folks students, they are also interested in signing up for Our Folks projects.
NY Times Article on Brooklyn Botanical Garden Endangered Native Plant Study
April 6th, 2010On April 2, 2010, the NY Times published an article about a 20-year mapping project, carried out by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. They are hoping to save dozens of endangered native plants using the information that they have gathered. Read the article or check out the mapping project to find out which native plants are growing near you.
a 20-Year Mapping Effort, Hoping to Save Dozens of Native Plants
New Composting Bins on The Science Barge!
March 22nd, 2010Thanks to a generous donation from Good Ideas, Inc., The Science Barge is now home to two new composting bins: a Compost Wizard Tumbler and a Compost Wizard Standing Bin. Composting is an essential component of the work we do here on The Science Barge, as a key part of our mission is to produce nutritious food with zero waste. An expanded on-board composting program will ensure that we remain true to our zero-waste policy by increasing our capacity to compost all of the plant waste that is a by-product of pruning and harvesting crops, along with the food waste brought to the Barge in student lunches. While the valuable nutrients found in organic matter are too often lost to landfills, our composting program turns “waste” into beneficial nutrient-rich soil amendments that can be used to grow plants on-board the Barge and elsewhere. Students and visitors on The Science Barge get to dig in and get their hands dirty by participating in our “Green Lunch Challenge” and other on-board education programs. These programs teach students the importance of reducing waste through composting, recycling and reusing. Click here to read more about the ways we demonstrate sustainable urban agriculture on The Science Barge.
ATTENTION ARTISTS: We are now accepting submissions for the 2010 Science Barge Floating Sculpture Exhibition! Click this link for full information.
February 3rd, 2010Groundwork Hudson Valley
And
The Science Barge
Present:
Second Annual Floating Sculpture Exhibition
June 12th – 13th, 2010
Drawing upon our 2009 success, we are repeating our floating water sculpture exhibition. Groundwork Hudson Valley is seeking artists to create floatable art to be installed in a semi-sheltered section of the river adjacent our Science Barge.
Our water sculpture celebration is a two day event building upon our work in this community. The event begins on Saturday morning with the installation. The event continues later that day with a reception for the artists and music, and an opportunity for the judges to review the art. There are also boxes for the guests to vote on their favorite art. All Saturday and Sunday the sculptures will be available for viewing by the general public.
The site of the installation is the Hudson River in an area between the Science Barge and the shore. The Science Barge is moored 35’ off shore. There is a beautiful little park onshore along side a brick path with benches. The park sits at the confluence of the Saw Mill River and the Hudson River. Combined with the majestic Palisades in the distance framed by the George Washington and Tappan Zee Bridges, make this an especially beautiful site.
The Science Barge, its gangway, and the shore side park makes it possible for the sculptures to be viewed easily from all sides. The sculptures will be judged for artistic merit and creativity by a panel of judges and by a “people’s choice” ballot and recognition awards will be given. Please see the attached rules for further information. It is important that each submission carefully follow these guidelines.
We hope you’ll join in the celebration of the river by providing your artistic talent. By bringing people down to the Hudson River you help raise awareness as to the plight of this majestic and important body of water.
Environmental Food Team Begins Tuesday, February 16th! Click link for full schedule.
February 3rd, 2010All start at 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
FEBRUARY
16 – Food and Love: From Gifts of Chocolate to Deadly Fish
23 – Beyond Wood: The Edible Tree – a survey of trees and what they’re used for
MARCH
2 – The Spices of Life: The ingredients that mobilized a world
9 – How Food Influenced Art: A slide show on food art from still life to soup cans
16 – FILM SHOWING: The Garden (Award winning documentary on community gardens)
23 – VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY (at Riverside H.S.). Rethinking Food With Youth (10:22 – 11:09 a.m.)
30 – Marketing and Food: How Park Avenue and Wall Street shaped what we eat.
APRIL
6 – Tea: From Religion to Revolution
13 – The Diet Wars: How conversations about what we should eat have changed our culinary habits
20 – TOUR: Organic Farming Techniques (12:00 – 4:00) – Sister Hill Farm. 2:00 p.m.
24 – SATURDAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: – Kick off Festivities at the Science Barge (12-2 p.m.)
27 – The Invention of Sauce: The Four Mother Sauces, and a few others.
MAY
4 – Canceled (Green Jobs Conference in Washington)
11 – What Mother Made: Home Inventions, Julia Child, and TV Dinners
18 – Seafood and the History of the Fishmongers
25 – FILM SHOWING: “The Power of Community – How Cuba Survived Peak Oil”
JUNE
1 – Pesto Making Class: Learn traditional and adapted recipes (including sage) – Free Basil!
8 – TOUR: Plant and Human Nutrition Aboard the Science Barge (free lettuce!)
12 – VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Booth at the Science Barge Floating Sculpture Event 12 – 2 p.m.
15 – Sugar at Any Price?: Why we crave sugar, and how it ends up in all of our food
All these activities are free. To insure a seat on the bus, please sign up for the trips in advance. NOTE: IF THE DAY’S FORECAST PREDICTS MORE THAN A DUSTING OF SNOW THE TRIP IS CANCELED. All events and activities are free and open to all adults 55+ years. For more information contact Curt Collier at (914) 375-2151, or curt@groundworkhv.org.
Saw Mill River Fish Study Completed!
December 17th, 2009The Saunders High School students who have been working with the Saw Mill River Coalition on a comprehensive study of fish species in the Saw Mill conducted their last survey in September, as part of the Saw Mill River BioBlitz. This proved a satisfying end to a successful year-long project which involved over 30 Saunders High School students. From the 30 students who were trained by Dr. Joseph Rachlin and Dr. Barbara Warkentine of Lehman College and Mr. Harry Hall from Saunders High School, a group of core fish study students developed. These students were especially interested in the project and participated in various surveys, training their peers when new students decided to participate.
In the last survey, members of the core group who had not yet graduated and left for college, trained college students from Sarah Lawrence College and students from Riverside High School to seine for and identify fish species at six different sites along the River. This group performed as the fish experts for the BioBlitz study and their data was included amongst information collected by professional scientists who specialized in a variety of different areas.
One Saunders High School student, Raquel Romero, took the initiative to do her senior thesis “Tech-Prep” project on the fish study and generated a sophisticated, comprehensive report of the findings, comparing them to past studies.
To view Raquel’s report and colorful presentation, click on the links below:
- Fish Study Introduction
- Fish Study Report Analysis
- Fish Study Report Data
- Fish Study Presentation Part 1
- Fish Study Presentation Part 2
Through discussions with Harry Hall, the Saunders teacher who coordinated the study, and local experts from the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Office of Fisheries, Coalition staff generated a Protocol for Future Fish Studies. Please feel free to read the protocol and check back in the spring for follow-up study results.
Science Barge Had An Awesome Season
December 15th, 2009A note from Bob Walters, Science Barge Director
The Science Barge seems quiet and cold (brrr) after the hustle and bustle of our first year on the Yonkers waterfront. The Barge was a huge success and had visitors from all over the world including media from Japan, Canada, Antigua, Germany and the Netherlands. It was a great day when Dan Rather formerly of 60 minutes showed up with his news crew to do a show on sustainable agriculture.
My hat goes off to the creator of the Barge, Dr. Ted Kaplow, and his team: Zak Adams, Jen Nelkin, and Ben Lindsley. The floating urban farm they built attracted huge interest in recycling hydroponics powered by sustainable energy.
Our working crew on the barge for Groundwork Hudson Valley: Devon Spencer, Ann Megaro, Emily Eder, Curt Collier, Francisco Laso and others made the Barge an exciting learning center. We were open seven days a week starting in April and extended our season into November because of demand. Over 3000 students attended programs on the barge and colleges such as Penn State, NYU, Pace Bronx Community and others came.
The volunteer crew in many ways was the heart and soul of the Barge. They jumped in and made things happen that would not have been possible without them. I am always reluctant to mention individual names because it was a team effort that made it work, Ely Niven was our go-to guy when the impossible needed to be done. It was he that designed and built our rolling railing at the Barge entrance. Jonathan and his family, Jon Jr., Binta, Micah and Josh were an incredible team. Josh was great and didn’t let the fact he is only five years old get in the way of his good work. Various individuals, you know who you are, lead tours, composted, harvested worms, planted crops, picked aphids, fed fish and completed a myriad of other tasks. The volunteers made the Barge a happy place.
Our weekends were filled with public programs and visitors. Thousands of folks, from moms with strollers to senior citizens, came on board. The visitors “oohed and aahed” as we taught about recirculating hydroponics that grew 25 foot long tomatoes vines, melons that grew swinging in the air, catfish that provided nutrients for growing vegetables and hydroponics that grew seven time more vegetables than traditional agriculture. It was also the little things: Venus Fly traps, red wiggler worms, and sensitivity plants that folded their leaves at a touch of a hand, that amazed the kids.
We had over twenty public education programs that allowed visitors to do things like help adjust the inclination of the solar collectors, build a hand-made kite out of recycled materials, paint a peat pot, plant and take home an heirloom tomato and more. Two major events were the floating sculpture exhibit, inspired by Curt Collier, and Riverfest. Riverfest, Yonkers’ premier Waterfront Festival, alone bought a thousand people in one day to the Science Barge
One program that was wonderful success was the Honda grant intern program. Five students from various Yonkers Public High Schools worked on the Barge giving tours, working in the greenhouse, and otherwise making themselves indispensable. Bryan, Christian, Michael, Pasquale and David were great.
Thanks must go out to our supporters who made this all possible. The New York Power Authority, the City of Yonkers, Honda America, Whole Foods, Hitachi, Community Energy, Con Edison and others were our supporters.
Special thanks also go to Groundwork Hudson Valley’s Board of Directors led by President Rob Baron. They contributed their time and energy to make it all work.
Ann Megaro, our wonderful grower says that the growing season starts on Valentines Day. We will keep the Barge open on Sundays for maintenance and the building and upgrade of exhibits. We invite all to come down and help with their ideas, energy, and hands.
Thanks to All,
Bob Walters, Science Barge Director for Groundwork Hudson Valley
Groundwork Hudson Valley is moving!
December 14th, 2009Our Office Is Moving!
In January, Groundwork will be moving its office from 6 Wells Avenue to a larger office just a couple blocks away. The new office will be located at 22 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Yonkers, NY 10701. We are very excited about this new location, as added space means room for growth (and more space)! Stay tuned for possible volunteer activities before and after the move!
Umbrellas for Sale!
December 14th, 2009Here comes the rain and the snow! Protect yourself from nasty weather while supporting healthy rivers and streams. Umbrellas with pollution prevention messages on them are being distributed to high schools and middle schools throughout the watershed. They are $8 each and all of the profits from the sales will go towards the school. Contact us to find out about participating schools, or if you are a teacher or student interested in getting involved. You can also buy them through our office, or order them online, and we will distribute the proceeds to one of the local schools.
