Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Benton County Convenience Center
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Green Day...all month long!
I would like to put together a team to spend a day working somewhere in our area. If you know of a person or place that A Little Hope can help with some, please let me know! When I have a location and a date I'll let you know so you can join me!!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
FREE lunch will be provided for all attendees
FREE 72-Hour Starter Kits will be given to the first 1,000 families in attendance and there will be drawings for door prizes.
60+ Booths will provide information on Creating 72-hour kits, Electrical Outages and Safety, Document Preservation, Personal and Child Safety, Emotional Support and Help Information, Establishing Economic Stability, Job Search Information, Basic Food and Water Storage, and much more.
Over 100 experts will be present to teach about a range of emergency preparedness topics.
The American Red Cross will host a walk in blood drive during the Fair and on Fri Sept 11th from 2 pm to 7 pm.
Channel 40/29 and KNWA weather teams will talk about preparing for severe weather conditions.
Family activities at the Fair will include the Bentonville Fire Department Smokehouse, a Kids Corner with preparedness- focused activities, bounce houses, a bike and skate ramp show by Mojo, visits from Dora the Explorer and McGruff the Crime Dog, and much more.
More information about the Fair is available at http://www.nwapreparednessfair.com/. Pass this invitation along and invite your friends to come join the fun!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
What not to recycle...
- Aerosol cans: Sure, they're metal. But since spray cans also contain propellants and chemicals, most municipal systems treat them as hazardous material.
- Brightly dyed paper: Strong paper dyes work just like that red sock in your white laundry.
- Ceramics and pottery: This includes things such as coffee mugs. You may be able to use these in the garden.
- Diapers: It is not commercially feasible to reclaim the paper and plastic in disposable diapers.
- Hazardous waste: This includes household chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze, and other liquid coolants. Motor oil is recyclable, but it is usually handled separately from household items. Find out how your community handles hazardous materials before you need those services.
- Household glass: Window panes, mirrors, light bulbs, and tableware are impractical to recycle. Bottles and jars are usually fine. Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) are recyclable, but contain a small amount of mercury and shouldn't be treated as common household bulbs. For ideas on how to handle them, see Five Ways to Dispose of Old CFLs.
- Juice boxes and other coated cardboard drink containers. Some manufacturers have begun producing recyclable containers. These will be specially marked. The rest are not suitable for reprocessing.
- Medical waste: Syringes, tubing, scalpels, and other biohazards should be disposed as such.
- Napkins and paper towels: Discouraged because of what they may have absorbed. Consider composting.
- Plastic bags and plastic wrap: If possible, clean and reuse the bags. Make sure neither gets into the environment.
- Plastic-coated boxes, plastic food boxes, or plastic without recycling marks: Dispose safely.
- Plastic screw-on tops: Dispose separately from recyclable plastic bottles. Remember that smaller caps are a choking hazard.
- Styrofoam: See if your community has a special facility for this.
- Tires: Many states require separate disposal of tires (and collect a fee at the point of sale for that purpose).
- Tyvek shipping envelopes: These are the kind used by the post office and overnight delivery companies.
- Wet paper: In general, recyclers take a pass on paper items which have been exposed to water. The fibers may be damaged, and there are contamination risks.
What not to compost....
Composting is a great thing to do but remember there are some things that should NEVER be put in your compost:
Bread products: This includes cakes, pasta, and most baked goods. Put any of these items in your compost pile, and you've rolled out the welcome mat for unwanted pests.
Cooking oil: Smells like food to animal and insect visitors. It can also upset the compost's moisture balance.
Diseased plants: Trash them, instead. You don't want to transfer fungal or bacterial problems to whatever ends up growing in your finished compost.
Heavily coated or printed paper: This is a long list, including magazines, catalogs, printed cards, and most printed or metallic wrapping paper. Foils don't break down, and you don't need a bunch of exotic printing chemicals in your compost.
Human or animal feces: Too much of a health risk. This includes kitty litter. Waste and bedding from non-carnivorous pets should be fine.
Meat products: This includes bones, blood, fish, and animal fats. Another pest magnet.
Milk products: Refrain from composting milk, cheese, yogurt, and cream. While they'll certainly degrade, they are attractive to pests.
Rice: Cooked rice is unusually fertile breeding ground for the kinds of bacteria you don't want in your pile. Raw rice attracts varmints.
Sawdust: So tempting. But unless you know the wood it came from was untreated, stay away.
Stubborn garden plants: Dandelions, ivy, and kudzu are examples of plants or weeds which will probably regard your compost heap as a great place to grow, rather than decompose.
Used personal products: Tampons, diapers, and items soiled in human blood or fluids are a health risk.
Walnuts: These contain juglone, a natural aromatic compound toxic to some plants.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Japanese Beetles
Alzheimers's Memory Walk
Friday, July 10, 2009
Cloverbud Day Camp
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fourth of July 'Green' Tips
Just a few tips for enjoying our Independence Day this weekend!
- Instead of adding waste to our landfills and purchasing a bunch of paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils, why not use your own dishes. Instead of paper napkins try using cloth ones since they can be washed and used again and again. It may mean more cleaning up time for you but it will do the environment a big favor. And if you must buy throw away plates and cups make sure they are biodegradable.
- Forget pouring a half a bottle of lighter fluid all over your coals which subsequently gets cooked into the food. Use a chimney starter. They are inexpensive and beats using toxic lighter fluid any day.
- If you plan on having a personal fireworks display, make sure you have a water source near where you plan to launch the fireworks. Ensure that your launch pad is a safe distance from houses & trees; never hold or fire from your hands. Family and friends should stand back at least 10 feet. Most importantly, clean up when you are finished. Account for all fireworks you have set off-you don't want un-popped fireworks winding up in a child's hands and causing an injury.
Thank you!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Conservation Camp
Coming Soon...
World Peace Garden
The World Peace Garden located in Fayetteville is always welcoming voulenteers to help with the garden! For more information call 479-444-6072 or e-mail Get_Involved@WorldPeaceWetlandPrairie.com
Camp Beaver Lake!
Registration now open! Camp Beaver Lake begins June 29th for children who have completed Kindergarden thru 11th grades.
Third Thursday Garden Walk
Thursday, June 18th at 6:00 pm is the Third Thursday Garden Walk at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. The walk in conversational and leisurly. The topics will vary each month as to what is in bloom. Iced tea and lemonade will be provided. Tickets are $10 for members $15 non-members.
Firefly Festival!
Sunday, June 21. 6:00-11:00 pm. Discover the garden as the evening unfurls. A giant pupper parade, art bicycles, hands on crafting, the blooming of the mystifying Evening Primrose and much more. Food and drinks are avalible and costumes are welcome! Admission is $6 per person or $20 per family.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Clip those coupons!!
Our overseas military families are limited to doing their shopping for groceries and household items at the Commissaries and Post Exchanges on base, where prices are much more expensive than you will find in our stores in the U.S. Both the Commissaries and Post Exchanges allow the use of manufacturer's coupons past their expiration date. In other words, the commissaries has until six months past the expiration date to get the coupon to the manufacturer. So a coupon with the expiration date of January 31st can be used overseas until almost July 31st. Our military families who are stationed overseas do not have easy access to the Sunday newspapers like we do here, so they are very appreciative of any coupons that are sent their way.
Most manufacturer's coupons can be used. There are of course exceptions, such as products that are sold only in certain geographical locations in the U.S. For instance, milk coupons for your local dairy brand are not sold on an overseas base, and so would not be used.
**Coupons for baby products, including diapers, baby wipes, formula, and skincare items are in very high demand.
**Coupons that are to used at a specific store (such as those found in a weekly sales flyer) cannot be used overseas.
Coupons should be cut from the paper, without messing up the expiration date. If you will place your cut coupons in a baggie, it will help keep them from getting ragged in the collection box. Your coupons will be collected and sent to a family stationed overseas who will in turn share the coupons with their friends and at the support centers.
**Please do not bring coupons that have been expired more than two months past their expiration date. I will collect coupons from drop boxes on the first of each month.
I will have a drop box at the Benton County Extension Office or you can make arrangements to get them to me in person. After July 1, scroll to the bottom of my blogspot for dollar amount collected.
This is an on going project-I will be doing collections every month so keep clipping those coupons!
~Anna
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Compost Facility
Camp!!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Every Spring and Fall, the City of Bentonville works in cooperation with Keep Arkansas Beautiful to sponsor a city-wide litter pick up day. These are usually held on a Saturday morning from 8 until noon. This is a great community service project for youth groups, businesses, and neighborhood groups. The next Clean up date is scheduled for Saturday, May 30th.
I am putting together a team to work. If you would like to help, please e-mail so I can let you know where exactly we will be meeting!!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
It's raining...TREES!!
Today's environmental tip: Make it a full load! Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Don't pre-rinse dishes - tests show pre-rinsing doesn't improve dishwasher cleaning, and you'll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load. When you buy a new dishwasher, look for one that saves water. Water-efficient models use only about only about 4 gallons per wash.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips-water.htm
A Little Hope star of the week goes to...
The Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce-the first NWA Green Expo was a huge success! They had the latest eco-friendly living, exhibitors and workshops! The 2009 Expo was a lot of fun and I look forward to next year! Thank you Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce for donating funds and booth space to A Little Hope so we could give away 500 trees!!
For your calendar...
Greening of the Garden @ Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
Thursday, May 14th at 6:00 pm
The 14th Annual Greening of the Garden. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of spring at our signature event. This casual event includes dinner, cash bar, silent & live auction, live music by Mo Brothers and dancing! Tickets $50/$60 day of event Tickets now on sale to members, and general ticket sales begin April 20th.
3rd Annual War Eagle Appreciation Day
Saturday, May 16th at 9:00 am
The 3rd Annual War Eagle Appreciation Day, which will be held Saturday, May 16th, at Withrow Springs State Park, located about five miles north of Huntsville off of Highway 23. Headquarters for War Eagle Appreciation Day is Crossbow Pavilion at the park. Admission is free. Organizers suggest members of the public bring their own lawn chairs. Activities include a family friendly educational float on the War Eagle, with canoes launching from 9 to 11 a.m. Those wishing to participate may bring their own canoes. The 5-mile float will begin at the Hwy. 412 bridge (across from Ma and Pa’s Bent & Dent) and end at Withrow Springs State Park. Shuttle service for canoeists will be available from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The public is invited to join festivities at Crossbow Pavilion, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., where there will be a cookout, sponsored by Arvest Bank of Huntsville, for the first 400 people. In addition, there will be live music and educational exhibits focusing on topics such as water quality, history of the area, environmental issues, agriculture, and safety. For additional information, contact the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce at 479-738-6000 or chamber@madisoncounty.net or Withrow Springs State Park at 479-559-2593.
Bentonville Farmers Market
Saturday, May 16th 7:00-1:00
The Bentonville Farmers Market has been offering fresh, locally grown produce, baked goods and quality handmade crafts for over thirty years. A unique community gathering place, the Market also offers music and theatre performances, cooking and craft demonstrations, and educational programming. The Market is held Saturday from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm on the Downtown Bentonville Square. Think globally and buy fresh locally at the Bentonville Farmer’s Market ***Anna will be giving away trees***
2009 Benton County Spring Clean Up
Saturday, May 16th 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
1206 SW 14th Street http://www.co.benton.ar.us/debris_removal.html
Items accepted: upto 4 rimless tires, household furniture, electronics, appliances, metal and household hazardous waste (paint, automotive fluids, oil, batteries, florescent bulbs, lawn and garden chemicals, cleaning products, pool chemicals, sharps, animal medications, thermometers, etc.)
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Fayetteville Solid Waste and Recycling Division would like to announce that in honor of Earth Day there will be a Spring Bulky Waste Clean up on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 from 7:00 am until 2:00 pm at the following location: Solid Waste and Recycling Facility (1560 S. Happy Hollow Road)
Bentonville City Expo April 21, 2009 5:30-8:00 @ Bentonville Library
Curious about what is happening in Bentonville? Come join us for the City Expo! Mayor Bob McCaslin and City of Bentonville staff will be on hand to detail the City’s newest projects. Additionally, staff members from the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown Bentonville, Inc. and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will be in attendance. City Council members, the City Clerk and various committee and board members will also attend.
Bentonville Earth Day on the Square Wednesday, April 22nd
A program will be presented from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. followed by Community Environmental Booths for Students from 12:15 p.m. until 1:30 p.m.
R. E. Baker Elementary students are presenting their fourth Earth Day on the Square in Downtown Bentonville. The entire student body ranging from kindergarten through 4th grade will enter the Square led by a band. The students will gather to hear from our community leaders who will speak about the importance of Earth Day and will recognize the programs the students have implemented throughout the year. R. E. Baker students have earned state recognition as well as a Governor's Proclamation for their sustainability programs.
Anna will be on hand giving away 500 Northern Red Oak Seedlings!!
Northwest Arkansas Earth Day @ Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
Saturday, April 25th at 10:00am to 2:00pm
FREE admission • Plant Sale featuring native plants, herbs, vegetables + favorites from BGO gardens • Learn from ‘green’ businesses and organizations displays and activities • Music by Shannon Wurst & Bayard Blain of 3 Penny Acre • Natural food vendors • Mayors’ presentations of Green Achiever School Awards
Northwest Arkansas Green Expo May 8-9 at the Benton County Fairgrounds
The Northwest Arkansas Green Expo is a two-day event that focuses on educating, informing and inspiring consumers about ways to make our environment, homes and lives safer, healthier, happier places to live. Learn to be more independent, save energy and save money! Featured vendors and seminars will range from a variety of topics including food & beverage, health & wellness, transportation, energy, green building, environmental education, recycling & conservation, lawn & garden, eco-friendly businesses, plus so much more! NYK Logistics will be providing FREE electronic recycling (limit of 5 pieces per household-see Green Expo website for accepted items). 1,000 visitors will receive a FREE reusable bag.
500 visitors will receive a FREE Northern Red Oak from Anna!!