Appalachia--Science in the Public Interest

Many Thanks to our Thanksgiving Holiday Donors!
Click Here for our 2011 Accomplishments and 2012 Plans

You can mail your tax deductible donations to:
ASPI - 50 Lair Street, Mt. Vernon KY, 40456
(Please make checks payable to ASPI)

…or click on the "Donations" link to the right to donate using PayPal >
Need help? Call (606) 256-0077

UPCOMING EVENTS

Home Energy Partners Presents

Energy Efficiency Workshop
for
Homeowners and Renters

Reduce your energy bills. Basic weatherization kit provided.
No cost to attend.

Date: Saturday, February 25 2012
Time 1- 2 PM

Location: Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest (ASPI) 50 Lair Street, Mount Vernon, KY
(Behind Grateful Threads on Williams St)

For more information contact:

Home Energy Partners 859-779-8804 or
Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest 606-256-0077

2012 Simple Lifestyle Calendars Are Here!

Appalachian Elders

One thing we all share, within and outside the mountains, is this mystery of aging, this journey from cradle to grave. Wisdom has no better channel than the Elders of our communities. Our 35th edition Simple Lifestyle Calendar features striking photographs from several talented artists, and various ways in which to celebrate nature and the Simple Life. Commemorate with us the many facets of our mountain Seniors and their unique Appalachian heritage.

A.S.P.I. and Grow Appalachia have teamed up to create Gardens for Rockcastle County!

A.S.P.I. has been awarded a grant for calendar year 2012 through the Appalachian Community Gardening and Food Security Project, better known as GROW APPALACHIA.

The purpose of this grant is "to teach and support the people of Appalachia in addressing the tragedy of hunger in the region by learning to grow their own food to feed themselves."

Needs to be addressed are:
Basic diet-related health concerns - obesity, diabetes, heart disease.
Limited availability of high-quality fresh produce.
Generational loss of knowledge of gardening, cooking, and food preservation skills.
Widespread economic dependency and lack of autonomy.

Planned outcomes of the project are:
Provide Rockcastle Co. families the resources and support to produce more of their own food.
Develop systems to share surplus produce with elderly and disabled folks at little or no cost.
Create and/or support systems to market surplus produce to local residents.
Families benefiting from this program will agree to help other families as they are able to maximize the impact of the program.

Please check out our Grow Appalachia program link for more information about what Grow Appalachia is doing for the people of Appalachia.

New Milestones, Old Friends, and Current Works

If you'll notice, this is the 100th issue of Appalachian Alternatives.

Issue number one back in the spring of 1984 replaced ASPI's former "quarterly fact sheet". The banner headline of that first newsletter read, "Celebration Issue" and the first articles included, among other things, an in-depth look at the Karen Silkwood case by Dr. Mary Davis, Al Fritsch's regular column, "The Ridge Runner" featuring the topic, "A-S-P-I Spells Variety" and an announcement about the near completion of the new cordwood house (still standing at the Mary E. Fritsch Nature Center to this day). With the joyous inception of this new format came the new name as well and Appalachian Alternatives was birthed. Al Fritsch explained, "The name of this new publication reflects a philosophy blending appropriate technology, simple living and social/political change. ASPI believes these three elements, combined together in our lives, can form powerful and very effective tools for living responsibly in this world". It is amazing that despite the wide diversity of ASPI projects over these many years and such a changing world, we have remained so true to that philosophy. Pausing to look back, we can continue forward with good conscience.

Our new calendar marks a milestone as well. The 2012 Simple Lifestyle calendar is our 35th (see details below). Since I pulled out issue number one of Appalachian Alternative I felt compelled to find our first calendar too. The original Simple Lifestyle Calendar was first produced in 1975 for ASPI's early predecessor CPSI (the Center for Science in the Public Interest). The '77 Simple Lifestyle calendar straddles the transition from CSPI solely to ASPI's first official year. That '77 calendar had a quote on the cover from Lin Yutang's, The Importance of Living, "I do not think that any civilization can be called complete until it has progressed from sophistication to unsophistication, and made a conscious return to simplicity of thinking and living". In format that calendar was very similar to our current one. Each day had a proverbial challenge that was referenced by number to the calendar's companion book, "99 Ways to a Simple Life," by Al Fritsch. The numbers coincided with entries in the book which more fully explained the 'daily hints'. A suggestion on the back flap of the calendar read, "There is no one way to live a simple lifestyle. A simple lifestyle is as unique as the person who directs it. We hope these hints will encourage you to be more aware of yourself and others and the interplay with the environment". As every year since, the first calendar featured great photography of a simple living theme. It is only fitting as we continue the tradition of the Simple Lifestyle calendar that our 35th year is marked with the theme, "Appalachian Elders" because our calendar has become an Appalachian elder itself.

We look forward to next year when ASPI itself celebrates its 35th anniversary in April. We are very interested in hearing from you, our readers about any personal memories you would like to share or ideas about how to celebrate this milestone.

ASPI Statement on the Real Promise
of Renewable Energy in Kentucky

The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide
For more information please use the above link

The Kentucky Solar Energy Guide is a comprehensive resource for those interested in using solar energy in Kentucky. The Second Edition contains updated chapters on financial incentives, renewable energy and green building professionals in Kentucky, a new case study, and an updated cover!

Kentucky Local Water Quality Testing

Upper Cumberland citizen water monitoring for 2011 concluded with a testing event in early September. Results from testing dates in spring and summer showed that we are still finding elevated levels of E. coli at some sites but it is unclear whether the source is agricultural or human. Somewhat unusual rainfall patterns this year may be affecting these numbers. Following receipt of fall sampling results, there will be an Annual Meeting in late winter to discuss these findings and plan for follow up.

For more information or answers to questions about Kentucky water testing please call or email Deb Bledsoe - 513-200-6352, debcaves@yahoo.com

Appalachian Forest Ecology Program

Nature Center Update: ASPI is happy to announce that thanks to a generous donation from Al Fritsch and the Jesuits of the Chicago/Detroit Provence we will be able to bring back our popular Nature Center program. The donation covers the running of the program for the next three years. The program will, once again, work with regional 3rd grade students to help prepare them for 4th grade standardized testing. The program concentrates on 3rd and 4th grade science core curriculum content requirements, specifically on Appalachian Forest Ecology; ecosystems, habitats, food chains and life cycles, among other topics. Work has begun on adapting our previous 4-day program for use as a 2-day program and updating in order to better reflect current core content needs. One program day will be spent in the school classroom and one day will be a field-trip to the Mary E. Fritsch Nature Center. Local school teachers who have been contacted have shown great interest in participating in the program. We look forward to implementing the program as soon as the Nature Center repairs are completed.

The Nature Center building, trail and other structures have been evaluated and plans have been made for repairs and updates. Plans for updating the Nature Center displays are also underway as many of the display materials are beginning to show their age and are in need of replacement. Volunteers to assist with the work, and/or donations of display materials are encouraged to contact the ASPI office at: 606-256-0077, or Nancy Seaberg at nseaberg@a-spi.org. Some suggestions for display materials are: books, posters, animal skins, skulls, bird nests, feathers, rocks (any 'nature' items), and game and activity supplies.