Archive for October 2009

Leaf It Be | Fairfield County Weekly

Oct 27th, 2009 | By

“Leaves are what the ecosystem of this area wants for fertility,” says Bill Duesing, executive director of the Northeast Organic Farmers Association. Leaves hold water and neutralize acid. As they break down, they slowly release nutrients. Their compost is rich in microorganisms that enhance the soil. “It’s like a sickness in our society, the idea
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Westville in line for traffic circle – The New Haven Register

Oct 27th, 2009 | By

NEW HAVEN — For more than a decade, accidents from sideswiped car mirrors to clipped trees and fatal collisions have plagued one intersection in Westville. But that is expected to change, once the city installs a three-point roundabout to slow north- and southbound traffic at West Park Avenue and Elm Street, where speeding is the
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Diverting The Trash Stream — Courant.com

Oct 27th, 2009 | By

PAY AS YOU THROW • Smart program is a hard sell in Connecticut The money solution appears to be working in the 7,000 communities across the country that have embraced some kind of “pay as you throw” program. The idea is simple. Municipalities require residents to pay to dispose of trash — fees often kick
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Energy audits target lost heat | The Republican-American

Oct 27th, 2009 | By

Thanks to the help of federal stimulus funds, energy companies are helping homeowners reduce bills this winter and beyond by making homes more energy efficient. via Energy audits target lost heat The Republican-American. Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about
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Yale to host special panel on climate change conference – The New Haven Register

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

NEW HAVEN — Jointly sponsored by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy and the Yale World Fellows Program, a panel, “Approaching Copenhagen: Perspectives from Around the World,” will discuss the pivotal United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark this December and seeks a new international treaty on climate
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Connecticut Forest Fragmentation Study Results Available | CT Environmental Headlines

Oct 26th, 2009 | By
Connecticut Forest Fragmentation Study Results Available | CT Environmental Headlines

The University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) is pleased to announce that the results of our statewide forest fragmentation analysis are now up on the CLEAR website. About 60 percent of the state is classified as “forested,” i.e., covered with trees (as determined by our Connecticut’s Changing Landscape project). However,
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States don’t need to seek energy imports to meet their renewable energy goals | The New Rules Project

Oct 26th, 2009 | By
States don’t need to seek energy imports to meet their renewable energy goals | The New Rules Project

Almost the entire country west of the Mississippi River and parts of the East coast (a total of 31 states) can serve all their electricity needs with in-state renewable power. Every state could reach its current renewable energy mandate with homegrown renewable resources. This October 2009 report expands and updates a similar report done in
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Board OKs $40G for dam project – The New Haven Register

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

SEYMOUR — The long-awaited creation of a fish bypass channel on the Tingue Dam in the Naugatuck River cleared its final hurdle this week. The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to approve the purchase of a small parcel of land owned by OakBridge/Fallview Associates LLC for $40,000, which the state Department of Environmental Protection needs
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Toll Brothers withdraws zone change for Cedar Mountain development – The New Britain Herald

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

NEWINGTON — Toll Brothers has retreated from Cedar Mountain for now but nearby residents intent on preserving the mountain as open space know the developer will likely be back. About two dozen people showed up this week to urge the Conservation Commission to focus on protecting the mountain from development. Chairman Philip Block said the
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Funding due for new span on Route 97 in Pomfret – Norwich Bulletin

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

Pomfret, Conn. — A bridge on Route 97 in Pomfret is scheduled to receive $3.5 million in state funds for replacement early next year. via Funding due for new span on Route 97 in Pomfret – Norwich Bulletin. Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin share via Reddit
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Volunteers, visitors enjoy Harvest Festival Sunday at Yale Sustainable Food – The New Haven Register

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

NEW HAVEN — Under a blue sky and a canopy of orange leaves, volunteers at the Yale Farm picked the last tomatoes of the season and tucked in the hardy greens for the winter. More than 100 people came out for the Harvest Festival Sunday afternoon sponsored by the Yale Sustainable Food Project, which aims
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City opens Reed Street underpass, keeps eye on development – The Connecticut Post Online

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

City and state officials gathered at the Reed Street railroad underpass last Friday afternoon for a ribbon cutting marking the opening of the Norwalk roadway and the completion of $8.6 million in improvements to the road itself, the railroad bridge, and its track. via City opens Reed Street underpass, keeps eye on development – The
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Neighbors displeased with city’s solution – The Hour

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

The city’s plan to reduce flooding around Fitch Pond has worked too well for some Olmstead Place residents. via Neighbors displeased with city’s solution – Norwalk News – The Hour. Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to
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Rell Pushing For Quick Action On Rail Yard Project — Courant.com

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

HARTFORD — – Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Friday that she will push ahead with plans to borrow $100 million so that the state can build a key part of the New Haven rail yard. To secure that price, Rell will recommend that the State Bond Commission approve $100 million in borrowing. That will enable
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Global Warming Doubt Is Real — Courant.com

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

The Pew Research Center reports a drop in the number of Americans who say that they see evidence of climate change [World & Nation, Oct. 23, "More Doubt Warming"]. The drop was a significant one, from 71 percent to 57 percent. via Global Warming Doubt Is Real — Courant.com. [ed. note: The Pew Research Center.
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Bike share program gears up | Yale Daily News

Oct 26th, 2009 | By
Bike share program gears up | Yale Daily News

Yale students broke in 25 shiny red-and-white bicycles, parading them around Old Campus yesterday to mark the launch of the Yale College Council and Yale Student Environmental Coalition’s Bike Share Program. Last year the program was the winning submission of the Yale College Council Student Development Directive, which allocates $5,000 of the YCC budget to
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UPS South New England District Receives Environmental Stewardship Award For Cuts in Energy Usage | touta.mepetclub.cn

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

To lower its energy usage, UPS upgraded its lighting systems throughout the South New England District, which includes Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. In recognition of those efforts, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Council—Connecticut Chapter (NEEC-CT) presented UPS the Environmental Stewardship Award. via touta.mepetclub.cn Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on
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Revolutionizing energy at UConn | The Republican-American

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

MANSFIELD — Prabhakar Singh is the director of a lab in transition. The Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center, established in 2001, is becoming the Center for Clean Energy Engineering, occupying a 16,000-square-foot laboratory building at the University of Connecticut’s Depot Campus that is positioning itself at the heart of a worldwide push to develop sustainable
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Bicycling safely in New Haven | Yale Daily News

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

“Even with few bike lanes, bicycling in New Haven is relatively safe and is a great way to get around … I ride in the lane, with traffic, as if I were driving a car. As a result, I have had generally positive experiences with drivers and I almost never feel that I am in
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Farm to receive restoration funding – The New Haven Register

Oct 26th, 2009 | By

WOODBRIDGE — Massaro Community Farm will receive a $300,000 grant from the federal government to restore the property’s farmland, house and barn. Farm President Jason Morrill said the total cost of the project is not yet known. He said plans include creating a sustainable agriculture education center, partnering with local food banks and preserving the
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