The Loss of our Cypress Forests

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) has released its Top Ten Most Endangered Places list. Included on that list are Georgia's rapidly-vanishing cypress forests. We strongly urge all citizens and government officials to forgo the use of cypress mulch and to use, instead, any of the many effective, environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient products on the market today.

"WHAT'S AT STAKE?

Georgia’s iconic wetland landscape includes trees over 1,000 years old; habitat for endangered species; ecosystem that naturally helps to prevent flooding


THE THREAT

Fueled by an increase in demand for cypress mulch, timber companies are chopping down Georgia’s iconic wetland forests faster than they can recover.
Cypress forests are icons of the southern wetland landscape and perform essential ecological functions, from capturing and storing floodwaters to providing habitat for endangered species. SELC has found that they are also suffering a decline, brought on in large part by an explosion in demand for cypress mulch. In an EPA-supported study of cypress forests in Georgia, we determined that harvested cypress stands often fail to regrow; once they are cut, the trees and the habitat they provide are lost forever.
SELC will soon release a report on the status of Georgia’s cypress forests and how they can be protected. High on our priority list is to educate consumers, retailers, and government officials on the need to ensure that cypress products are harvested in responsible and sustainable ways. Otherwise, we may lose one of the South’s most valuable ecological gems. " http://www.southernenvironment.org/about/top_10_2011/georgias_cypress_forests/

As many organizations work to save the nation's cypress, consumer demand drives the destruction onward. Please, before you purchase mulch, take a moment to learn more about the terrible costs to our environment. http://healthygulf.org/our-work/save-our-cypress/save-our-cypress-home

Flag Dedication Ceremony

Jan. 15, 2020: Today we gathered at the EarthKeepers' Memory Garden to dedicate a new flag in honor of O.J. Lanham. Due to the generosity of the Kiwanis Club of St. Marys and the friends and family of O.J., the Memory Garden is now graced by the symbol of our nation. Our sincere thanks to those who participated in this very special event; with particular gratitude to Councilman Greg Bird, Loretta Hutchinson, Mayor DeLoughy and those who shared their lovely memories of O.J.

Jan. 13, 2010

Happy New Year to St. Marys! Here are a few "green" highlights from 2010:

- It's been almost four years since the curbside recycling program was initiated in St. Marys and we still enjoy a recycling compliance rate of almost twice that of the national average. On average, 30-35 tons of recyclable material is processed each month, thus extending the life of our landfill immeasurably. We continue our advertising campaign, urging all residents to reduce, re-use and recycle, and we extend our sincere thanks to the Tribune & Georgian for their assistance with this effort (www.tribune-georgian.com).

- The EarthKeepers continue to fight the proposed airport relocation to a site that includes over 225 acres of fragile wetlands.

- We partnered with the Camden County Girl Guides in a Book Drive to benefit the families and children of the True Freedom Learning Center (and our thanks to Once Upon a Bookseller and Habitat for Humanity's ReStore for their invaluable help). Over 1,800 books were collected for the Center's Children's Library. This same drive also garnered over 25 computers for a computer lab at the Center (both sparing our landfill and helping our children). www.truefreedomlearningcenter.com

- Our Board Chair, Alex Kearns, has been a guest speaker for a wide variety of groups including the Woodbine Women's Association and the Rotary Club.

- Due to the generosity of the Kiwanis Club and Mr Chuck Lanham, there is a new flagpole with solar lighting at the EarthKeepers' Memory Garden (next to Oak Grove Cemetery) in memory of O.J. Lanham.

- The battle against the plastic bags that decimate our environment goes on and we plan more re-useable cloth bag give-aways throughout the coming year.

- The EarthKeepers were involved in persuading the St. John's River Water Management District to consider alternate water-sources when we heard of their plan to remove over 30 million gallons per day from the St. Marys River. Instead of this devastating proposal they have chosen to explore conservation measures.

- Litter is still an appalling problem in our community and we will be holding more clean-ups and public awareness campaigns to address this on-going issue.

- We continue to support and celebrate such school groups as the Mary Lee Clark Elementary School Green Panthers as they build upon their recycling and gardening projects. The teachers of St. Marys go above and beyond the call of duty and are leading our children to a more sustainable future. Due to the extraordinary generosity of Advanced Disposal, all of our schools are now recycling!

These are but a few of our programs and efforts during the past year and we eagerly look forward to 2011. We hope that you will join us as we work towards a cleaner, greener world for us all.

July 3 Parade for America

An invitation from Alex Kearns:
It is often the case that in the darkness of tragedy, a small light
glimmers: a light born of increased knowledge and the determination
to learn from shared heartbreak. As a catastrophe of almost
unimaginable proportions continues to unfold in the Gulf of Mexico, a
renewed awareness of the fragility of our planet is sweeping our
nation...and the world. The crucial need for renewable sources of
energy, calls for greater regulations – and the strict adherence to
those regulations – and the demand for the exploration, funding and
development of sustainable energy can no longer be ignored.

On July 3rd in St. Marys we will celebrate the adoption of the
Declaration of Independence. Throughout the United States
environmental organizations are reporting a massive surge in their
memberships as citizens begin to more fully embrace the need for
mindful stewardship and environmental awareness. Independence from
oil is imperative, for as long as our country continues to bear the
burden of consumer-driven addiction we will be destined to repeat the
Gulf tragedy.

We invite you all to walk with the St. Marys EarthKeepers during the
July 3rd parade. Parade participants will be gathering at 9:15am on
Meeting St. (beside the old mill property). Now is the time for
unified voices, solidarity and strength. Please join us.

Alex

Alex Kearns
Chair

Memorialize Someone Special

With Memorial Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to
consider memorializing a loved one or someone special in your life
who you would truly like to honor with a tribute brick in the St.
Marys EarthKeepers Memory Garden by Oak Grove Cemetery. For just $50,
you can create a lasting memorial as a symbol of your love and
remembrance. Please go to www.stmarysearthkeepers.com to print off an
application form or call 912-729-1103.

www.stmarysearthkeepers.com
http://www.stmarysearthkeepers.com/

Oli Slick Update

Once again the citizens of Camden County have answered the call for
help and, on behalf of the St. Marys EarthKeepers and our city, I
thank you.

The Tribune & Georgian article can be found at http://www.tribune-
georgian.com/articles/2010/05/05/news/top_stories/1topstory5.5.txt

We now have over 100 volunteers who have signed on to pitch in if
needed (some of whom are willing to go to the Gulf should we be
called to do so). In the next week or so, the GaVOAD will supply us
with the necessary HAZWOPER information - and the Gulf agencies with
whom we are registered as volunteers are in constant contact as they
assess the situation and set up training camps.

Oceanographic and meteorological experts can only "guesstimate" as to
the possibility of the slick entering the Gulf Loop current...
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/05/05greenwire-unpredictable-
current-is-wild-card-in-gulf-dis-51911.html?pagewanted=1

Many experts maintain that it is not an "if" scenario, but "when"...
"If the slick contacts the so-called Loop sea current, the oily sheen
could eventually be carried to Miami in southern Florida, or as far
as North Carolina's barrier islands, warned Robert Weisberg, a
physical oceanographer at the University of South Florida. "Exactly
when the oil will enter the Loop Current at the surface is unknown,
but it appears to be imminent," Weisberg said, referring to the
prevailing current in the Gulf."

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6430AR20100505?
feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_
campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%
29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Should the worse happen - the oil and disperants become caught in the
Gulf Loop - it will be an "all hands on deck" situation for
Cumberland Island and the most pressing need at that point will be to
clear the 17 miles of beaches of all man-made and natural debris (in
order to facilitate more effective clean-up). But we, as a community,
are blessed by willing hands and we will be as prepared as it is
possible to be.

I thank you...and ask for your patience and prayers. I know that so
many are aching to help in some way now, but we must let nature
dictate our actions and wait for the knowledgeable agencies in the
Gulf (and our own state) to direct us. I shan't burden your inboxes
with up-dates as we all watch and wait but I will, most assuredly,
contact you all if the "worst-case-scenario" occurs.

Alex

Alex Kearns
Chair
St. Marys EarthKeepers, Inc.
Office: 912-673-6120
Cell: 912-322-7367
Email: alexkearns1@msn.com

oil spill eco disaster

>
> The death toll is already mounting. Sea turtles have washed up
> along the Louisiana shoreline in Breton National Wildlife Refuge.
> Tragically, this is the nesting season for most sea turtles and the
> migratory season for countless species of birds.
> From a slick that is now the size of Puerto Rico (and growing by
> the hour), long tendrils of oil sheen have already made their way
> into South Pass, a major channel through the salt marshes of
> Louisiana's southeastern boot heel - a breeding ground for crab,
> oysters, shrimp, redfish and other species.
> The Deepwater Horizon well is at the end of one branch of the Gulf
> Stream, the warm-water current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico
> to the North Atlantic. Several experts have stated that if the oil
> enters the stream, it will flow around the southern tip of Florida
> and up the eastern seaboard.
> "It will be on the East Coast of Florida in almost no time. I don't
> think we can prevent that. It's more of a question of when rather
> than if," says Hans Graber, executive director of the University of
> Miami's Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing.
> If the spill enters the Gulf Stream Loop, which looks quite likely
> at this point, it will imperil the entire eastern seaboard. It will
> be volunteers that salvage what can be from this heartbreaking
> devastation. I have compiled a list of those who have offered to
> travel to the site of the spill as well as registering us with the
> Audubon Society and the Mobile Baykeepers. They will contact us
> when the training centers are set up.
> We must be prepared to assist with Cumberland Island efforts should
> the worst-case-scenario occur and the slick enter the Loop. Please
> let me know, via alexkearns1@msn.com, if you would be able to help
> out, either in the Gulf or locally (should it be required). I would
> ask you to, please, forward this email as you see fit.
>
>
>
>
>

Great American Cleanup

>
> PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN.
>
>
> Volunteers Needed for 2010 Great American Cleanup May 8
>
> ST. MARYS, GA—Looking to make our community cleaner, Keep Camden
> Beautiful and other organizations throughout the county are
> participating in the May 8 Great American Cleanup and are calling
> for volunteers to make a difference.
> This year's theme, "Green Starts Here," is a rallying call to
> encourage people of all ages and walks of life to begin creating
> more sustainable communities through their efforts as volunteers
> and through their daily choices and actions. It also reflects Keep
> America Beautiful's long legacy of community improvement activities.
> Camden County volunteers are asked to show up at 8 a.m. on
> Saturday, May 8, at the east end of the Waterfront Park in St.
> Marys, or at Howard Peeples Park in Kingsland. There, they will
> receive bags, gloves, and assigned areas.
> This year's Great American Cleanup is expected to rally more than 3
> million volunteers throughout America, picking up litter on public
> lands and around waterways. In Camden County, all three cities, the
> county, and several organizations including St. Marys EarthKeepers,
> The Camden County Chamber of Commerce, St. Marys Kiwanis, and
> others are joining Keep Camden Beautiful organizers.
> "Community greening began with the beautification movement of the
> 1950s and 60s, and even then, Keep America Beautiful was leading
> the charge," said Matthew McKenna, president and CEO of Keep
> America Beautiful. "Today, we realize that these efforts don't
> just create beautiful places, they create a healthier environment,
> build stronger communities, inspire sustainable behaviors, motivate
> people to volunteer service, and improve quality of life. The Great
> American Cleanup captures the energy and enthusiasm of today's
> powerful and growing green movement."
> In 2009, more than 3 million volunteers in 32,000 communities took
> part in the Great American Cleanup, collecting 64 million pounds of
> litter and debris, much of which was recycled. More than 243
> million plastic bottles and 6.9 million pounds of electronics were
> collected; volunteers kept 14.5 million pounds of aluminum and
> steel out of landfills, and 36 million pounds of newspaper were
> collected for recycling as well.
> Anyone interested in participating in the Keep Camden Beautiful
> Great American Cleanup should show up at either the east end of St.
> Marys Waterfront Park or at Howard Peeples Park at 8 a.m. on
> Saturday, May 8, or call Elaine Headley at 912-882-4415 for more
> information.

Free Reusable Bags

The St. Marys EarthKeepers will be giving away
FREE RE-USABLE BAGS
AT LOCAL GROCERY STORES next week. Here's the schedule:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH AT WALMART—10 am to Noon
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH AT HARVEY'S—10 am to Noon
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH AT WINN-DIXIE—10 am to Noon
Please drop by one of these three days and help us reduce the use of
plastic bags in our community. Here are the details:

In an effort to help reduce the use of plastic and paper grocery
bags, the St. Marys EarthKeepers are partnering with three local
grocery stores to give away re-usable bags to store customers. For
two hours each day from November 16 through November 18, EarthKeeper
volunteers will hand out bags and, in return, request only that the
customer try to remember to use the bags instead of the disposable
plastic and grocery bags.

Every year, Americans throw away more than 100 billion plastic
grocery bags, which can clog drains, crowd landfills, and leave an
unsightly blot on the landscape. In addition to burdening our
landfills, these bags—tossed into waterways or washed down storm
drains—are the major source of human-related debris on the seabed,
particularly near coastlines. At least 267 different species of
wildlife are known to have suffered from entanglement or ingestion of
marine debris. Plastics and other synthetic materials cause the most
problems for marine animals and birds.
The environmental cost of plastic bags is immense: they are derived
from a non-renewable resource; they never break down completely; they
strangle wildlife; they deface our streets, and they clog single
stream recycling machinery. Thankfully, retailers such as WalMart
have made sustainability a priority and even host their own recycling
centers.
"We are so pleased to have the invaluable assistance of such
businesses as WalMart, Harvey's and Winn-Dixie as we try to spread
the 'reduce, re-use, recycle' message," said Alex Kearns, Chair of
St. Marys EarthKeepers. "Their generous donation of all the re-usable
bags for the November giveaway campaign and Publix' contribution of
re-usable bags for distribution at special events is of great help as
our community strives to address the pressing problem of plastic bag
use."
The public is invited to come to the three grocery stores to pick up
a free re-usable bag on November 16, 17 and 18.

Rock Shrimp Parade

We need you! The St. Marys EarthKeepers will be marching in the
upcoming October 3 Rock Shrimp Parade, and we're looking for a real
strong turnout so that we can show our town we're all still
passionate about living green. We'd like as many children to join us
as possible as well. We'll feature our marchers in the next issue of
St. Marys Magazine. Please let me know if you can join us. The parade
starts at 10:00 am but organizers require us to get there earlier
(9:15 latest). I look forward to hearing from you. Also, we need a
couple of people who would be willing to help place our recycling
containers early that morning.

Memory Garden

In January of 2009 it came to the EarthKeepers' attention that City Council intended to pave a large greenspace beside historic Oak Grove Cemetery in order to create a little-needed parking lot. In the process of this, more than 40 trees would be destroyed.

Summoning public support the EarthKeepers, through a letter-writing campaign and persuasive speeches, prevailed upon Council to abandon the plan. Instead we proposed the creation of a Memory Garden for all citizens – and Council agreed with the provision that it be built at absolutely no cost to the city. Thus began the search for help from the residents and businesses of St. Marys. Swiftly others leapt to offer assistance: advice, materials and expertise.

 

Due to the generously-donated services of our local media, a neighborhood greenhouse, landscapers, bricklayers, the gift of the gazebo from the EarthKeepers Chair and the considerable sweat of EarthKeepers' members, the Memory Garden was completed and formally dedicated by Mayor Rowland Eskridge on July 11^th, 2009.

 

The Memory Garden, with its spacious gazebo (wheelchair access/interior benches) and surrounding landscaping, now provides a place for our historic cemetery's pre or post-service gatherings, a lovely greenspace for our downtown area, and a peaceful oasis of rest and reflection for our citizens. Leading from the gazebo is a brick pathway upon which citizens are invited to have the names of loved ones (including beloved pets) inscribed upon the bricks. By August over 150 bricks had been inscribed and installed (and orders continue to pour in), creating a true "Tribute Pathway".

 

Total cost to the City – zero. The value to the citizens – immeasurable. 

Memory Bricks

The St. Marys EarthKeepers are about to place another order for
commemorative bricks to be placed in the Tribute Pathway of the
Memory Garden. This is a great time to order your brick if you have
not already done so. Whether you want to honor someone important in
your life now or memorialize loved ones (including beloved pets) who
are no longer with us, the commemorative bricks are a unique gift
that will be treasured for years to come. We'll be placing the order
by week's end, so please go to www.stmarysearthkeepers.com and fill
out the form. Send me an email to let me know it's coming and I'll
make sure it's included in the next order. Thanks so much.

Invitation to Memory Garden Dedication

The St. Marys EarthKeepers
Request The Honor of Your Presence
At the Dedication of
The St. Marys Memory Garden
Saturday, July 11
10:00 a.m.
The Memory Garden is located at the corner of
St. Marys Street & Bartlett Street
(south side of Oak Grove Cemetery)
912-729-1103
Please visit www.stmarysearthkeepers.com for information regarding
commemorative bricks in the Tribute Pathway.

July 4th Parade

If you've never marched in a parade, you're missing out on lots of
fun. Please join the St. Marys EarthKeepers this Saturday and march
with us in the July 4th Parade in Downtown St. Marys. Let me know if
you can march with us and I will give you the details. Parade starts
at 10 am, but we must line up earlier. Thank you so much.

outdoor opportunity

The St. Marys EarthKeepers need your help planting the Memory Garden
this Saturday (June 13) morning at 10:30. Donini's Florist have
graciously donated trees and plants (they will plant the trees, but
we need help with the smaller plants). Just about an hour of your
time would be so very much appreciated and give you bragging rights
as a true founding contributor to the Memory Garden. Please let me
know if you can help (great photo opportunity to include you in the
upcoming St. Marys Magazine). If anyone has a spare garden hose that
they can donate for a month or so, please let me know as we will need
four or five on-site to water the plants each day (the faucet is in
the cemetery). Meet at the new Gazebo on the south side of Oak Grove
Cemetery.
Thank you so much.

Saturday Yard Sale at Osprey Cove

Please help make a difference in our world by supporting
environmental efforts that St. Marys EarthKeepers and Go Green Osprey
are making in our county. This Saturday, from 9am to 12 noon, we will
be hosting a yard sale at the entrance to Osprey Cove (Osprey Village
Shopping Center). This is a great opportunity to practice recycling
either by donating items, hosting a table, or purchasing goods at the
event. If you'd like to be involved, call Barbara Ryan at
912-729-1103. Please drop by on Saturday and shop, or just lend your
support to the most worthy cause of making our planet a better place
to live. Thank you.

Wednesday event at the park

EARTHKEEPERS TO GIVE OUT FREE REUSABLE BAGS ON EARTH DAY
Earth Day is April 22, and to celebrate St. Marys' impressive
recycling rate of more than 60% (twice the national average), the St.
Marys EarthKeepers are giving away free reusable cloth grocery bags
at St. Marys' Waterfront Park. From 10 am to noon on Wednesday, April
22, volunteers from the St. Marys EarthKeepers will hand out the bags
that were generously donated by Publix and Harvey's. According to St.
Marys EarthKeepers chair, Alex Kearns,
"St. Marys' dedication to the protection of our fragile planet is
growing stronger each day. We've seen it demonstrated by the
eagerness of our clean-up volunteers, the overwhelming participation
during the recent Earth Hour, the generosity of our member
contributors, and our citizens' extraordinary recycling efforts. Our
community is becoming renowned for its 'green-awareness', and we
should all be proud of what we've accomplished thus far."
Earth Day 2009 will mark the beginning of the Earth Day Network's
"Green Generation Campaign." This two-year global initiative will
culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. From local
schools to international conglomerates, from small towns to
metropolitan areas—the call to educate, take action, and be aware of
our responsibility as societies and individuals is growing.
This year the St. Marys EarthKeepers invite all citizens to renew
their commitment to environmental sensitivity, pick up their free
reusable bag at the Waterfront Park, and use them to eliminate
plastic and paper bags at the supermarket.
Together we can change our world.
For more information, visit www.stmarysearthkeepers.com or call
912-729-1103.

EARTHKEEPERS TO GIVE OUT FREE REUSABLE BAGS ON EARTH DAY

ST. MARYS, GA—Earth Day is April 22, and to celebrate St. Marys'
impressive
recycling rate of more than 60% (twice the national average), the St.
Marys EarthKeepers are giving away free reusable cloth grocery bags
at St. Marys' Waterfront Park.

From 10 am to noon on Wednesday, April 22, volunteers from the St.
Marys EarthKeepers will hand out the bags that were generously
donated by Publix and Harvey's. According to St. Marys EarthKeepers
chair, Alex Kearns,
"St. Marys' dedication to the protection of our fragile planet is
growing stronger each day. We've seen it demonstrated by the
eagerness of our clean-up volunteers, the overwhelming participation
during the recent Earth Hour, the generosity of our member
contributors, and our citizens' extraordinary recycling efforts. Our
community is becoming renowned for its 'green-awareness', and we
should all be proud of what we've accomplished thus far."

Earth Day 2009 will mark the beginning of the Earth Day Network's
"Green Generation Campaign." This two-year global initiative will
culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. From local
schools to international conglomerates, from small towns to
metropolitan areas—the call to educate, take action, and be aware of
our responsibility as societies and individuals is growing.

This year the St. Marys EarthKeepers invite all citizens to renew
their commitment to environmental sensitivity, pick up their free
reusable bag at the Waterfront Park, and use them to eliminate
plastic and paper bags at the supermarket.

Together we can change our world.

For more information, visit www.stmarysearthkeepers.com or call
912-729-1103.

one more cleanup

This is the big one--The Great American Cleanup April 18. People from
around the country will be participating, and now that we have our
own Keep Camden Beautiful organization, we want to make a good show
in Camden. If you're not already committed to another area, please
join the EarthKeepers on Saturday, April 18 at 9:00am at St. Marys'
Waterfront Park. We will, once again, focus on the downtown area and
up Dilworth. We'll have bags and gloves. Your team leader is Ed
Torgersen. Let me know if you can join us. Shouldn't take more than a
couple of hours. Children welcome and encouraged.

Recycle your plant pots

If you're in a planting mood and buying new plants to grace your home
and garden, please remember to recycle the plastic pots after you've
removed the plants. No matter where you purchase your plants,
Donini's Florist in Downtown St. Marys (on Dilworth) will happily
accept your empty plant pots to recycle. That's hundreds of pieces of
plastic that we can keep out of our landfill. Thank you for being a
good Earth Steward and recycling your plant pots--AND TELL YOUR
NEIGHBOR!

Go Green Yard Sale Needs You

Save your treasures for this Ultimate Recycling Event--the Go Green
Osprey Yard Sale.
Date: Saturday, May 9 (Rain date: May 16)
Time: 9 – 12 (Set up at 8 AM)
Place: Osprey Village shopping center on St. Marys Road
Reservations for spaces are offered to Earthkeepers' Members and
Osprey Cove residents only.
Reserve a space to sell your items – $10 donation for the space
(limited to 50 spaces) and asking 10% of proceeds donated to St.
Marys Earthkeepers, Inc.
Please bring your own table
Contact: Pat Chiarelli, pchiarelli@tds.net or 729-8841
Please provide contact information - email address and phone numbers.
Make checks payable to: St. Marys Earthkeepers, Inc.
Send to: Pat Chiarelli - 202 Osprey Circle, St. Marys GA 31558 or
St. Marys EarthKeepers – 209 Osborne St., St. Marys GA 31558
Reservations will be confirmed when fee is received.
You can also donate items (no clothing accepted)
Contact: Julie Jones srj4242@comcast.net or 882-1210
All donations are 100% tax deductible - St. Marys Earthkeepers is a
501C3 organization – receipts will be provided the day of the sale.
Items not sold can be donated to the Salvation Army
which will make a pick-up at 12:00 PM.
This event is sponsored by St. Mary's EarthKeepers &
Go Green Osprey of the Osprey Cove Women's Club

Your Earth Hour Experience

Tell us how you spent Earth Hour (this Saturday night from 8:30-9:30
pm), and we will include you in our press release and in the upcoming
story in St. Marys Magazine. Many restaurants in Downtown St. Marys
are serving candlelight dinners that evening including Silver Star
Steakhouse, Seagle's, Pauly's, Riverside, and Marianne's. Why don't
you suggest to your favorite restaurant that they do the same? Look
forward to hearing from you next week.

Earth Hour Saturday

PLEASE REMEMBER TO OBSERVE EARTH HOUR THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH,
8:30pm – 9:30pm
Join St. Marys, Kingsland, Woodbine, all of Camden County and the
world this year for Earth Hour 2009 by turning off all non-essential
lights and appliances for one hour this Saturday, March 28 from
8:30-9:30 pm. Please ask your favorite restaurants to serve dinner by
candelight during that hour.
Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the World
Wildlife Fund. Governments, businesses and households are asked to
turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one
hour to raise awareness of the need to protect our planet through
energy conservation.
Earth Hour is a time for everyone to take action. By working
together, each of us can make a positive impact on preserving our
planet.
Show the world you care with one simple action. Collectively we can
make a big difference.
Turn out the lights during Earth Hour for a brighter tomorrow.

River Cleanup Report

The St. Marys EarthKeepers are so very grateful to everyone who
participated in Saturday's cleanup. As a group of 137 (including Sea
Cadets and three Scout troops), we picked up 150 bags of garbage and
recyclables plus lots of bulk items, all with an approximate total
weight of 4,125 pounds. The smaller children were especially serious
about their trash, and it gave me hope for the future and renews my
faith in the belief that "Together we can change the world." If you
are not already an official member of the EarthKeepers, please go to
www.stmarysearthkeepers.com, click on "membership," and consider
joining us. Again, on behalf of all the St. Marys EarthKeepers, thank
you so very much for making a difference.

Saturday River Cleanup

This is a reminder for everyone who will be helping the EarthKeepers
in the River cleanup this Saturday, March 21. Plan to meet at 8:00 am
at the downtown St. Marys waterfront park. (Groups with children can
come later as discussed.) Please bring rakes if you have them, and
wading boots for those who are willing to venture into the marsh/
water. We will have latex gloves and bags. The cookout at White Oak
starts at 11:30, and we will be giving you passes and directions at
the cleanup to get in. (FYI, White Oak is just off the first exit of
I-95 as you go into Florida--US 17.)We will also be handing out free
t-shirts to all participants at White Oak. If you've never been to
White Oak, please visit www.wocenter.org to see what awaits you.
Also, if you plan to help out and have not given me your name yet,
please do so by email. Thanks so much. It will be a great day!

River Cleanup

On Saturday, March 21, the St. Marys EarthKeepers will join others in
the annual River Cleanup. We will be at the downtown St. Marys
riverfront site. Please consider joining us. The cleanup begins at 8
am, though showing up at 9am is certainly permissible. Everyone is
invited to White Oak Plantation afterward for a cookout, and if
you've never been to White Oak, you're in for a treat
(www.wocenter.org). Cleanup lasts til 11:30 at which time White Oak
opens for the cookout. Let me know if you'd like to participate.
We'll provide bags, gloves, etc. If you have a kayak or other boat
you could use, we need those as well. I look forward to hearing from
everyone. My number is 912-729-1103 if you have any questions.

Earth Hour Proclamation

St. Marys, GA—The St. Marys EarthKeepers are pleased to announce that
the cities of St. Marys, Kingsland and Woodbine, along with Camden
County have issued a joint proclamation declaring countywide
participation in EARTH HOUR, 2009 (March 28, 8:30pm-9:30pm).

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the World
Wildlife Fund wherein governments, businesses and households are
asked to turn off non-essential lights and electrical appliances for
one hour to raise awareness of the need to protect our planet through
energy conservation.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and
businesses turned off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message
had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million
people participating. International landmarks such as the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House and
the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

The Earth Hour 2009 goal is an ambitious one: One billion people
switching off their lights as part of a global movement and
statement. Over 80 countries and territories have pledged their
support during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.
In the United States, cities such as New York, St. Louis, Atlanta and
even Las Vegas are joining in along with countless others in our nation.

St. Marys EarthKeepers Chair Frank Quinby said, "This is an
extraordinary movement and one that will make a huge impact in terms
of energy savings and represents a visible commitment to a more
sustainable future as well. Earth Hour is a time for everyone to take
action and become great Earth stewards."

We urge all residents to join in on March 28 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.
Let's show the world that Camden County cares! Collectively, by
turning out the lights, we can create a brighter tomorrow.

For more information visit www.earthhour.org or
www.stmarysearthkeepers.com or call 912-729-1103.

Mardi Gras parade

The St. Marys EarthKeepers will be marching/riding (golf carts) in
next Saturday's Mardi Gras parade (February 21). This year's Mardi
Gras festival is St. Marys' first OFFICIAL green festival, so we
would love a strong showing of support to emphasize our area's
commitment to living green. Please let me know if you can march/ride
with the EarthKeepers. Just email me at barbara@stmarysmagazine.com
or call 729-1103. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so
very much.
Barbara
ps/Parade organizers request participants arrive by 9am for a 10am
start time.

EARTHKEEPERS BECOME EARTH-MOVERS AT COMMUNITY GARDEN

ST. MARYS, GA—On Saturday, February 7, a contingent of St. Marys
EarthKeepers joined other community members to prepare the soil for
planting at the St. Marys Community Garden. More than 30 volunteers
brought shovels, hoes, rakes, and wheelbarrows to the garden site
behind the St. Marys Airport. Working in teams, adults and youngsters
carved out pathways and built up mounds for garden plots with two and
a half tons of lime and three truckloads of compost delivered to the
site earlier. According to City Councilman Greg Bird, the garden is
in significantly better shape than last year, and is destined to be
fertile ground for anyone who wants to have their own garden.

Bird tilled the land earlier with his own big family tractor, then
the compost (donated by White Oak Plantation) and lime were added. W.
H. Gross Construction donated the equipment and drivers to bring the
compost in from White Oak where one of the world's largest private
collections of endangered species along with domestic animals provide
plenty of raw material for composting.

Bird said that last year, the garden soil was tested and found to
have a very low ph factor. "The addition of composting and lime this
year along with the sprinkler system should make for ideal planting
conditions," Bird said.

The community spirit of St. Marys was alive and well in the chilly
morning of February 7 at the garden site. A couple visiting from New
Hampshire heard about the garden, and eagerly lent their efforts to
the productive day, asking at the end of the morning, "When's the
next work party?"

Garden plots are available to the community on a first come, first
serve basis. There are approximately 80 plots available at no charge,
and plot tenders can keep all that they harvest. Each plot is
approximately 15' x 20', ideal for planting tomatoes, beans, corn,
squash, okra, radishes, melons—most anything suitable to South
Georgia's mild climate.

Barbara Conner, one of several residents who are coordinating the
community garden, said that when the soil was turned, pieces of
asphalt (possibly from airport runways used in training World War II
pilots) were unearthed.

John King, retired educator and lifetime gardener, has also been
instrumental in the development of the community garden. His hopes
are that the success of the garden will evolve into a school for
gardeners, and even a gardening curriculum at the local schools.

King, Conner, and Bird expect the planting kick-off to be around the
first of March. Anyone interested in reserving a plot should contact
Barbara Conner at 912-673-8570, or attend a Community Garden meeting
Tuesday, February 17 at 7:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church on
Conyers Street in downtown St. Marys.

Green Gifts for Children

If you have small children to buy gifts for for Christmas, please
visit these two websites. I particularly like the idbids that come
with a story about how kids can be good to the Earth.
www.idbids.com
www.greentoys.com
Thanks for taking the time to click and have a wonderful wonderful
Christmas.