KEARNEY SUSTAINABILITY SNIPPETS

Encourage. Develop. Lead. KSM Volume 1, Issue 5

What is the Kearney Sustainability Movement?

We are a group of individuals who all have a passion for using the limited resources available to us in a wise manner. The goal of the group is to help spread the word about sustainable activities, influence sustainable change in our community, and to continue to grow our knowledge about sustainable practices. We meet monthly, on the third Thursday of the month, at the Kearney Public Library and discuss ways we can help influence and create sustainable practices in the community.

What have we done so far?

We have firmly established a monthly newsletter providing insights on KSM meetings and activities, as well as interesting and useful sustainability tidbits that anyone can follow. In our monthly meetings we regularly bring in guest speakers to learn about all the different groups, organizations and activities that promote and exemplify sustainability in the community. With KSM still in its infancy stage, we strive to learn and partner with others to maximize exposure and impact, and we hope to continue to build membership and enthusiasm for sustainability.

We had the opportunity to learn about NPPD's recently released draft of their latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The IRP is a “roadmap” that identifies potential plans to meet future demands and energy requirements, with this plan taking a keen look at sustainable clean energy.

Kearney ReUse It Center is getting back up and running after COVID. They had their first fundraiser, a bake sale, to get the ball rolling. They will offer a place for people to donate items they do not need or want anymore so that other people can take them and use them at no charge to that person. Follow them here:

TinkerHollow had their grand opening at the end of April. TinkerHollow is a one stop shop for people that are looking for sustainable craft supplies. Do you need only two googly eyes and you don’t want to go buy the whole bag from the store? Stop by TinkerHollow for smaller quantities of craft supplies. Follow them here: https://www.facebook.com/tinkerhollow.ne

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=579031117659522&set=a.519270686968899

Kearney Area Farmers Market Opening day was Saturday, May 6th. The market is open on Saturdays 8am to 1pm and Wednesday nights from 2pm to 6pm at the west side of the parking lot of the Hilltop Mall. Follow them here: https://www.facebook.com/KearneyAreaFarmersMarket?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Sustainability Tidbits for the Month:

A beginner tidbit: Utilizing natural light during the summer months helps all around. It helps boost your mood with all the vitamin D streaming into your abode. It helps cut down on energy usage and cost, and it helps your normal rhythm. Being sustainable with energy may mean looking at the kinds of energy your local electric company is using but it could be as easy as using less of that energy when possible. Open up your blinds and curtains and bask in the rays.

An intermediate tidbit: Watering a garden or even a lawn uses a lot of water. A way to cut down on the water usage while still getting the much needed water to the plants and lawn is to water in the early morning, late evening, or overnight. This lends itself to using less water because what you are putting onto the plants isn’t being evaporated by the sun before it can soak in. It will also help from the sun burning your plants because there won’t be water droplets on the leaves that then magnify the sun later and burn the leaves.

An advanced tidbit: Take your own cup to get your morning java at places that participate in that. This tiny thing seems like a no-brainer but we’ve all been there where we want to take the cup for the morning caffeine but it’s dirty from the previous day. It then feels like a huge chore to clean the cup and then take it when you could just get a plastic cup from the establishment. Routines can help with that issue or buying cups that are dishwasher friendly vs. the ones that must be hand washed will help save you that time in the long run.

Our mission is to encourage the spread of knowledge, the development of practices, and to lead our community towards a sustainable and prosperous future.