Saving Towns Thru Asset Revitalization STAR Human Dimensions of Greenspace Development

STAR Programs No Child Left Inside Can Urban Extension Help the Apple of Dad's Eye? Planting Trees and Hope Professor Wangari Muta Maathai: An International STAR The Merry Month of May at the SOD Festival Phillip Carter Urban Regional Extension Agent, Houston & Dale Counties Honey Bee Preservation: Learning About the Natural World in the Wiregrass Area (.doc files) Bee Keeping Hidden Lakes Elementary Tree City USA Jerry Chenault Urban Regional Extension Agent, Lawrence & Morgan Counties Using Faith Gardens as a Resource for Quiet Time Faith Gardens [web site] New Faith Garden in North Alabama New Faith Garden at Salem United Methodist Church Traditional Street Games and Intergenerational Family Connections A Recipe for Healthy Living An Updated Game to get Your Family Active Egg Toss Game Fighting Against Nature Deficit Disorder In Our Children Inactivity In Kids: A National Crisis Helpful Hints for Game Leaders Hit the Stick Hopscotch Jump Rope for Life! Kick the Can Moulton Elementary School New Research Shows How to Live Longer and Happier Punchball Rat Tail Chase Red Light/Green Light Ringoleavio STAR Community Outdoor Programs STAR Team Active at Boy Scout Jamboree in Talladega, AL War Balls Why Street Games? Tree City USA Fighting Against Nature-Deficit Disorder in Our Children Greenspace Contributes to Business Vitality How To Keep Your Trees In A Storm Old Roots To Arbor Day Michael McIntyre Urban Regional Extension Agent, Mobile & Baldwin Counties Aquatic Impact (.doc file) A Week of Earthly Activities Erase Your Fears of High Water Bills Fishing Forever Monitoring Impact of Human Activity on the Mobile Bay Photos from Camp Challenge 2009 Photos from Growing Powers Water Conservation Initiative Tree City USA Benefits of Volunteering in Community Gardens Celebrating Arbor Day at W.D. Robbins Elememtary School Roosevelt Robinson Urban Regional Extension Agent, Montgomery, Autauga, & Elmore Counties Getting Families Outside: Promoting the Eastern Bluebird Recovery Project Eastern Bluebird (.doc) Test Your Knowledge (.ppt) Tree City USA No Child Left Inside (.pub) Plant A Tree (.mpg) Fact Sheets (.pdf files) Happy Faces, Greenspaces Human Dimensions of Urban/Rural Greenspace Development Fire Prevention (.doc files) Home Fires Booklet Coloring Book Fire Tips for Parents Video Get 'em Outside A Celebration of Environmental Education by the No Child Left Inside Coalition Websites Alabama Cooperative Extension System Urban Affairs & New Nontraditional Programs Unit Alabama A&M University Auburn University Leave NO Alabama community behind! Revitalizing neighborhoods one tree at a time... Search WWW     Search aces.edu Search Urban Site     Documents published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) are designated as such and are produced in cooperation with a subject matter specialist. Non-ACES documents are available via links to other sites. Comments regarding any documents not produced locally should be directed to their respective authors. - Disclaimer - If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader and wish to view the PDF publications on this site, click here to download:

STAR Takes Action! The vision of STAR is to leave no Alabama community behind! The goal of STAR is to strengthen nature-based opportunities for intergenerational families across the urban and rural interface in underserved communities. STAR strives to: Utilize the Tree City USA program for asset-based community development; Integrate research from social work and social sciences into green space projects; Promote greening endeavors as a "gateway" to community and economic revitalization; Develop campaigns to underwrite urban and rural green space initiatives; Identify green design features that enrich nature appreciation for families and communities; and Develop strategies to promote benefits of outdoor leisure pursuits and healthy eating habits. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS--Are You Ready? Disaster Preparedness Disaster Preparedness Are You Prepared? Photo Gallery Links Photos from Camp Challenge 2009 Mobile Area Council Boys Scouts of America   New member of PAC 283 experiences his first camping activity.     Photos from Growing Powers -- Workshop attended in Milwauke Maximum use of space under greenhouse production         By Michael McIntyre Urban Regional Extension Agent Mobile & Baldwin Counties Erase Your Fears of High Water Bills Approximately 8 billion gallons of water are used in Alabama every day and 9 percent of Alabama`s water use comes from public supply systems. The amount of water used in bathrooms varies from home to home and depends on the size of the family, the frequency of use, the ages of family members, and the type of water-saving devices that are installed in bathrooms. Toilets account for 28 to 48 percent of water used in our homes. An average toilet flush uses 5.2 gallons of water. Placing a one-pound zip lock bag with water in the toilet tank will displace about a gallon of water, thus saving a gallon of water per flush. If your home or apartment was built before 1994, you may want to consider installing a newer model, reducing your gallons per flush from 5.2 to 1.6gallons, thus saving 3.6 gallons per flush. Some companies have gone one step further by offering the dual flush, 1.6 gallons for solid waste and 0.8 gallons for liquid waste. An average adult uses about 35 gallons in the bathtub. Showers account for 30 percent of water used in bathroom, and the average shower uses 5 gallons of water a minute. The Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 required showerheads manufactured in the United States to set a maximum water flow at or below 2.5 gallons (9.46 liters) per minute when the pressure is 40 pounds per square inch. If your home was built before 1992, you may want to replace your showerhead with a low flow showerhead. Using a low flow showerhead and taking 3 to 5-minute showers, i.e., a minute to get wet, turn off tap, lather, and 2 minutes to rinse, could save an additional 10 gallons of water per shower. Practicing these simple procedures can help you to conserve water, save on your water bill, and perhaps spend more money on items like fresh fruits and vegetables. The amount of water saved may seem minimal at first, but it adds up at the end of the month. Using less water means less treatment and processing at the water company. Less treatment and processing at water plants means less costs passed on to the consumer. In the next article, find out how to conserve water in the kitchen. References Elizabeth, M. (2009). Water conservation in the bathroom. Home Institute. Retrieved August 12, 2009. Please check the link below for further information. http://www.aces.edu/crd/publications/wtrqlty/wq8.pdf By Michael McIntyre Urban Regional Extension Agent Mobile & Baldwin Counties   How STAR Works STAR accomplishes its goals and objectives by: Utilizing tree and people practice delivery approaches, including modalities from the horticulture therapy field to develop impact measures that support existing research in human and social sciences. Incorporating the interplay between expressive arts and traditional street games into greening activities that enhance neighborhood social ties. Seeking opportunities to "freeze" or institutionalize work through collaborations with civic and governmental leaders in all phases of the design process. Using Alabama Five-Year Urban and Community Forestry Plan as a key component of the data base for planned green space development activities and capacity-building initiatives. Establishing partnerships with statewide and national advocates of lifelong leisurely pursuits for intergenerational families. Establishing partnerships with local litter control, beautification, and tree boards as well as other committees, clubs, or groups involved in arbor advocacy. Utilizing culturally-sensitive outreach to intergenerational clientele through traditional and nontraditional outreach strategies. Focusing macro (organizations, neighborhoods, and municipalities) practice interventions on clientele assets for planned change. Utilizing proven fundraising tools through community training and professional development programming. Supporting integration of beautification, litter, and arbor projects with municipal economic development and tourism efforts. Staying abreast of macro-level community development, asset analysis, visioning and fundraising professional development opportunities. Emphasizing human dimensions of green space development as a quality of life issue through demonstrations, projects, training programs, and public education. Working with media to present information on human dimensions of green space on human functioning and capacity-building. Promoting arbor celebrations, Tree City USA status, greening efforts, and rekindling hope proactive projects in high-risk neighborhoods and municipalities. For more information about STAR, please contact: Marilyn Simpson-Johnson, LGSW Extension Family Welfare Specialist Co-Coordinator, Saving Towns Through Asset Revitalization, Forestry, Natural Resources & Wildlife Management Urban Affairs & New Nontraditional Programs Alabama A&M University Normal, AL 35762 (256) 372-4961 office (256) 698-1429 cell E-mail: johnsmj@aces.edu Last Updated: October 27, 2009 Copyright © 2009 by Alabama Cooperative Extension System. All rights reserved in all media.