Cape Fear Green Drinks
THE NEXT CAPE FEAR GREEN DRINKS WILL BE HELD AUGUST 12, 2010.
Guest speakers are scheduled as follows:
August 12, 2010. to be announced
We are currently in negotiations with several cutting edge and interesting groups to speak at future GREEN DRINKS events.
The style and presentation will be entirely up to the speaker. All methods of presentation will be acceptable. Something as simple as one person with nothing but the exuberance of their own voice, or a P.A. system and PowerPoint presentation. As previously mentioned, it will all depend on how involved the guest speaker would like to get. Keep in mind there were no microphones when Thomas Jefferson addressed the Continental Congress with his Declaration of Independence, and look how well he got his point across.
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WHAT: World renowned "GREEN DRINKS". Partaking in interesting discussion about the world we live and work in, while enjoying a tasty beverage. A very casual atmosphere outside of the workplace, however, the exchange of business cards is encouraged.
WHEN: Green Drinks will be held on the Second Thursday of every month
6:00 pm til.................
WHERE: Kefi (the locals favorite)
2012 Eastwood Road, Wilmington, NC 28403
HOW: Walk, skateboard, jog, bus, carpool, taxi, bicycle, unicycle, pogo, paraglide, zip line, camel, mule, or horse. Sorry, my fellow mariners, the nearest boat dock is approximately 2,500 feet east.
WHO: Anyone interested in a collective meeting of the minds, much like our founding fathers discussed revolutionary topics over a fresh pint of ale. Members include, but are not limited to environmental consultants, scientists, engineers, members of academia, green entrepreneurs, builders, permit writers and permit regulators, outdoorsmen, politicians, and interested citizens.
WHY: Fun, contacts, info, employment, networking, inspiration, business, and pleasure.
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Past speakers have included the following:
Evan's discusion went above and beyond what the GREEN DRINKS crowd expected. Not only did he provide us with the relatively straight forward beneifts of orgnaic gardening at home and eating lcoally, but he expanded his discusion to cover a much more holistic approach to being in balance with our planet and its resources. The topic of covnersation covered the adverse afffects of flouride in drinking water to the functions and values of "living" soil. Thank you Evan, your knowledge and expertise was greatly apprciated.
May 13, 2010, Ted Wilgis, North Carolina Coastal Federation (www.nccoast.org)
Ted really did a great job with his presentation on stormwater runoff and its affect on water quality. He provided the crowd with a wealth of knowledge, forgoing the scientific complexities of environmental chemistry that may have otherwised confused some folks, while at the same time allowing the audience to become enthralled and educated on the topic. Additionally, the Green Drinks crowd was provided with assorted literature an dpamphlets to take home.
Sabrina really impressed the GREEN DRINKS crowd with her power-point presentation. It was well organized, informative, and allowed for a more interactive discussion. We would also like to thank her for traveling down to Wilmington from Moorhead City, NC. So, next time you are having an oyster roast, make sure to contact the NC Oyster Shell Recycling Program to locate a proper oyster shell disposal facility.
March 11, 2010, Jessica Burtt, Tidal Creek Co-op (www.tidalcreek.coop)
The Tidal Creek Co-op was "representin", for sure. Not only did Jessica provide the crowd with an informative discusion reardigng the functions and values of shopping at a "Co-op", but she brought some mixed nuts (went great with beer) and a mixed veggie tray, accompanied with some of the best humus ever, hands down. You may be able to find some better humus in the Mediterranean region, if you know where to go. Congrats to CJ Mincey for winning the "Living Green" book, also provided by Tidal Creek Co-op.
February 11, 2010, Dustin Braudway, Bluewater Surfaces (webpage currently in progress)
Dustin provided the GREEN DRINKS crowd with a professional perspective on how to design and build various surfaces (counter tops, tables, bars, etc.) with sustainable materials. He is currently establishing a new company, and we appreciate the time he took to speak at our monthly gathering.
January 14, 2010, Terra Pascarosa, Terrascapes, LLC. (www.terrascapes.org)
I was very excited to have my sister appear as the special guest for the January GREEN DRINKS. She provided the audience with information and knowledge on a wide array of topics. The subject matter varied from Environmental Law (Magneson-Stevens Act, Clean Water Act 1972), SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation), politics, volunter work, and community involvement in wetland restoration projects.
Well, we had an unexpected last minute cancellation of our scheduled special guest, so, I had to take the reins and stand-in as the "quazi" special quest. Fortunately some folks from the NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources were in attendance and we discussed the pros and cons of various projects along our coast.
Mr. Cliff Cash was kind enough to grace the GREEN DRINKS crew with his presence, upon which he discussed the inner workings of his company, Green Coast Recycling, and the need for a more comprehensive recycling program in New Hanover County. Cliff is also an active member of the Stop Titan organization, and he spent part of his time educating the audience about the adverse impacts the proposed Titan Cement plant would have on our air and water quality.
The ambiance of the Thursday’s meeting was quite mellow, which allowed for the attendees to gather comfortably around a couple tables and enjoy the discussion on a much more personal level. Elaine Jack, of Sapona Green Building Center, LLC sat at the center of the table and communicated with the audience in such a manner you would expect among friends. Sapona Green is at the spearhead of the green building movement for the Cape Fear region, and we thoroughly appreciate the time she took to discuss sustainable building practices.
Amidst some ambient traffic noise from Eastwood Road, Katie Shepard of NC Green Power made her voice heard, and provided Cape Fear GREEN DRINKS with a wealth of knowledge. Her discussion was fluid and concise, which allowed for the audience to walk away with a comprehensive understanding of renewable energy and the fundamentals of the electrical grid as a whole. Not only did we receive a well put together speech, NC Green Power was kind enough to hand recycled pens and “hyper-color” cups that turn dark green when a cold beverage served.
June's gathering was very informative, thanks to Matt Collogan of Cape Fear Biofuels. His understanding and presentation of the biofuel process was simple and straight forward, yet he managed to incorporate the multifaceted aspects of the industry. The highlight of the night was hands down, the biofuel powered Mercedes. "Ahh, I love the smell of french fries in the morning." Without going into anymore Apocalypse Now quotes, we thank Matt and greatly appreciated the time he spent with us last month.)
The first event turned out to have a great turnout of approximately 20-25 people. Nevin Carr of Arrowhead Energy Corp. was concise and very informative with his presentation. His explanation of the many uses of solar panels, went beyond the sales pitch of a typical corporate solar panel installation company. Nevin truly feels that the solar panels are the answer for the high-energy demand of our developing world.
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