Going Green In '09: Will You Come Get Dirty To Make Fort Wayne Clean? Today from 11A-5P @ North Anthony Bridge

Yes We'll Gather @ The River, The Trashy and Winding River. Gather w/ Our Friends @ The River, That Flows From The Heart Of Town!

If you are reading this between 11A-5P you still have the opportunity to get trashy to make Fort Wayne clean. Save Maumee's 4th Annual Earth Day Project is going on along the Pemberton Dyke @ North Anthony Bridge (on the other side of where the sink hole was). There are tasks and opportunities to learn more for all ages. So please put down the Sunday pot roast and fried chicken and come out to clean up Fort Wayne on this Feast of Divine Mercy and end to the Solemn Octave of Easter.

Message From F6's EDITOR: Saturdays post was delayed due to waiting for an information dump in order to provide the most accurate knowledge possible on the scheduled topics in play plus a pastoral duty call that I had to participate in. My apologies.

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GOING GREEN IN '09! How many ways can we make our economy and food supply 70% self sustainable for 150 miles in 10 years?

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED*

Did you make the New Year's resolution to live more green this year too?

One of the basic goals of environmental and economic sustainability is not to pull our houses "off the grid" but to collectively make our houses the actual power grid its self, and thereby reducing the cost of energy by both individual unit production and still having collective usage of the surplus, and thereby making the paradigm shift to more environmentally friendly sources and cooperation instead of domination by under regulated, overpriced corporate utilities.

If every neighborhood cluster in the City of Fort Wayne generated through solar and wind, with a substation electric or natural gas backup, for its own power supply it would reduce the need for so many power lines and transformers across the City and therefore the sky line could get cleaned up by at least 50 percent in 10 years; and by burying the power lines like they do in the subdivisions it would clean up the remainder of the power lines, with only the minimum of high voltage lines still required to be airborne.

1. COMMIT TO USING LESS POWER: SWITCH 2 COMPACT FLUORESCENT OR LED LIGHTS.

There has been enough chatter about this over the local and national airwaves, so that most people are aware that in 2011 the incandescent light bulb is going the way of the eight track and a VCR, oblivion. When President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, besides requiring "fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022; and a national standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020" one of the other things according to a USA TODAY report, that happened was that all light bulbs must be 25 to 35 percent more efficient by 2012 to 2014. So, any day now, you'll find yourself in the hardware store, staring at a vast display of CFLs - most of which don't live up to their hype. That's why you need to know that not all CFL bulbs are equal.

Is your house one bursting light bulb away from a HAZMAT clean up?

Because the government hasn't done the job, the Enviromental Working Group released a study guide based on CFLs called "Lighten Up in '09", that helps the consumer pinpoint a few good bulbs, that contain a fraction of the toxic mercury that is found in most CFLs and last up to 2 to 3 times as long.

An Environmental Working Group investigation has identified 7 bulb lines made by Earthmate, Litetronics, Sylvania, Feit, MaxLite and Philips that trump the rest. These bulbs, listed in our Green Lighting Guide contain a fraction of the toxic mercury allowed by Energy Star, reducing the mercury contamination from a broken bulb. All last 8-15,000 hours, dramatically longer than the Energy Star standard of 6,000 hours, and also offer high efficiency. (Photo: Towle Road)

2. CLAIM YOUR TAX CREDITS FOR 2009 BY MAKING CHANGES THIS YEAR

On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed into law the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008." aka "The Wall Street Bailout" One of the things that this legislation did was to reactivate tax credits for energy efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters). Tax credits for these residential products, which had expired at the end of 2007, will now be available for improvements made during 2009. However, improvements made during 2008 are not eligible for a tax credit. The bill also extended tax credits for solar energy systems and fuel cells to 2016. New tax credits were established for small wind energy systems and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Tax credits for builders of new energy efficient homes and tax deductions for owners and designers of energy efficient commercial buildings were also extended. For more information and a detailed list of tax credits, visit the US Government's ENERGY STAR website.

3. ATTEND WORKSHOPS TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME ENERGY SELF SUFFICIENT

Last week the Indiana Office of Energy Development (OED) held a workshop at the Main Branch of the Allen County Public Library on solar domestic hot water heaters. This was the first of three 2009 alternative energy workshops, to be held throughout the state of Indiana. These free workshops and are open to all Hoosiers. To register for the OED workshops contact: Chris Dorman (info is @ bottom of page), as space is limited. Once you register, more detailed information will be sent to you. There are two remaining courses Basic Photo Voltaics on the 4th of February and Introduction to Residential Wind on the 17th of March this quarter.

4. WATCH THE DOCU-DRAMA: LIQUID ASSETS WHEN IT REBROADCASTS IN FEBRUARY

"Liquid Assets" tells the story of essential utility systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. These complex and aging systems-some in the ground for more than 100 years-are critical for basic sanitation, public safety, economic development, and a host of other necessities of life. The documentary highlights communities from across the United States, providing an understanding of hidden water infrastructure assets, demonstrating watershed protection approaches, and illustrating twenty-first century solutions. You will be able to watch it on WFWA PBS 39 @ random times throughout the month of February.

Better yet, get involved in the discussion about the multi million dollar, 20 year project that Fort Wayne has finally been forced by the EPA to participate in order to clean up our three rivers, by eliminating our fifty Combined Sewer Overflows per year, over the next twenty years. On the 28th of January the Allen Co. Public Library will be hosting a screening and community discussion of the issues at hand and how the project is going to unfold.

"Over the next couple of decades, Fort Wayne will be making enormous investments in our utility systems. In order to protect our environment and ensure that our utilities can serve the community for years to come we must invest now. We see this event on January 28 as a beginning of ongoing discussions about the need to invest in improving our utility infrastructure." (Kumar Menon Director of City Utilities)

As most of my long time readers are aware, I serve on the Council of Stewards (Board of Directors) of Heartland Communities, Inc., a local non for profit, which is a strategic partner and fiscal agent for Save Maumee Grassroots Organization, which was founded by Abigail Frost.

Abigail Frost, had this to say regarding the original broadcast last year of LIQUID ASSETS on PBS39, "I saw this documentary, it is very informative for people to understand the process from toilet to faucet." She also had this to say regarding the original "local council of City officials" that were available for a question and answer session after that original broadcast in the Fall, "It was dry and without answering real questions. It did not:

• speak about why our city has waited so long to even begin the work;
• place emphasis on non point source pollution;
• answer how citizens should be responsible for their actions;
• about how this work could occur faster;
• speak about all the breaking sewer pipes almost daily in the middle of our roadways;
• speak about how Harrison Square Ball Park is on top of an underground waterway and has to have pumps that cost thousands of dollars PER YEAR to keep ground from sagging and their bad planning."

5. PARTICIPATE IN SAVE MAUMEE RIVER CLEANUPS & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ECOLOGY PROJECTS

For now the fourth year in a row, Abi and Ryan Bailey are planning putting together Save Maumee's Earth Day Project this year it will take place on Divine Mercy Sunday, the 19th of April, 2009 from 11A-4P plan ahead to come out and get dirty for clean water. We will be planting riparian native seed to further establish erosion control on the river banks (one of the primary reason our waters are so murky and contaminated), as well as clean up all the trash and refuse that was left behind by various people not paying attention to their surroundings and caring about the effects of their actions on our three rivers. There will be Watershed and River Education opportunities every hour and activities for the little ones when they are tired of cleaning or planting. If you can donate money, goods, or services, to the cause of cleaning up Our Three Rivers, and make the Summit City sing with new life, then donate to Save Maumee via Heartland Communities, Inc. by calling Abi @ 260-417-2500!

6. INSIST THE CITY MANDATE PEDAL POWER FOR ALL CONCERTS AND EVENTS DOWNTOWN



We have all heard of Rock The Vote initiatives since the early nineties to get people out to exercise their civil duties and participate in the political process. Do you want to see something really cool and a way to literally return the power to the people? Then check out Rock The Bike and these soon possibilities of people generated power supplies coming to a concert venue near you. These next videos are from the second annual Bicycle Music Festival on the 21 June 2008 in San Francisco. The first video (above) is a basic introduction to the Concert Series and explanation of the Pedal Powered Public Address System. The second video (below) is from the band Antioquia's (pic to left) performance on the third of five stops during the Festival, enjoy the free power music and dancing.



Mentioning the power of the pedal and safe drinking water supplies, I also need to remind readers of this post from St. Valentine's Day last year when F6 covered the AQUADUCT a Tricycle Water Filtration System designed for obtaining drinking water during emergencies and provide an active supply chain for third world countries.

7. WORK WITHIN TO PRODUCE WHAT YOU NEED OR CAN TRADE FOR PRODUCTS

One of the things that our culture has lost besides the value of money is the ability to barter or trade for goods and services which is why we are in the trouble we are in financially. Bartering or fair trade for goods and services was such a viable system that it is what our current credit system was originally based on but we have allowed it to spin out of control by corporate greed and government taxation of property and income aside from pointe of purchase sales taxes and tariffs. One way to correct the economy is to bring back this system of fair trade of labor value for products and services and that will limit the power that money has over the individual and the economy as a whole. If we simplify the value of goods and services, by controlling the markets, we will save it rather than kill it.

8. PLANT PUBLIC FRUIT TREES & "VICTORY GARDENS"!

How can you help create an secure food supply in Fort Wayne and Allen County? Allow Sacred Scripture to be your guide, starting with these principles of fair provision for the poor, outlined in Leviticus Chapter 19:

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not be so thorough that you reap the field to its very edge, nor shall you glean the stray ears of grain. Likewise, you shall not pick your vineyard bare, nor gather up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall leave for the poor and the alien. (v. 9-10)

"When you come into the land and plant any fruit tree there, first look upon its fruit as if it were uncircumcised. For three years, while its fruit remains uncircumcised, it may not be eaten. In the fourth year, however, all of its fruit shall be sacred to the LORD as a thanksgiving feast to him. Not until the fifth year may you eat its fruit. Thus it will continue its yield for you. (v. 23-25)

Fallen Fruit has a manifesto which includes a few palatable ideas for urban planning, "Fruit can grow almost anywhere, and can be harvested by everyone. Our cities are planted with frivolous and ugly landscaping, sad shrubs and neglected trees, whereas they should burst with ripe produce. Great sums of money are spent on young trees, water and maintenance. While these trees are beautiful, they could be healthy, fruitful and beautiful."

They take a more socialist approach with how to approach the policy change, which I whole heartily disagree with when it is this far reaching. These are the parts I can support: encouraging local governments, "to support community gardens" and allowing "our streets to be lined with" fruit trees. I do have one caution though, we as a people have enough problems shoveling our sidewalk, let alone the City picking up leaves from the curb, which locally still hasn't been completed from last year. How are we going to assure the roads will be safe to travel on without any the fallen fruit rotting in the Indiana late summer and autumn rainstorms? I don't know, I'm just waiting for the day when I get to hear, "Hey, um Dad?"; "Yes, Son?"; "Dad I was getting ready to pull my new moped into the driveway and it slipped on a rotten banana peel!": "Are you okay?"; "Yeah Dad I'm fine, but I almost ran over the neighbor's cat, and the moped is under Mom and Dad and your new Boyfriend's truck." We also can not forget the squirrels. They will go after your nuts if they cant find their own.

The part of the manifesto which demands "only plant fruit-bearing trees in public parks" and the "demand that all parking lots be landscaped with fruit trees which provide shade, clean the air and feed the people, is poor sighted land management and violations of property rights. Sometimes those evergreens or firs are necessary for shelter and windbreaks. Yes even other creatures depend on those non fruit trees for shelter!

The failure to Government Owned Community Gardens is that not everyone will get involved, which is necessary for success in political based organization and structure. As a rule of thumb, for the City Park employees assigned to oversee the project, their paycheck must be reflective to a certain portion of the success or failure of the project, otherwise their main goal is just to get the assignment out of the way as they would still get paid the same amount.



Edible Estates @ Descano Gardens in Los Angeles is a little more immune (video) to that rule of thumb. EDIBLE ESTATES is the brain child product of Designer and Artist Fritz Haeg, where he explores and practices the history, horticulture, and art as well as the pragmatic implications of functioning gardens and a truly living your life with your neighbors off your front porch versus manicured lawns. There is more information about Edible Estates at the bottom of this post and in the two videos above and below this section.



9. BECOME A WORKER OWNER IN A GREEN COOP BUSINESS

The solution is where the green collective and worker-owner cooperative paradigms intersects with the capitalist economic spirit of entrepreneurial initiatives, and thereby removes Government obscure grasp and drives the economy in a revitalized manor while providing equal opportunities for success to increase, with a limit to individual failure and reprisals. Join with other like minded individuals and become worker owners of companies, serving a growing dynamic across the current boundaries of industry lines and coercive union & labor struggles against the corporate dollar, by making the employees the owners of their own destiny and profit or loss.

Heartland Communities is currently working on an Economic Sustainability Project and we have four of the twelve prong process being forged under the heat of a great fire (the determination of the human soul to become something bigger than its self), along with some other like minded people, whom have the same drive and passion, to make the world a better, cleaner, more sane, place to dwell with one another. If you care to get involved contact me below in the comments or email or any other STEWARD through MySpace, or Yahoo! Group.

We have also begun the process to be recognized by the City Government as a Community Housing Development Organization for the near northwest area of the City and Downtown, which is going to open up a mother load of opportunities for us to showcase both green technologies and worker owner businesses that will establish economic sustainability, the procurement of local food resources, and cooperative housing models of ownership, amongst other opportunities for everyone to be involved in at the ground level.

UPDATE via CSPANJUNKIE.ORG 26 January 2009:
President Barack H. Obama releases Administration policy on Environment and Energy Dependency

He began the press conference by confirming massive layoffs of thousands of people at each of these major companies across the country including MicroSoft, Intel, United Airlines, Home Depot, Caterpillar, Sprint/Nextell, . He continued with a short history of broken promises by previous Presidents and other politicians for the last three decades, and then announced today that His Administration's Policy is to reverse our nation's dependence on foreign oil through several steps. Through these first steps, beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka, the next trillion dollar bailout currently going through the Congress) as a down payment, on this "new energy economy, that will put hundreds of million of people to work. He proceeded to list the objectives:

• Put 460,000 Americans to work with clean energy investments;
• Double the capacity to create alternative energy over the next 3 years;
• Lay down three thousand miles of transmission lines to deliver the new energy;
• Assert savings of two billion dollars per year by making 75% Federal Properties efficient;
• Assert savings of hundreds of dollars on energy bills by weatherizing two million homes;
• Implements new fuel efficiency standards for model year 2011;
• Restore States Rights when determining Energy and Environmental Policies (sort of maybe);
• Global Coalition on Climate and Energy Economy

CONTACT INFORMATION & FOLLOW UP RESOURCES

Environmental Working Group [Website]
1436 U St NW Suite 100 Washington, DC 20009

Cris Dorman [EMail][Website]
Coordinator of Public Outreach and Education
Indiana Office of Energy Development
101 W. Ohio St. Ste 1250 Indianapolis, IN 46204

PASSAGE: Leviticus 19:9-10, 23-25, as copied from the New American Bible
and provided by the United States Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops.

Fallen Fruit & Public Fruit Jam: Think scavenger hunt & quilting bee but with Fruit for Canning.

EDIBLE ESTATES with FRITZ HAEG
[Website][YouTube][Buy Book]

OTHER URBAN FARMING/ NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVES
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initatives in Roxbury Massachusetts.
Growing Power locations in Milwaukee, and Chicago with National Training Centers in Arkansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi and future locations in Georgia, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
PATH TO FREEDOM By The Dervaes Family, Urban Homesteaders [MySpace][Facebook][YouTube]

Wednesdays post is late and I completely forgot about last Saturday's second post

Hey everyone,

Thank you to everyone for all the recent comments!!!

After cleaning up the archive, we are approximately three post away from our two hundredth post on F6.

Due the effects on my health by the current ozone issues locally my ability to write at length is limited due to the excessive humidity and heat. Please bear with me.

The last two posts: one from last Saturday as General Community supplement and a Bike Trails originally slated for Wednesday are running way behind. You can click on the picture to go to the development or back story post for the local bike trails. Saturday's post will be an update on Gays In The Military as promised.

Sorry about all of that.

Blessings Along The Journey!
MRev. Kenneth White, Jnr., Editor,

Finding more Things To Do In Fort Wayne lead me to my new dream car...

So yesterday, I was looking around at other blogs to see what was going on Around Fort Wayne when I found this story regarding the Model T Bike Tours @ Head Waters Park. My curiosity was peaked not because of the entrepreneurial spirit behind such an endeavour but the personal benefits of the images of their vehicle.

However, after reading some of the crap they have gone through to continue operations, it is F6's honour to applaud them for keeping an privately owned attraction available, and at minimum cost to consumers, in a public venue. That they have continued to overcome every obstacle put in front of them is something that should be celebrated publicly. Tour prices and packages vary but run from the beginning of June through Halloween.

So what peaked my interest? Could it be true! That after twelve years, I have found an answer to being able to ride a bike again, due to my over sized scrotum. Then I went looking around their website and could not find a product (bike) name or supplier/trader. I went with the limited information I could find and caressed Google's algorithms with my FiOS and came up with yet another awesome find, ... my new dream car!!

The Chinese Rickshaw (picture to right) is a one cylinder, four stroke, five gear, Cargo and Passenger Tricycle. Zipping around at over thirty seven miles per hour, it can carry a load of up to one thousand one hundred and two pounds (four adults, plus cargo) This Tricycle's tank holds only twelve liters of fuel (just over three gallons); but at approximately sixty seven miles per gallon, you will be spending less time at the pump and more time on the road.

There are also electrically powered options for the more environmentally conscious consumer.

Now if I can just find a supplier that will ask me to promote without cost on this City's streets?

From geeks to seeds: Going Green? How to get the most out of your choices.*UPDATED*

Wednesdays post is a bit late because I had to fact check three things before I felt comfortable posting. Todays post is all about you choosing to make everyones life better, improve the environment, help to clean the shit out of our three rivers, and it all starts behind your bedroom door.

Recently F6 was contacted by Fiona King @ Nerds Do It Better (not promoting just citing) and was referred to their fact sheet written by Jessica Hupp that suggested ways to create a more green and eco/environ-healthier sex life. These are some of the twenty seven pointes followed by my commentary, as indicated via the (~) sign. Feel the excitement of going green!!!!

Setting The Mood

* Dim The florescent Lights ~ "What's a gay domicile without having a regulator dial"
* Take advantage of the cold; warm each other up or vice versa
~ cuddle by the fireplace or burn pit out back; soak and, or have sex in the jacuzzi/hot tub.
~ break out the kool aide/juice ice cubes and rub them all over, or just serve over vodka, or gin.
* Natural Aphrodisiacs, Wines, Fair Trade Chocolate ~ strawberries are my favorite addition.
* Wear green friendly lingerie ~ Save the ground, switch to organic, nutrient rich fabrics.

Sex Toys

* Use vegetables and fruits for sex toys
~ although just ensure safety from food allergies please wrap a condom around it before hand!
* Use silicone, metal, or glass sex toys.
~ not vinyl, use faux leather, spandex/lycra, rubber.
* Buy for Durability and Dispose of toys properly
~ Well made items will last longer. Repair it first.
* Use a safe lubricant with a condom!
~ Note gay men DO NOT want to use a condom
or lube with spermicide for anal sex.

For your family as a whole

* Take baths and showers together (see picture above)
* Use organic soy, beeswax, or palm oil candles at the dinner table
~ It saves that florescent bulb; it calms everyone down together; easier to scent.
* Buy Bamboo or Hemp bed sheets @ Target
~ They are renewable; offer a silky, slippery feel;
~ Sure to increase your ecological awareness!
* Put away your large plates ~ When eating at home use salad plates reduce portions.
* Increase intake of organic fruits and vegetables

Most men also need to know "pineapples makes the cream so sweet!, not of wheat."! I know what your thinking. You can understand the idea of high quality, organic, cotton underwear in traditional styles but you are still having a bit of trouble grasping your mind around the idea of designer under garments, essentials wear, and active-sports wear being made from alternative fabrics like hemp, bamboo, and eucalyptus. But yet, you are okay with polypropylene for your winter weather protection?

Taken directly from RIPS MySpace blog:

If someone told you they had a great line of underwear, made from Eucalyptus (and no, scratching & sniffing doesn't work), that those underwear were the Eco-Friendliest underwear on the market... plus naturally stays odor-free... plus feels like silk (we think of it as nature's luxury fabric)... plus helps to keep you cool in hot weather/warm in cool (perfect wearing all year around)... and simply looks great (while wearing)....would you not be just a little intrigued?

When we were looking at fabrics for RIPS Performance we looked at them all, felt them all, and just kept coming back to Tencel (which is made from the Eucalyptus) because it just felt like it would make perfect underwear and activewear. THEN came the fun part and that was finding out how very special it was. Amazing point here - you can make ten t-shirts from Eucalyptus using the same size piece of land that you can make one t-shirt from Cotton. Add to that the Eucalyptus doesn't need any pesticides and requires 100 times LESS water than cotton. Is that not the perfect fabric? So there you have it. Whether you are looking for Eco-Friendly or simply great underwear - check out RIPS Performance. Besides, if Koalas can't resist a good Eucalyptus, how can we?

Why hemp and organic cotton underwear though?
(from RAWGANIQUE)

"Because...it takes one-fourth of a pound of chemicals to produce 2 pairs of conventional cotton men's boxer shorts. Annually, 275 million pounds of pesticides are applied to the conventional cotton plant, which must be the most environmentally destructive crop ever. The pesticides and chemicals used in the growing and processing of conventional cotton can enter the human food chain via cotton seed oil used in processed foods.

Contamination of ground water is directly linked to pesticide and fertilizer use on conventional cotton crops. Nitrates found in these fertilizers are found to cause "blue baby syndrome" in infants. Conventional cotton underwear is also processed with chlorine bleach. Dioxin--the most toxic chemical known--is a carcinogen that is derived from chlorine bleach and is responsible for hormone disruption and a host of other ills."

Which leads me to refreshing more local issues, news, and events. My regular readers will remember when I bitched about the City wasting 500,000 Public Works dollars for matching funds for the bike trail system in order to earn "feel good" national press. During the last episode of Oprah's Big Give this season the City was spotlighted for "raising" a million plus dollars for a revamped bike trail system that is already privately funded! As I stated previously, The City, should have dedicated that money to actually cleaning up the rivers before having the citizens ride around them any further.

Most readers will remember F6's promotion and coverage of Save Maumee's Earth Day Project near Hosy Dam last month too. Save Maumee doesn't just do one work project a year; the work continues every day. The vision of a future where our children can go take a dip in the river and within the next twenty years we might just be able to have a public beach again is possible.

What is in our rivers that makes them so polluted?

E. Coli. and bacteria from combined sewer overflows (CSO's), geese, cattle and pig farms. There are 249 active NPDES permitted discharges (permitted legal discharges) and 44 CSO discharge points in the St. Joseph/Maumee watershed. Additionally there are illegal point source discharges such as tiles discharging septic tank effluent that exist in our watershed. According to Joe E. Johnson there has been 50 potential CSO discharges between July 2007-April 2008. Research shows the EPA will allow five per year.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) problems present in the Maumee will reflect on the wildlife also! DO means simply, the content of oxygen in the water is so low that native wildlife cannot exist in it! PBC’s heavy metals from large corporations, and factories stemming all the way from the rust belt time of 1920’s -1950’s still loom in the Maumee today and the Maumee continues to be a dump site in 2008. Indiana also used to have a natural "water filtration" system because we had twenty five percent of our land mass covered with wetlands. With the removal of 85% of the wetlands within 4 generations, our natural "water filtration system" is devastating to our rivers!

How does planting trees and native grass seeds help river water quality?

Dissolved Oxygen problems can be alleviated by creating shade, thus increasing Oxygen in the water. All this will create the beautiful aesthetics of pristine waterways for Fort Wayne's future! The number one pollutant in our watershed is dirt (erosion/sedimentation). Plantings today provide a "rain-garden" type area so plants will drink up the rain water which produces enzymes, absorbs bacteria - and “eating” bacteria out of water rather than letting it just runoff into the river and helps reduce the pollutants in the water down stream all the way through Ohio to (one of the Great Lakes for those whom may not be aware) Lake Erie.

Grasses will help to settle out or suspended sediment in the water; the trees will help to hold down the soil that could be washed away because there is nothing to hold down the barren soil when the water comes rushing in when we have a rain event. By using natural Riparian seeds, projects like these will eventually will help with flooding too, eighty five percent of wetlands in Indiana no longer exist, these restoration practices will aide in replenishing wetland species and activity right here in Fort Wayne!

These practices of planting Cottonwood trees (which drinks up water like a cotton towel) also eliminates standing pools of stagnant water left over when the river water recedes - thus controlling West Nile! West Nile is spread by mosquitoes that hatch in standing, pollution ridden water.

What can you do to help clean up our rivers?

Don’t pour ANYTHING down the storm drains

Don't pour medication, grease, cigarette butts, condoms, tampons, or ANY garbage down the toilet or sink. It will end up in your drinking water! Only bodily waste matter, toilet paper, minimal amounts of cleanser please! BTW try not to flush if you only urinated, save water.

Eliminate standing water in your yards and uncontrolled run off of rain water from your house or control with strategic rain gardens.

Incorporating a compost pile and consistently recycle or reuse products reducing your footprint in the area.

Vote with your wallet! Change the market by changing your purchase habits. Here are three actions under the Libertarian ideal of free markets regulating best practices that need to be initiated by everyone:

Hold government officials to the fire for not cleaning up their mistakes. Write to city, county, state, and national elected officials, tell them you will not vote for them in November unless they do something to move forward with all of our concerns and dreams for a beautiful city.

Do the same for businesses. Tell businesses to change the way they package goods and provide services or else you will discontinue your patronage of their establishments and purchasing of products.

Support organizations that share your concerns. Joining in will help to bring forth successful restoration efforts in our watershed. Take Hoosier River Watch Training “a volunteer water quality monitoring program,” with the St. Joe River Watershed Initiative at the USDA offices. Sign up to become a Hoosier River Watch Volunteer!

The next class is on the 31st of May see F6's Google Calendar for more information. If you don't have any idea of where to begin your own campaign, start within your circle of friends and sign a petition. Have river clean up days where you get your family and friends to join the fun. Contact Save Maumee for some suggestions and a shit load of resource information they also have some awesome connections across the county. Abigail Frost, the founder of Save Maumee Grassroots Organization can be reached @ 260-417-2500 or savemaumee@yahoo.com.

There is more information to cover but I think that is enough of going green and cute bois for one post. I will post more environmental news and updates in two to three weeks.

[EDITOR'S UPDATE: Local Rain Garden Initiatives]

The strategic "green infrastructure" resolutions that were mandated for the City by part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the over 50 potential CSO's incidents mentioned above (6th section) were reported, reviewed, and commented on the same day as this post @ Fort Wayne Politics by Mike Sylvester and Jeff Pruitt (two posts, last one w/video). I will yield to their coverage rather than making a separate post during this weekend as originally intended. Otherwise, it would seem like I am the only one beating the drum about the City wasting money on frivolous, or in this case, poorly planned projects....

*pardon me for a moment while I pull out my soap box*

I do however just have to pointe out the obvious: If the City had not spent the 500,000 dollars to match money donated to the privately funded bike trail system for a five minute spotlight we could have funded some of the Rain Garden Initiative and still had 160,000 dollars minimum left in the Public Works fund for other projects. To boot, the City tried to hire an out of State firm when we have plenty of organizations here able to do the job, as the three cited above in this original post. Thanks goes to City Council for standing up and saying, "NO!". Now it is time to let the citizens, City Departments, and Grassroots Non For Profit Organizations locally come together and put a real plan in place! The rain gardens are a good place to start but they are not the only answer.

*steps down off soap box*

Thank you for putting up with my ranting and bitching.

Happy Hippie Holy Daze!

Sorry about being late with this post, the fumes from all the pot smoking going around me made me hit the wrong buttons and it got saved as a the wrong draft file by accident.


The Save Maumee 3rd Annual Earth Day Event was a success beyond all comparison. Thanks go out to everyone who showed up and worked their tail feathers and fingers to the bone planting riparian seeds and cottonwood trees and cleaning up the trash on the first two miles of the Maumee's riverbanks and watershed. I will have a full report from Abigail with pictures later in the week.


... until then keep stoking.

Come watch Tom Henry flush half a million dollars down our rivers

So according to MAYOR TOM HENRY Public Works money is not Tax Payer Money.

So does that mean the CITY has been charging to much for services all this time?

If it has half a million dollars to pave a bike trail that is already paid for through private donations & benefactors, why haven't they done it before?

Is it your money or the City's?.... It is your City.

Maybe that 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS could have been used to clean up the rivers before we have people riding around them any further.





FORT WAYNE, INDIANA Mayor Tom Henry has answered critics who question how the city can make a matching contribution of up to $500,000 to Oprah's Big Give and the Fort Wayne Trails project when the city of Fort Wayne itself is facing budget cuts.

In an interview with Indiana NewsCenter's Ryan Elijah, Henry says the money has already been earmarked for the trail system and that money had been collected started even before he came into office. That is why the city can match up to $500,000 in donations. The Mayor stresses that the money is not property tax money, but rather public works money.

[....]

The television show “Oprah’s Big Give” selected ABC affiliate Indiana’s NewsCenter and the local non-profit Aboite New Trails for a donation of $10,000. The mission from “Oprah’s Big Give” to Aboite New Trails and Indiana’s NewsCenter was to find a way to grow the money into something larger.

Aboite New Trails chose to split the Oprah’s Big Give funds with each partner trails organization to fund its own event April 12, thus expanding the reach of the Oprah’s Big Give funding throughout Fort Wayne and New Haven. The partner organizations will keep the money raised from the individual fund-raising walk or rides to fund the expansion and maintenance of the trail network in Allen County.

The City is also offering a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $500,000, for donations to the City or any partner trail organization through Saturday. Donations of any amount can be made now through Saturday. More information about the match and City donation forms are available on the City’s Web site.

[....]

Oprah's production crew will be here Saturday to film Fort Wayne's celebrations and fund-raiser for the Fort Wayne trails project.

She gave Indiana's NewsCenter $10,000 in seed money, and since that amount has now grown to close to $1 million... Fort Wayne could be featured in the finale of "Oprah's Big Give" next Sunday night... as one of the most successful community projects in the country.

[SOURCES: the first of two stories with Ryan Elijah reporting are both written by Paul Neumann, the third is written by Corrinne Rose all respectfully from Indiana News Center TV Channels 21 & 33. The second picture was ganked off the City of Fort Wayne's website [pdf]]

FAQ's: These were a few a my favorite things

In this latest installment of F6 we continue with the list from Harry Reineke IV @ Ramblin Rosko. Some of the most awesome things to do along the three rivers, Harry, are completely illegal. Here are two examples:

1. Sometime after midnight me and some of my best friends will periodically go to to Reservoir Park on Creighton Avenue between Clinton Street and Lafayette Boulevard, after a good rain or snow storm and go sliding down either the east or southwestern face of the upper hill in our underwear. Normally someone snags themselves on a tree the second time down and so slowly but surely we'll probably end up naked as the game progresses. The goal is to not fall down completely if you do you loose and the punishment for loosing involves either a few smacks across the ass or purchase of the next case of beer the second one that looses buys dinner along with the third (usually Arbys since Powers is no longer open 3rd shift). The fourth is the pre-elected guinea pig or bait for any future pranks we decide to pull in the next forty eight hours. Yes we know it is illegal but damn it is fun. Between the hours of midnight and three hundred hours everyone else is either home asleep, working, or drinking at a local establishment; so aside from, an occasional yelps from: an almost castration, a few good smacks, and a tumble down the hill backwards, no one can actually see us frolicking around naked. We aren't disturbing the peace either since the hill and trees muffle the sounds of our little tangos.

If you ever heard me or any alternative Christian and pagan in the City affectionately refer this hill as God's Rock now you know what we are talking about. This is also a really cool place to go and meditate or just hide away from the world for a while. I would make one recommendation that you never go to La Rez alone, at least take someone with you as a look out. For a pointe of reference, F6's Title Banner Picture is taken from the northwest face of God's Rock.

2. Sledding or inner tube down the BMX hill at Franke Park (still clothed by the way) at like one in the morning at one in the morning. With the exception of that one hump in the very middle which will cause someone to loose the use of an appendage for at least two weeks. Grabbing a cauldron of hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows with a lighter finish out the event and make for an awesome way to meet new totally random friends in the course of just a few hours.

I think that is one of the truly beautiful things about our city, "We are truly a 'Crossroad Community' and it shows in the everyday bounty; which rather unfortunately, goes overlooked by most when the daily grind takes over their lives. Take a moment to explore the hidden kaleidescope that is here in the midsts of this historic community. Take a bike ride along the River Greenway but don't feed the geese they do bite back. And while you are exploring the Summit City, take time to introduce yourself to a stranger and inherit 40 friends in five days flat."

3. We have some wonderful trails within the City and surrounding country areas although if you take the time to go on any length or duration of a trip you will want to make sure that you have a full service of food and water on board with you as well as a roll of toilet paper, first aide kit, and communication device of some form. Our parks also don't have full access toilets either so be prepared to squat at random places to relieve any byproducts that have built up. In addition study your maps (pg 2 pdf document) carefully because it is easy to get lost on and off the trail.

I spent a better portion of my weekends during my teenage years on the Greenway just exploring nature and the hidden beauty outside of everyones typical vantage pointe. After you get used to the River Greenway a little bit and I can find a seat that will accommodate my over sized balls I will show you some of the secret passages built in across the City. You would be surprised to find out how intertwined the City really is and most residents don't know it.

4. And while my fourth favorite thing to do around the Old Fort is not illegal it might be considered blasphemous by others. I developed this last one on my own while visiting my grandparent's grave. It is called "how far can you get around" and what you do is as you enter Lindenwood Cemetery you throw your car into high idle, lock in your cruise control at random speeds (no higher then forty mph) and then put your car in low gear. Then as you traverse the hills and valleys of the outer rim road of Lindenwood you see how far around you can go without loosing momentum. So far I have made it half way around at thirty two miles per hour and a quarter of the way around at twenty eight mph.

Photo of a map of Lindenwood Cemetery was ganked from the Northeast Indiana AIDS Memorial. While I do support the Memorial I do not support the CATT program which is where some of the money goes when purchasing a brick; so therefore can not suggest that anyone purchase a paving brick at this time, until Tula (aka Charles Miller) gets her fat little fingers out of the cookie jar and the pocket book of the Memorial- or the UTSCC for that matter.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Links not working; Image not showing]
[Apparently due to F6's investigative work, before this post was made available to the public; enough questions were asked in the right direction/ towards the right people, that some heads decided to roll and websites were taken down, all because a cute little bear decided to paw at a few loose branches, oh well. Here ==> is a thumbnail of the picture you should have been able to see if F6 hadn't sent certain organizations scrambling for answers or cover, which ever applies.]

5. The fact that we are such a diverse City is one thing that makes us great. At one pointe you will still have the stereotypes and misnomers but in the same breath when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of the matter at hand whether Gay or Straight, Pagan, Jew, Christian or Muslim or any other random personal belief structure held by individuals, the betterment of the greater community usually shows forth before any individuals' bias in a given situation. Even when the occasional hate monger shows its ugly presence there are usually enough people to back up the one being attacked or at least available to assist afterwards, going beyond general Hoosier Hospitality, that is something ingrained upon us from childhood, to look out for each other and our occasional moments of stupidity.

Unfortunately as the City grows and we modernize we are starting to loose our sense of individuals making up a community rather than organizations as evidenced by the gang of little drunk homophobic twerps that attempted to shove a three hundred and forty pound bear (me) down last night after I broke up a confrontation they were having with another party by involving Fort Wayne's finest. Let's just say the picked the wrong priest to piss off, thankfully for them, I am a pacifist.