Cary, NC – New images from NASA’a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) show the fiery evolution of Earth’s moon. This new video from the Goddard Space Flight Center is the latest in our S.T.E.M. video series.

Evolution of the Moon

It starts as a fiery mass, gradually cooling into a smooth sphere, a little like a golf ball.

About 4.3 billion years ago, a massive object strikes the south pole of the Moon, creating the Aitken Basin.

From 4.1 billion to 3.4 billion years ago, the Moon was showered with a heavy bombardment of meteors, like a rain of fire from space. Scientists call this basin formation.

For almost 3 billion years, seas of fire covered large parts of the moon. The period of Mare Vulcanism lasted until about 1 billion years ago, creating the dark “seas” we can see from Earth.

At the same time, a shower of meteors continued to rain down on the Moon during a period of intermediate cratering.

For the last billion years and up until today, a mild shower of meteors continues to strike the Moon in a process called ray cratering.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The video features animation on top of new high-definition pictures of the Moon’s surface.

Scientists at NASA’a Goddard Space Flight Center have learned more about the history of the Moon from the pictures sent by the Lunar Recon Orbiter.

Video: Evolution of the Moon

This beautiful to watch video can also be seen on Youtube. Show it to your kids with a nonchalant “check this out.”

You can also watch previous videos in our S.T.E.M. series.

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S.T.E.M. video series is sponsored by Citizen Websites, the website design arm of CaryCitizen.

Story and photos by Lindsey Chester.

Cary, NC – The children at Bright Horizons at the Clubhouse in Cary have been busy for the past year building a Greenhouse made out of 1700 recycled 2-liter bottles. The children will use the greenhouse to grow food to give back to their community as part of the Grow & Share program.

I visited the playground where the green house sits in the Bright Horizons shady back yard the day the house was completed.

Director Robin Sarine explained that to build idea evolved after a Bright Horizons employee came back from years in the UK.  There, a Bright Horizons school had built a similar greenhouse. Her enthusiasm for the project located in Southam Warwickshire, England got folks in Cary excited to tackle something like it.

What Can You Do With a 2 Liter Bottle?

Robin said when they received the plans she began doing some research on the internet. She wanted to show the kids visual images of what could be created from recycled 2 liter soda bottles. Everyone began collecting bottles last March. Families enlisted their employers, their churches and neighborhoods to collect the necessary amount of bottles and the center began to store bags brimming with bottles in their back yard.

April 14th a construction group came in to create the structural frame from 2 x 4′s. Adults cut off the bottoms of all the bottles, and then on Monday April 16th the kids began to add the bottles to bamboo poles. These were then screwed to the frames. Assembly involved all the center’s children from as young as 2 to as old as 14.

Sustainable Inside and Out

Next step will be receiving the seeds and plants to grow inside their greenhouse, which Robin assured me will be self-sustaining. Grow and Share provides the seeds and plants for the project, and Bright Horizons can pick a worthy recipient, be that a food pantry or a family in need they know of right here in the community.

The house design is open so that rain will flow into the house though the roof and sides. The floor will be gravel for adequate drainage. The design should act like a life-size terrarium recycling moisture inside to eliminate most watering. Robin believes peppers and tomatoes will be some of the first plants added.

The timing of the project also coincides with Earth Day and ties in with the schools curriclum units called “Garden Work” and “Towards a Better World”. Kids learn about plants and gardening, but more importantly how they can help others. The Grow And Share Program provides the plant materials, but lets the organizations they partner with chose who receives their harvest.

The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony is Friday, April 27 at 4:30 to see the final product. Maybe this will be the first of many such projects?

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC- Environmental Art gets life size at Cary’s 19th annual Spring Daze Festival in Bond Park Sat. April 28th from 9 am-5 pm. Environmental sculptor Michael Roy Layne is putting the finishing touches on his “Stoneleaf and Fairy Circle” installation down at the boat house which debuts at the opening of the festival with a lakeside procession.

Stoneleaf and Fairy Circle

The sculpture includes several larger than life fabric mushrooms and smooth rocks that festival goers may help install. Most of the sculpture will remain permanently at the Boat House area, the fabric pieces may be brought out as colorful additions for special events. Layne works with areas that pose an environmental concern (here: drainage and run-off) and creates art that assists in solving the problem, while also enhancing the surroundings.

Earth Day Celebration

Spring Daze traditionally occurs at Bond Park and the outdoor theme ties in with the Town’s annual celebration of Earth Day (which this year occurred the week prior). Environmental themes will be seen throughout the event. In the Story Teller area at Buehler Shelter, hear all about composting.

Hop aboard the Town’s hybrid trash truck. Check out the WakeMed Cary Fitness Trail and get your fitness passport stamped.

Vote for your favorite Heart Healthy concessionaire. Food trucks serving up the healthiest fare will be awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize ceramic pieces made by Cary Art Center’s Ceramicist Andi Dees.

Art of Course!

There will be over 180 artist booths to visit throughout the park. The Children’s Village returns again to the Lazy Daze Playground area at the center of the park. Many fun child friendly activities are planned including make and take “Bond Park Fish”, “Spring Daze Kites” and contact paper mosaics. Volunteers will help children with their creations which are free to the public.

The Artist Demonstration area has enlarged this year and includes the Cary Clay Cooperative, Fine Arts League of Cary and the Gifted Hands of Cary Embroiderers Guild. The Cary Jaycees will be announcing the winners of their annual photo contest over by the Boat House.

For the map of all things Spring Daze click here

Ride For Free

Worried about parking? With tight quarters and plenty of visitors parking and maneuvering your car can get tricky in Bond Park. The Town is operating C-Tran on a normal schedule – riders to the festival can ride for free. There is also a FREE shuttle that leaves from Downtown Cary (at 101 Wilkenson Avenue beside Town Hall) to take festival goers straight to Bond Park. Shuttles will run every 15-20 minutes between 8:30am- 5:30pm

OR Walk: With the new Greenway connectors linking up the Black Creek Greenway and White Oak Creek Greenway many subdivision dwellers can make it to the park without driving their cars, or even walking on a street. I’m spoiled, I live in a subdivision that backs onto the White Oak Greenway. For years I have biked or walked to the Spring Daze Festival.

We’ll Be There Too

Look for Hal Goodtree (CaryCitizen Publisher) and his band, A Fifth of Blues at the stage near the ballfields. They play twice, first at 10:15 am and again around 1:00 pm. He may need a cold drink! Stop by and say “Hey.”

I will be over in Cultural Arts Row with the Non-Profit groups early from 8-10am passing our info about the upcoming Downtown Cary Children’s Museum that we’d like to see built. Stop by and grab some info, or make a donation if you can!

See you at Spring Daze!

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Community coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Studio 180 Salon in Downtown Cary.

Cary, NC- Betsy Dessau’s passion for recycling and re-use began during the first Earth Day when she was in college collecting IBM punch cards. This March 31, Betsy will celebrate the opening of her new venture  the Cary Creative Center that aims to literally turn trash to treasures. The new venue is located at 155 Wilkinson Avenue near the corner of Durham Road in Downtown Cary. Betsy says she’s been recycling and reusing things her whole life and always looks at objects with a “how can I use that?” attitude.

The Seed of the Idea

The seed for the Cary Creative Center was planted in October 2009 when Betsy attended “ReUse Connex”, a symposium sponsored by the Reuse Alliance. This 2- day seminar, expo and workshop exposed her to folks from NC State’s Design and Textiles schools, EPA exhibitors, Houses For Hope and others who made and sold reuse products. They based everything on the notion of “keeping materials that could be reused out of landfills”.

The center’s grand opening is Saturday, March 31 from 10-4pm and will be a fun filled event – folks can make and take a craft, listen to live music enjoy face painting, meet the partners, and enter a raffle.

Preview

The Cary Creative Center is partnering with artist Lily Karmatz during her artist-in-residency at the Cary Arts Center from March 19-30. Cary Creative Center has provided the reuse materials for the art installation and for two Ikebana classes that Ms Karmetz is teaching on Mon. Mar 26 1-3 p.m and Wed Mar 28 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Come be inspired and see what can be created with reuse materials!

Recycling Not the Ultimate Answer

Residents of Cary are proud of the towns’ record level of recycling- but recycling is not always the answer to our landfill problems. Betsy pointed out that the typical plastic grocery bag can be recycled, but that a ton of these bags costs $4000 to recycle but only yields $34 in usable plastic! That is not a sustainable business model. The average styrofoam cup lasts in a landfill for 500 years.

ReUse It First!

Keeping items out of the landfill, and back into new uses is an idea that Betsy is passionate about. The Cary Creative Center will share that passion with others.

Betsy’s mantra is Reduce, Reuse, Re-Create with Discarded Materials Make Art not Waste…

Would You Like To Donate?

The center accepts a wide variety of items otherwise known as “trash” see the website for the complete list (its actually too long to print here!). In addition to items that can be used for crafts the center itself is in need of some items. All items are tax deductible as the center is a registered 501c(3)

• Artist materials all kinds- have craft materials gathering dust? Bring ‘em in!
• Cash Register & tapes
• Working Computer- have you recently upgraded yours, but your old one is still working?
• Folding chairs & tables
• Scissors, tie wraps, hot glue guns, tape and dispensers, staplers w. staples
• Waste baskets
• Powerstrips
• Drawing or painting paper

Getting Crafty

Classes will be starting in April and most cost $15 per student for an hour and a half of instruction. Ages range from 5- through adult and current course titles include puppet making, tissue paper collage and bead making. The center will be open for open crafting Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Might become a great hangout for some crafty teens looking for a safe and fun thing to do on the weekends?

For more info about the Cary Creative Center, visit their website and tell Betsy CaryCitizen sent you!

Story by Hal Goodtree. Photo by a CaryCitizen reader.

Cary, NC – A reader sent in the picture up above with the following note, “I saw this truck in Bond Park this morning and wondered what he was doing.  The side of the truck said Beaver Control.”

The Beaver Dam in Bond Park

I spoke with Stephen Brown, Director of Public Works and Utilities.

He said the recent heavy rains had caused some flooding adjacent to the park. An investigation turned up a beaver dam on a small stream leading to Bond Lake.

The beaver dam was removed by a license wildlife expert and the Town is keeping an eye on the situation.

Beaver photo by Brett.

Story by Matt Young. Photos by Karen Thor.

Cary, NC – For years, my neighbor, Karen Thor, and I used to laugh at these beautiful, funny-acting birds that showed up annually in our yards. We each have a bunch of bird baths, feeders and houses on our properties.

At block parties we compare notes on what we have seen and what is nesting now and how the bird populations have changed over the years as our unfeathered neighborhood friends roll their mammalian eyes.  Whatever. Birds can do that in different directions.

Anyway, these amazing birds are called Cedar Waxwings. The reason they are so funny is they fly around, crashing into each other. They stumble. They fall out of trees. They fly into trees.

I have never been one to shun animal calamity humor.  And trust me, it is hilarious. But, for the record, to my knowledge, no bird was ever harmed in my yard (I hope).

The reason for this behavior is – they are drunk. That’s right – drunk. Seems their favorite food is berries. And they apparentally have a pension for the fermented ones.

You know that song “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”? These birds will actually pass the berries from one bird to another as they perch on an object. ”Take one down, pass it around…” Not kidding.

Karen took some pictures of the subject birds – while sober (the birds were for sure, I don’t know about Karen at the time of the photos), that are currently to be seen around Cary.

Cary, NC- The market for green products, those that waste less and leave a small carbon footprint, is one of the fastest  growing market segments. Sip…A Wine Store sells organic and sustainably produced wines and recently had Y + B Wines in for a tasting. Y+B’s sustainability pitch? No bottle.

No Bottle

Owner Matthew Cain started his brand of certified organic and sustainable wines in 2007 with their first Malbec. The line has grown to 5 varieties.

The first thing that stands out about the Y + B wines is the packaging. The bottles are boxes with a pour spout. These brightly packaged 1 liter boxes stand tall and pourable like a bottle and are one of the reasons the company remains carbon neutral.

Technically, the container is called a TetraPak cartons and is made primarily from paper. TetraPaks are super-popular in Europe, Canada and South America. We know them in America from juice boxes, organic milk and things like cooking broth.

Being Green

Did you know that the sheer weight and production of glass for wine making adds a great deal to the bottom line as empty bottles are shipped to the bottler, and then filled and shipped again to the distributor and then the store? Not to mention they need special packaging because bottles are fragile, but they are also HEAVY (a case of nine 1 liter bottles weighs 90 pounds!). Matthew’s boxes can be shipped flat to the bottler, popped open for filling and then tightly packed once filled.

This focus on being sustainable is where Matthew derived the brand name: The Y stands for Yellow and B for blue, combine these colors to produce green, which is their business focus.

The organic wine business, although only 3% of all wine sold, is the fastest growing segment, experiencing 35% growth last year. Y+B ‘s business has quadrupled since opening in their base town of Philadelphia.

And Then There’s the WINE

I sampled three of the five (it was lunchtime after all). I can attest that the two whites: a Sauvignon Blanc and a Torrontes were sublime. Haven’t tried a Torrontes? It is one of the oldest Argentinian varietals, dating back to the conquistadores. I enjoyed the aroma and the fruitiness on that early Spring afternoon.

All are priced at a reasonable $12.99 per liter. The packaging of wine has not changed much through the ages. Whether wine is packaged in glass or a box is a marketing choice and does not influence taste. In fact these organic wines can even improve after the bottle has been opened, even after 5 days, assured April. They even last longer than large batch commercial non-organic wines.

Fact: only 15% of all wine bottles are recycled. These boxes are fully recyclable, even the caps.

Try some sustainably organic wine, you’ll feel good inside and out!

Thanks you to April Schlanger of Sip…A Wine Store for the invite.

Cary, NC – This video, from the University of Pennsylvania, shows a swarm of Nano-Copters, little self-controlled flying machines, performing acrobatic tricks in the air.

Nano-Copters

Nano-Copters, also called Nano Quadrotors, are little flying robots, about the side of your hand.  Much of their functionality is self-controlled, like take-off and landing and collision avoidance. They can also be programmed to do swoops and turns and fly in complex formations.

This video (also on YouTube) from the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Lab (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception), shows the amazing capabilities of nano copters to fly in swarm like formations.

Science Technology Engineering and Math Series

The Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) series on CaryCitizen is sponsored by Citizen Websites.

Story from staff reports. Photo by Michael Mazengarb.

Cary, NC – Dorcas Ministries in Cary is all set to get free energy, and cash, from some unused rooftop space. Welcome to the green economy.

Solar Partnership

Dorcas Ministries, a Cary-based non-profit, will install 845 solar panels on 50,000 square feet of unused rooftop space.

The initiative is a partnership with Yes! Solar Solutions of Cary and Argand Energy Solutions of Durham. The installation will be the largest non-profit solar energy system in Wake County and one of the largest non-profit installations in the state of North Carolina.

Yes Solar and Argand will work side-by-side on the installation. Once operating, the system will produce 236.5 kilowatts of energy, enough juice to power approximately 28 small homes each year.

Free Energy and Cash to Burn

Under an innovative solar financing model, Argand Energy will own and operate the system and Dorcas Ministries will be able to use the solar-generated energy with no out-of-pocket expenses. The non-profit will receive lease payments for the otherwise unusable rooftop space. Energy from the system will be sold to Progress Energy.

Construction on the project is slated to begin immediately.

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photo by Buksy.

Cary, NC – Did you know the Town of Cary pays an average of $32 per ton in disposal fees to send trash to the landfill, and currently gets paid $18 per ton for all the items we recycle?  Cary recycles more than any other municipality in all of North Carolina. Each year more Cary trash gets recycled -it just makes sound fiscal sense.

Tune up your green lifestyle with 7 Spruce events this Spring.

1. Adopt-A-Spot

This program launched in September 2011. Modeled after Adopt-A-Highway, the program encourages  groups or individuals to literally adopt an area to keep litter-free. Care for a park, school, community center, library or other public or private area. After choosing an area, communicate your interest to Sarah Justice, the Town’s Conservation Specialist (by email or phone: 469-4301 ). Sarah will set you up with everything you need to be successful.

The Commitment

Groups must commit to 2 years with at least 4 work days per year.  Sarah will coordinate the work days,making sure groups have supplies- vests, trash pickers, gloves and bags, and will have a truck pick up the trash and recycling.  A special “Adopt A Spot” sign with the group’s name is posted in the area, publicizing their efforts.

Special Projects

Some projects are more extensive involving wetland restoration. For instance a boy scout troop has adopted an area of the Swift Creek Greenway near Ritter Park. Here the stream has been compromised and their work includes planting native vegetation which will act as natural filters for the stream.

As part of a test pilot program,  a girl scout area council has adopted the Compost Education Center near the Senior Center as part of their recognition of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. The group will compost food scraps from the senior center, and vegetable waste from the 5 raised garden beds and in turn use the compost to fertilize the garden.

2. Compost Give Away

March 10, 9am-noon, Garmon Operations Center at 400 James Jackson Ave.

This is a great way to make use of natural fertilizer for your garden. The compost is provided by McGill Environmental, the firm who contracts with the town to compost the town’s yard waste and Christmas trees. The event starts at 9am and compost will be given away while supplies last. Bring either 18-32 gallon containers, or pull up in the express lane if you have an open bed pickup truck or trailer. Its FREE.

3. Compost Workshop

March 13, 6:30-7:30pm -Cary Senior Center, Bond Park

Take going green a step further with your own vermicomposting bin using food scraps, yard waste, worms and scrap paper. In this free class you will learn all the basics of how to compost with worms and how to keep your bin in balance. At the end of the workshop,  you will be given your own starter container and worms to take home. This free class requires advance registration on the Town’s E-Z Reg website, using course # 57686 .

4. Arbor Day-Seedling Giveaway

Mar 17-10am-11:30am

Town Hall Campus, 316 N. Academy St.

Spruce volunteers will plant an honorary tree on town hall campus. Be a part of this annual celebration and receive your own free dogwood saplings. A certified arborist will be on hand to demonstrate how you can plant your tree and answer questions.

5. Spring Litter Sweep

April 14

Twice a year the town holds a big litter clean up and you can help by contacting Sarah Justice to find out where group sites are being set up. If you are a member of the Cary Teen Council, you can log in service hours and attend one of their specific sites. Have an area you think needs  a clean up? Contact Sarah Justice and let her know you would like to work there. She will make sure you have all the supplies you need and have the town pick up your trash and recyclables when you are done.

6. Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Garmon Operations Center- May 19

If you’re like me, you have cans of paint, household chemicals and outmoded electronics that you just don’t know what to do with. Year after year these items gather dust waiting to be thrown out- the Wake County Waste Center is too far, the hours aren’t convenient, so you hang onto the items indefinitely. Help is near at hand!

The town is hosting a free collection day where you can drive up to their central location and drop off these items. Mark your calendar now and start gathering what you wish to clear out of your basements, garages and storage spaces. Time is TBD.

ACCEPTED MATERIALS

• acids / bases
• automobile fluids / antifreeze
• batteries
• cooking oil / motor oil
• fire extinguishers (dry chemical)
• fluorescent light bulbs
• fuel oil / lighter fluid / kerosene
• household cleaners /chemicals
• mercury thermometers
• paints / lacquers / polishes
• pesticides / herbicides / poisons
• photographic chemicals
• solvents / thinners / wood preservatives
• home electronics

7. Compost Bin Sale

Garmon Operations Center- June 2, times TBD

Now that you have the “bug” to compost, purchase your own large compost bin at this town truckload sale. The bins come complete with a guide on proper compost methods so you can recycle your yard waste, and vegatable matter instead of sending them to the land fill.

Look for more events in the Fall including the second annual ReUse Rodeo!

Ask Sarah

Have questions, ideas, or you want to help? Contact Sarah Justice, Cary’s Conservation Specialist at (919)469-4301 or shoot her an email, I’m sure she’d like to hear from you!