Golfing Green on the Seacoast

At the Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club in North Hampton, maintaining grass is a science. And that’s a very good thing. Did you know there are six golf courses in just the Winnicut River watershed alone? And that’s just one small portion of the estuary.

It should come as no surprise that fertilizer is considered one of the major sources of nitrogen pollution. Homeowners – along with farmers – are the biggest users of fertilizer in the watershed. Fertilizer is also used on athletic fields and golf courses.

As Waterkeeper, part of Peter Wellenberger's job is to educate people on how they, as individuals, can help protect the Great Bay estuary from pollution. As documented in PREP’s 2013 State of the Estuaries report, there are increasing nitrogen concentrations in Great Bay. The loss of eelgrass – the cornerstone of the Great Bay ecosystem – is a major cause of concern. Reducing sources of nitrogen pollution – along with other pollutants such as pesticides – is essential to improving water quality.

Sagamore-Hampton is setting an example for other golf courses and the rest of us to follow. According to Richard Luff, President and co-owner, “The Golf Club has been naturally maintained since its inception in the early 60′s, perfecting a maintenance program that is nearly 90% independent of chemically-based fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.”

On the greens, the weeds are hand-picked instead of using herbicides. On the fairways they cultivate multiple grass species as opposed to a mono culture. This creates a patchwork of grass species that are less susceptible to disease, drought, and pests. They also allow clover, a nitrogen fixing plant, to grow freely on the fairways, tees, and in the rough. When fertilizer is applied they only use an organic, slow release nitrogen mix that is up to 70-90 percent water insoluble. As Richard noted, the key to low input course management is often waiting and seeing, not over reacting and treating.

Last year, the Club decided to go one step further and join the Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf. Audubon provides information to help golf course personnel with the key environmental components including chemical use reduction, water quality management and conservation, wildlife and habitat management, and outreach and education. Audubon’s real goal is to make us better stewards of our natural resources. As noted in their program statement, “The strongest part of the certification process is that it forces us to rethink our methods and manner of conducting business. It challenges our “status quo” by directing our thoughts and actions toward environmental awareness and changes our definitions of responsibility.”

To qualify for the program, the club had to initiate a comprehensive water quality monitoring program that looked at physical parameters, nutrients, and the presence of macro invertebrates. With the certification process now complete, the club is required to conduct periodic water quality testing. Wellenberger will be working with the UNH Sea Grant Citizen Research Volunteer (CRV) program to implement testing three times a year.

If you play golf, he highly encourages you to check out the course and learn more about their environmental practices (like CLF, they also are a member of the Green Alliance). And if you are a homeowner and would like to reduce your impacts through better management practices, you can read his previous blog on Lawn Tips for a Healthy Great Bay. You can also read about New Castle’s Lawn to Lobsters program that is designed to assist homeowners in managing their properties.

For more information about the Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper and Peter Wellenberger's work to protect the Great Bay estuary, visit: http://www.clf.org/great-bay-waterkeeper/. You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

The New Hampshire chapter of the Conservation Law Foundation is now a proud partner of the Green Alliance. The Green Alliance is now offering a special co-membership deal: $50 for one year's membership in the Green Alliance, and 2012 calendar year membership in CLF! For more information, please click here!

Tree Companies to Go Out on a Limb for Arbor Day

KITTERY, Maine — Friday is Arbor Day, and what better reason for tree companies to honor Arbor Day than through volunteering to take care of the green giants?

The Seacoast Arborist Collaborative, a four-company group that includes Cornerstone Tree Care and Piscataqua Tree Care, celebrates Arbor Day by donating services— which it has done for the last five years — to help care for trees in a public park. This year’s event will start at 8:30 a.m. at Fort Foster, in Kittery Point. Upwards of eight internationally certified arborists from the four companies will be present and available for questions throughout the park for the day.

Everyone is invited to this event to watch the work unfold and learn something about the newest techniques and information in the field of arboriculture and the diverse trees that scatter our coastal landscape.

Started in 1872, nationally celebrated Arbor Day is a time to recognize the beauty and importance of trees, prompting both individuals and organizations to not only plant and care for trees on that day, but also all year-round.

“It’s our way of giving back to our community,” says Chris Kemp of Piscataqua Tree Care. “We formed the group called the Seacoast Arborist Collaborative. We all live and work on the Seacoast. Yes, we do all compete against each other. But most importantly, we share the same passion for trees, a passion that has helped forge a friendship among the companies. And above it all, we have a healthy and respectful competition.”

Minute Men Painters Goal: Exceed Customers’ Expectations

PORTSMOUTH — “If you are doing your job right, the customers will spread the word.”

So says Sean Sturk, co-owner with Chris Tufts of Minute Men Painters, both men dedicated to providing the highest quality professional services, a business model they have relentlessly pursued not only because quality work is a value in and of itself, but also because happy customers spread the word, a necessity in what has been a down economy.

Minute Men Painters is a licensed and insured residential and commercial painting company committed to providing reliable and professional services to every improvement project. It also has taken substantial steps to fully offer sustainable goods or services, specializes in using approved green paints and non-toxic, environ-friendly products. And it is practicing an impressive number of green business techniques.

“Minute Men Painters employ top-quality materials and workmanship to protect and beautify your home or business,” says Sturk. “Our goal is to exceed your expectations.”

The company conscientiously differentiates itself as an upfront type of company. “There are A and B businesses, and Minute Men is an A business,” Sturk explains, concerned with protecting his customers from liability claims by having a fully funded workmen’s compensation policy for his seven full-time employees. However, many Minute Men competitors are better described as “painting contractors,” adjusting their business to the size of their workload by using painting subcontractors who may have only small insurance liability policies.

Don't Miss the Boat of Isle of Shoals Steamship Company's New Website!

The new and improved Isles of Shoals Steamship Company website is officially up and running! Faster and more efficient than ever, this new website features some great new tools that can help you stay connected with everything going on at the ISSCo. Keep up to date with the new interactive calendar as well as new website videos and share with your friends using the new social media options!

Speaking of ISSCo events, don’t forget the upcoming Cinco de Mayo upcoming "Party Ship" cruise. Party the night away with some amazing people, groovy music, and drinks. Did I add that a portion of all ticket sales helps the Make-A-Wish Foundation too? For more info and tickets checkout the event page!

Green Earth Baby Works Expands to Portland!

Attention Maine residents: New Hampshire’s one and only diaper service, Green Earth Baby Works of Epping, NH, has recently announced its expansion into the Portland area of Maine, allowing all growing families in the area to breathe a sigh of relief.

GEBW’s unique service provides weekly delivery and pick-up of reusable diapers. It is specifically designed for growing green families who don’t want to use those environmentally hazardous disposable diapers, but also don’t have time to keep washing loads of disposable diapers—all for just $25 a week.

Since 2009, the New Hampshire-based business has expanded into the surrounding states of Maine and Massachusetts to satisfy demand while promoting green parenting. While before, GEBW’s services could only reach the few southern towns of York, Elliot, and Kittery, Maine, it now has the resources to serve the area of Portland, Maine as well!

Kim Leo, founder and president of GEBW, started the business in 2009 after living the reality of being the “green” mom of two children. While she hated the idea of disposable diapers and resolved to use reusable cloth diapers, she still constantly had problems finding green baby products and information in her area.

After accumulating a whole room of products and even more expertise in the matter, she decided to start Green Earth Baby Works to help other new parents in her community find greener ways to raise their families.

GEBW also has its own store in Epping, NH, where families can learn more about green baby products and purchase their own cloth diapers along with a wide variety of green baby products including wraps and carriers, laundry products, clothing items, accessories, and more!

To learn more about Green Earth Baby Works, please visit www.greenearthbabyworks.com.

Green Card holders: Use your Green Card to save 10% on a year's service with GEBW, and get the 13th month FREE! Also, save 10% on all products and accessories!

Local green economy on the rise in spite of economic challenges

What is it about a place that makes you proud to call it home? For most, local pride is rarely found in chain restaurants, franchised merchants or corporate superstores, but rather instilled by the characteristically charming businesses and landmarks that reflect the locale in its own right.

Even before the 2008-marked start of the national recession, economic hardship persisted for local businesses in competition with larger companies that prioritized profit above all other business strategies, including the ethical and sustainable approaches that many small, local businesses were founded upon. It seems obvious to point out the imbalance with pitting corporations that maximize profit by any means necessary against those that practice environmental responsibility and social integrity every step of the way. Yet without change, “business as usual” continues to favor power and profit at the loss of stable local economies.

For Seacoast New Hampshire, change began in 2009 with the start of the Green Alliance. A small business itself, founded by Kittery native Sarah Brown, the Green Alliance was established with the mission to grow businesses that are not only local but also those that strive to redefine industry standards to include environmental accountability, social equality and community involvement.

Four years later, the Green Alliance proudly partners with more than 115 businesses that demonstrate social and environmental sustainability. Through a unique journalistic-style approach to marketing, the GA provides information on local businesses while keeping the community abreast with the latest environmental news and events. Each partnering business of the Green Alliance also undergoes a comprehensive sustainability certification to make company practices and initiatives transparent to consumers.

The Children's Museum of New Hampshire Consignment Sale

It’s never too early to start teaching our children about green ideas. That is why the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire has an event this weekend to do just that—all while getting some spring shopping done! April 26th and 27th, a Consignment Sale will be held at the Dover Elks Lodge at 282 Durham Road, Dover, NH. The sale will last from 9:00am to 8:00pm on Friday, and from 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday.

This sale is also sponsored by none other than Green Alliance and GA partners Acorn School, Seacoast Volkswagon, and Little Tree Education! Green Earth Baby Works, another proud GA partner and the only re-usable diaper service in New Hampshire, will also be at the sale offering green baby clothing items and products!

For those who are unfamiliar, a consignment sale is where people sell gently used clothing and other items at a reduced rate. Sales such as this not only help people clean out their closets and buy quality items for cheap, but also promote sustainability by reducing the demand for new clothes to be manufactured.

The Children’s Museum Consignment Sale this weekend plans to offer gently used, good quality children’s clothes, baby clothes and gear, toys, shoes, sports equipment, nursery furniture and décor, music and videos, costumes and books. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire.

Looking to consign? Consignors earn 60% of all revenue made from their sold items. It is a great opportunity to clean out your kids’ closets, all while recycling and supporting a great cause.

Consignors, along with Presale Passholders, also get the chance to check out the sale before the public at the Private Presale from 5-8 pm on Thursday, April 25th.

For more information on the sale, or to register as a consignor or Presale Passholder, click here!