A summary presentation of Earthcare projects completed in 2011, thanks to Quaker Earthcare Witness Mini-Grants

1. Quaker Earthcare Witness
Mini-Grants 2011
Bill Holcombe, Clerk
Housatonic (CT) MM NYYM

2. 2011 QEW Mini-Grants
• Environmental project matching grants for Quaker
meetings and partners
• Grant applicants match from their budget or fund-raising
• Grants Awarded:
– El Alto, Bolivia Tree Planting
– Miami FL Native Garden
– Saratoga Springs NY Rain Garden
– Vancouver Canada Drip Irrigation
– West VA Friends Wilderness Center LED Lighting
– Kenya: Munyu Youth Group Sericulture/Apiary

3. Miami MM Native Garden
• Goals:
– Beautify grounds with native plants
– Create native landscape to attract butterflies, bees and birds
– Lower energy use—no watering required
– Sustainable garden for education of local children
• Local community involvement; partners include:
– TREEmendous Miami
– Native Plant Society of South Dade
– Tropical Audobon Society
• Buildings & Grounds enlisted support of:
– First Day School Children ages 4 to 13
– Children & parents of neighboring Bilingual Coop Pre-school

4. Miami MM Garden Planting: Happy Helpers

5. Miami MM Garden Early Learning

6. Miami MM Children Discover a
Lovely Fungus

7. Miami MM Child Beholds a
Beautiful Spider Web

8. El Alto Proyecto de Arbolizacion
• Goals:
– Initiate tree planting in treeless high altitude environment
– Beautify grounds around the church
– Over 100 trees planted
– Demonstrate possibility of trees survival at altitude
• Local community involvement; partners include:
– Local Youth Group of Young Friends
– Mayor’s Office donates trees to project

9. El Alto Bolivia
Tree Planting
Project
First ever tree
planting in one of
America’s highest
populated places.

10. El Alto: Lining Up the Job

11. El Alto: Laying the Ground Work for Tree Planting

12. El Alto: Community Pitches in to get Planting
under way

13. Saratoga Springs, NY Rain Garden
• Rain Garden Project Goals:
– Redress drainage problems on grounds
– Redress splashing on clapboard Meeting House walls
– Beautify grounds with native plants
– Create native landscape to attract butterflies, wild bees and birds
– Lower water use
– Limit runoff in to septic system
– Sustainable garden for education of local children
• Other Benefits include:
– Use of Compost on grounds
– Educational opportunities for First Day School children
– Involvement/contributions from many members

14. Vancouver Drip Irrigation
• Drip Irrigation Project Goals:
– Demonstrate viability of drip irrigation
– Reduce water use by 50%
– Install drip irrigation for 100 ft perennial bed
– Save time and money
• Local Meeting involvement:
– Resident Friend to purchase materials & install system
– Expertise/advice donated locally
– Costs kept to a minimum
– Project came in at less than projected $150 total

15. Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project

16. Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project: coming in on
time and under modest budget of $120

17. Vancouver Drip Irrigation Project: Resourceful
Canadians produce big bang for small bucks

18. West Virginia Friends Wilderness
Center
• West Virginia Wilderness Center LED Lighting Goals:
– Increase Lighting level
– Lower costs
– Lower energy Usage
• Follow Ups:
– Before & After photos in progress
– Costs and energy usage measures to be taken over time

19. Kenya Munyu Youth Group
• Goals:
– Involve Youth Group in agriculture development & education
– Develop existing tree nursery using indigenous trees
– Initiate sericulture (silk worms) and apiary (bees) projects
– Plant indigenous trees and strawberry plants worms feed on
– Develop business to redress poverty among locals
• Other Benefits include:
– Educate Local Youth Group of Young Friends
– Involve Friends and Advancement for non-members
• Photos and Progress Reports over Life of 2 Year Project

20. Direction & Pipeline 2012
• Non-U.S. applicants
• Increase in partnership projects
• New Application form
• New Grant Limit: $350
• Increase in project variation and
scope
• We welcome more project applications!

21. How YOU can help:
• CONTRIBUTE to mini-grant fund with a
fund-raiser or by direct contributions
• Contributions of carbon offsets for trips may be
donated to QEW for the Mini-Grant Fund.
• Plan an environmental project for your Quaker
meeting, church, or group.
• Application resides: <www.quakerearthcare.org>.
• Contact Bill Holcombe at bholc7@hotmail.com
• Deadline: May 2, 2012.