Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living
The Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living works to create ecologically healthy communities by bringing sustainable living practices from around the world to Southeastern New England. We help people and institutions understand the connections between lifestyle choices and the environment -- the web of systems we live in and rely upon for life. We support and facilitate environmentally friendly building, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and business practices and the integration of sustainability into all aspects of society. We believe:
- Sustainability should be an integral part of all decisions our society makes.
- An awareness of the interconnectedness of all life combined with a long term, global perspective, is essential for ensuring a sustainable future.
- Sustainable communities should support economic, environmental, physical and spiritual well-being.
- Our organization must model sustainability in all its activities through efforts such as conservation, recycling and use of environmentally sound technologies.
For the last ten years, Apeiron has been working to make the vision of living sustainably a reality for all in our state. We brought together 2,000 volunteers and 120 businesses to complete the most environmentally designed building in the state -- our Center for Environmental Living, in Coventry, RI. Located on the 55-acre campus of the Nickerson House Camp Hamilton, the center uses 70% less energy than a typical building its size and showcases over 50 environmental building technologies. Through after-school programs and field trips to our site, we educate hundreds of students each year. For adults we produce cutting edge programs and workshops that offer practical solutions to save money, improve health and live more lightly on the earth.
Every year Apeiron hosts The Rhode Island Sustainable Living Festival & Clean Energy Expo, www.livingfest.org, that brings together thousands of people for a day of education, entertainment and family fun. The Sustainable RI Web Directory http://directory.sustainableri.org/ gives thousands of people each month easy access to the people and organizations working to create a sustainable world right in their hometown. We've also been working recently to bring people and resources together to transform RI into "the nation's first sustainable state".
Look for updates on our website www.apeiron.org.
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
The Audubon Society of Rhode Island (ASRI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1897 whose mission is: to carry out a broad program of public environmental education, to foster conservation of wild birds and other animal and plant life, to conserve wildlife habitat and unique areas through acquisition and other means, to focus public attention on natural resource problems as necessary, and to do all other things necessary to foster better management of the natural environment for the benefit of humans and all other life.
ASRI offers programs at our Environmental Education Center in Bristol, at our refuges around the state, and at schools throughout Southern New England. Our Environmental Education programs are standards-based and designed to be hands-on with a low student to Audubon educator ratio. The programs promote inquiry-based learning and are adapted for appropriate grade levels. Check out our Environmental Education Programs and Resources Brochure at www.asri.org.
The Norman Bird Sanctuary is a non-profit wildlife refuge and environmental education center located in Middletown, Rhode Island. The Sanctuary has more than three hundred acres of diverse ecosystems and seven miles of trails for the enjoyment and education of the public. In addition to beautiful outdoor environments, a small nature museum, universally accessible classrooms and a knowledgeable education staff provide audiences of all ages with wonderful opportunities for hands-on experiences in the natural world.
The Ocean State Environmental Education Collaborative
Save The Bay,
Rhode Island Zoological Society, Groundwork Providence and the Norman
Bird
Sanctuary have a common belief: the quality of life in our communities is
directly linked to the quality of our environment. Through education,
all
four organizations empower citizens to improve life in Rhode Island and grow
a sustainable future. With our cooperative effort, entitled the Ocean
State
Environmental Education Collaborative (OSEEC), we have been able to build
upon our organizations' common vision and expand our capacity to reach
Rhode
Island children. OSEEC has accomplished this by facilitating high quality
environmental education programs via our AmeriCorps team for hundreds
of
students, primarily in Newport and the Greater Providence area.
RI Department of Environmental Management Division of Forest Environment
The Division of Forest Environment manages 40,000 acres of state-owned rural forestland. It coordinates a statewide forest fire protection plan, provides forest fire protection on state lands, assists rural volunteer fire departments, and develops forest and wildlife management plans for private landowners who choose to manage their property in ways that will protect these resources on their land. The Program promotes public understanding of environmental conservation, enforces Department rules and regulations on DEM lands, and assists the federal government in providing landowner assistance programs.
Moreover, additional Program mandates are: to monitor and recommend controls for insects and disease, to work with communities promoting urban tree health, to license arborists, and to certify forest land under the state's Farm, Forest and Open Space Act.
Major functions carried out by the Program include: Operation& Maintenance of 40,000 acres (6% of the state's land area), Forest Fire Control, Law Enforcement, Forest Management, Insect & Disease Management, Forest Health Monitoring, Landowner Assistance Programs, Urban and Community Forestry Program, Conservation Education Program, Forest Legacy Acquisition Program, Timber Sales, Arborist Licensing - Tree Warden, and Recreation Management.
Roger Williams Park Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Providence and is supported by the Rhode Island Zoological Society. The Zoo is home to hundreds of rare and fascinating animals from around the world including snow leopards, moon bears, giraffes and elephants. The Zoo's population numbers over 1000 animals, with some 139 different species on display at any given time. Today, fostering awareness and appreciation of wildlife serve as major goals of Roger Williams Park Zoo.
The
ultimate living classroom, close to 650,000 people visited the Zoo over
the past year; more than 65,000 school children students participated
in formal education programs including Zoo Camps, activities at the Zoo Lab,
and classroom visits from the Zoomobile.
Rose Island Lighthouse
Foundation
Established in 1870, Rose Island Lighthouse was restored and relit in 1993 by the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation (RILF). The Foundation has used this historic site as a hands-on demonstration center and living classroom to teach stewardship, conservation and sustainable living through responsible use of natural resources. The light house is isolated on an 18-acre island a mile off shore in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Without city services or utilities, it relies on wind and rain for electric power and for water, plus the resourcefulness of its keepers and visitors who monitor and maintain the system.
Rose Island's terrestrial ecosystem includes abundant bird life and rich vegetation, while its marine environment includes rocky and sandy beaches, tide pools, eelgrass beds, fish, shellfish and harbor seals. All aspects of the island's history and ecology are integrated into diverse education programs: school field trips, classroom presentations, around-the-island boat tours, service projects, overnights and week-long Keeper programs that promote stewardship of both the natural and built environments.
For more information, please visit our website at www.roseisland.org.
Save The Bay is a non-profit organization working to protect, restore and explore Narragansett Bay and its watershed. Founded in 1970, the organization was founded on the community's desire to protect our most precious resource.
Save The Bay believes that most people want what's best for Narragansett Bay and its watershed. The better people understand this marvelous ecosystem, the better Bay stewards they become. That is why education is a key component of our mission. We provide school programs in classrooms, along our shores and wetlands and aboard Save The Bay's marine vessels, Alletta Morris or Swift. All Save The Bay programs are designed to be a vehicle to aid teachers in helping their students achieve the new Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations for Science. In addition, the Save The Bay Exploration Center in Newport is an interactive hands-on marine science learning center that offers educational programs and activities for school groups, families and children interested in learning more about Narragansett Bay. With over 13 tanks and exhibits and over 150 species of animals that call Narragansett Bay home, the Exploration Center is a must for all wanting to learn more about Narragansett Bay and make a difference in its health.
For more information and a calendar of events, please visit our website, www.savebay.org.
Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association
Since its inception in 1983, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association's (WPWA) mission has been to promote and protect the integrity of the lands and waters of the Pawcatuck Watershed. This Watershed encompasses a 300 square mile area of land, including all or portions of fourteen communities of southern RI, CT, and the Narragansett Indian Reservation. WPWA is a private, nonprofit organization funded by member dues; member, corporate, and municipal contributions; and foundation grants. WPWA is recognized as an outspoken voice working for those who use and enjoy the Wood and Pawcatuck Rivers. Many of WPWA's activities are directed towards educating and informing residents and visitors about the watershed's "unique and irreplaceable resources," as described by the National Park Service.
WPWA encourages all citizens, students, and government officials to become stewards of the land and water resources.
Educational programs include teacher training in the Active Watershed Education (AWESome!) curriculum, classroom programs on groundwater, river ecology, and water quality monitoring. Field trips are also available at the WPWA campus involving kayaking the Wood River and stream sampling for macroinvertebrates and fish.
