Sep 02, 2010
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Upcoming Events

Bridging The Gap's Scheduled Events

Bridging The Gap also offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.
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Sustainability Workshops at Shadowcliff

  • August 30-September 3 - Moving Sustainability to Implementation; Co-sponsored by EPA Region 7 & Region 8
  • September 10-September 15 - Making The Shift; Education & Engagement to Leadership Open with Eban Goodstein, PhD and Jeff hohensee as Faculty
  • September 19-23 - Strategic Visioning Forum: Creating a Sustainable Future, with Bob Simmons, Principal at Bob@Continuedsuccess.com

For more information about the workshops, CLICK HERE.

Rain Barrel Workshops

To register for a workshop please contact Sadie Gardner at 816-561-1061, ext. 126 unless otherwise noted.
All workshops will be held at 3 Trails Community Recycling Center unless otherwise noted.

  • September 29, 6:00 - 7:00 PM - Please note: This workshop is hosted by Communiversity at 3 Trails Community Recycling Center. To register, please call 816-235-1448 or go to http://web2.umkc.edu/commu/
  • October 16, 2:00-3:00 PM - Please note: This workshop is hosted by Communiversity at 3 Trails Community Recycling Center. To register, please call 816-235-1448 or go to http://web2.umkc.edu/commu/

More rain barrel information

Tree Keepers: Volunteer Training for a Healthy Community Forest

Heartland Tree Alliance is once again offering its popular 16-hour Tree Keepers course, which provides extensive training on trees and tree care from experienced, certified arborists and foresters. Graduates will become eligible to volunteer at HTA’s many pruning events and are asked to provide 24 hours of volunteer service with HTA to help care for young trees on public property in the Kansas City region. The cost of the course is $75. The next course is scheduled to begin in late summer or early fall at a location TBA. Click here for more details. For more information please email treemail@bridgingthegap.org.

Community Shredding Events

Bridging The Gap is partnering with PROSHRED® to offer community shredding and recycling events to help combat identity theft and increase paper recycling.

  • Saturday, September 18, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 3 Trails Community Recycling Center
  • Saturday, September 18, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Metro North Community Recycling Center

    Suggested donation is $5 for a small amount and $10 for a large amount. All proceeds will benefit Bridging The Gap. PROSHRED® lis a locally owned and nationally supported company specializing in secure mobile document destruction.

Community Events

(not sponsored by Bridging The Gap)

Whole Foods Market at 119th Street, Overland Park - August and September events

Let Whole Foods Market get you ready for Back to School! Learn how to make healthy school snacks on Wednesday, August at 4:00 PM or have your kids join the Back to School Hands on Healthy Cooking Class on Saturday, August 28 at 11:00 AM. 

Enjoy live music, food, and free activities for the kids on September 4, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the Farmers and Food Artisans Road Tour!  Be sure to stop by and say hello at the Bridging The Gap table!

For more exciting events at the 119th Street store, click here

Community Shredding Events

PROSHRED® is offering community shredding and recycling events to help combat identity theft and increase paper recycling.

  • Saturday, September 25, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    8001 Longview Road, Kansas City, Missouri

The purpose of these Community Shredding Events is to provide an opportunity for the public to ensure their personal and confidential materials are securely destroyed in PROSHRED's state-of-the-art mobile shredding vehicles prior to leaving the site. In addition to helping lower identity theft, several of these events allow for donations to various not-for-profit organizations. 100 percent of the shredded material is later recycled.

Identity fraud is the fastest growing non-violent crime in America. Impacting nearly nine million victims each year, close to 75 percent of cases are a result of paper documents getting into the wrong hands. Proper destruction of confidential documents is a critical step in ensuring that you, your family members and your customers don’t become victims.

PROSHRED® lis a locally owned and nationally supported company specializing in secure mobile document destruction.

Any questions should be directed to the PROSHRED® office at 913-327-8889.

Community Forum on Kansas Environmental Issues

Thursday, October 7, 2010 at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kansas

“Quantity and Quality: Critical Water Issues in Kansas”
The Community Forum is an annual event sponsored by Kansas Natural Resource Council (KNRC) and the Prairie Village Environmental Committee. This year Friends of the Kaw is joining those two organizations to sponsor the program about critical water issues in Kansas.

5:30 PM - Appetizers and Exhibits by Environmental Organizations
6:00 PM - Supper of locally grown foods catered by Blue Bird Bistro
7:00 PM - Program: “Quantity and Quality: Critical Water Issues in Kansas”

This year’s Forum features a panel of experts discussing current water issues such as: Is Kansas running out of water, using rivers for recreation, conservation, pollution, and quality of our drinking water. Panel members will include John Mitchell, Director of Environment at Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Laura Calwell, Friends of the Kaw (FOK) and Dave Murphy, Kansas Natural Resource Council (KNRC). Q&A will follow as time permits. Plan now to join us for this lively event highlighting one of our most precious natural resources

Advance reservations are needed by Oct. 1st. A donation of $20 per person is requested to cover expenses. Reservations will be accepted beginning September 1. Send check made to KNRC/Community Forum to: KNRC/Community Forum, 7301 Mission Rd., Suite 248, Prairie Village, KS 66208. Your check confirms your reservation.

Questions: Call Mary Helen Korbelik at 913-362-6463 or e-mail Kathy Riordan at kfriordan@kc.rr.com. Environmental organizations wanting to reserve table space for exhibits contact Margaret Thomas at margaretgthomas@gmail.com.

"Green on Green" Sustainability Fair – City of Lee’s Summit – October 9

Saturday, October 9, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM on Green Street between 2nd and 3rd streets in downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The fair’s focus is to educate residents and business owners about simple and complex sustainable practices that can be implemented at home and work in order to improve the sustainability of the community.

The "Green on Green" Sustainability Fair is hosted by the City of Lee’s Summit, in partnership with the Lee’s Summit 360: Charting Tomorrow strategic planning group.

The city is currently looking for vendors. For event or vendor information, contact the city’s Environmental Programs Coordinator Kara Taylor at 816-969-1804 or kara.taylor@cityofls.net.

Ongoing Events

(Sponsored by Bridging The Gap and Community Organizations)

Sustainability Presentations Available!

Are you interested in steps you can take to live more sustainably? We will schedule a speaker to come to your community groups and give short presentations about specific solutions to our planet’s environmental challenges. Call Amy Smith at 816-561-1061, ext. 122 or amy.smith@bridgingthegap.org.

Eco Radio KC - Weekly Ecological Issues Radio Show

Tuesdays at Noon on KKFI-FM 90.1, Kansas City Community Radio. Listen by radio, or on web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/.

Habitat for Humanity Recycling Fundraiser

Habitat for Humanity Kansas City will be accepting aluminum cans and paper products at the1423 E Linwood office parking lot as an ongoing fundraising effort. For questions or to volunteer, call Craig Colbert at 816-924-1096, ext. 104.

Green Drinks KC - Third Thursday of every month

Green Drinks KC is an opportunity to meet up for friendly, lively conversation with an interesting mix of like-minded people. The goal of Green Drinks KC is pretty simple: good times shared among people working in, or interested in, environmental and sustainability issues.

These monthly events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have made friends, developed new ideas and found employment. Each Green Drinks KC event features plenty of time to socialize and network as well as a guest speaker with discussion on a different topic every month.

There is no pressure, commitment or RSVP involved, just an opportunity to surround yourself with others that have an interest in environmental-sustainability issues. Show up to Green Drinks KC when you can, discuss what's on your mind and leave when you want.
Details:

  • Third Thursday of every month from 6:00 - 9:00 PM (Speaker from 7:00 - 8:00 PM)
  • Raffle
  • You need not drink alcohol to attend

For more information, contact greendrinkskc@communitymail.net or visit www.greendrinks.org.

KCP&L Energy Optimizer Program

Energy Optimizer is an innovative energy-saving program that can help you save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling bills, help Kansas City Power & Light manage the increasing demand for electricity, and promote a cleaner environment for future generations. More than 23,000 Kansas City area residents and businesses are participating, with more joining every day!

To qualify for the Energy Optimizer program, you must be a KCP&L customer and have a central air conditioning system that is in good working condition. Call now to sign up at 816-561-1087, or enroll online at www.kcpl.com/energyoptimizer.