Dallas Author Anna Clark Releases Green, American Style: Becoming Earth-Friendly and Reaping the Benefits

GREEN LIVING CAN SAVE YOUR FAMILY $7,000 PER YEAR

New Book Offers 85 Ways to Save Money, Get Healthy and Protect Your Future

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Launching on April 1, Green, American Style: Becoming Earth-Friendly and Reaping the Benefits (978-0-8010-1334-8, $14.99, April 2010) by Anna M. Clark is the first book to address the hidden reasons why Americans aren’t going green - while offering common-sense advice to appeal to people of every political persuasion.

Whether you call yourself conservative or liberal, a soccer mom or CEO, a teacher or a student, most can agree that our paychecks are pinched and we want to do right by our children. In Green, American Style, Clark offers 85 practical ways to draw the benefits of living a ‘green’ lifestyle. Many of these ideas cost no money and are behavioral changes that can help us save money, protect our families, bolstering our communities, and model leadership for our children.

“It’s about gaining more money, time, opportunity, health and well-being,” says Clark. She makes a special appeal to women, as they are responsible for 80% of the buying decisions in their households.“We need to preserve the health and future of our kids. People have no idea that what they don’t know can hurt them. The principles and ideas in my book can help parents protect their children from the toxins in our food, air and water.” But make no mistake, this is also about fun. “I’ve included chapters on green games, green home remodeling, green grocery shopping – even sustainable wines and eco-chic clothes. I want people to enjoy themselves while making a difference!” The author provides some free suggestions from her book life in a series of videos on her website.

Green, American Style contains fresh content from personal interviews with green luminaries ranging from clean-energy billionaire T. Boone Pickens to healthy-living author and philanthropist Deirdre Imus. This book’s uniquely American perspective speaks into readers’ own paradigms, taking into account the largely conservative values of much of this country, its democratic and capitalistic history, its emphasis on family and its resistance to reining in. It is more than a list of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. It’s a movement that accounts for the diverse perspectives of business, faith, and lifestyle, recognizing the economic, physical, and spiritual benefits of sustainable living.

Anna M. Clark is president of EarthPeople and an author on topics of sustainability and leadership. Clark and her family live in Dallas in one of Texas’ first residences to earn a Platinum LEED-certified rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ at every level with books that are relevant, intelligent and engaging. The focus of Baker Books is the church and discerning lay Christians who want to stimulate their thinking. For more information, please visit www.bakerbooks.com.

Apply for a temporary job with the U.S. Census

Conducting the census is a huge undertaking. Hundreds of thousands of census takers are needed nationwide to help locate households and conduct brief personal interviews with residents.

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. These short-term jobs offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses such as mileage incurred while conducting census work.

Census jobs are excellent for people who want to work part-time, those who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community.

All census takers must be able to speak English, but people who have bilingual skills are needed in Fort Worth. Most positions require a valid driver’s license and use of a vehicle.

Apply today by calling 866-861-2010 or visiting the Census jobs site. A Spanish website is also available.

Fort Worth Budget 2010

Public Notice
Notice is hereby given that the Fort Worth City Council began the FY 2010 Budget process on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, with the receipt of the proposed budget.  Public Hearings on the proposed budget will be held in the Council Chamber, Fort Worth City Hall, 1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, Texas, 76102, on the following dates and times:

10 a.m. Aug. 18
10 a.m. Aug. 25
7 p.m. Sept. 1
7 p.m. Sept. 8
This budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $8,414,102 or 2.4 percent, and of that amount $13,229,562.00 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.

Fort Worth taxpayers may attend these public meetings and may participate in the public hearings.  The proposed budget is available for inspection by any taxpayer at the City’s branch libraries, regional libraries, the City Secretary’s Office or via the link at the top of this Web page.

Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge Hardwicke Interpretive Center Grand Re-Opening

The Fort Worth Nature Center will celebrate the completion of improvement projects with a grand re-opening of the visitor center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, July 4.

The Nature Center and Refuge has seen a few major changes and improvements over the past several months.  While the 3,621-acre refuge remained open, the Hardwicke Interpretive Center which is the main visitor center, was closed to the public.

During the four-month shutdown many new improvements were made:

    * A new porous surfaced parking lot with rain collecting bio-swales was constructed. The new design allows for additional parking spaces for the public.
    * Outdated sidewalks were replaced with new modern surfaces.  Steps were replaced with slopes, allowing wheel-chair access around the entire visitors’ center.
    * The Limestone Ledge Trail was resurfaced with crushed limestone, a surface that accommodates hikers with limited mobility.
    * New informational kiosks and signage at the Nature Center assist visitors to learn about the trails, habitats and new improvements found at the refuge.

A short program and tour of the new improvements will be offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. 

A live animal ambassador station will be set up between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. providing an opportunity for guests to interact with some of the animals.

At 2 p.m. Steve Woodard from The Wild Bird Center will give a presentation in the Hardwick Interpretive Center auditorium on how to attract wildlife to your backyard.  He will be discussing the latest techniques and equipment used today.

To learn more, visit the Nature Center Web site.

Storm Drains Are Not for Grass Clippings and Leaves

Storm Drains Are Not for Grass Clippings and Leaves
They may be small, but they add up.

Grass clippings and leaves blown into the street during yard maintenance don’t just disappear, they end up in the nearest creek.

When it rains, anything in the street washes into storm drains that lead to area creeks and rivers.

Why should you be concerned? Organic matter such as grass and leaves can cause odors in neighborhood creeks and drainage problems that lead to flooding.

So what’s the best place for yard trimmings?
• Blow grass clippings back onto the lawn, where they become a natural fertilizer.
• Rake or blow leaves into a compost pile, where they can decompose without odor.

If lawn maintenance workers use leaf blowers on your yard, ask them not to blow grass clippings and leaves into the street or down storm drain inlets — those rectangular holes cut into street curbs.

The storm water system is designed to drain rain and only rain, keeping large amounts of water from flooding homes and property during storms.

To learn more, call 817-392-8100.

Fort Worth Commission for Women Announces Outstanding Women of Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Commission for Women continues its annual tradition of honoring exemplary women in the field of advocacy for women’s issues at a presentation of Outstanding Women of Fort Worth on March 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria on the third floor of City Hall. Honorees will also be presented at a City Council meeting at 7 p.m. that same day.

The Fort Worth City Council created the Fort Worth Commission for Women in 1983 to act in an advisory capacity to the Council and to study women’s issues that are important to the community. The Outstanding Women of Fort Worth recognize women in the community for their efforts, talents and skills addressing issues of importance to women as well as for their advocacy.

The Outstanding Women Awards for 2009 will be presented to:

Outstanding Women in the Workplace
Heidi Cox, General Counsel, Gladney Center for Adoption

Heidi Cox has served the Gladney Center for Adoption as general counsel for nearly 20 years. She has impacted thousands of lives for the better — adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees. The legal process is critical to a successful adoption. Cox’s professionalism has consistently provided all members of the adoption triad with the confidence they need to move forward with their plans. She has helped facilitate more than 2,000 adoptions; not a single one has encountered a successful legal challenge.

Cox’s impact extends nationally. She has influenced pro-adoption and pro-family legislation in Austin and Washington, D.C., and has used her position as a board member of the National Council for Adoption as a platform to advocate for positive change for American families.

Sue Mahoney, Housing & Volunteer Coordinator, Samaritan House

Sue Mahoney’s position at Samaritan House as Housing and Volunteer Coordinator means much more to her than finding housing for individuals and families with HIV and AIDS. Her days and nights are filled with visiting families’ onsite at the Villages of Samaritan House and going into the field where residents live in apartments and homes. The purpose of her visits to clients is to make sure they are healthy, clothed, paying their bills, keeping their medical appointments, attending group meetings and that their kids are going to school.

“I have been with Sue when she received a call from one client who had just left court to regain custody of her daughter. I’ve been with Sue when she received a call from a hospital informing her that one of her clients had died. I was with Sue when a story written by an 11-year-old boy was read as part of a children’s book on AIDS,” said Marcy Paul, chair of the Fort Worth Commission for Women.

The story was about Sue Mahoney. “We (four children and two parents) were living in a one-bedroom house and when we kids got cold we had to lie in front of the stove to get warm. And then one day, an angel appeared at our door. She had a smiling face and wore khaki pants. She moved us to a three-bedroom house in a rich neighborhood (Meadowbrook and 820) and it had a basketball hoop.”

Outstanding Woman Volunteer
Kathryn T. Bryan

Kathryn Bryan has been a mentor and role model in Fort Worth for more than 30 years. She encourages women to use education and service to achieve healthy self-esteem and an image that benefits them professionally and personally. Bryan has worked tirelessly to facilitate change, encourage teamwork to solve problems and remain positive.

She has served as president (and founder) of the American Association of University Women, Tarrant County branch, Women’s Policy Form, Central Area Council of the Fort Worth Chamber, YWCA of Tarrant County and the Texas Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. She has served on the board of Sister Cities International Fort Worth, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Fort Worth Commission for Women, Rotary Club of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Business and Professional Women’s organization, the City of Fort Worth’s Minority & Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee, Leadership Fort Worth, Electrical Advisory Board, Fort Worth Women’s Club and First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth.

Outstanding Young Woman Volunteer
Alexandra Brown

Alexandra Brown, a senior at Fort Worth Country Day School, discovered her passion for helping others when she tutored children at Metro Academy of Math and Science. Since then she has been devoted to leaving a positive and lasting impact in her community. Brown believes that performing community service is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. “Volunteering has provided me with a joy unparalleled to any other,” said Brown.

She recently began a fundraiser to help bring books to the undersupplied library at Metro Academy of Math and Science. She has collected more than 2,000 books and nearly $700 in donations. Her volunteer experience includes the Presbyterian Night Shelter, Cowtown Brush Up, and Habitat for Humanity and Link Crew, a national mentoring program designed to keep high school freshmen drug- and alcohol-free.

In addition to her volunteer activities, Brown is an excellent student and athlete. She has qualified all four years in high school for the National Art Honor Society, National French Honor Society and National Honor Society. She’s a player and manager of the junior varsity volleyball team and a letterman on the varsity golf team.

Outstanding Organization in Advocacy for Women
The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project

Babies should not die.  The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project was created by Kim Parish Perkins to meet a critical need in our community, infant mortality.  For many years, Fort Worth has struggled to understand and find solutions to infant mortality.  In 2003, Fort Worth had the highest infant mortality rate among all large Texas cities, higher than Tarrant County and national rates.

The Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project is a community-based organization with the mission of reducing the infant mortality rate in North Texas by encouraging better birth outcomes for teenagers and women in the highest risk demographics, African Americans and Hispanics, providing practical support during pregnancy and for one year after the birth of their children.

The SisterFriend and Aintie-Tia programs match a community volunteer with a high-risk pregnant woman to provide her with emotional support.  Women leading other women in one-on-one relationships have proven to be successful.  These programs differ from most outreach and support programs by placing volunteers as individual case managers using the concept of the extended family.  SisterFriends are over 21 years of age and from all walks of life.  They attend childbirth education, breast feeding and parenting classes with their “little sisters” and participate as a birth partner, if appropriate.  Over the last 11 years, the Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project has trained more than 200 SisterFriends.  In addition, full-time Aintie-Tias have supported more than 50 high-risk pregnant women each year.

***

The Fort Worth Commission for Women includes nine citizens appointed by the mayor and City Council and representatives from 10 women’s organizations. Its mission is to increase visibility of women’s issues in Fort Worth through collaboration and education.

Water Department Offers Free Gardening Seminar

The Fort Worth Water Department’s next semi-annual Yard Smart Seminar is Saturday, March 21, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Center’s Lecture Hall. The seminar is free and open to the public. No pre-registration is required.

Doors open at 8:15 a.m., and the program begins at 8:45 a.m. The event concludes at 12:30 p.m. with a tour of the Water Conservation Garden.

The purpose of the Yard Smart Seminar is to relay environmentally friendly and water-saving gardening information that can lead to healthy, beautiful lawns and gardens.

Dotty Woodson, water resources specialist for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will discuss Rain Water Harvesting. Growing Herbs & Vegetables is the subject of Tarrant County AgriLife Extension Agent Steve Chaney’s talk.

The third session, Ask the Expert, is a one-hour discussion between the public and a panel of four professionals on gardening and irrigation.

To learn more, call the Water Department at 817-392-4477.

Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics Set March 14 and April 4

Two low-cost pet license and rabies vaccination clinics are set to increase the number of pets with current tags and rabies vaccinations.

The clinics are scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. March 14 at Sylvania Park, 3700 E. Belknap St., and April 4 at the Animal Care and Control Center, 4700 Martin St.

The annual city pet license costs $7 per animal, and a rabies vaccination can cost even more. However, to increase the number of animals with current identification and protect residents and pets from rabies, Fort Worth’s Animal Care and Control Division offers both the license and rabies vaccination for only $5.

You also can have your pet micro-chipped for $12. A tiny, rice-sized computer chip with a unique number is injected under the skin on the pet’s shoulder. If the pet is lost, the microchip can be used to find its owner. All lost pets are scanned for microchips when they arrive at the city’s animal shelter.

Owners of impounded animals with current identification are quickly notified when a pet is lost. Although all pets in Fort Worth are required to be licensed, less than 2 percent of impounded animals have identification. Animal Care and Control officials believe the lack of identification is the number one reason for high euthanasia rates in animal shelters.

A city-issued pet license and rabies vaccination are required each year for all dogs, cats and ferrets living inside the city limits of Fort Worth. City licenses may be obtained with proof of a current rabies vaccination at the Animal Care and Control Center, 4900 Martin St., or a local veterinarian.

Currently, dogs, cats and ferrets must have their first rabies vaccination by the age of four months, the second rabies vaccination one year later and then every three years after the initial series.

The rabies vaccination also is required for all pets to protect the population from the threat of the deadly rabies virus present in wild animal populations. For more information, call 817-392-3737.

Fort Worth Observes Fair Housing Awareness Month

Fair Housing Is Your Right
The City of Fort Worth is committed to fair housing opportunities for all people. That’s why it has designated April as Fair Housing Awareness Month in recognition of the 41st anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act.

The signs of discrimination may be subtle, such as a mortgage loan officer, real estate agent or leasing agent not offering encouragement or assistance in the application process. Be an informed buyer or renter and know your rights.

Federal, State, Local Protection
Federal and state fair housing laws prohibit discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status. As an added protection, the City of Fort Worth prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Familial status is included to protect people with children under 18, including family members who are pregnant.

People with disabilities are entitled to certain modifications or accommodations when looking for housing.

Discrimination by housing providers, real estate agents, brokers, appraisers, builders and rental agents is wide-ranging and can include failing to discuss certain loan or insurance products and neglecting to suggest ways in which homebuyers can improve their chances of getting a loan or purchasing insurance coverage.

Other practices are not as subtle. For instance, an insurance company may refuse to insure properties in low-income neighborhoods or fail to offer the best protection in those neighborhoods. In other cases, mortgage companies or rental agents may violate fair housing laws by preferring clients of a certain ethnicity.

It is illegal for mortgage companies and insurance providers to refuse to provide information about a mortgage or insurance, to impose different terms or conditions on a loan or insurance, or to discriminate when awarding a loan or insuring a property.

If you believe you are the victim of housing discrimination, you can file a complaint with the city’s Community Relations Department at no charge.

To learn more, call 817-392-7525.

Outdoor Warning System Activated for Any Emergency

The City of Fort Worth’s outdoor warning system may be activated for any kind of emergency — not just severe weather. Though some residents think of the outdoor system as tornado sirens — or even air-raid sirens — that’s not the case.

While Fort Worth’s outdoor warning system of 135 strategically placed sirens is most frequently used to alert residents of severe weather, the sirens also could be activated for other emergencies, including acts of terrorism and chemical and national emergencies.

Keep in mind that the sirens are an outdoor warning system and aren’t meant to be heard indoors.

The system is tested at 1 p.m. every Wednesday, unless severe weather conditions are eminent. If you hear the outdoor warning system at any other time, seek shelter and tune to a local radio or television station to seek information.

Stay Alert, Informed
Being prepared is more than throwing an umbrella in the trunk. It means staying alert and informed. Residents need to be aware of all the potential hazards in their areas.

One reliable source of information is a weather radio. The National Weather Service, through the Emergency Alert System, uses these radios to disseminate emergency information to the public. The two primary radio Emergency Alert Stations (EAS) for Fort Worth are WBAP 820 AM and KRLD 1080 AM.

The National Weather Service tracks weather and broadcasts information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Weather alert radios provide immediate notification of severe weather and other emergencies. Most models can be programmed using Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) to receive information specific to a certain county. The code for Tarrant County is 048439.

Weather radios are available at many electronics and some department stores; prices start at $20 and go up depending on the model and its features.

When the city’s outdoor warning system is activated — for any emergency or disaster— you can help keep emergency communication lines open and Fort Worth police officers and firefighters focused on saving lives and property by not calling 9-1-1 to ask about the outdoor warning system sounding. Simply tune to a radio or television station for official information.