***Goddard Conservation Club minutes for January 13th 2005:***

Attendees:

Corinne Irwin (Pres.) John Lehan (Sec.)

Darlene Squibb Marty McCormick

Michael Hartman Eric Cardiff

Victor Laczo Rick Harman (Vice Pres.)

The web site is up and running and can be found at
http://gewa.gsfc.nasa.gov/clubs/conservation. Dave Martin has agreed to
be the curator.

January 24 the LEED forum (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental
Design) - Maryellen Ramsey will talk about the new Space Sciences
building.

The garden club has indicated that there are open plots on the west
campus with no water but good soil as well as on the east campus with
water but poor soil. We can use a plot by joining the club and we can
raise native species or trees for planting. The garden club also has a
community compost pile that we can use for composting coffee grounds but
the garden club has not consented to providing labor to collect
compostable items, etc. at this time. Corinne thought we could start by
offering this to the coffee clubs in select buildings and then work from
there. This is a possible future project.

As far as the treasury, the forms need to be updated with the credit
union and the new officers added for check writing privileges but the
checkbook is balanced and up to date and club solvent.

There has been no progress on the *Invasive Species Initiative*
according to Eloise Rubincam. This is to identify and remove plants
like, English Ivy, etc. This project needs a leader to move forward.

*Adopt-a-Building*: Terry Arvidson will provide an update to in February
or March.

*Woodlands/Wildlife*: No activity. Mark Woodard is the leader on this.

***New Business:***

-   A trail map could be put on the Web site to let people know where
    they might walk to view nature, etc.

-   The club should organize a perimeter walk once a quarter perhaps
    solstice equinox walks at lunchtime. Possibly a dawn walk. Lisa
    Levine could give names of some of the plants and identify species.

-   Logo redesign contest in conjunction with the Art Club. Bird book
    would be the prize for the winner. John Lehan and Michael Hartman
    will organize.

-   One Less Car organizes the Bike-to-Work Day. They may not sponsor
    this year due to organizational issues.

-   The Club needs to have a presence at Goddard Day. Possibilities
    include bringing in some hybrid vehicles to demonstrate the utility
    and to get people thinking in these terms. Center for the New
    American Dream at Goddard Day.

-   Earth Day event(s) (a center cleanup and a hybrid demonstration?)
    Film Festival in conjunction with Earth week on Goddard TV.

-   Add environmental links to the website: Audubon Society, Sierra
    Club, Simplicity Matters Earth Institute, etc.

*Forum Discussion:*

John Lehan will get a speaker for the May slot. This will be either from
Audubon Society or Sierra Club.

The native species walk update: Sara Tangren of the Chesapeake Native
Nursery has requested a \$100 fee. Those present agreed that we should
spend club funds for the purpose.

Potential speakers: Treemendous Maryland on wind power. The Simplicity
Matters Earth Institute. Straw-bale Housing.

It was pointed out that the forums need refreshments and the idea of
fair-trade coffee and tea along with local and organic produce would be
good ways of subtly bringing in more green thinking to the forums. Also,
attendees would be asked to bring their own mugs and use cloth napkins.
We should also print up the materials with soy-based inks and on
recycled paper.

***Forum 2005 Schedule***

1/24/2005 LEED at NASA

2/17/2005 Anacostia Watershed Society

3/17/2005 Rain Gardens - for individual homeowners

4/21/2005 Chesapeake Bay Foundation\'s State of the Bay

5/19/2005 \[nothing scheduled yet\]

6/16/2005 Native Plant walk

11/17/2005 Simplifying the Holidays