Rock Mill Park

The park is located along Big Creek Greenway at Kimball Bridge Road. In addition to providing much-needed parking for this section of Big Creek Greenway, Rock Mill Park incorporates a variety of environmentally friendly and sustainable aspects, and affords numerous opportunities for citizens to learn about our natural environment.

Park amenities include a green roof pavilion and an outdoor classroom designed to focus on the ecological beauty and significance of existing wetlands, forests, and river system of Big Creek. A small group pavilion is available for use on a first come first serve basis. Visitor comfort stations and a maintenance hub are also included on this site. A series of trails connect to the existing Greenway.

For more information, please call Alpharetta Recreation and Parks Department at 678-297-6106 or email recreation@alpharetta.ga.us

Directions: From intersection of Hwy 9 and Old Milton Parkway: Take Old Milton Pkwy east to Westside Pkwy. Turn right. Turn left onto Kimball Bridge Rd. Stay on Kimball Bridge Rd, crossing over North Point Pkwy. At next stoplight, turn left into park.

Sources and Additional Information:
Rock Mill Park
Alpharetta Wins Environmental Award For Rock Mill Park

Transitioning to a Sustainable Alpharetta

We are well on our way into the 21st century and two of the toughest challenges facing humankind are Climate Change and Peak Oil.



Climate Change is well documented and very visible in the media. Peak Oil, however, remains under the radar for most people. Yet Peak Oil, heralding the era of ever-declining fossil fuel availability, may well challenge the economic and social stability that is essential if we are to mitigate the threats posed by Climate Change.



Who Will Fix These Problems?

National leaders have not stepped up (except for a few notable exceptions) to help address these problems in a meaningful way.



Technology is not the answer. Careful review of the reality of the technological solutions indicates their immaturity, their often disastrous environmental consequences and their lack of connection with the real world (“Clean Coal”)



It is up to us in our local communities to step up into a leadership position on this.



We have to get busy NOW to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil. The good news is that many of the solutions and mitigations for Climate Change will also address the threats from Peak Oil – and vice versa.



Our Impact

Transition initiatives exemplify the principle of thinking globally, acting locally. However, it’s easy to wonder just how much difference you might make in your community when the problems are so gigantic.



Remember that whenever you do this kind of work, you are inspiring other people; and then they take up the challenge and inspire other; and so it goes on. This way, your small contribution can multiply many many times over and be truly significant.



How to Transition Alpharetta

We, the residents of Alpharetta, must act at the local level to relocalize all essential elements that a community needs to sustain itself and thrive (local self-reliance in food, energy, transportation, media, systems of care, and economy).



We must provide inspiration, empowerment, education, and support to individuals, businesses, organizations, communities and local governments, working together to consider and implement a collective vision of a relocalized, sustainable future.



Content Borrowed From:

Transition Towns - Transition Initiatives Primer (PDF)

Boulder County Going Local

Going Native

Planting a few fruit trees has got to be the easiest way to grow your own food. Fruit trees are easily added to any landscape (assuming your yard is large enough) and require little to now maintenance. In Alpharetta, one of the easiest fruit trees to grow is the pawpaw.

About The Pawpaw
The pawpaw is a fruit tree native to eastern North America that seldom reaches 25 feet. The species grown in the south are often evergreen with large, attractive, dark green leaves. The fruit is a large edible berry weighing up to 2 pounds and has a flavor that is sweet, fragrant and complex, with a lingering aftertaste (similar to both banana and mango).

Why Grow Pawpaws In Your Backyard
The pawpaw is a great tree to grow in your backyard because it is a native fruit with few pests (easy to grow organically) and it is relatively low maintenance once planted. Pawpaws are excellent fresh but if you ever get tired of eating fresh pawpaw try some of these pawpaw recipes, substitute them for bananas in any recipe, brew some pawpaw beer, give them out to your family and friends, or sell them at a farmers market.

How To Grow Pawpaws
Find a place in your yard that gets full to partial sun (pawpaws will fruit in the shade but perform best in full-sun) that has some protection from wind.

Pawpaws prefer to grow in slightly acidic, deep, fertile, and well-drained soils so make sure to test and amend your soil before planting the trees (this little bit of work up front will be rewarded with a stronger, faster growing tree bothered by few pests).

One downside of pawpaws is they are poor pollinators, so plant at least two to ensure good pollination.

Check out TyTy Nursery to buy your pawpaw trees.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Purdue University - Growing Pawpaws
Image Source: USDA ARS Image Number K7575-8

Savoring Sustainability

One of my local haunts is the Alpharetta location of 5 Seasons Brewing (5 Seasons North). 5 Seasons celebrates the connection between each other, their food, and the Earth. They are passionate about serving local produce, all-natural meats, and artisanal cheese. They bake each of their breads and make everything else in-house. As part of a sustainable, natural cycle, they add the brewer's spent grain to the home-baked bread and give the rest to a local organic farm, where it is composted to grow their vegetables.



This past Friday I dined at restaurant in historic Roswell called Relish. Relish is a neighborhood restaurant that serves new southern cuisine in a casual dining atmosphere. One of the dishes that I sampled was the Krispy Kreme bread pudding with espresso kreme. Relish uses day-old doughnuts from a Krispy Kreme right down the road to make this treat...saving them from the landfill.



I noticed another little sign of sustainable business when using the restroom. Above the toilet hung curtains....



Below these curtains was a sign...





The curtains are an advertisement (kinda cheesy...but effective) for another local company (Dekadent Dekor) that shares the building with Relish. I wasn't able to go check out Dekadent Dekor because it had already closed for the day (maybe next time).



How You Make Your Business Sustainable

*Stay Small...Stay Local

*Know your customers

*Find a niche

*Help other local businesses around you

*Deliver unparalleled customer service...you will never be able to beat the big guys on price or selection (and make money)

*Create a sustainability mission and stick to it

*Use renewable resources

Grow Food…Not Grass

As we Georgians continue the fight to keep our grass green in this continuing drought we should probably be asking ourselves...why?

Why are we putting so much time and effort into keeping something alive that gives us so little in return?

Yes, a nicely manicured lawn is attractive and fun to play on...but do we need so much of it?

What To Grow Besides Grass?
You could pull up all that grass and Xeriscape your yard. You could expand your ornamental planting beds. You could plant a large vegetable garden. Or you could plant a forest garden.

What Is A Forest Garden?
A forest garden is a way of growing food that mimics woodland ecosystems, substituting trees (such as fruit or nut trees), bushes, shrubs, herbs and vegetables. The goal is to create a system that mostly takes care of itself and provides abundant harvests with little effort. Forest gardens are a good fit for Alpharetta because this area was (and still is in some parts) comprised of dense forests.

…But I Still Want Some Grass
You can keep all the grass that you want, there is no need to replace your entire yard with a forest garden. You could start with one small area, try a few things and expand it as time goes on.

What Kind Of Plants Can I Grow In Alpharetta?
In Alpharetta we can grow a surprisingly large array of things. Just to name a few:

*Trees: Banana (yes...we can grow bananas), Chestnut, Pecan, Almond, Hickory, Ogeechee Lime Berry, Apricot, Cherry, Jujube, Mayhaw, Peach, Pear, Plum, Paw Paw, Meyer Lemon, Pomegranate

*Shrubs: Wolfberry (Goji berry), Currant, Gooseberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry

*Climbing Plants: Muscadine, Hardy Kiwi, Hops

*Other Perennials: Jerusalem Artichoke, Claytonia, Perennial Arugula, Perennial Buckwheat, Anise Hyssop, Dock, Ramps, Chives, Chamomile

Where Can I Find More Information?
Here is a list of resources if you would like to find out more about forest gardens.

Plant an Edible Forest Garden (article)

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture (book)

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn (book)

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community (book)

The Big Creek Greenway

(For larger PDF version click on image)

"We have not inherited the earth from our parents; we are borrowing it from our children." - Native American saying

The Big Creek Greenway may not be a secret to everyone, but I just found out about it a few months ago. The greenway is open 8:00 a.m. until dusk, every day throughout the year.

What Is A Greenway?
A greenway is a linear park. It is about people and the land they love. It is about conservation. It is about recreation and alternative transportation. It is about environmental education. It is about connecting the quality of life Alpharetta now has with the future plan that will help maintain that quality of life. Our greenway is an investment in the future of Alpharetta...an Alpharetta that is green, with open spaces for people as well as natural areas for plants and animals.

The Big Creek Greenway is primarily a 12-foot wide concrete path that meanders through the deciduous woods along Big Creek. The greenway offers an ideal setting for walking, jogging, inline skating, and biking. Dirt mountain bike trails are located on the east side of the creek 2/5 mile south of Webb Bridge Road.

How Long Is The Big Creek Greenway?
The concrete trail is about 6.15 miles (10 kilometers) in length. The greenway runs along Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, from Webb Bridge Road on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end.

A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road. Wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canadian geese can be observed in this preserved water setting.

Where Can The Greenway Be Accessed?

*Alpharetta YMCA: From Old Milton Parkway, go 1/4 mile north on North Point Parkway to Preston Ridge Road and turn right toward the YMCA.

*Haynes Bridge Road: From North Point Parkway, go 1/5 mile south on Haynes Bridge Road. A parking lot is on the east/left side of Haynes Bridge Road across from the Archstone Apartments.

*North Point Mall: Driving northbound on North Point Parkway halfway between Mansell and Haynes Bridge Roads, find the greenway sign directly across from Haverty's Furniture. Parking is located in a wooded area. Restrooms are available at that location. 800 feet south of this entrance is the North Point Village retail center. Walk behind the shops to the stairway that leads to the wetlands mulch trail. Note: The stairs are not A.D.A. accessible.

*Kimball Bridge Road: Located 1/4 mile southeast of North Point Parkway, across from New Prospect Elementary School. Parking is allowed at the school during hours when school is not in session (weekends, after hours on school days, and during the summer.)

Is the Big Creek Greenway Complete?
No. Long-range plans would extend the greenway north of Webb Bridge Road to Windward Parkway on the west side of the creek. Additionally, plans include an extension from Mansell Road south under Georgia 400 to the Roswell city limit. Roswell is developing a plan to expand the linear park south into that city.

What Can I Do To Help?

*Most importantly, "Use but don't abuse". Please stay on the trail and stay off the berm that separates the concrete path from the creek.

*Keep the greenway litter free. Hold your expendables until the first available litter can.

*Respect other users and types of uses. Bikers: Please watch for darting children!

*Get on the volunteer list and be a "steward" of the Big Creek Greenway. You will occasionally be asked to patrol a portion of the greenway to report any damage such as fallen trees. Call (678) 297-6100 to get on the list.

*Financially support greenway maintenance. Maintaining the linear park costs more than its construction. In addition, we would like to add more amenities, such as a formal flower garden and a children's play area. You may send a check (not cash) made payable to City of Alpharetta Recreation and Parks.

Mail to:
Alpharetta Recreation & Parks Department
1825 Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30004

To ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment, the greenway is patrolled on a regular basis by park rangers and police. Call boxes with emergency-only phones are available in the locations indicated on the map above.

Content borrowed from http://alpharetta.ga.us/index.php?p=136

Sustainable Transporation in Rural Areas

As gas prices continue their meteoric rise, people are starting to look for alternative forms of transportation. The most sustainable forms of transportation are walking and biking (although not the most practical) since they burn only food and water. In this post I will cover different ways of getting around Alpharetta without the use of that gas guzzler.

Public Transportation
Alpharetta, like the rest of Georgia, does not have much to offer in the way of public transportation. MARTA has a few bus routes that serve Alpharetta. They include Route 85-Roswell/Alpharetta; Route 140-Mansell Road Park/Ride; Route 141-North Point Mall.

If you happen to live in the area of Alpharetta located in South Forsyth your only option is the Forsyth County Dial-a-Ride which only opperates five vans.

More Efficient Cars
There are several options out there for more efficient cars. You can choose a hybrid, a smaller car, or an electric car.

Hybrid cars are tempting (I own one myself - 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid) but you may want to look at a small car first, like a Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, or a Smart Car...just to name a few. The small cars will cost a lot less and you will spend less over the life of the car.

Electric cars are still better than hybrids and small cars even when they are recharged using coal power (which is our main source of electricity in Georgia). If you haven't done so, check to see if you can get electricity from renewable sources in your area. Once you are getting that clean, green electricity you will be ready to charge your electric car with no pollution (and a lot more cheaply than filling up your gas tank).

A few electric cars to keep an eye on in the next few years are the Chevy Volt (planned for launch the end of 2010) and the Mitsubishi I MiEV (planned for launch in Japan in 2009 and the US is 2010). Recent news has shed light on BG Automotive Group and their plan to introduce a highway-ready electric car to the US market for $17,995 by 2009.

Motorcycles and Scooters
While gas powered motorcyles and scooters are generally more efficient than cars they actually pollute the air more. There are several electric motorcycles and scooters available that will easily get you around town. Check out the Enertia Motorcycle and my favorite, the Vectrix Scooter.

Bicycles
The complete lack of bike lanes in Alpharetta will deter a lot of people. The more people that get out there and brave the agitated Atlanta motorists, the more those motorists will have to start respecting bicyclists. My friend Pattie over at Sustainable Dunwoody has a great post on bike commuting and a lot of the stuff applies to Alpharetta as well.

Finding Local Produce

The recent salmonella outbreak linked to tomatoes…er I mean jalapenos, has further reduced my confidence that the FDA is working to protect the public.

Know Your Farmer
If you haven’t already done so, go find a farmer in your area. Buying your food locally, from a farmer that you trust is the best way to get the highest quality produce. Local, naturally-grown produce is generally fresher, healthier, and tastes better. At times it may cost more but your money will stay in your community.

Where To Look Online
To find local produce in your area check out the following resources:

*Take a look at Georgia Organics’ website. Their 2008 Local Food Guide will be out soon.
*Also, check out Georgia Organics’ Facebook Page
*Or search on Local Harvest for Farms, CSAs, Farmer’s Markets, etc.

Grow Your Own (Or Have It Grown For You)
I get most of my produce from Cane Creek Farm in Cumming, GA. This is the first year having a CSA membership with them and I plan to continue my membership next year. What I am not able to get from Cane Creek Farm I grow myself (What I am Growing in 2008) or I try to find elsewhere locally. If you are starting a new garden this year or planning one for next year and need any help feel free to contact me, I would be more than happy to help.

Check With Your Grocery Store
Even your current grocery store may carry some local produce for you. It is worth a try to ask them, they will never consider it if they think there is no demand.

Introducing Sustainable Alpharetta

I am a marketing professional that also dabbles in blogging, graphic design and gardening. Over the past few years I have sought out a more sustainable life here in the suburbs of Atlanta. My friend Pattie over at Sustainable Dunwoody inspired me to create this site. I will try and post five times a week about the following topics:

*Monday: Sustainable Business (sole proprietors, small businesses, large corporations and everything in between)

*Tuesday: Sustainable Food (local organic farm and prepared food via grocery stores, farmers markets and CSAs as well as community and home gardens)

*Wednesday: Sustainable Transportation (commute alternatives, new technologies, and urban planning)

*Thursday: Sustainable Greenspace (parks, nature preserves, pesticide-reduction, unstructured outdoor play, and community beautification that encourages outdoor exploration and enjoyment)

*Friday: Sustainable Neighborhood (walkability, safe routes to school, lawn reduction, backyard wildlife habitats, edible landscapes, rain harvesting, increased home efficiency, solar power, etc.)

Please feel free to post comments regarding sustainability in Alpharetta or email me at mdlorey@sustainablealpharetta.com

--Mike