Saving Energy, Money, C02 and Air Quality Together

While broader clean energy and energy conservation policy changes are under attack at the federal level of government, our collective, local actions have an impact. If you have had a home energy audit, installed solar or added a heat pump, let us know! Take our Energy Saver Survey (10 minutes or less) Continue reading to see what we’ve heard so far…

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Vernal Piano

Wesleyan graduate student Emma Mistele reached out to the Jonah Center seeking ideas for an “earth-art” musical composition. “Vernal Piano” takes us into the woods where frogs chorus and breed in vernal pools after rain in early spring. Imagine a pool of rainfall accumulating inside a grand piano gradually becoming inhabited by frogs. Using different techniques—both on the keys and on the strings inside the body of the piano — the piece simulates the sounds of thunder, rainfall, and frogs calling. The track ends with a sample of the soundtrack from a Jonah Center video recording (by Phil LeMontagne) of vernal pool frogs in Middletown.
The project was part of Emma’s work for Prof. Noah Baerman’s course on Creating and Presenting Socially Conscious Music. The assignment was to interview a local nonprofit leader and create a musical composition inspired by the conversation and by that leader’s work in the community.

 To watch the Vernal Pool video by Phil LeMontagne, click on the image below.. 

 

A glimmer of good news this Earth Month…

It’s official! The Middletown Resource Recycling Advisory Commission (RRA) is transitioning to the Middletown Sustainability Commission (MSC).  

How did this happen?  

Through the dedication of the RRA and resident advocacy, this important ordinance change has been discussed publicly and passed through the Public Works & Facilities Commission as well as the General Council before it moved forward to the Middletown Town Council for discussion and approval.  

On April 8th, Middletown Common Council members heard final public comments from the community and unanimously approved this change!  

Middletown Town Hall lawn, springtime tree with no leaves, Town sign and Tree City USA sign
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April Litter Clean-Ups

The Jonah Center will be hosting two separate litter cleanup events this month, on April 19 and 26 and we’d like to invite you to join us. Litter Cleanups are a fun way to help your community and meet other like-minded folks who care about keeping our towns, cities, and the natural environment clean. Help celebrate Earth Week by pitching in.

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A Tool for Our Times – Middletown Community Participation Guide

“Act locally” is a mantra we will be hearing often. Some may ask, but how?

Wesleyan staff and students recently hosted an event to share the Middletown Government Participation Guide (available here in English and Spanish). This is an important “tool for our times” that offers a peek behind the curtain of our local government and explains the many ways we all can use our skills and voices to get involved.

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Spring & Summer Paddle Schedule for 2025

Our “Paddle With A Purpose” schedule for 2025 is below. We need volunteer paddlers to help us remove invasive water chestnut plants from local waterways. Scroll down to find the Registration Form. A limited number of loaner kayaks are available from our partner, the Connecticut River Conservancy, for Middletown paddles only. Continue reading

Do You Know A Middle-Schooler Who’s Interested In Art?

Gla Rose, an artist, educator, and Jonah Center Board Member, is leading a 7 week after school art program starting April 23rd at CNTR in Middletown, CT. Art Station will meet Wednesdays from 3:30-5:30pm, and is geared towards 6th-8th graders. The program will focus on open-ended art-making inspired by the work of a variety of lesser known contemporary artists. A range of media will be explored including collage, drawing, painting, sewing, printmaking, and mixed media. Gla will tailor the program to the interests of participating artists, and support artists to reflect, envision, experiment, build technique, and collaborate. Contact [email protected] to register or find out more. Continue reading