Purposeful parties & better backyards.Dear EarthTalk: I've been reading about green festivals. What are some good ones and where can I find information on them?--Alex, Chicago, IL If you're a consumer searching for healthy organic foods or a leaning-green businessperson looking to network, there is an environmental event out there for you. One of the best is the Green Festivals series, which is spreading to new U.S. cities every year. Co-sponsored by two leading national nonprofits, Global Exchange and Co-Op America Co-op America is a nonprofit membership organization based in the United States. It promotes ethical consumerism, dedicated to harnessing the economic power of consumers, investors and businesses to promote social justice and environmental sustainability through helping , these are "parties with a purpose" that bring together businesses, environmental groups and community organizations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in these festivals over the last decade, visiting the exhibits, hearing nationally known speakers and indulging in green-themed music, art, culture and food. This year, events will take place in Chicago (May 17 and 18), Washington, D.C. (November 8 and 9) and San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden (November 14 to 16). EcoFest, held every September in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , is now two decades old. This free event features myriad commercial and nonprofit exhibits, celebrity speakers and performers. Attendees at EcoFeSt's 2008 event will get to check out prototypes of alternative energy vehicles, watch a green-themed fashion show and participate in environmental education workshops. Many environmental festivals cover broad topics, but several issue-specific and business-to-business events are available, too. To key in to these events, go to the Green Fairs and Festivals page at the EcoBusinessLinks Environmental Directory. Examples include Boston's AltWheels Festival, Colorado's Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Sustainable living might be defined as a lifestyle that could, hypothetically, be sustained without exhausting any natural resources. The term can be applied to individuals or societies. Fair, Georgia's GreenBuild Expo, Vermont's SolarFest and New York's Great Hudson River Hudson River River, New York, U.S. Originating in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing for about 315 mi (507 km) to New York City, it was named for Henry Hudson, who explored it in 1609. Dutch settlement of the Hudson valley began in 1629. Revival, which has been raising funds to protect New York's Hudson River since the late 1970s. CONTACTS: Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net; EcoFest, www.ecofest.com; Green Festivals, www.greenfestivals.org. Dear EarthTalk: Is it possible to landscape my property in a green-friendly way? I don't want to break the bank doing it--are there any tax incentives?--Michal Avraham, Olive Branch olive branch symbol of peace and serenity. [Gk. and Rom. Myth.: Brewer Handbook; O.T.: Genesis, 8:11] See : Peace , MS There are some up-front costs when you're converting a conventional backyard to a more environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] space. But homeowners should be able to recoup recoup To sell an asset at a price sufficient to recover the original outlay or to offset a previous loss. their money in a few years through savings on their water and yard service bills. Landscapes designed with the principles of nature and wildlife habitat in mind are often referred to as "naturescapes" (or "xeriscapes" when they require little water to maintain). They usually replace most lawn grass with native plants known to attract wildlife. The nonprofit PlantNative says that maintaining a green backyard can cost up to 90 percent less than a traditional lawn-based landscape. The average American lawn costs about $700 to maintain and most lawnmowers are used some 40 hours a year. Melissa Santiago, an Ohio State researcher who wrote a fact sheet on the benefits of managing property for wildlife, says that maintaining natural areas "can be a cost-effective approach." She recommends planting one or more rows of native trees and shrubs as so-called "shelterbelts" that can provide wildlife habitat and shade in summer (reducing air conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. costs) and wind resistance in winter (reducing heating costs). There aren't many tax breaks for greening the residential landscape, but they do exist. The state of Indiana offers tax breaks to landowners who convert a minimum of 15 acres to habitat suitable for native wildlife. Other state governments offer similar assistance for maintaining endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. habitat. And municipalities across the arid southwestern U.S. offer various incentives for homeowners who cut water use, whether through xeriscaping or other means. PlantNative offers a free online directory of native plant nurseries, and the National Wildlife Federation posts a 50-state online Native Plant Guide. The Canadian Wildlife Federation The Canadian Wildlife Federation The Canadian Wildlife Federation, founded in 1962, is one of Canada’s largest nonprofit, non-governmental conservation agencies and advocates the protection of Canada’s wild species and spaces. publishes the guidebook Backyard Habitat Backyard Habitat is an American television program about visiting families and amending backyards for the National Wildlife Federation. The show takes the form of a DIY-style program, with tips that are, it is suggested, easy for most viewers to achieve on their own. for Canada's Wildlife. CONTACTS: Canadian Wildlife Federation, www.cwf-fcf.org; National Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org; PlantNative, www.plantnative.org. Send your questions about environmental issues to Earth Talk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881, or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com. Help get EarthTalk into your community by asking your local newspaper editor to visit our informational page at: www.emagazine.com/EarthTalk/EarthTalk_letter.html. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion