We did come and enjoy the music, food, people and the festival this weekend. It was awesome! The music was great, food was incredible and we left with a fistful of information and a gratifying feeling about being part of something good.
As I’m profiling local food sources here at the Festival, I really get a picture of how diverse our local farms are, including their history. There’s one particular farm that probably has the most unique and inspiring story I’ve come across so far here. Woodwynn Farms not only contributes to the local food economy, but also produces food with a social conscience in mind: their 193 acre organic farm serves as a therapeutic community to help homeless and individuals affected by addictions to re-integrate back into society.
Posts in the ‘Great Ideas’ Category
Home Sweet Home
The Green Building and Development Forum heated up this morning, with Gord Baird, JC Scott, Doug Makaroff, John Gower, and Elke Cole, as panelists. Each of these speakers brought a unique perspective to the green building debate but all of them universally emphasized one thing: make your house a home – not an investment. Make your house beautiful. Love it and it will last for a long time.
Waste is Fuel
Waste equals food is one of Mother Nature’s fundamental principles and one that has been highlighted by McDonough and Braungart. The idea is that all waste products can be regenerated into new life or new energy.
After the Sustainable Transportation Forum, I thought I might look into some of the alternative forms of transportation parked right here at the festival. I set out to investigate Dr.Bjorn’s car, run almost completely on vegetable oil, and the CHFCA’s fuel cell car, parked just outside the entrance. Both, as it turns out, can be fueled by waste.
We Can Do It!
I was so inspired by all you festival-goers who stopped by The Change tent today. After dropping off your GREEN PASSPORTS many of you filled us in on what you are doing, or are going to do, to make a difference in your life and our city. Annalea, Brad and I are amazed by how many of you bike or walk to work, use cloth shopping bags and recycle everything you can get your hands on. Thank you to all of you who let us take your photo and share with the rest of the city what you are doing to engage the change!
Change is Just Down the Road
Discussions of sustainability have an unfortunate tendency to be followed by feelings of stagnancy and futility. I recall a quote by Rex Weyler summing this up that said “Future generations are going to look back at us and think of us as barbarians … And what’s worse, we know what we’re doing. We have the science.” Guy Duancey opened the Sustainable Transportation Forum with the end of oil. This time was different though; the end of oil wasn’t a doomsday. In fact, Dauncey said “The golden age of harmony with nature lies in front of us.” When he said that, it seems as though all things inversed. The world is not full of cannots; it is full of possibilities. And indeed, we do have the science.
Duancey was accompanied by Elizabeth May of the Green Party, who spoke about the need for policy coherence between all three levels of government and the benefits of mass transit for a number of social groups. Sue Hallack followed May with an explaination of a corridor strategy, which would increase transit, cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure on major routes in the Capital Regional …
Engage the Change!
Today is a day to make some changes! One of the first tables you’ll see set up at the festival is The Change Tent, and it is definitely one you want to visit. Annalea and Brad are there from The Change to tell you all about local companies that are “Greener, Fairer and Truer.
At The Change Tent pick up an Organic Islands GREEN PASSPORT. This baby is basically a scavenger hunt through the festival exhibitors. Stop by the 12 tables listed, find out about that company, get your passport stamped and have a fun day in the sun learning about everything Victoria has to offer the green movement!
Powered by the Sun
With the popularization of many alternative forms of energy, the number of solar-powered gadgets ranging from those cute little gardens lamps to even potentially solar powered cameras is not surprising. What may be unbeknownst to you is that with the help of Kevin Pegg and EA Energy Alternatives Ltd, the Organic Islands Festival has its very own solar power plant. This miniature power plant will produce 6 – 8 kWh over the weekend. That’s enough to power over 7 laptops, a cash machine, several blenders, a cooler, a gelato cart and plenty more, all present in the village at the festival.
Newlywed WWOOFERS at Festival
Newlyweds abandon the city to work the land and explore and explore the American Landscape are making their one and only trip to Canada and will be at the Organic Islands Festival on July 10 and 11 speaking to attendees about their journey not just the geographical one that’s taken them across America but the one that’s transforming their lives as they work on organic farms.
Come on down and hear what they have to say at the festival’s DIY Open Space booth #70 in the Village. In the meantime… Click on link below to read more.
20 Vibrant Colours And Every One Is ‘Green’!
Before Breezesta Poly Outdoor Furniture, the great outdoors wasn’t so great on outdoor furniture. Metal rusted. Wood splintered. Paint faded and chipped. Webbing tore. Aluminum frames bent. In the end, the whole lot went out with the trash and off to the landfill. There had to be a better, more durable and environmentally friendly way and you’ll see it at the festival… Click below to read more.
Some Golden Rules
While container and lasagna gardening can make the idea of growing your own vegetables a lot more doable, the amount of knowledge that comes along with even beginning can be overwhelming too! In “The Zero-Mile Diet: A Year-Round Guide to Growing Organic Food”, Carolyn Herriot provides us with 10 of her golden rules for growing great produce. Today, I am going to share a few of those with you.
