Staunton Green 2020

It’s time to pull out the muddy boots, dig out your green blazer and ponder whether corduroy pants match corduroy shirts. That’s right Green Drinks returns on Thursday, Aug. 12 at 5pm at the Depot Grille in the wharf district in downtown Staunton. Enjoy local beer and wine, appreciate the 40 foot long bar saved from the wrecking ball (historic preservation is very “green”), order some Polyface Farms delectables and serendipitously hang out with others interested in seeing Staunton improve our economy through green initiatives. No agendas or speeches–just meeting new people and catching up with old friends.

Can’t finish everything you order? The Depot uses biodegradable take-out containers.

Hope to see you on Aug. 12.

Get your Staunton Green 2020 bumper sticker, take our “emboiled by Gulf Oil” survey, learn about Green Loans, chat with fine folks  and nosh on some locally sourced food and drink. See you at 5pm at Zynodoa (115 E. Beverley St. – downtown Staunton).

Lots of things happening in Staunton tomorrow in celebration of Earth Day…

• A collection of groups will display outside Sunspots Studio, showcasing everything from rain barrels to solar gadgets (say hello to us!) Read more in depth about activities in this News Leader article by SG2020 steering committee member Bruce Dorries.
• Beverley Street Studio School will unveil its “Earth in the Balance (an anamorphic) illusion” piece
• … and of course, celebrate local food at the Farmers Market that’s going on, too.

In addition, don’t forget a special free event about the benefits of native grasses here in Staunton. Join us at City Hall coming up on the eve (April 21) of Earth Day proper (April 22).

Join Staunton Green 2020, Transition Augusta, and Mary Baldwin’s Center for Global and Civic Engagement tonight for a free screening of the film “Fresh”. Special guests, farmers Daniel Salatin and Jenny Driver, will be on hand to discuss afterwords.

The film will be screened in Mockingbird Restaurant’s music room. Doors open at 5:30 for a special meal featuring locally-raised food.  Come support the local farm producers participating. Film starts at 7pm.

Come early for best seats. Trailer below.

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• Hurry – Limited CSA Farm Shares Available (georgebowersgrocery.com)

We’re going to be burning the midnight biofuel* the next few days getting ready for some awesome events:

~ Fresh, the movie: Thur. Apr. 15 @ 7pm at the Mockingbird Restaurant (123 W. Beverley St. Staunton)

New thinking about what we’re eating… This uplifting film picks-up where Food, Inc. left off and will inspire and empower you. Post film chat with local farmers Daniel Salatin and Jenny Driver.

The movie is FREE, but come early (doors open at 5:30pm) for a special dinner in the Music Hall featuring food from local farmers (call 540.213.8777 for reservations). Click here to learn more about the film.

Co-sponsored with Transition Staunton Augusta and the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement.

~ Earth Day: Sat. Apr. 17 @ 9am-Noon at the Sunspots Parking Lot in Downtown Staunton (immediately adjacent to the Farmer’s Market)

From rain barrels, composting and solar gadgets to live music/plants, great kids activities and public art you’ll have a blast celebrating, learning about and committing to our sustainable future.

~ Dawn of a New Urban Landscape – The Natives Return: Wed. Apr. 21 @ 7pm at Staunton City Hall, Council Chambers (116. W. Beverley St.)

On Earth Day Eve find out how native grasses in our yards sequestor carbon, absorb that nefarious stormwater and restore our quickly disappearing biodiversity. Click here to learn more.

We look forward to seeing you at these great events!

steve grande and the Staunton Green 2020 Steering Committee

*p.s. So this polar bear walks into a bar (with melting ice caps they have to go somewhere) and says to the bartender: “I’ll have a gin………………….……….. and tonic” The bartender say’s “Sure, but why the big pause?” The polar bear looks down and replies: “I don’t know, but my Dad had them too.”

Join Staunton Green 2020, Valley Conservation Council and Transition Augusta as we offer a free screening of the film “Dirt”. The film starts at 7pm. Doors open for dinner or drinks prior to the film at 5:30pm.

More info about the film at www.dirtthemovie.org

See you there!

A big thanks to our panel – and all the attendees – for coming out to the SG2020 event, “Switching to Grass in Staunton and Augusta County” last night.

Please comment here if you have questions you’d like to pass along to our panel of experts, and, what you thought.

We’re planning more events that capture the Staunton Green 2020 mission to build community partnerships that through education, research and collaboration:

~ Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions

~ Increase renewable energy

~ Generate Green jobs

~ Preserve green space

~ Facilitate sustainable community development

Also, thanks to Mary Baldwin College for hosting. See you at our next event:

Dirt, The Movie
Thur. Mar. 18 @ 7pm

• Mockingbird Restaurant – Downtown Staunton (doors open at 5:30pm for delicious dinner)
• A free, fast-paced film about the threatened life sustaining soil on which we depend
• Co-sponsored by Transition Staunton Augusta & Valley Conservation Council

By Bruce Dorries | The Staunton News-Leader, March 7, 2010

As spring marches —or rolls, sluggishly —into the Queen City this month, get ready for captivating close ups and breath-taking panoramas.

Lights, sound, camera, action! Very soon, we’ll see illuminating green scenes, if not yet in the landscape then on downtown big screens.

To begin this preview, two thumbs up for Patagonia’s Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival that begins 7 p.m., March 25 at the Visulite Cinema.

Wild Virginia, an area grassroots organization, hosts the event. The nonprofit works to preserve natural ecosystems in the Commonwealth’s national forests.

Wild and Scenic films portray our beautiful lands and the people of the communities who love and defend them. These movies entertain, but also highlight issues, provide solutions and call for action. That’s my kind of cinema — pragmatic escapism. If that’s possible.

Hold on to your stadium seating —you can take the whole family to see all eight short films at the festival, which runs about two hours. Anything is possible on celluloid.
Click here to continue reading.

Hi there Staunton Green 2020 friend,

This snowy and cold winter has us thinking spring and we have some great upcoming events up to welcome some less frosty weather:

~ Switching to Grass and Fueling Staunton: Tue. Mar. 9 @ 7pm in Francis Auditorium on the Mary Baldwin College campus (corner of Coalter and Frederick Streets)

Get inspired by a panel of experts on growing switchgrass and burning it as a local, clean and green fuel source.

~ Dirt, the Movie: Thur. Mar. 18 @ 7pm (doors open at 5:30pm for yummy dinner) at the Mockingbird Restaurant (co-sponsored with Transition Staunton Augusta)

Dinner and a free, fast-paced movie about something we entirely take for granted. Check out the trailer.

Wild Virginia Film Festival: Thur. Mar. 25 @ 7pm at the Visulite. More info.

April still comes on the heels of March and there’s much more…

~ Apr. 15 Fresh, the movie at the Mockingbird
~ Apr. 17 Earth Day in the Sunspots parking lot, downtown Staunton
~ Apr. 21 Converting your Front Lawn to Native Grass at City Hall

Looking forward to seeing you at these events,

steve grande and the Staunton Green 2020 Steering Committee

Come to the Awakening Common Unity program at Gypsy Hill Park today from noon to six.

There will be natural health products, services, and food against a backdrop of relaxing entertainment all day. Come out and say hello to SG2020 member Gena Adams.

For more information click here.