Staunton Green 2020

Reminder: November 3rd is election day! Make your voice heard in Staunton and in Virginia’s 20th District.

Take some time between now and Tuesday to study the local ballot—and then go use your vote to help decide how you want our community improve our environment! Links to official websites below.

Dickie Bell (R)
Erik Curren (D)

SG2020 remains non-partisan.
(Disclosure: SG2020 was co-founded by Erik Curren as a private citizen.)

As cold weather approaches you might be wondering if you can afford to do some weatherization upgrades around your home or apartment.

Thankfully, the state of Virginia (through the U.S. Department of Energy) offers a range of grants to make energy-efficient improvements to those with low- to moderate-level incomes. Do you qualify?

Here are the links you’ll need to get started.

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development – Weatherization FAQs. It details the kind of work the grants cover, such as

• Sealing air leaks with insulation, caulking, and weather-stripping;
• Installation of ventilation fans;
• Repairing drafty duct systems;
• Repairing and replacing inefficient or unsafe heating and cooling systems; and
• Installation of energy efficient lighting

Download the PDF with income requirements here.

Staunton residents will need to make arrangements through the office of Community Energy Conservation Program, 1819 Broadway, Charlottesville, VA 22902 [they also cover: Counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Fluvanna,
Greene, Highland, Louisa, Nelson and Rockingham; Cities of Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Waynesboro].

Contact: Linda Rayner
Phone: (434) 293-3777
E-mail: lrcecp-AT-aol.com (Add an @ symbol in place of -AT- when emailing)

As the election time draws closer there is a lot of discussion about the “green economy”.  (Here’s our growing list of Staunton’s green businesses – let us know if you know of another to add!)

The National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices released a study about the emerging green economy in each state.

For your convenience Virginia’s profile is available below.

Virginia: Profile of the Green Economy

Which environmental issues are the most important to you this coming election?

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Did you know? Virginia has the highest percentage of U.S. vanity license plates. Soon, vegetarians and vegans can join the ranks of specialty Virginia plates. If enough people reserve the “veggie plate” by November 30th, it will happen. The proposed plate design is below. Here’s how to get yours.

What does this have to do with SG2020’s goals?

Dietary choices are highly personal. Reducing your meat consumption helps reduce carbon emissions because conventional factory farming is so resource intensive. Choosing to abstain from meat just one day a week (e.g. “Meatless Mondays”) can save you money and be good for your health, too.

If you can’t imagine giving up meat entirely a better option is to buy locally-raised and locally-slaughtered meat. This meat production requires less transportation than meat from the supermarket chain and raised more humanely. Two local options are Polyface Farms and T&E Meats.

Honk if you’re eating for the planet!

(Disclosure: I am co-owner of  George Bowers Grocery, a local retail outlet for Polyface and T&E meats. I’m also a longtime vegetarian!)

proposed Virginia Vegetarian license plate

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.

Historic Staunton Foundation is hosting a free workshop about weatherizing your old home. The workshop will take place Saturday, October 17th from 10am to 2pm at the R.R. Smith Center.

Energy and Comfort in Your Historic Home
Frank Strassler, HSF Executive Director, will demonstrate and discuss preparing your home for winter.  Display materials & case study information will be on hand to show you how to manage the stack effect, weather strip windows, and outline effective insulation.  Pick up a tool and give it a try!  HSF promotes green, energy efficient and sustainable solutions with a quick payback.

It is free to attend so bring a friend!

Have you heard about the growing national debate over clotheslines? As it turns out, clotheslines touch on questions about individual rights, private property, class, aesthetics, the environment.

From a purely environmental standpoint reducing dryer usage (and the dirty electricity that powers it) is a big deal. Some estimates put dryer usage as high as 6% of total household energy consumed. Reducing this energy use saves money and reduces your carbon footprint.

But, some feel that laundry lines reduce property values. They associate laundry lines with poverty. That’s why there is a growing trend to reverse this stereotype.

Here’s an article I wrote recently about the clothesline debate.

How do you think Staunton should address clotheslines? Good thing? Bad thing?

Personally, I’d like to see Stauntonians embrace more clotheslines. But, perhaps they’d need to be concealed from the street so people don’t get upset. What do you think?

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From Awakening Common-Unity organizers:
——

You are invited to participate in Awakening Common-Unity 2009 on Saturday, October 17 in Gypsy Hill Park.

Building on last year’s event, this year, due to growing interest and exhibitors, we will divide exhibitors and vendors into three categories.  The categories are as follows:

Land Stewardship – this category involves all exhibitors and vendors related to the organic food-farm connection, climatology, soil conservation, ecosystems, waste reduction, recycling, composting, etc.

Natural Health – this category includes all exhibitors and vendors related to personal growth, nutrition, and transformation -everything from raising consciousness to herbal remedies; it would include Yoga, massage, and all things pertaining to personal health.

Green Living Architecture – this category includes all exhibitors and vendors related to building systems using solar energy, water energy, wind energy, and anything involving “green living” architecture.

We will also provide more extensive health food choices, a larger variety of entertainment as well as expanding our educational offerings to the Garden Center building.  The Garden Center (next to large playground) will house presentations, movies and discussion groups. We are also enthusiastic about the newly added children’s education stations.

If you are interested in vending or exhibiting at the 2009 event and have specific questions please contact the following individuals:

Land Stewardship Bob Hodge   bobhodge53@gmail.comNatural

Health Stan Gula Stanleygula@safe-mail.net Patty Snyder starbird22@gmail.com Dr. Anne Hunter  drahunter@verizon.net

Architectural Jon Garber info@lineagearch.com

Food concessions Kim Johnson kim0212@comcast.net John Gula johngula25@yahoo.com

Children’ Program Megan Heatwole heatwoleME@ci.staunton.va.us

Vendor Forms Jennifer Jones jonesjl@ci.staunton.va.us

Though there is no charge to participate in the event, there will be a “Blue Pot” for donations in trade for the provided space, tables, chairs, power as needed, as well as the opportunity to market your particular interest.  We can accommodate the first 30 vendors to register with a table and chairs.  After that, space is available but you will need to provide your own tables and chairs.

We are looking forward to bringing our community together in an inspiring environment that promotes natural world awareness and sustainable lifestyles, influences personal growth and generates positive change.  We hope you will join us in this life enhancing endeavor.  Don’t wait for someone else to make the move because “You are the change you have been waiting for”.

See you October 17th, 2009 at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand in Staunton, Virginia.