Tomorrow Rainbow Blossom's got demonstrations, experts to quiz and samples of eco-friendly products to try at their Greening Your Life event.

While getting practical tips to 'green up' your life, sign up for raffles, and enjoy samples of local organic foods and eco-friendly products.  From learning how to recycle your cell phone to building a house made from straw, this event is a one-stop resource for greening your life and your home!

Saturday September 24, 2008
12 - 4 PM

Rainbow Blossom (St. Matthews)
3738 Lexington Rd.
Louisville, KY

A breakfast and awards ceremony will be celebrating creative, environmentally dedicated local business people and activists at the Social Justice Awards: The Good Earth on Wednesday September 10, 2008.

The awardees will be: Christopher Whelan
E. ON U.S. Green Energy Program
Corporate Action Award

Lock 7 Hydro Partners, LLC
David Brown Kinloch, Bob Fairchild, David Coyte & Salt River Electric
Corporate Action Award

Mark Isaacs
Legacy Development Corporation
Progressive Action Award

Gill & Augusta Holland
The Green Building
Progressive Action Award

Gary Heine & Mike Mays
Louisville Sustainability Forum & Breaking New Grounds
Hometown Hero Award

Jackie Green
Louisville Bike Courier Hometown
Hero Award

The breakfast will be $20, and the proceeds will go to supporting Clifton Universalist Unitarian Church and its mission of social justice and sustainability.

Wednesday September 10, 2008
8AM
Louisville Water Tower on River Road

Reservations may be made by sending payment to CUU Awards, 2231 Payne Street, Louisville, KY 40206. For additional information please contact: 502.895.3189, office@cliftonuu.org.

Number 5 in the Sustainable Cities Series forums.

FORUM 5: WATER
Tuesday, August 12, 6:00 pm
Glassworks, 815 West Market, Louisville, KY

Vital for life on our planet, fresh water supplies in many parts of the world are under increased stress. Shifting weather patterns, population growth, poor environmental regulations, pharmaceuticals, aging infrastructure, and waste among other factors have led to increases in contamination and reduction in our supply of fresh water. Louisville's own combined sewer system is in trouble due to overflow issues leading to unacceptable levels of wastewater discharge. Join us August 12th for an evening of discussion on water and learn what you can do to help make our city, region, and world more sustainable.

This event, as previous forums, is free to the public. Space is limited so please fill out this form to reserve your seat at this free event. You must enter seperate RSVPs (as guests) for every person you wish to reserve a seat for, thank you.

GUEST SPEAKERS:
Bud Schardein, Executive Director, Metroplitan Sewer District (MSD)
Judy Petersen, Executive Director, Kentucky Waterways Alliance
Gill Holland, Producer, The Group Entertainment

One of these days I'm actually going to make it to one of these Sustainable City events.

The next forum of the Urban Design Studio's Sustainable City Series will examine climate change and explore the framework for addressing the issue from the local level to that of the United Nations.

Art Williams, director of the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District, and Keith Mountain, associate professor of geography and geosciences at the University of Louisville, will speak.

Both Williams and Mountain have extensive backgrounds in the subject. Williams attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali and heads efforts on climate change locally through the Climate Change Committee of the Partnership for a Green City.

Mountain, who recently was appointed state geographer by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, is a glaciologist and global warming expert with more than 20 years of experience.

The Sustainable City Series is designed to raise the community's awareness of sustainable practices. Its ultimate goal is to provide a catalyst to move Louisville and the region towards a sustainable model for the nation.

Climate Change: From Bali to Louisville
May 13, 6 p.m.
Glassworks, 815 W. Market St.
Admission to the lecture is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Reserve a spot

It's not often that I get to use the word Hootenanny and that's a sure shame. Thanksfull the folks from Mighty Kindness helped me out by calling their Earth Day celebration a hootenanny. Details:

Mighty Kindness invites you to their first annual Earth Day Hootenanny on Saturday, April 19th at Willow Park in the Highlands from 12-6pm. Together with Community Farm Alliance,Rainbow Blossom, Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), Sustain Kids, and Heine Bros.Coffee,the Mighty Kindness Earth Day Hootenanny is a free celebration for the whole community featuring the Art of Earth Performance Stage, a Kid's Tent, a Free School workshop & education area. There will also be an assortment of individuals representing their organizations such as Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Campaign for a Dept. of Peace, Cultivating Connections, Amazing Grace Wholefoods, and many other Earth-friendly groups, local green businesses, alternative healers, local farmers, peace and social justice organizations.

The Art in Earth Performance Stage will feature the music of Leigh Ann Yost, Teneia Sanders, John Gage, Tamara Dearing,Troubadours of Divine Bliss, Kentucky Bootleggers, Acoustic Tomato and Fool's Crow. You can also experiencethe magical movement of the Earth Mamas Dance Co. and workshops by Salsa Rueda & Playback Theatre.

The Mighty KIDness tent will be host to Divinity Rose's "Kid's Open Stage & Storytelling", John Gage's workshop on music for the whole family, flower planting and finger knitting with the Waldorf School, face painting and other children's activities.

The Free School will be offering educational workshops on a wide variety of environmental and community interests. Some workshops and talks will be on community gardens, composting, raw foods, homemade green cleaners, mountaintop removal, eco-landscaping as well as peace & social justice interests.

There will be free gifts abound including books and give-aways from local businesses. Bring the whole family and pack a picnic for there will not be refreshments in order to keep it a "Money-Free Festivity!".

Mighty Kindness is a local community unity organization and online resource that seeks to bring together all things in our eco-region that create a circle of sustainability and contribute to our common wealth. Please visit www.mightykindness.org to find resources for local farms, community services, local green businesses, peace & social justice groups, alternative medicine and healing, spirituality, environmental organizations and meet like-minded souls in the Mighty Kind Community.

Join us in honoring the Earth on Saturday, April 19th at Willow Park. Come enjoy inspiring local performers, witness the wonder of our mighty kids being educated and entertained, discover Community services that you never knew existed, find out about products provided by your neighbors that are good for you and eco-friendly, and meet local farmers & get fresh produce delivered to your door. Come hobknob with the heart of our commonwealth - where earth-advocates, peaceful warriors, union members, social justice workers, eco-conscious business people, artists, healers, dreamers, heroes & heroines all come together to create a community with vision, beauty, wholeness, and a healthy respect for our beloved Earth!

It's April. You know what that means don't you? Earth Day and environmental awareness events like mad. I'm not saying these are bad things, I'm just saying what about the other 11 months of the year? Oh, don't mind me, I'm just grumpy this morning.

The Belknap Neighborhood Association along with area neighbors and Belknap businesses is celebrating Kentucky Arbor Day by giving away 800 seedlings from the Kentucky Division of Forestry to anyone who pledges to plant and nurse each tree to adulthood. These 12 to 24-inch, bare-root seedlings of canopy species will mature into 70 to 120-foot trees - the choices include Oaks (Bur, Shumard and Cherrybark), a mix of Hickories, Bald Cypress, Persimmon and the Kentucky Coffeetree. Also available is the Eastern Redbud, The festivities include refreshments and entertainment along with plenty of information and expert advice from foresters, arborists, tree huggers, and area naturalists associated with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the UK School of Agriculture Cooperative Extension.

459-1405 or http://BelknapNeighbor.info

I love that my neighborhood association is doing this. It certainly makes me less grumpy.

Plant for the Planet Tree Giveaway
Saturday, April 05, 2008
9AM-3PM

Warheim Park
1832 Overlook Terrace
Louisville, KY

I have such deep respect for Wendell Berry that you only have to mention he's involved with an event to get my ears perked up. Throw in that the event is for a good cause and now you've really got my attention.

On Saturday, February 2, 2008 the Senior High Youth Group and Mission and Outreach Ministry of First Unitarian Church, along with local musician Cari Norris present the “I Love the Mountains Benefit Concert.”

The concert will raise funds to increase awareness around the issue of mountaintop removal in Eastern Kentucky.  All proceeds will be donated to Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC), a social justice and environmental lobbying group.

The program will feature:

• Renowned Kentucky author Wendell Berry;
• The Reel World String Band, traditional and old-time music with a touch of country, swing, blues, and jazz;
• Rich Kirby and the Po Folks, old-time string band from Whitesburg, KY;
• Randy Wilson, storyteller and musician from Leslie County, KY;
• Cari Norris, local artist whose music stems from the traditions of her grandmother, the late Lily May Ledford; and
• Nora Ben & Eli, local teen trio who play an eclectic mix of jazz, Celtic, Appalachian, old-time, and original tunes. (Editor's Note: This trio is great)
  

Saturday, February 2, 2008 7:30PM
The event is free but a $15 donation is suggested.

First Unitarian Church
809 S. Fourth St.
Louisville, KY 

On occasion I've been called a tree hugger so it's no real surprise that I'd be interested in an event called "Greening Your Home." However after making the leap from apartment dweller to householder this past year and seeing last month's LG&E bill I'd interested in anything that can help "create an energy efficient home" even if I hated the environment and cut down trees just for fun.

Also, events that give me free samples of local organic food? Always high on my to do list.

"Want to “go green” but just don’t know where to begin? Then stop by Rainbow Blossom’s Greening Your Home! Whether you want to start small - simple choices to create an energy efficient home, using chemical-free cleaners, making ‘greener’ food choices - or if you want to make bigger changes, we’ ll have experts from around Kentuckiana on hand to assist you. While getting practical tips to ‘green up’ your living space sample organic, local foods and other products. We’ ll also be raffling off an electric, zero emission scooter. From learning how to compost your kitchen waste to building a house made of straw, this event is a one stop resource for “greening” your home and your life!"

January 12, 2008 Noon-4PM

Rainbow Blossom
3738 Lexington Rd.
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 896-0189