Category Archives: Events

Free showing of Bag It! The Movie

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Try going a day without plastic. Plastic is everywhere and infiltrates our lives in unimaginable and frightening ways. In this touching and often flat-out-funny film, we follow “everyman” Jeb Berrier, who is admittedly not a tree hugger, as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. What starts as a film about plastic bags evolves into a wholesale investigation into plastic and its affect on our waterways, oceans, and even our own bodies. We see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now.

WHEN: Monday, March 31, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 21 Library Lane, Williston

COST: It’s Free! Please bring your own cup and bowl for local popcorn and cider and help keep this event “zero waste.”  Enter to win raffle prizes and a chance to win a backyard SoilSaver compost bin too!

INFO:  This event is hosted by Sustainable Williston, Dorothy Alling Memorial Library and Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD). Film is best suited for ages 12 and up. For more info contact Marge Keough/CSWD at 802-872-8100 x234.

2014 Sustainable Living Expo in Middlebury March 29th

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Sustainable Williston member Dennis Bates passed along this information about the 2014 Sustainable Living Expo in Middlebury, where he’ll be exhibiting his sunroom / solar greenhouse designs (details edited from a notice sent out by ACORN: Addison County Relocalization Network).
What
A one-day exposition of workshops, exhibits and events promoting sustainable living in the Champlain ValleyWhy
To gather the community together with the purpose of inspiring each other to explore, design and create a vibrant self-sustaining future, rooted in ourselves, our communities, and in nature

When
Saturday March 29, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT
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Where
Middlebury Union High School
73 Charles Avenue
Middlebury, VT 05753

Driving Directions

Presented by:

Sponsored by:Co-operative Insurance Companies

 

Middlebury College

You can be part of the planning process as a volunteer!

You will get first hand experience at event planning, see immediate results for your efforts, meet new people, have fun, and get a free Expo t-shirt!

Register to volunteer

If you need any more reason to attend, look at what else is in store:

  • Keynote speaker Kathy Blume
  • Student Presentations
  • Off-Site Tours
  • Kids’ activities and workshops
  • Videos that inspire innovation
  • Lively music and festive performances
  • Local foods available throughout the day
  • ACTR bus will make continuous, fare-free loop around Addison County
  • Community organizations offered space to hold meetings and events during the Expo

More Info
For Information on exhibiting, submitting workshop proposals, or volunteering, check out our website or contact:

Elizabeth Golden-Pidgeon, Managing Director
Sustainable Living Expo 2014
P.O. Box 65
Middlebury, VT 05753
(802) 598-2388 (cell)
Natl Bank of Midd logo VBT

With additional support from: 

Art from Trash: Creative Reuse Showcase

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News from The Chittenden Solid Waste District:

Breakfast at Tape-anys by Sarina Cannizzaro

18th Annual CSWD Creative Reuse Art Showcase

The CSWD Creative Reuse Showcase is an art competition for Chittenden County students in grades 9 through 12. The purpose of the Showcase is to encourage students and the community in general to reduce waste by reconsidering what we consume and discard. Creative Reuse Showcase art is made from items and materials that have been used for their original purpose and then discarded either as landfill-bound trash or as recycling.

By entering, students compete for hundreds of dollars in cash and prizes from local sponsors. They may also earn a spot in a month-long exhibit of the Showcase at Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Gallery in Burlington.

See the Showcase:

March 7: Showcase art exhibit opening at Frog Hollow. 85 Church St., Burlington, during First Friday Art Walk.

March 27 Closing Awards Bash at Frog Hollow. 6-7 pm (Awards at 6:30 pm)

More information at http://cswd.net/reduce-and-reuse/creative-reuse-showcase/

Feb Meeting Notes, and Next Meeting Scheduled for Wed 3/19

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Sustainable Williston met February 19th at the Dorothy Alling Library in Williston. We had two special guests for this meeting. First, Zuhair Chaudhry, a CVU high school student and CVU Environmental Action Club member who has made great progress with carpooling spoke with us about CVU bus ridership. Our emphasis until now has been on helping successfully restart the late bus program while ensuring good ridership, but it has expanded now to consider the question of bus ridership at CVU in general. We’re still working on this issue; get in touch if you’re interested in being part of it or would like more information.

CVU

Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) Outreach Coordinator Michele Morris joined us to provide information and recommendations on the question of reducing plastic waste. Sustainable Williston members are hoping to help phase out dishes and to volunteer time to assist with recycling and composting at some local events. Michele had some intriguing additional ideas and important insights. We also discussed Vermont’s upcoming universal recycling program and ways Williston can encourage better recycling and composting for residents and businesses.

cswdlogo

Sustainable Williston member Marie-Claude Beaudette provided an update on our Birth Trees project, in which we’re partnering with the town and local business to (if all goes well) donate a tree to each Williston family into which a child is born or adopted. In its current form, it looks like the program will offer the option of either having the tree planted in a public place or given to the family to be planted at their home, though the details are still being worked out.

trees

We’ll discuss these and other projects and topics at our next meeting, Wednesday, March 19th at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, upstairs.

We’re also talking about having more informal get-togethers from time to time. If you’re interested in any of the above topics, in attending formal meetings, or in being in the loop for get-togethers, please use the contact form and ask to be added to our e-mail discussion and announcement list.

Next Sustainable Williston meeting: Wed Feb 19th, Open to All

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Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 19th, at 7pm in the Vermont room of the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library in Williston, and is open to all area residents interested in sustainability.

library

Topics may include:

  • The birth trees project, which is getting support both from the Town of Williston and from a great local business to gift trees to Williston families who have or adopt babies, to be planted on public or private land.
  • A discussion with Michele Morris from Chittenden Solid Waste District, continuing the topic introduced last week of reducing plastic waste in town
  • Possibly, a continuation of the discussion of the CVU late bus project with one or more students from of CVU’s Environmental Action Club

We may also have a chance to discuss the recent growth of the group, carbon footprint reduction workshops, or other topics.

Click the contact tab to get in touch if you have any questions, or see you there!

Local Legends Acoustic Folk for Responsible Growth Hinesburg, Friday

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Local Legends

Local musicians get together Friday 7-9pm at Champlain Valley Union high school to support Responsible Growth Hinesburg, a grassroots community organization.
Concert Line-up:Jamie Masefield with Doug Perkins, Tyler Bolles, and Jon Fishman; Michael Chorney/Maryse Smith; and Pete’s Posse: Pete Sutherland, Oliver Scanlon,Tristan Henderson.

Tickets available locally at Brown Dog Books and Gifts on Mechanicsville Road or by phone at 86-FLYNN.

Next Meeting: Wednesday 1/15 at the Dorothy Alling Library

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We’ll have our next meeting Wednesday, January 15th at 7pm at the Dorothy Alling Library in Williston. Current projects include topics like bikes, trees, and buses. Everyone interested in environmental and sustainability issues is welcome. Click “Contact” in the menu if you have any questions.

Next Meeting Wednesday, December 11th

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Our Web site is brand new. Please excuse how limited the information is here while we expand with information on current and past projects, resources, and more.

Our next meeting is tentatively set to be Wednesday, December 11th, from 7:00-9:00 PM, location tba.

The agenda is not officially set, but likely topics include:

  • Williston bike paths
  • CVU late buses
  • Our project to plant trees for each new baby born to a Williston family
  • Checking in on our new Web site and possibly a new group name

Everyone is welcome. Please comment or get in touch through our contact page if you have questions about Williston Green Initiatives or the upcoming meeting.