Event to highlight green initiatives

A small community is hoping to get homeowners to reconsider the decisions they’re making for their homes and yards.

The Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee is hosting its first ever sustainablity fair in the basement of the municipal building May 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to educate the public about ways they can make their living environment more sustainable while accessing services close to home.

There will be nine booths with information on how to make sustainable choices.

“It will appeal to the people who are already cognizant of how to live sustainably,” said Dusty Williams, Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee chairman. “A lot of people understand. They capture rainwater, they’ve been purchasing LED bulbs, but it’s not enough. What we need to do is give them more information and also give information to people who are holding back or sitting on the fence.”

Experts in the area will share information on growing food locally, drought-resistant landscaping, energy audits, air quality management, natural landscapes, air quality, natural cleaning products, solar power and renewable technologies during the free event.

“The idea is to get the information to the public so that they know this is available in their community,” he said. “These products are available in the local area so they don’t have to drive far. You keep money in the community, you are keeping people in the local community employed and most importantly those are green jobs.”

On May 13, some of them will talk to students at Oilfields High School about living sustainably, said Williams.

“Students will take that information home,” he said.

“I’ve seen it at the recycling centre. Kids will come in for a tour and within hours or days the parents are in there saying, ‘My son or daughter told me I have to get this together so here I am.’”

Williams said the goal is to reach as much of the community as possible and get people thinking about what changes they can make.

“I think there is a want and a need for that information,” he said. “It gives more understanding that I probably should take part because this stuff is already happening.”

For instance, experts on permaculture landscaping will share information on plants that are drought resistant, resulting in less of a need for chemicals and watering, said Williams.

“You have lower energy use, you have less pollution going into the environment and less chemicals,” he said.

In addition, the public will learn about the Town’s numerous energy conservation initiatives.

“They need to know we are always making progress,” said Williams. “A lot of people don’t know that. A lot of the stuff we are doing is not visible. We saved a lot of water in the arenas and within the town itself. There are initiatives that aren’t visible and we need to know about them.”

Elise Van Ee will share information on eco-friendly landscape design.

“The demand for environmentally friendly landscapes is very high,” said the owner of Greenscapes in Black Diamond. “People are concerned about the use of water and rainwater runoff and things like that.”

Van Ee said many municipalities are seeking more eco-friendly landscaping, more so than homeowners.

“They are a little slower to get on the bandwagon,” she said. “Usually budget is a concern. A really good state-of-the-art system, it’s really expensive. There are simpler, less expensive ways to manage water as well.

“It depends on if you’re retrofitting your yard or starting from scratch. Starting from scratch it’s better to put more money into it – save more in the end.”

The choice of materials a person selects for their yard impacts the carbon footprint, said Van Ee.

“Importing a lot of materials increases the carbon footprint as opposed to getting local materials,” she said. “I think people need to be thinking more and more about how what they’re doing in their daily lives effects the sustainability of business and of our environment.”

For more details about the sustainability fair go to town.blackdiamond.ab.ca