“What is the next greatest version of your life, your community, the region and the nation?” asks keynote 2012 EcoFairfield speaker Seth Braun.
Maharishi University of Management EcoFairfield organizers started asking themselves this question when they began planning for the 2012 Eco Fair. They learned from local workshop presenters at last year’s Eco Fair that there is a wealth of expertise, passion, and practical home-based sustainability on Maharishi University of Management’s campus, in Fairfield, and regionally.
Through the Fairfield Volunteer Center’s weatherization projects and SunnyBrook’s community garden project, Maharishi University of Management student event organizers discovered that community service is fun, educational, meaningful, bridges generations, and generates friendships. With that in mind they decided to make it a prominent theme of this year’s event.
EcoFairfield weekend, April 20th-22nd, is a time for the Fairfield community, along with regional guests and experts, to come together around the theme “Serve, Connect, Inspire.”
The event is a community organized, community-supported, community-wide event. Student organizers have partnered with other community organizations including the Hometown Rewards Program and the Dharma Foundation.
“One of the many partnerships that have come together for Ecofairfield is with Dig In, Fairfield (a subset of the Hometown Rewards Program). Dig In plans to plant about 300 6-foot trees around the community,” James Schleppenbach, MUM student organizer explains. “The funding for this project is available through a grant from Trees Forever and Alliant Energy, which awarded the City of Fairfield $7,500 to plant trees for energy efficiency and biodiversity. The trees will be a mix of fruiting and edible varieties as well as non-edibles.”
The weekend will be packed with activities and events, from a fashion show and green jobs fair to workshops and vendors of eco-friendly products. Highlights include:
The Sustainable Living Center will host a press conference and opening celebration on Friday, April 20, at 11:00 a.m.
The Green Vendors Sale and Green Careers Jobs Fair will be in Expo Hall at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center on Saturday, April 21, from 9:00-4:00 p.m.
Workshops, presentations, and documentaries will be offered all day Saturday and on Sunday afternoon at venues such as the Argiro Student Center cafe, the new Sustainable Living Center, and the Fairfield Public Library.
Speakers and workshop hosts:
- Fred Kirschenmann from the Leopold Center
- Stuart Valentine, expert on green asset management
- Christian Renaud from StartupCity Des Moines
- Michael Cook, a former organizer of the Village Building Convergence in Portland, Oregon
- Francis Thicke, author, sustainable agriculture expert, and founder of Radiance Dairy
- Maryan Hesse, an Amazon forest ambassador
- Scott Morris, Founder of myLocal Cooperative; and Nick Campney from O
ne-Hundred Trees.
The ever-popular annual EcoJam Fashion Show will be held Saturday night. Models will present fashions by 12 designers made from recycled, vintage, or organically and sustainably manufactured materials. It will begin at 7 p.m. at the former St. Mary’s School located on 3rd street a few blocks south of campus.
Other Ecofairfield partners include:
Fairfield public library, Fairfield Volunteer Center, Fairfield Rotaract, myLocal Cooperative, City of Fairfield, Dharma foundation, Bonnell Building Project, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with more partnerships developing.
For more information take a look at the following sites:
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Anna Bruen is a MUM alumnus who graduated with a degree in Sustainable Living. Anna is the resident blogger here at MUM. To learn more about Anna take a look at her introduction post. |
