Fair lends a hand to the environment

A community fair may convince some Foothills residents to make small changes that could have a big impact on the environment in the long run.

The Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee is hosting its second annual Sustainability Fair featuring various booths, presentations and hands-on demonstrations that will give the public ideas on how to make their living environment more sustainable. The fair takes place May 13 at the Griffiths Senior Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“People need to find answers to their sustainability goals and living within their means,” said Dusty Williams, Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee chairman. “If you’re doing things locally like growing organic foods you’ve cut out the travel so your carbon footprint is small.”

The fair will showcase more than a dozen sustainable businesses and organizations in the area with information on such topics as energy conservation, home energy audits, alternative energy, public transportation, air quality, green utility providers and locally grown food.

Presentations will be made throughout the day on composting, residential solar energy and sustainable resources. Tours of the Town’s energy conservation initiatives are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and tours of Town and residential solar systems at noon and 4 p.m.

“We would like to see and make available to residents sources where they can access renewable resources,” said Williams. “Now with the local and provincial rebates, along with the reduction in solar pricing, that makes it more affordable for people. They will lean more towards generating their own power for themselves.”

This weekend’s fair will expand on last year’s event to bring in more topics and a better variety, said Williams.

“We got people from Calgary last year, which surprised us,” he said. “They were interested in our achievements in solar, so we’re having tours on solar to the town projects and local residents. There is anywhere from six to 10 on the tour.”

In addition to learning ways to save energy, those in attendance will learn how to reduce their utility bills and can access information on local and provincial energy conservation programs, Williams said.

Representatives from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre will attend the fair to inform the public on funding available for municipalities for LED lighting upgrades and solar purchases through the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and Calgary Region Airshed Zone representatives will bring the mobile unit to test the air quality for pollutants, said Williams.

“It’s about learning how to keep people living more sustainably in their communities,” he said. “There’s regeneration through landscaping, water and sun which is not harming the environment or anything around you at all.”

Williams said that something as simple as capturing and harvesting rain water builds up the water table, rather than the water heading into the river and impacting fish and riparian areas.

“Those types of ideas we will be presenting,” he said. “The information has always been there, but it’s about getting it to the public level. These sustainability fairs help do that.”

Admission to the event is free, for more details go to town.blackdiamond.ab.ca