Cavendish to celebrate Earth Week
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: April 20, 2009
CAVENDISH — Earth Day is so important to Cavendish residents they decided to make the celebration last all week and they're inviting other ecologically minded people to join them.
The town will host a variety of lectures, tours and demonstrations intended to teach people about global warming, alternative energy and sometimes just how to live simpler lives. Unless otherwise noted, the events will be held in the multipurpose room at Cavendish Town Elementary School on Route 131 in the village of Proctorsville.
The week's events will kick off at 6:30 p.m. today with a presentation called "Clean Green for Cheap!" Members of the Cavendish Historical Society will discuss Depression-era sustainable household cleaning tips and listeners will learn how to clean in ways that are both economical and ecological.
At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Patrick Parenteau, professor of law and senior counsel at the Vermont Law School Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, will present "The Impact of Climate Change in Vermont."
Parenteau said his lecture will focus on how climate change is affecting those things near and dear to Vermonters — such as ski areas and maple sugaring — as well as bird migration, flooding and water quality and quantity.
In addition to mitigation — Parenteau noted the climate plan adopted by Keene, N.H., as an example of what a community can do to collectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions — Parenteau will also address adaptation.
"As flood plains expand and flood more frequently, what will that mean for development?" he said.
On "Windy Wednesday," the Cavendish Solar Store will celebrate wind power with kite flying and a demonstration of a compact wind turbine and home energy system, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Fletcher Field on Route 103.
"Come on down and learn how you can put renewable energy to work," said Dallas Cox, proprietor of the Cavendish Solar Store. "We have an abundance of natural energy. We just have to put it to work for us."
In the event of rain, the turbine demonstration will be held at the Cavendish Solar Store on Route 131 east of town.
At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association will sponsor a panel discussion about gardening, composting, recycling and local food.
At 6:30 p.m. Friday, the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library will screen "The 11th Hour," a film narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio addressing climate change, deforestation and mass species extinction.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, several workshops will focus on sustainable building, landscaping, net metering and tax incentives.
On Sunday, there will be a tour of sustainable homes in the area, including a home in Chester that makes use of solar, wind and geothermal, as well as the Proctorsville Townhouses, where a recent study by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board found owners will potentially save $2,400 a year in utility costs thanks to sustainability practices.
The tour will leave the Cavendish Solar Store at 1 p.m.
For more information about the week's events, which are all free and open to the public, call the Cavendish Solar Store at 226-7093.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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