Want to learn the best plants for your south-facing yard? Interested in water harvesting, but feeling confused with choices and materials you need to get started? Intrigued by the idea of “green building,” but unsure what materials are truly green, practical and cost efficient?

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, the Tucson Botanical Gardens is partnering with Bookmans and the Girl Scouts to sponsor GreenFest, a free community event filled with eco-conscious family fun and green living know-how. From 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., experts from local businesses and organizations will offer interactive, hands-on workshops and activities for kids and adults throughout the Gardens to provide Tucsonans with the skills they need to live greener lives everyday. With experts in everything from water harvesting and composting, to xeriscaping and green building, GreenFest strives to answer all your environmental questions and leave you with the skills, resources and knowledge to build a better, greener life for yourself and our community. Check out the schedule and exhibitor info below.

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

9:00 A.M.

Water Harvesting [WATER, Elaine West]

Succulents 101 [ENVIRONMENT, Jamie Del Vecchio]

Planting a Healthy Vegetable Garden [FOOD, Community Food Bank]

Landscape Water Management [ED BUILDING, Realm]

Overview of Tucson Clean and Beautiful [ENVIRONMENT, Tucson Clean and Beautiful]

Proper Tree Pruning [PLANTS OF THE TOHONO O’ODHAM, Bartlett Tree Experts]

10:00 A.M.

Introduction to Solar [ENERGY, PAG Solar Partnership]

Grow Native: Don’t Plant a Pest [ENVIRONMENT, AZ Native Plant Society]

Trees for Tucson [ENVIRONMENT, Tucson Clean and Beautiful]

Composting Demonstration [FOOD, Tucson Organic Gardeners]

10:30 A.M.

Tree Selection & Care: Class and Tour [ED BUILDING]

11:00 A.M.

Story Time: Jeremy Jackrabbit Harvests the Rain [CHILDREN’S GARDEN]

Site Design for Vegetable Gardens [FOOD, Community Food Bank]

Recycling and Reuse [ENVIRONMENT, Tucson Clean and Beautiful]

Water Harvesting [WATER, Elaine West]

Proper Tree Pruning [PLANTS OF THE TOHONO O’ODHAM, Bartlett Tree Experts]

NOON

Introduction to Solar [ENERGY, PAG Solar Partnership]

Grow Native: Don’t Plant a Pest [ENVIRONMENT, AZ Native Plant Society]

Making Sustainability Sexy [ED BUILDING, Realm]

Composting Demonstration [FOOD, Tucson Organic Gardeners]

Mrs. Green's LIVE Broadcast! [WELCOME, Mrs. Green]

12:30 P.M.

Tree Selection & Care: Class and Tour [ED BUILDING]

Overview of Tucson Clean and Beautiful [ENVIRONMENT, Tucson Clean and Beautiful]

1:00 P.M.

Water Harvesting [WATER, Elaine West]

Planting a Healthy Vegetable Garden [FOOD, Community Food Bank]

And don’t miss...

Mrs. Green’s live remote at NOON! [WELCOME]

Bag Decorating presented by Bookmans, all day! [WELCOME]

RUMBA (re-used materials becoming art) [PORTER HALL]

Building a Worm Box [CHILDREN’S GARDEN, Girl Scouts]

Delicious, healthy lunch [CAFE]

 

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EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

BOOKMANS ENTERTAINMENT EXCHANGE • bookmans.com • AZ’s favorite media store. Buying, selling, and trading books, games, movies and music for over 30 years. Good for your pocket, good for the planet.

TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS • tucsonbotanical.org • Tucked away in mid-town Tucson, the Tucson Botanical Gardens is a 5 acre oasis of natural beauty, inspiration and desert education.

GIRL SCOUTS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA, Sahuaro Council • girlscoutssouthernarizona.org • The goals of Girl Scouts are to serve girls ages 5 to 17 through a wide range of contemporary programs that reflect the unique needs and interests of girls living in Southern Arizona. Girl Scouts are passionate about their community and environment and strive to use their resources wisely.

ARIZONA FEEDS COUNTRY STORE • afcountrystore.com • 520-622-2321 • Your one stop poultry shop, in the heart of South Tucson!

ARIZONA GREEN PLUMBERS • rooter2000.com • 520-884-0040 • Plumbing concepts designed to preserve Earth’s most valuable natural resource.

ARIZONA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY • aznps.com • 520-940-4888 • Arizona Native Plant Society is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote knowledge, appreciation, conservation, and restoration of Arizona native plants and their habitats.

BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS • bartlett.com • 520-628-9699 • Bartlett Tree Experts provides scientific tree and shrub care using preventive techniques since 1907. Pruning, root care, cabling, pest management, fertilization, tree/stump removals.

CAMPO URBANO • campourbano.org • 520-622-3933 • Campo Urbano is a 5-acre working ranch providing employment for adults with disabilities and Campo de Oeste - a mentor based environmental education program.

COMMUNITY FOOD BANK • communityfoodbank.com • 520-622-0525 x263 • The Community Food Bank, through education, advocacy, and the acquisition, storage, and distribution of food, will anticipate and meet the food needs of the hungry in our community.

ECO GREEN CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CARE • ecogreencarpetandupholsterycare.com • EcoGreen specializes in Earth-friendly and hypoallergenic carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning.

THE GARDENERS OF TUCSON • 520-292-0504 • Our purpose is to promote fuller appreciation of the benefits and joys of working with plants in the Tucson area.

GARDENING INSIGHTS, INC. • gardeninginsights.com • 520-603-2703 • Garden sculpture and ecological landscape design.

HABISTORE • habitattucson.org/habistore • 520-889-7200 • The HabiStore’s primary goal is to generate enough revenue for HFH Tucson to underwrite the cost of one home each year for a deserving family.

HEIFER INTERNATIONAL • heifer.org • 520-529-6902 • Heifer International is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth.

MATT’S ORGANICS • mattsorganics.com • 520-790-4360 • Home delivery of fresh organic fruits and veggies.

MRS. GREEN • mrsgreensworld.com • 520-880-5678 • Mrs. Green is a messenger for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants, informing people how they can make changes every day that are good for them and good for the planet. You can call Mrs. Green during her live broadcast on NEWSTALK 790 KNST, 12:05 to 1:00 p.m. Saturdays.

ORIGINATE NATURAL BUILDING MATERIALS • originatenbm.com 520-792-4207 • Originate is a natural building materials showroom that specializes in interior finishes that are environmentally friendly, made from renewable and recycled resources.

PAG SOLAR PARTNERSHIP • pagnet.org • 520-792-1093 • The Solar Partnership focuses on implementation of solar technology in Pima County, and the Tucson Regional Clean Cities Coalition focuses on promoting alternative vehicle fuels to petroleum to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

REALM • realmenvironments.com • 520-791-9131 • REALM™ is the outdoor sustainability solution specializing in commercial and residential landscape design, construction, and organic maintenance. If it’s outside…it’s within our REALM™.

SABINO CANYON VOLUNTEER NATURALISTS • scvntucson.org • 520-529-0626 • SCVN is a non-profit community group that works with the Forest Service, providing environmental education activities in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area.

SOLAR STORE • solarstore.com • 520-322-5180 • The Solar Store has over 60 years of combined experience in the solar energy industry.

SOUTHERN ARIZONA GREEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • sagcc.org • 520-822-8377

SUNFLOWER FARMERS MARKET • sfmarkets.com • 520-407-5132 • Conventional/natural/organic grocery store.

TECHNICIANS FOR SUSTAINABILITY • tfssolar.com • 520-740-0736 • Technicians for Sustainability is a locally owned, mission-driven company specializing in renewable energy and sustainable technologies for residential and commercial settings, including solar electric, solar hot water, and rain water harvesting.

TUCSON CLEAN & BEAUTIFUL • ci.tucson.az.us/tcb • 520-791-3109 • Tucson Clean and Beautiful is a nonprofit organization specializing in education and hands-on volunteer activities in recycling, tree planting, litter clean up, and more!

TUCSON ELECTRIC POWER • tep.com • 520-670-1442 • Tucson Electric Power is an electric utility company serving Southern Arizona. Environmental Education Exchange manages TEP’s Energy Conservation Bike Outreach program.

TUCSON ORGANIC GARDENERS • tucsonorganicgardeners.org • 520-882-5668 • We educate the public on composting and gardening organically.

TUCSON WATER • ci.tucson.az.us/water/ • 520-837-2185 • Municipal water provider serving the metropolitan Tucson area.

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL • usgbc.org • The USGBC Arizona Chapter promotes sustainable techniques in the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated.