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Sustainability Week

CELEBRATE SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability Week 2012: September 18 - 20

Calendar of Events

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Local. Sustainable. VA Tech - VT Women's Soccer Game vs. NC State

Event Description: The 5 Rights Football Club and the VT Women's Soccer Team have partnered to host a sustainable soccer game. Our team will be warming up for the match in shirts made of recycled material. The 5 Rights Football Club enables college soccer players, coaches and supporters to address water, food, health, housing and education needs in communities throughout the USA.
Time: 1:00pm
Location: Virginia Tech Soccer Stadium
Contact: Jimmy Skiles, skiles@vt.edu, 540-231-8783

Tour of Sustainable Blacksburg Farm - Glade Road Growing

Event Description: JP and Sally (farm managers) will take you around the farm and show you how they grow vegetables, pastured broilers, apple trees, and more. They will have time at the end for questions and answers and to show the apiary (where the honeybees live) to those who are interested. May Hae will be leading activities for kids during the tour, and Aaron Grigsby will be making free brick oven pizza with toppings from the farm. The tour itself will last about an hour but you are welcome to linger afterwards to ask more questions and enjoy the pizza. We recommend that you wear comfortable shoes.
Time: 2:00pm to 3:30PM
Location: 2351 Glade Road, Blacksburg. The farm is about 1.5 miles down Glade Road on the left, just after the turn for the Heritage Park and just before the sharp turn in Glade Road.
Contact:Sally Walker, sally@gladeroadgrowing.com, 540-808-0672

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Sustainability Week Tree Planting (link)- POSTPONED UNTIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Event Description: Tree plantings have become an annual Sustainability Week event! All materials needed for planting (trees, shovels, etc.) will be provided, just show up to help. Approximately 15 native trees will be planted during the event. This event has been postponed due to weather and has been rescheduled for Tuesday, September 25 at the same time and in the same place. Hope to see you there!
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Near Owens Dining Hall & Payne Hall
Contact: Matt Gart, gartm@vt.edu, 540 231-4186

Electric Vehicles

Event Description: Electric vehicles are coming to a library near you! Come check out several electric and plug-in hybrid cars on display at the Blacksburg Library from 6:00pm-8:30pm. Stay for a discussion about electric cars at 6:30pm and a panel discussion with drivers of electric and plug-in cars at 7:15pm.
Time: 6:00pm-8:30pm
Location: Blacksburg Library & Blacksburg Library Conference Rm
Contact: Dave Roper, roperld@vt.edu, 540-230-4787

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Active Commute Celebration

Event Description: The Active Commute Celebration provides students, faculty, and staff with information on utilizing sustainable means of transportation to and from campus. This event also encourages commuters to provide feedback on alternative transportation options available on campus.
Time: 8:00am-1:00pm
Location:Virginia Tech Drillfield (across from Burruss Hall & War Memorial Gym)
Contact: Debby Freed, dfreed@vt.edu, 540 231-0248

Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Join the Town of Blacksburg, Sustainable Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech in celebrating sustainability! Representatives from each group and various other sustainability-related clubs, organizations, and departments will have booths at the Farmers' Market to chat with all interested parties about sustainability efforts on campus and throughout the Blacksburg community. Additionally, the local band "Black Twig Pickers" will be playing tunes during the event!
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Denny Cochrane, denniscc@vt.edu, 540-231-5184

Sustainability Abroad: VT's Office of International Research, Education, and Development @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Also during the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market, come learn about how VT's Office of International Research, Education, and Development keeps its international programs sustainable. Activities and handouts include a worm farm, marigold packets, cacao nibs, information on eco-friendly study abroad, stickers, and a raffle for gift certificates from the Chocolate Spike!
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Melissa Smith, melism@vt.edu, 414-231-5184

Study Abroad in Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands: Info Session @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Also during the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market, Susan Ahn will be available to talk with students with sustainability and environmental interests about study abroad opportunities in Ecuador and/or the Galapagos Islands. Susan will discuss her personal experience in the nation's capital, the Amazon Rain Forest, and Galapagos Islands. Photos, videos, and Q&A will be included.
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Susan Ahn, susahn@vt.edu, 703-647-0842

Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Also during the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market, a representative from the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation will be present to talk to members of the campus and the surrounding community regarding undergraduate major options and opportunities for education within the department.
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Kyle Dingus, kdd8989@vt.edu, 540-231-1423

Know your Watershed Event @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Also during the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market, representatives from Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg will be educating the community about stormwater pollution prevention. At the event there will be informational posters, watershed model demonstrations, and activities for children.
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Lauren Grimes, lgrimes@vt.edu, 540-231-3716

VT's Department of Sustainable Biomaterials @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: Joining the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market, the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials will have demonstrations and will present information about bioenergy and sustainable biofuels, compostable and biodegradable packaging systems from renewable materials, green building design and innovation-based green business strategies.
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Professor Barry Goodell, goodell@vt.edu, 540-231-8853

The Environmental Coalition @ The Farmers' Market

Event Description: The student organization The Environmental Coalition will be joining the Sustainability Celebration @ The Farmers' Market to provide information about their organization and to educate students and the community on how to be more sustainable and promote sustainability.
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Blacksburg Farmers' Market
Contact: Abby Hays, abbyhays@vt.edu, 202-271-7259

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

TED Talk @ The Lyric

Event Description: The Lyric Theatre presents a new monthly lunchtime video/lecture series designed to spark ideas and discussion among community members. In conjunction with Sustainability Week 2012, this month's TED Talk video is: "A Bold Plan for Mass Adoption of Electric Cars" featuring Shai Agassi. A panel discussion with local experts (including Dave Roper, Glenn Skutt and Pat Bixler) immediately follows the video presentation. Admission is free.
Time:12:00pm
Location: The Lyric Theatre
Contact: Susan Mattingly, execdirector@thelyric.com , 540-951-1772

Tour of Virginia Tech's First Solar Photovoltaic Project (link)

Event Description: Interested in learning more about the solar panels? Come tour Virginia Tech's first solar photovoltaic project! This project was funded through DMME grants and was installed on top of the recently completed Perry Street Parking Structure. The tour will review the installation and some of the challenges and benefits of the project.
Please note: The tour will take place on the top level of the Parking Structure. Attendees should report to the Parking Services office on the ground level, and wear something weather-appropriate and comfortable. Attendees that have a pass from Parking Services may park in the Parking Structure. Additionally, there are metered spaces in the adjacent surface parking lots. Attendees are encouraged to use alternative transportation such as walking, biking, or taking the BT to the Parking Structure.
Time: 1:30pm- 2:30pm
Location: P5 Perry Street Parking Structure
Contact: David Chinn, dwc@vt.edu, 540 231-2269

Tour of ICTAS-II: VT's First Commissioned Research Facility (link)

Event Description: Come tour the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Sciences' (ICTAS) building II, which recently received LEED Gold Certification! The tour will include an overview of the facility and the sustainable features that contributed to the building attaining LEED Gold.
Time: 3:00pm- 4:00pm
Location: ICTAS II Main Lobby
Contact: Dawn Maxey, dmaxey@vt.edu, 540 553-5966

Tour of Smithfield Garden (link)

Event Description: This event is hosted by the Sustainable Food Corps (SFC), which is a volunteer student organization, dedicated to using sustainable techniques to grow vegetable and fruit crops. The majority of the produce is donated to local food banks. SFC student leaders and faculty advisors will provide a tour of the garden and explain the different sustainable techniques used. Handouts describing these techniques will be available for all visitors.
Time: 4:30pm- 5:30pm
Location: Meet at Smithfield Plantation Parking Lot(Tentative)
Contact: Ron Morse, morser@vt.edu, 540 231-6724

Cafe2 Energy Audit Demonstration

Event Description: Cafe2 and its licensed energy contractors will host a public demonstration energy audit at the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Office on September 20th. Attendees will learn how an energy audit can identify problems with their own home and what can be done to make their home more energy efficient
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Location: Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Office, Patrick Henry Drive
Contact: Mason Cavell, mcavell@cafe2.org, 540-267-6137

History of Sustainability Week

In August 2006, the Town of Blacksburg held "Environmental Awareness Week" as a community celebration for community celebration for:

Obtaining E3 status in the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program,
Receiving a U.S. EPA Resource Conservation Challenge program grant to reduce toxic chemical risks in the community, and
Receiving recognition from the U.S. EPA for being the first municipality in the nation to join their National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program. The community partnership established as a requirement of the U.S. EPA grant organized Environmental Awareness Week.

Environmental Awareness Week was so successful that this informal community partnership became an independent non-profit corporation in 2007, called Sustainable Blacksburg, with board member representation from the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and the Blacksburg business and citizen communities. Sustainable Blacksburg also received the Virginia Sustainable Building Network (VSBN) 2007 Green Innovation Award for "Best Sustainable Community Program".

In 2007 the Town of Blacksburg and Sustainable Blacksburg expanded their collaborative effort to include Virginia Tech and formed a "Green Partnership". In order to promote sustainability awareness and education, as well as to provide practical sustainability applications, the Green Partnership hosted Sustainability Week 2007 during the week of October 21. Many workshops, movies and events highlighting sustainability were held. Sustainability Week 2007 included prominent keynote speakers from sustainability-related fields, such as Robin Chase, Founder & CEO of GoLoco, Rebecca Flora, President of the Green Building Alliance and Chair Elect of the US Green Building Council, and L. Preston Bryant, Jr., Secretary of Natural Resources in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In his remarks Secretary Bryant, Jr., commented Sustainability Week 2007 can serve as a model program for our state and it subsequently won the 2008 Governor's Environmental Excellence "Bronze" Award.

Because of its success, Sustainability Week has become an annual tradition in Blacksburg! Sustainability Week is held each fall and features many prominent keynote speakers, activities, workshops, lectures and games!