Youngstown embraces their shrinking population and vacant houses and has begun to reinvent themselves with unmatched enthusiasm. With the Grey to Green Festival this Sat 9/10, it seems that Youngstown is even more innovative. (The essay writing competition’s theme is “Toward 2020: How can the Mahoning Valley become more earth-friendly — who will held do it?” How cool is that?) As the city shrinks, the Grey to Green organizers see an opportunity to grow a greener economy.
The essay contest is a challenge to not just write about it, but take action about commitment to the environment. That’s what Grey to Green is all about—let’s not talk about it, let’s do it by organizing rides to work, making our homes more energy efficient, recycling everything from plastics to old furniture and going paperless. While the contest is a call to action (the deadline was September 7), the 4th annual Grey to Green Festival at Youngstown’s Wick Park Historic District is designed to raise awareness of environmental concerns in the Mahoning Valley.
There will even be a soap box/open mic where people can spend three minutes talking about how to combat climate change. This throwback to the pre-mass communication era forces people to really look at what they can personally do, much like a political or religious rally would do. Although there will be vendors and exhibits, the practical skills workshops are more likely to cause change. Workshops encourage one-ness with the environment, and include topics on composting, nutrition for healing, and tree identification.
Start the day at the farmer’s market, then go to one of the workshops that begins at 11AM. The opening ceremony at noon will announce essay contest winners and Dr. Ray’s Amazing Sideshow of Science presenting Earth Elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth. Workshops continue in the afternoon with Artist Ed Hallahan’s “With Dead Pine” presentation on his installation of Wick Pavilion.
Trek out to Youngstown for the Fourth Annual Grey to Green Festival this Sat 9/10 from 10AM to 5PM. For location and more information, go to http://GreyToGreenFestival.org.
Claudia Taller’s book Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries was just released by Arcadia Publishing. Find out more about the book by going to http://OhioLakeErieWineries.blogspot.com and order it through Claudia by sending an e-mail to claudia.taller@yahoo.com.