Orcas Islanders are doing their part to become more sustainable, and an upcoming fair is highlighting those local efforts.
On Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the Orcas Sustainable Living Fair will take place in the Orcas Library Park, near the Orcas Island Farmers Market, which will be held on Prune Alley between A Street and Fern Street for the next three weeks, due to the reseeding of the Village Green.
A free event, the public can browse booths and learn what Orcas Islanders are doing at work and at home to help make our local and global community more sustainable.
Mikial Denker will have his recycled and electric bicycles on display, Chloe Scott and friends from the FEAST (Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens) program will be in attendance, Bob Connell and Phil Heikkinen from Sustainable Orcas Island will share their recent developments, Ken Wood will present his rabbit breeding program, and Allan Rosato from the Orcas Seed Bank will be handing out seed packets.
The Orcas Sustainable Living Fair is a project of Irthlingz Art-Based Environmental Education and Sustainable Orcas Island.
Sharon Abreu, Executive Director of Irthlingz, highlights this event as an opportunity for one to see and learn the many sustainable activities and business practices happening locally, to become inspired, and to gather and implement new ideas.
Phil Heikkinen, Director of the Orcas Island Public Library, sponsors the Sustainable Orcas Island group. It welcomes everyone to join in the ongoing discussions on how to live sustainably in ways which make it possible to thrive without off-island resources. Sustainable Orcas Island meetings are held at the library from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month and new members are always welcome.
Sustainable Orcas Island has also created The Whole Islands Catalog (wholeislandscatalog.net), an online social networking tool for all of San Juan County. Those interested in more information can also email Phil Heikkinen (pheikkinen@orcaslibrary.org) to be placed on the Sustainable Orcas Island mailing list.
Booth reservations are still available for those who wish to participate in this event. Call 376-5773 for more information.
by K. ANNA
Special to the Islands’ Sounder
