Front Range green events, facts and tips

This month’s issue gives helpful Front Range green events, facts and tips.

This examiner has been swamped with her full-time job as an environmental educator and zero waste coordinator, so the column will be limited to about one article per month.

Colorado Sustainable Living Fair in Fort Collins this weekend!

Once again the Sustainable Living Fair is back for its 12th year for this weekend only (September 17-18) in Fort Collins along the Cache La Poudre River. This examiner covered the event last year, where she found solar panels, composting worms, straw bale construction, and much more!

Green Tip #1

Buy some red wiggler worms from the Sustainable Living Fair to compost your veggies and non-recyclable paper in your home for fruitful gardens next growing season. Remember to save the fallen leaves for their bedding in a large bag so they can eat them all year!

Did you know that night crawlers are not a native earth worm and were introduced from Europe? They are destroying deciduous forests in the United States? Those leaves are more than food to worms. Save the leaves! Don’t throw them away!

Westminster Revitalization Project September 24th

The City of Westminster is looking for volunteers to clear out non-native species on open space from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Big Dry Creek Open Space at 1700 West 120th Avenue. They will provide a free lunch. Contact Patti Wright to register at (303) 658-2201 or email her at pwright@cityofwestminster.us.

Did you know that non-native species are not only damaging to native species, but can destroy waterways, including fish, consume and block water we rely upon and can totally take over once pristine native eco-systems?

Green Tip #2

Learn what plants make great substitutes to invasive species here in Colorado and never release your “pets” into the wild.

Colorado Moving Planet Ride September 24th

There will be an opportunity to come out in the thousands to support green energy alternatives instead of fossil fuels like coal and tar sands petroleum. This bicycle rally is sponsored by 350.org Colorado and coordinated through Facebook. The ride will start from Boulder at the Municipal Building at the corner of Canyon and Broadway in Boulder at 8:00 AM on Saturday, September 24th. They will ride to Denver to the State Capitol. The event will end with a party and green fair until 7:00 PM. Ride all the way to Denver or just part of the way.

2011 Colorado Permaculture Convergence September 25th

Grow Local Colorado invites you to a day of learning about permaculture with group discussions, hands-on workshops, panel talks and a potluck. The event includes hydroponics, food justice and water management. It will take place at The Growhaus located at 4751 York Street in Denver from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The suggested donation is $5-15. Learn more and register at: http://pcconvergence.eventbrite.com

Green Tip #3

Want to make your harvest last? Buy a dehydrator or take up canning. You save money and help the environment by using reusable containers like canning jars and vacuum packs that can be used over and over again.

Call for environmental film festival entries

The Colorado Environmental Film Festival is seeking environmental film entries for their upcoming 6th annual festival taking place in Golden the weekend of February 23-25, 2012. Please submit entries from now until November 30, 2011. The categories are: Ultra Shorts, Shorts, Feature Length, Local Filmmakers and the newest addition is the Youth Category for filmmakers in grades 6-12.

CEFF states, “Filmmakers of all abilities and backgrounds are invited to submit their films. All films must be formally submitted through the online service, www.withoutabox.com. Details for submitting are also included on the festival’s website, www.ceff.net. If you have a film to submit or suggest for our consideration, you can also contact us at 303.278.8822 or ceffchair@gmail.com."

On September 23rd, CEFF will be having a fundraiser for the film festival, where they will feature dinner and a movie. The film is Mother: Caring for 7 Billion and it will be held at Table Mountain Inn located in Golden. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple. The event includes cocktails and an auction at 6:00 PM and dinner and a movie at 7:00 PM. Reservations are suggested and you may call (303) 278-8822 or buy online at https://caee.ejoinme.org/MyPages/CEFFDinnerandMovie/tabid/151305/Default.aspx.

Green Tip #4

Are your books getting in the way? You can get money for them from certain booksellers locally and on the Internet or you can donate books to your local library or to Eco-Cycle, who donates books in good condition to charities and schools and recycles books in poor condition.

Did you know that your home entertainment system could be using as much as 25 watts of electricity as a vampire load when it is “turned off”, which is really the standby mode? Find out how many vampires are lurking in your electronics by checking out a Kill-A-Watt meter from your local public library.

Colorado Renewable Energy Society Denver Area Tour of Solar and Green Homes September 24th

This year CRES will be touring 10-12 homes in the Denver area on Saturday, September 24th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. (This examiner has featured a couple of these homes in her previous articles.)

The tour begins at the Jefferson Unitarian Church at 14350 West 32nd Avenue in Golden. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

Learn more about the tour at http://www.cres-energy.org/events/tour/index.html

Environmental Protection Agency holding a public hearing on natural gas fracking September 28th

The EPA will be holding a public hearing Wednesday, September 28th on proposed air pollution rules for natural gas and oil drilling. It will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Room 207, located at 700 14th Street in Denver. The hearings will be held at 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM and 6:30-8:00 PM. Public comments are welcome.

More details on the hearing can be found here: http://ecenter.colorado.edu/resources/events-calendar/view/488/177

Did you know that Colorado has over 34,000 active natural gas and oil wells and there are permits to drill over another 6,000 in the state? Are they planning to drill one in your backyard?

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If you have a green story, business or home contact Michele Melio, The Denver Green Initiative Examiner.