We Green Westport Award 

The 2008 Green Earth Fair kicked off with the presentation of the We Green Westport Award by the Westport Green Energy Task Force, which recognized individuals and businesses who have worked to reduce their carbon footprint and inspire others.  The 2008 honorees were residents Kevin Green and Matthew Silver, and Westport businesses Westport Wash & Wax and Westport Patagonia.  Carl Leaman and Kim Lake, chair and vice-chair of the Task Force, introduced Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff, who made the presentation on behalf of the Task Force.

Kevin Green
The goal of Kevin Green and his family is to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. The Greens installed solar panels on their home to lower their use of natural gas and some oil. They also purchased hybrid vehicles for 20 percent savings in gas and dollars and installed geothermal heat pumps for space heating and cooling, reducing oil use by 70 percent.

The family also has plans for a combined heat and power unit. It will power the heat pumps with the generator in the basement and supplement the heating with the generator’s waste heat, the first approved residential unit like this in Connecticut. Green also tends a composted vegetable garden with his children.

Matthew Silver
Matthew Silver, 14, has been involved with both his middle school and the Westport Green Energy Task Force to promote the “We Green Westport” campaign. With the Blue-Gold Team at Bedford Middle School, he launched a program to educate students and teachers about environmental issues and effective ways to become more environmentally friendly.

Matthew has worked with the Green Energy Task Force to design and purchase reusable grocery bags that were resold at the Will Rogers’ Follies performances and now at Town Hall. The proceeds from the bag sales are currently being used to buy plants for the gardens at Bedford.

Westport Wash & Wax
Westport Wash & Wax installed solar electric panels in summer 2007 to reduce its use of electricity from the grid and to reduce carbon emissions. Since its 1999 opening, the business has used extensive water recycling measures, using only biodegradable washing supplies. Virtually all lighting is high-efficiency fluorescent.

In contrast to washing a car in the driveway, which is “on the ground and into the Sound,” this car wash uses a small fraction of the water and the net usage goes to the sanitary sewer for proper treatment.

As the owners of this visible Westport business, the Tiefenthalers hope that an increased awareness of alternative energy solutions will lead to an accelerated adoption of these technologies by others in our community.

Patagonia – Westport
This retail store is part of a national/international chain. The parent company is a member of “1 percent for the Planet” that donates at least 1 percent of annual net revenues to environmental organizations. The company is dedicated to protecting undomesticated lands and waters, and markets products made of organic cotton and recycled/recyclable polyester.

In Westport, Patagonia supports, through a grant program and in-store display opportunities, local environmental organizations and causes. Store employees volunteer hours to work on projects like shoreline cleanup, paid for by the company.

The store has an aggressive recycling program for plastics, including coffee cup lids. It has a store policy for heat and AC temperatures and is very diligent about open doors. There are light sensors installed wherever possible. Patagonia employees bring an environmental ethic to work every day.

Vendors & Exhibitors

Hybrid & Alternative Energy Vehicles

On display over the weekend were a GM Chevy Equinox equipped with a prototype hydrogen fuel cell, a GMC Hybrid Yukon, a Smartcar, a VW bug running on biodiesel, and a diesel VW Jetta re-engineered to run on used cooking oil.

Water Resources Tent
sponsored by Norm Bloom & Son

A marine touch tank was featured in this area, with a display of horseshoe, blue and spider crabs, lobsters and small fish, along with information about the harvesting of oysters and clams in Long Island Sound.  Other exhibits focused on the health of local watersheds and tick information.

Environmental Guest Speakers

Our thanks to our guest environmental speakers, including Paul Israel, Sunlight Solar Energy; Darek Shapiro, Energy Independence Now; Mitchell R. Lester, M.D.; Dick Harris, Director of Harbor Watch / River Watch at Earthplace; Trina Muro, Nutrition Services at Norwalk Hospital; and Del Orloske, environmental landscaper.

Dennis Waring, Making Your Own Musical Instruments

Animals from New Canaan Nature Center & Connecticut Audubon Society in Fairfield

Crafts & Activities

Families had many opportunities to create art from recycled materials, under the guidance of Susan Rosano, Herrat Sommerhoff and Earthplace Nursery School staff and volunteers

Water Tasting, Scavenger Hunt, Face Painting, Natureplace, Playground

Earthplace wishes to thank the many staff members, Board members, Junior Staff members and volunteers who helped us put on this successful event.

Cerena and Chatty, Our Bald Eagles

Sponsored by