Tag Archives: Club Green

Green Day Comes To Westport (Video Added)

Posted on April 26, 2013 | 4 comments

Eco-Fest — Staples High School’s Club Green annual celebration of our planet — will not be held this year.

Instead, the hard-working environmental club is producing 5 different “eco-events.”

They’ll take place — one after the other — this Sunday (April 28). It’s called Green Day, and it promises to be more even entertaining than the band of the same name.

Plus a lot less punk.


 earth

All activities are very family friendly. And nearly all are free.

Sunday begins with a clean-up of Longshore (8-10 a.m.). There’s plenty of post-Sandy debris to pick up. Wear hiking or rubber boots; bring gloves; park by the 1st tee — and do your part to make this town jewel sparkle.

From 10 a.m. to noon at Wakeman Town Farm, kids can meet animals, plant vegetables and do crafts. Mini-workshops on gardening are planned for adults. Representatives from local farms, farmers markets and CSAs will provide info too.

At noon, Earthplace sponsors 2 hours of guided nature walks, pond activities, and sustainable energy displays — even toy solar car-building.

LoraxBetween 2 and 4 p.m., the Westport Library hosts video showings of the classic Dr. Seuss story The Lorax. There are also children’s crafts and other activities related to that classic 1971 book. (Spark Notes: A beautiful valley becomes polluted, but there’s a ray of hope at the end.)

All that eco-stuff can work up an appetite. With hunger still a real problem in America, there’s a screening of the haunting documentary “A Place at the Table” at Town Hall (4 p.m.). A panel discussion on hunger in the U.S. follows. It’s co-sponsored by Westport Cinema Initiative and Saugatuck Congregational Church, and tickets are $10.

Sunday’s forecast is for blue skies. How perfect for a Green Day.

(To see today’s “Good Morning Staples” TV show — featuring a preview of Green Day activities — click here, or click the YouTube video below.)

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Posted in Children, Environment, Library, Longshore, Organizations, Staples HS

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Club Green Wants Your Roof

Posted on November 18, 2012 | 6 comments

Most Westporters are so busy they have little time for basic daily functions like cooking, cleaning and breathing.

So they certainly don’t have time to figure out if their home has good solar potential.

Even if Solarize Westport — a fantastic program that promotes solar installation at below-market rates — is closing in on its December 14 deadline.

So a dozen Staples students are doing it for you.

High school teenagers don’t have a lot of free time either. But these are members of Club Green — a very active environmental group — and helping the planet (and their town) is at least as important to them as homework, SAT prep and playing FIFA.

So last week they examined aerial photos from Google Earth. They found 53 local homes with southern-facing, well-oriented roofs. Then they hand-addressed envelopes to the owners, mailing a letter and flyer describing Solarize Westport.

Club Green — including Robby Gershowitz and Zack Pensak, Stapleites who also serve on Westport’s Green Task Force — says there are 250 or so homes in Westport with “ideal” south-facing roof orientation. Many others are “good” — not due-south, but close enough.

Club Green members (from left) Robby Gershowitz, Thomas Ward and Sarah Fox work diligently to find south-facing roofs.

Club members will continue their identification and mailing work this Tuesday (November 20, 5 to 7 p.m., Town Hall Room 309).

Anyone interested —  any age — can join them. Just bring a pen, smartphone, iPad or laptop.

The pizza is free.

Solar power is not, of course. But it’s a great investment — particularly if you heed Club Green, and sign up with Solarize Westport.

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Posted in Environment, Staples HS, Teenagers

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Ecofest This Saturday: It’s All Green

Posted on June 7, 2012 | 4 comments

In just 4 years, Ecofest has become one of Westport’s most popular events.

There’s live music, food, exhibits, raffles, prizes, and plenty of interactive games and “stuff” for kids — all with a green theme. It’s a fun, exciting way to learn how to help save the planet, or at least live a healthier life yourself.

This year’s event is Saturday (June 9), 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the Levitt Pavilion.

It’s all organized and run by students from Staples High School’s Club Green.

Admission is free, thanks to support from Melissa & Doug, Terex, Wakeman Town Farm, Steaz iced tea, Skinny Pines brick oven caterer and J&J Kettle Korn.

So just how “green” is Ecofest? Well, if you bring your old light bulbs, printer cartridges and electronics, Club Green will recycle them for you.

Lookin’ good at last year’s Ecofest.

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Posted in Environment, Staples HS

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EcoFest Action

Posted on June 11, 2011 | 1 comment

The 3rd annual EcoFest kicked off at noon today (Saturday) at Levitt Pavilion.  Exhibits, demonstrations, vendors, music, food — all are components of environmental awareness.

EcoFest continues through 5 p.m. today.

Learn everything there is to know about composting -- and more.

Chickens are disappearing in Westport. But they bring a lot to the table.

Among the booths: tips on avoiding toxic products.

Annie Harnick and Nick Cion explain single-stream recycling -- coming to Westport July 1.

Staples Club Green co-president Ben Meyers surveys the EcoFest scene.

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Posted in Environment, Organizations, Staples HS

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EcoFest Sustains Itself

Posted on June 10, 2011 | 14 comments

“Sustainability” is a big part of EcoFest’s message.

But for its 1st 2 years, the townwide environmental exhibition/music festival produced by Staples’ Club Green could not sustain itself.

This year’s free event — set for tomorrow (Saturday, June 11, 12-5:30 p.m.) at the Levitt Pavilion — is as sustainable as its message.

After 2 years of help from Green Village Initiative and CL&P, this year the student organizers looked for business sponsors.  Included are New England Smart Energy, Terex, Chevy Volt, Tauck-Romano, and GVI.

“We wanted to show the public who really cares about the environment,” says spokesman Ben Meyers.  “To wash your car, go to Westport Wash & Wax — they’ve got solar panels.”  Car wash credits are one of EcoFest’s raffle prizes.

“The music and green message has always been there,” Ben notes.  “But this year the club really wanted to make sure to hit the ‘eco’ part.  It’s all about getting more products and things that people can use.”

Over 30 vendors will sell sustainable products, offer options like solar and wind energy, and provide low-key educational activities.

Plus:  face painting, recycling racing, create-your-own-green cleaning products, raffles of cool environmental movies, and more.

Also on tap:  food and drinks from the likes of Skinny Pines organic pizza, Planet Fuel organic juice drinks, and Steaz teas.

The Staples cheerleaders support EcoFestClub Green will sell its own organic t-shirts, and BPA-free water bottles. Two electric cars -- a Tesla and Chevy Volt -- will be displayed.

Meyers says that Fairfield County is “one of the worst CO2-emitting areas in the world.”  The average local resident uses twice the amount as the average American — and 9 times more than the average Chinese (52 tons per year, versus 6 in China).

“One reason is our big houses, and how we insulate, heat and light them,” Meyers says.

Tomorrow, turn off your lights.  Shut the a/c.  Head to the Levitt, for the 3rd annual EcoFest.

Hopefully, you’ll get there by hybrid or electric vehicle.

Or on bike.  Or foot.

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Posted in Education, Entertainment, Environment, Local business, Organizations, People, Staples HS, technology

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Club Green Hopes To Win Green

Posted on March 8, 2011 | 6 comments

Last year, Staples’ Club Green won $5,000 in CL&P’s “Live Green Win Green” contest.  The money helped fund EcoFest, and paid for recycling bins for the school and athletic fields.

This year, club members helped bring in a double-sided printer for the library.   It saves 350 reams of paper a year — that’s $1,000, for those who care more about money than trees.

Club Green also hopes to make EcoFest — the yearly environmental/music festival — better than ever.

They’d also like to win that $5,000 again.  Or $20,000.

“06880” readers can help.  Public voting begins tomorrow (Wed., March 9) — just click here.  (You can vote multiple times each day.  Hey, it works for Chicago.)

After voters winnow the field, judges pick the final winners.  The grand prize is 20 grand.

Club Green members (from left) Brett Adelglass, Sarah Fox, Ben Meyers, Dan Navarro, Harry Stuttard, Nicole Brill, Swheta Lawande, Caroline Foster, Mike Aitkenhead (advisor), Alex Krayson, Robby Gershowitz.

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Posted in Environment, Organizations, Staples HS, Teenagers

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EcoFest: The Sequel

Posted on May 19, 2010 | 23 comments

Last year’s inaugural EcoFest was a smash.

Lured by great weather, good music and plenty of food — and the warm feeling of learning how to do right by Mother Earth — an unexpectedly large crowd gathered at Levitt Pavilion for an afternoon of environmentally correct fun.

Information, and reusable water bottles, at EcoFest 2009.

The 2nd annual EcoFest is set for this Saturday, again at the Levitt.  The sponsors — Staples’ Club Green and Westport’s Green Village Initiative — have gathered over 30 exhibitors — and added a few twists.

Once again there’s free (!) food — but this time Bobby Q’s will serve pork raised by local farms, and Skinny Pines Pizza‘s offerings will be all local and organic (with fully biodegradable tableware, cutlery and cups made from plants).

If you bring your own water bottle, the drinks are free.

The 12:30-2:30 time slot is geared specifically to youngsters and their families, with plenty of kids’ activities.

The music kicks off at around 2:30 — that’s when the high school and college crowds are expected.

The surprise hit last year was Staples student Glenn Friedman’s circus bus, which he’d converted to run on waste vegetable oil.

No word yet on what this Saturday’s EcoFest will unveil.

But there’s always something new under the sun.

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Posted in Education, Environment, Organizations, Staples HS

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Staples Goes Green

Posted on May 14, 2009 | Comments Off on Staples Goes Green

Staples’ colors were always blue and white.  Now it’s green.

That’s green, as in “environmentally aware.”

The school’s ecological consciousness is displayed in many areas.  A meeting yesterday examined how the new “edible garden” — to be constructed next month — can best serve every Westport school.

Today at 2:15 John Rountree will lead a discussion on how to put solar panels on Staples.

On May 30, a free EcoFest concert at Levitt Pavilion will use local bands and booths to spread awareness of environmental issues. 

This week, students gathered data to help pass Westport’s plastic bag ban in other Connecticut towns.

Last month’s Earth Week celebration raised $2,000.  The money will help fund solar panel kits in the Dominican Republic, recycling bins for Staples, even a composting system for the cafeteria.

Staples High School Club Green

Many initiatives are organized by the school’s Club Green.  But, says advisor Mike Aitkenhead, environmental awareness reaches every group.

“Students are motivated.  They debate and discuss issues around lunch tables.  They care, and they understand the importance of preserving our planet.

“Wonderful things can happen in Westport.  It’s been marvelous and inspiring to be a part of all that has been going on.”

Staples students are not perfect.  Too many drive to school alone; too few take the bus.  They leave garbage all around, and don’t recycle enough.

But — judging by increased consciousness this past year — those changes will come too.

From Staples Players reusing playbills to students refilling water bottles instead of buying new ones, a new, green day has dawned.

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Posted in Environment, Staples HS, Teenagers

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