News Release

Friday, April 25, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Andrew Baker, 413-296-4536 ext.18, andrewb@hilltowncdc.org

'Focus on Sustainability' to Highlight the 2008 Hilltown Spring Festival

HILLTOWNS --- A 'Focus on Sustainability' will highlight the Hilltown CDC's 2nd annual Hilltown Spring Festival, which will be held on Saturday, May 10 from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. Nearly twenty local enterprises and organizations have signed up so far to offer information and demonstrations about a wide variety of approaches to improving the sustainability of our environment.

Berkshire Organics is a new enterprise providing home delivery of organic vegetables from area CSAs (subscription-based Community Supported Agriculture farms), increasing weekly variety of produce while reducing gas and travel costs. Two local CSAs will be on hand to sign up customers and sell seedlings - Crabapple Farm CSA of Chesterfield and Fall Harvest CSA or Cummington, which introduces fall and winter crops to extend 'eating local' through the year. Manda Organic Farm of Plainfield features organic, pasture-raised meat, eggs, milk products and vegetables, and will provide a map of Plainfield farms. Hilltown Tree & Garden of Chesterfield will provide information on pesticide-free garden management. Meadowlark Landscaping of Cummington will have seedlings available.

Berkshire Photovoltaic will provide information about solar installation options and the state incentive program, "Commonwealth Solar." Jeff Brown of Ridebuzz.org will introduce his ridesharing web-site. Leni Freid of the BagShare project will demonstrate their approach to sewing re-usable shopping bags to eliminate use of paper and plastic bags. Red Gate Farm of Buckland will demonstrate wool spinning and provide information about its summer Farm Camp for Kids.

Greenfield Community College will provide information on credit and non-credit programs in Sustainabilty-related education. Smith Vocational School will also provide information on their sustainability courses and focus on solar energy. Students from Gateway High School in Huntington will provide information on their 'Go Green Gateway' initiative for other schools interested in replicating their student-sponsored school recycling program. The Hilltown Sustainability Group will promote the educational projects they have organized through their 'Sustainabilty Gathering Point.' Laura Wetzler of Cummington will also describe how people can support international grassroots sustainable development work through www.kulanu.org . And Ravenwood Learning Center of Plainfield will provide information on environmental curricula for educators.

To register as a 'Focus on Sustainability' presenter, contact Jennifer Peotter at (413) 296-4536 ext. 23 or jpeotter@hilltowncdc.org . The 'Focus on Sustainability' is sponsored by Western Mass. Electric Company (WMECO). The Hilltown Spring Festival celebrates life in the Hilltowns on Mother's Day Weekend, and includes great local music, delicious local food & drink, family activities (including the Highland Unusual Games Multi-Generational Triathlon), artisan exhibits and a 'buy local' business expo.