Greg Carlson Venice Jul 23, 2008 13:43 pm

Greetings:

I have been a list subscriber for several months and appreciate the variety and depth of postings and discussions. If list memberswill be in the Sarasota, Florida area during September I encourage you to attend Sustainability Month activities at all eight locations in the Sarasota County Library System (www.sclibs.net). Here is a program precis-- Carbon footprint program, survey, and pledge presented by University of Florida/IFAS Extension Services. We will also distribute free CFLs to the public and ask for signatures on EnergyStar pledges. Stretching your food dollar programwill featureelements borrowed from Extension's container gardening program,sustainable agriculture, etc.We included this program specifically to address economic sustainability..

County planners and Health Dept. environmental specialists will address sustainable growth from density, water use, walkability, and other relevant perspectives in facilitated panel discussion. Home Depot and the local Master Gardeners will collaborate on compost box program.We will offer a low-impact design for creating box, demonstrate construction, and supply information on how to recycle organic material for soil enrichment (plans at http://compostinfo.com/tutorial/Bins/Pallet.htm)

Youth librarians collaborated on environmental program for grade schoolers and will distribute native Florida tree seedlings from county forestry dept.. for planting at home. Several county agencies with sustainability-themed brochures are donating copies for "sustainability start-up kits"--car litter bags stuffed with aforementioned literature handed to new library card applicants during the month. We have the support of county government executives and elected officials to make library SustainAbility Month an annual program. Are other libraries hosting similar events? If so, how are you measuring behavior change? Any help with what works or doesn't will assist us in planning a better Month next year.

Thanks,
Greg Carlson

Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda
Public Library
Venice, FL