Gathering at Evergreen promotes living lightly

ALMA D. SHARPE, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published October 10, 2001

"We want to bring people together to talk about these issues and say, 'this is available to you here in your community.' We'll have folks who have been working on this for years." -- Lily Corley, conference coordinator

OLYMPIA -- Paths to environmentally friendly living will be the topic of discussion in the first Sustainable Living Conference set for today through Friday at The Evergreen State College.

Representatives from throughout the Pacific Northwest will speak on topics ranging from building homes out of recyclable products to organic gardening. Organizers say they hope the event becomes an annual tradition.

The event is being organized by Students at Evergreen for Ecological Design, or SEED. The group hopes to create a regional conference similar to others throughout the country that address local interest in sustainable living. Sustainable living, as organizers define it, is an approach to living that avoids wastefulness or destruction of environmental and other resources.

"We want to bring people together to talk about these issues and say, 'this is available to you here in your community.' We'll have folks who have been working on this for years," said Lily Corley, coordinator for the conference.

Panels, lectures and workshops on energy alternatives, organic architecture and creating relationships among neighbors will be offered for free, although donations to the group are welcome.

The conference kicks off with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. on the campus Red Square, followed by a keynote address by Mark Lakeman of Portland's City Repair Project. The project sets up mobile tea houses throughout Portland, which offer free chai tea to those who stop by as a way of helping neighbors meet one another. A panel discussion Thursday will feature Tom St. Louis, of TR Strong Building Systems Inc. of Olympia, who will speak about his experiences in the field of home construction with environmentally friendly materials.

The concept has gained enough public interest in the past five years that it's no longer uncommon for builders to consider buying recycled materials for a home, he said.

"We're turning the corner and heading uphill," St. Louis said. "Those of us who practice this need to become educators and get the word out. I think the conference will help with that."

To learn more

For more information about the Sustainable Living Conference, call 360- 867-6493 or go to www.evergreen.edu/users6/bensam11/seed.html.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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