2016 Farmer's Markets

Here's a list of this year's markets:

Event! Garden of Gods Earth Day 2016

Forecast is rainy, but put on your raincoat and galoshes and head out to enjoy just a few of the many activities planned for Garden of the Gods Earth Day 2016, Saturday April 16.

Class! PPUG Growing Warm Season Veggies

Hundreds of gardeners attend these sessions led by local expert Larry Stebbins.  Registration urged but not required.  Large number of local vendors also on hand with regionally appropriate products.

CLASS #4 "How to Grow the Best Warm Season Vegetables...And Get Incredible Yields in Less Space!" Saturday, April 16, 2016

Event: Sustainnovate at UCCS

It's not too late to attend.  Look at the great line-up they have planned for tomorrow:

Sustainnovate at UCCS

2016 Sustainability Season!

Welcome back!  As described in the right column, this is the Pikes Peak Library Green Team blog--your source for regional organizations, resources, events, classes, etc.  While our Facebook page is a constantly updated site with much of the same information, we hope you will find this blog readily searchable if you are trying to track down that previously mentioned organization, website, or local resource.

We started the blog about a year ago, knowing that early spring is the busiest time for many green living groups in the Pikes Peak Region.  Sure enough, it has been a quiet winter, but everyone's gearing up now for a full spring of recurring and new programs and events.  Below are just a few of the events planned around the region for March.  Remember, you can search for just organizations, resources, events and classes by clicking on those label options to the right.

EVENTS FOR MARCH 2016

Pikes Peak Urban Gardens CLASS #3 "How to Grow The Best Cool Season Vegetables... All Season Long" SaturdayMarch 19,10 AM - 11:30 a.m.


Colorado Springs Utilities has posted a full list of summer classes on Xeriscaping, landscape design and outstanding plants.  They're free. 

Catamount Institute has posted the Sustainability in Progress speaker series gathering, planned for Wed. March 16 at 6:30 p.m.

And the Pikes Peak Library District is offering the following programs on gardening.

Also, save the dates:  coming up in April:

The Big Cool Science Festival at Colorado College, Saturday, April 2, 2016.

Save the Date!  UCCS office of Sustainability, Sustainnovate: Sustainable Mobility Summit, Wednesday, April 13th 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Looking forward to Spring!

Stay tuned for more information about a fun, free upcoming program. The PPLD Green Team and the Healthy Living Committee will host Master Gardener, Valerie Brodar, for a hands-on demonstration of making your very own urban garden! You will learn how to build your own raised garden bed, learn how to recognize good soil, and how to plant seeds. You will leave with some free garden supplies and tons of helpful gardening information.

We will meet at the Green Team Urban Garden at the Penrose Library, located near the lower parking lot on West Pikes Peak Avenue. More details coming soon. Registration is not required, but highly recommended to make sure you get your own supplies at the end!

If you have access to any land, even a small patch in the grassy strip by the street - you can become an urban farmer!

Happy New Year! Sustainability in February

Happy 2016.  We took January off, but there are some nice things coming up, and it's going to get more exciting as spring approaches.  Here are a couple events this month:

Pikes Peak Urban Gardens is continuing a series:
CLASS #2 "All You Need to Know to Start Your Vegetable Garden": Garden Planning and Design, Preparing Soil and Site, Seed Starting, Container Gardening and More"
Saturday, February 20, 2016:
10 AM - 11:30 Am (doors open at 9:15 AM, please come early to visit all our local garden vendors and so we can get everyone in the door before the class starts at 10 AM)
Cost: $10 per person (pay at the door)
Designed to instruct the gardener on what needs to be done in the next 30 days to have a successful garden come planting time. Topics will include details on Larry's favorite varieties that grow well in this region, affordable season extending and hail protection structures that you can build now, seed starting in details, small space gardening, keyhole garden beds, planting perennial veggies and fruits like rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries. Learn Larry's secrets to have an abundant strawberry crop year after year and more.


Sustainability in Progress
February 17 @ 7:30 am - 9:00 amEach month the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future hosts a morning speaker series Sustainability in Progress, also known as SIP. The Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future promotes regional sustainability and advances the PPR2030 through regional collaboration and outreach.



And for the most current updates, be sure and follow our Facebook page.

Event! Local non-profit fundraisers coming up.

A couple fund raisers coming up for local sustainability non-profits and others:

Eat, Drink, and Give!

November 10 @ 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

OVER 25 NON PROFITS UNDER ONE ROOF!
LIVE MUSIC • FOOD • DRINKS • PRIZES

WHERE: ENERGY RESOURCE CENTER
114 W. RIO GRANDE STREET,
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80903

WHERE: ENERGY RESOURCE CENTER
114 W. RIO GRANDE STREET,
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80903

Ute and Yeti Give Night

November 4 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Community donation night with entertainment, prize drawings and more!
Five awesome non-profits are getting together for a party at the Ute and Yeti. Come on over for some food and drink specials. Donate through Give! to one or all five groups. For each group you donate to you will get a ticket for the prize buckets! We hope to see you there.
Who will you meet there?
Catamount Institute
Upadowna
Seeds Community Cafe
Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Millibo Art Theater

Event! U.S. Green Building Chapter Colorado Green Schools Summit

The U.S. Green Building Chapter Colorado has announced this year's Green Schools Summit happening November 6, 2015 at the Arvada Center.  From their online site:

The Green Schools Summit is an annual education and networking event hosted by USGBC Colorado and organized by a dedicated group of volunteers from the Green Schools Initiative. It is Colorado’s only conference dedicated to convening green building industry professionals, school decision makers, educators and parents. The event provides a truly unique opportunity for open and productive dialogue on how to create better learning environments for our kids.
Volunteer at the Summit! Volunteers get free admission to the conference. Fill out this form and someone will be in touch with you soon.

This year’s theme is "The Balancing Act." 

Sponsors/exhibitors and community partners make this educational conference possible.
LEED professionals, AIA architects and teachers can earn up to 5 hours of continuing education.

Events: Sustainability Opportunities in October

It's going to be a beautiful October, but sources say we may have a cold, wet winter ahead.  Now's the time to make a green living resolution to keep Colorful Colorado the natural wonder it has always been, inspite of burgeoning population and urbanization.  Start with some of these upcoming events to get yourself on the Sustainability train.


Colorado Springs Utilities is offering at least one class this month, on DIY and professional energy and water audits:  CSU classes

University of Colorado Colorado Springs is having a  Campus Sustainability Day . Not many details at press time, but check it out later this month.

CRES is offering the second in a series of seminars on sustainability and saving money: Saving Money: Taming Energy and Water Waste Seminar 2

Farmers  Markets are winding down, but don't miss the last opportunities to get out and enjoy fresh, wholesome, locally grown produce while supporting our local growers.
And finally, but probably most cool, don't miss  Cool Science Carnival Day  coming up this Saturday.  Amazing how science and sustainable practices can connect.

Event! Cool Science Carnival Day

Don't miss this fun event for kids!  Cool Science Carnival

Organization! Two local groups to keep an eye on

Check out these two local organizations!  This month is Bike Month at UCCS.  A couple events are over, but there are some great ones still to Come.

Here's their website with a link to a Facebook page:
UCCS Office of Sustainability

And Colorado Springs Food Rescue is doing great work getting healthy, local food out there where it's needed.  Here's their Facebook page:


Colorado Springs Food Rescue

Event! Colorado Springs What If Festival

Don't miss this exciting event!  Among all the other things to do, this year’s What If Festival will feature a local foods area.  It will have demos of canning and flour grinding, information about soil, aquaponics, building greenhouses, tiny farms and more.  Venetucci Farms and Chico Basin Ranch will be in that area – and a tiny house to tour too!  Check out their website for a map and complete listing of activities.

Have a sustainable August

Maybe more than any other time of the year, August is the month we wonder:  why worry about sustainability?  You look around and our world seems to be able to take care of itself, just fine.  The question we should really be asking is, what would it be like to live without all this?  So keep on track, and don't lose sight of all the resources in the Pikes Peak region to keep our Augusts looking like they do this year:

Farmers markets are going strong

Stop by Harlan Wolfe Ranch garden and pick some organic produce

Colorado Springs Utilities is still having monthly classes and events

The Colorado Springs Utilities blog has great tips, updates and news for the region

Check out the news for CEC:  Clean Energy Collective

Check out the Green Cities Coalition blog

Sign up for CRES's upcoming series on Saving Money on Energy and Water Waste

There are some great benefit concerts coming up through the Catamount Institute

Event! Colorado Grown Festival

Coming up this weekend:  Colorado Grown Festival.  Don't miss out on the fun and great ideas!

Have a Sustainable July

Welcome July!  Hope you're having a happy and sustainable summer.  Though this is primarily an Earth Month blog, going into May, we wanted to post something so you know the PPLD Green Team is alive and well.

This is just a quick update.  Not a lot of events planned based on their event calendars, but check out the organizations and resources described in March, April and May which are active with resources and services available year round.

Coming up this month, don't miss:

 Farmers markets are going strong:



Colorado Springs Utilities is still having monthly classes and events:

And also, The Colorado Springs Utilities blog has great tips, updates and news for the region

High Prairie Library is offering a gardening event later this month


And otherwise, get out and enjoy all that the region has to offer (in a sustainable way, of course)!

Sustainability in June

June is a great month to celebrate sustainability. As we mentioned last month, this is mostly an Earth Month blog, but the organizations and resources described in March, April and May are active and available year round.

Coming up this month, don't miss:

 Farmers markets are starting up:

Don't miss Colorado Springs Utilities open house event at their Mesa Road complex that we posted last month

Colorado Springs Utilities is also having monthly classes and events:

And finally, Colorado Springs Utilities has great tips, updates and news for the region

Lastly, Green Cities Coalition is promoting World environment day with a party June 5th at Hillside Gardens

Colorado Springs Utilities Open House

From the Colorado Springs Utilities website:

Curious of which water-wise plants are best suited for your yard? Wondering how you can make your home more energy efficient?
Join us at our Open House to discover answers to these questions and more.

• Saturday, June 6
• 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Conservation and Environmental Center at 2855 Mesa Rd. (map)
• Free parking and open to the public

Ask the experts, participate in free classes and demonstrations, take home money-saving giveaways and enter to win great prizes! Plus, kids will learn about energy and water through a scavenger hunt and other activities.
Classes include:

• Renewable energy: Learn about solar power from a local installer
• Energy efficiency at home: The Energy Resource Center will share easy ways to save energy and money
• Xeriscape: Discover which low-water plants are best for your landscape

Demonstrations, tours and booths

• Electric vehicle test drives from BMW and Nissan
• Xeriscape garden tours
• Irrigation system how-to workshop
• Energy and water experts on hand to discuss your efficiency improvements
• Get hands on with our energy and water interactive home
• Visit our demonstration yards and take home easy-to-follow landscape templates
• Ask the experts: Local energy and water experts will be on hand to answer your home improvement questions
• Bake sale presented by the Friends of the Mesa Garden

Enter to win

• Window air conditioner provided by Home Depot
• High-efficiency faucet with installation provided by Team Plumbing
• Energy-efficient 5 cubic foot freezer provided by iHeart Media
• WaterSense labeled toilet and free installation from Rampart Supply
• Gift cards from Phelan Nursery, Colorado Tree Farm and Summerland Gardens
• Compost bin from Ace Hardware
• LED lights from CLEAResult
• Spin the wheel to win prizes from iHeart Media (KCCY, KKLI and KVUU will be on site)

Giveaways and exchange

• First 25 households to arrive receive a free hose nozzle
• Xeriscape perennial flower seeds
• Exchange: Bring in up to two old showerheads and receive new WaterSense labeled showerheads and a shower timer (details here)

Kids' activities

• Scavenger hunt
• Dewey, Louie the Lightning Bug and Sniffy mascots
• Water system interactive display

Event! Arbor Day is May 2

We're celebrating Arbor Day in the Pikes Peak Region May 2!  Plant a tree for yourself and generations to come.  Here's the Arbor Day website.

Event! Grand Opening High Prairie Seed Library

Come to the Grand Opening of the High Prairie Seed Library!! Learn how to "check out" seeds and meet fellow gardeners.

Date: 4/25/2015
Start Time: 10:00 AM
End Time: 12:00 PM

Library: High Prairie Library - 7035 Old Meridian Rd.   
Location: HI Study Room (paper sign-in)
Contact: Rhonda
Contact Number: 260-3650