Mark Your Calendars: Pleasanton Green Scene Fair Set for October 21

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Hacienda and the City of Pleasanton want to make it a lot easier for the people who live, work, and play here to be green.

City Manager Nelson Fialho has often mentioned his aspiration for Pleasanton to be the greenest city in California, and "we're doing everything we can to meet that goal," enthuses Pleasanton's Manager of Energy and Sustainability, Laura Ryan.

Hacienda has a parallel objective. James Paxson, Hacienda Owners Association General Manager, observes, "There are dozens of ways our businesses and residents can build on the steps they have already taken to implement energy-saving, waste-reduction, and other environmentally friendly practices, to the benefit of all."

For many people who want to green their lives, the big question is, simply, how? Where should you start? What measures have the quickest payback?

The answers will be on display at the upcoming Pleasanton Green Scene Fair, on Thursday, October 21, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Held at the CarrAmerica Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive, the Green Scene Fair has been specifically designed to make it convenient for nearby employees and residents to attend. Under the joint sponsorship of the City and Hacienda, the event will feature roughly 75 different vendors specializing in green practices in six main categories: Air, Water, Waste, Commuting and Transportation, Healthy Homes and Healthy Living, and Energy.

Attendees can learn about green strategies for everything from installing solar panels to getting rid of aphids in the garden (buy a bag of ladybugs). Representatives from PG&E, StopWaste, and other organizations will be on hand to share conservation and recycling information, while lunch will be available from purveyors of organic and sustainably farmed foods. A treasure hunt and raffle of green-related prizes will add fun and suspense. As befits the overall objective, demonstration buses from LAVTA will be available to cut down on the need for personal driving.

The fair is an offshoot of Pleasanton's Green Scene program, itself part of the effort to develop a climate action plan for the whole community. Pleasanton has already made major strides in reducing its carbon footprint, while a green team is looking to identify other such groups in the area so they can all share tips and benchmark.

"We've implemented a number of measures to green our facilities and operations, including multiple solar installations, lighting retrofits, and the selection of green products, and we're reaping the benefits-financial as well as environmental," Ryan comments. "Now we're focused on providing information to the community so folks can make informed decisions on greening their businesses and homes."

Other municipal initiatives already scheduled or in progress include a green lecture series and workshops, joint promotion of PG&E rebates, the publication of a Green Guide, and multiple opportunities for the public to provide input on the Climate Action Plan through a survey. "Everyone wants to do the right thing," she notes, "but if you want to change people's behavior, you have to make it easy for them - little steps to a big solution."

For more information, visit www.PleasantonGreenScene.org.

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