Results are in. Earth Day in Santa Barbara a success! Approximately 13,762 people visited the 250 vendors displaying everything from solar panels to the electric Tesla roadster. With the limited amount of time I had to spend at the event, I was able to come across a couple vendors focusing on some very cool projects.
1. Wilson Environmental Landscape and Design is a Santa Barbara based, environmental landscape and design company. They focus (among other things) on SMART irrigation, rainwater and native and edible plantings. Additionally, Wilson & co are developing a program called Home Food Forest, it is an initiative geared toward getting families to turn their backyards into "a complete, organic ecosystem of trees, plants, pollinators, decomposers, soil, water and more."* Why would you want to start a food forest in your backyard?
I am glad that you asked... Reasons that Wilson offers are: - Connect to your land
- Know where your food comes from!
- Eat organic
- Eat fruits/veggies when they are in season
- these 'forests' can help cool the climate by lowering the carbon footprint that your food consumption causes. For more on this please read "Whole Foods: The whole truth"
- Improve your health
- The more trees the more private your home
- You and your children will learn about gardening and food production
- Compost to reduce waste
- You'll spend more time outside
2. Gain Energy Independence!!! Interested in putting up solar panels? California Solar Electric is an Ojai based company that will evaluate your living situation and install 'Sunpower' solar panels. Did you know that you can meet up to 100% of your home's electricity needs with solar and you can eliminate your electric bill? I won't even go into how this helps our environment. There are federal and state initiatives that you can take advantage of! Put up solar panels, Get Money Back!
P.S. In case you weren't convinced that plastic sucks, I encourage you to read the following article posted on the Discovery Channel's website.
P.P.S. The actual Earth Day date is today, April 22nd. But you already know what I say to that; "EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!"
*As stated on Wilson's "Home Food Forest" brochure
*logo provided by earthday.net