BRISTOL — Bristol will hold its first annual Green Up Day Expo this Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the town green.
Green Up Day bags are available now at Holley Hall, during town office hours, and will also be available Saturday on the green starting at 8 a.m.
Carolyn Dash, who’s serving her second year as Bristol’s Green Up Day coordinator, wanted to try something new.
“Other towns have Green Up Day barbecues, prizes, and use Green Up Day as a fantastic opportunity for community bonding,” Dash said. “Because we have amazing support from the town, all our green bags are left on the side of the road and there is simply no reason for folks to return to the town green after they’ve worked all morning. I felt like this was a real missed opportunity.”
A collaboration between the Bristol Conservation Commission and the Bristol Energy Committee, the Expo will provide the following opportunities to learn more about green living and to have fun:
•Solar installation company SunCommon will present information about solar panels and Tesla Powerwalls, as well as electric vehicles.
•They’re also bringing a bouncy house.
•Local residents will show off electric tools, such as battery-powered lawnmowers.
•Richard Butz will give rain barrel tutorials.
•Gail Butz will hand out free milkweed plants and information regarding pollinators.
•A representative from New Leaf Farm will be on hand to sell summer CSA (community supported agriculture) shares.
•Gerry Slager will bring one or two electric bikes for people to check out.
•Folks from the Human Powered Parade will also be there, recruiting volunteers and participants for their May 11 event.
•Food and drink will be available from Almost Home Market and Juice Amour.
Plans are also afoot to provide live music during the event.
This year marks Vermont’s 49th annual Green Up Day, and there will be activities in many towns around the county. See the Addison County Solid Waste Management District ad on Page 2B to find out who is the Green Up Day coordinator in your town.
“Since 1970, Vermonters have taken to the roadsides greening up 13,000 miles,” wrote Sue Killoran, Green Up Vermont’s interim executive director, in this year’s announcement. “In years past as many as 22,400 volunteers from over 240 communities (have taken) part in the largest, oldest statewide green up event in the country.”
Last year in Bristol, according to Dash, 84 groups — including 410 students from Bristol Elementary School and Mount Abraham Union High School — picked up more than 3,000 pounds of garbage and tires on Green Up Day.
“We handed out a record-breaking 390 bags,” she said. “Hopefully 2019 will have even more participation!”
Reach Christopher Ross at [email protected].