Central Street Neighbors Association

Looking for something a little different this weekend? FamilyFarmed Expo, the midwest's largest event devoted to local, organic, and sustainable food, is ongoing this weekend at  University of Illinois - Chicago. Part trade show and part public fair, tonight's calendar features the popular Localicious party ($75). Saturday, March 13's workshop schedule includes presentations from 8 AM to 6 PM on numerous topics, from organic farming, to beekeeping, to backyard chickens and urban farming. There are also celebrity cooking workshops throughout the day, including Rick Bayless in the morning. The 20,000-sf exhibit hall includes a kid's corner with stories and other activities. Saturday admission is $15. Kids under 12 are free with an adult.

Evanston residents, businesses and organizations are invited to attend "Natural Lawn Care Basics," a workshop co-sponsored by the Evanston Environment Board and the Safer Pest Control Project. It will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. at the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd., Evanston.
 

The Evanston Wildkits 2008 Softball Team is having a "Green Recycling Fundraiser," on Saturday, March 1st, 2008, by hosting a drop-off point at Evanston Township High School for old computers, TVs, VCRs, cell phones, and any other electronic equipment that may be gathering dust in your house or business. Items may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the NW parking lot of ETHS, 1600 Dodge (enter off Church, 1 block west of Dodge).

One of CSNA's core beliefs is in promoting livability and sustainability of a community. On March 9, 2007, CSNA adopted the following Position:

Green building/sustainability

CSNA favors a requirement that any new business, commercial, mixed-use, or multi-unit construction in the Neighborhood be LEEDS-certified at at least the Silver level.

...is like trying to spend our way out of debt.

I'm just puttin' that out there.

This forum is for discussing those issues that relate specifically to sustainability. As opposed to Environment which might (as some recent books and movies suggest) exist just fine without humans, Sustainability discussions typically revolve around what we as a human society can or should do if we want to sustain ourselves as a species or at least in some semblance of the societal standards we've come to expect. Obviously the 2 concepts are related. As they are to many other areas on this board.

For a good discussion see the Wikipedia entry at