Living Green 365 Newsletter

May 2007: May flowers?

We hope you're inspired and ready to take action after celebrating Earth Day last month. And we look forward to seeing you at the Living Green Expo!

Living Green Expo preview: Green stuff you won't want to miss

The 2007 Living Green Expo is here! Join us on May 5 and 6 at the Grandstand Building on the State Fair Grounds. And make sure to check out these activities and attractions—all free!

• NEW: The Homegrown Heartland Stage will feature cooking demonstrations by Minnesota chefs and food experts using locally grown food. Check out the demos upstairs - and you might even get a sample taste!
• NEW: The Renewable Energy Demonstration Area features working versions of systems that will use the energy of the sun and wind at the Expo!
• NEW: Hop on board the Metro Transit Hybrid Bus. The bus will be parked outside on the Expo Plaza so visitors can learn about hybrid-electric bus technology.
• NEW: Students & youth are invited to the Youth Speak Out Lounge. Located in an outside tent on the Expo Plaza, this friendly space will be hosted by young leaders from environmental clubs at area high schools and colleges.
• The Kids' Activity Area will host games, cool crafts, and teach new ideas. There's lots of stuff to keep younger kids busy and entertained.
• Attend the Eco-fashion Show to confirm that "green is the new black."
• The Expo offers a wide variety of FREE workshops, covering topics that can help you live green in every aspect of your life.

There's too much great living green stuff to talk about here, so please visit www.livinggreen.org to see the rest!

Take the bait: Fishing with a tinge of green

The fishing opener is May 12, and Minnesotans around the state are dusting off their rods and lures and getting ready to get out there. Before you jump in the boat, here are some things to think about.

• Get the lead out: Do you know what your sinkers and jigs are made of? They might be made of lead, which can poison wildlife like loons and eagles. Help "tackle" a toxic problem by switching to non-lead alternatives.
• Check out the water quality of your favorite fishing spot, as well as any fish consumption advisories for that lake.
• Concerned about the water quality of your local lake, stream, or river? Want to do something about it? Sign up to be a volunteer in the Citizen Lake Monitoring Program or the Citizen Stream Monitoring Program.

By the way, May 12-13 is also "Take a Mom Fishing" weekend—a great way to spend some time with your favorite mom. During those two days, Minnesota resident moms fish free, without a license.

Days of our green lives: Community events and resources

• Get a compost bin DIRT cheap if you act FAST: pre-order by May 3! Anoka, Carver, and Hennepin Counties have partnered with Lakewinds Natural Foods to sell compost bins to county residents at a reduced cost of only $30.
• Compete in the Metro Transit Commuter Challenge between April 1 and June 30. Learn what effective actions individuals, communities, businesses, and government leaders can take to fight global warming.
• Attend Global Warming: Local Impacts and Solutions (May 10) at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Detroit Lakes.
• Take in a flick: On May 17, the Bell Museum is showing 30 Days: Off the Grid, a film by Academy-Award-nominated director Morgan Spurlock (SuperSize Me). Spurlock documents two "gas-guzzling, power-sucking" New York city slickers who head to a Missouri eco-village for 30 days.
• WaterFest is a fun, family educational event in the good old out-of-doors on May 19 at Lake Phalen Park Pavilion in St. Paul.
• Cheer on the contestants in the 15th Annual Solar Boat Regatta, May 19 at Lake Phalen in St. Paul.

Missed an issue? Read past newsletters in our online archive.

livinggreen365@pca.state.mn.us