Step It Up 2007

and

7 Days for the Earth

When environmental writer and global warming activist Bill McKibben challenged communities and areas to step it up for climate change on April 14, 2007 (www.stepitup2007.org), we in the Mad River Valley were among the first to respond. But we also recognized that global warming was part of a suite of problems that needed our attention. Thus was born the Mad River Valley's 7 Days for the Earth effort.

The structure and thrust of 7 Days for the Earth was built around the following five sustainability principles:

Live where you work.

Grow food where you eat it.

Process wastes where you make them.

Produce energy where you use it.

And, in all things, respect nature and natural systems.

Schedule 

April 14, 2007 Step It Up 2007 Day
3:00 PM -9:15 PM
Big Picture Theater, Waitsfield, VT

Yestermorrow Class: Super Insulation for Zero-Net Energy Homes

3:00-5:00 Step It Up for the Mountains ( Stark Mountain Foundation). For details visit: http://www.stepitup2007.org/mrg

7:00-9:45 The Great Warming (Green Mountain Global Forum). For details visit: http://gmgf.org

April 15, 2007 Respect Nature and Natural Systems

All Day Event

Various Locations

Outdoor events (Friends of the Mad River). For details visit: www.friendsofthemadriver.org

Indoor events: Nature movies at the Big Picture. For details visit: www.bigpicturetheater.info

Special Note: April 17, 2007
Robin McDermott's guest on the Dinner Hour on WMRW-LP 95.1 will be farmer/activist Anita Kelman.  Learn about the harmful effect many products we use everyday in the kitchen have on the environment then discover alternatives that are equally effective yet are earth-friendly. This show will also be replayed on April 21 at 9:00am.

April 18, 2007 Grow Food Where You Eat It

Afternoon and Evening Events

Various Locations

6:00-7:30: Garden Tour at Nancy Turner and Dave Cain's home (Mad River Valley Localvores). For more information visit: www.vermontlocalvore.org

6:00: Mostly local community-style dinner (Big Picture Cafe)

8:15pm Fed Up (Big Picture Theater)

Followed by an interactive panel featuring:

Amy Shollenberger-Director of Rural Vermont

Bob Ferris-Executive Director of Yestermorrow Design/Build School and co-author of Amber Waves of Grain and Addressing the Crisis in Rural America .

April 19, 2007 Process Your Wastes Where You Make Them Night

Evening Event

Big Picture Theater

7:00: Affluenza. (Green Mountain Global Forum). For more details visit: http://gmgf.org

8:00: Escape from Affluenza

April 20, 2007 Live Where You Work Night

Evening Event

Big Picture Theater

7:00 Panel Discussion on Affordable Housing

8:00 Taken for a Ride (Movie) -GM and Firestone's conspiracy in the 1920s to do away with public transportation to build markets for cars and tires (Mad River Valley Housing Coalition).

April 21, 2007 Make Energy Where You Use It Day

All Day Event

Big Picture Theater

11:00AM-5:00PM: Green Vehicle show, energy talks and demonstrations, new technologies, etc (Mad River Sustainability Group).

1:00PM: Kilowatt Ours - A Plan to Re-Energize America (Movie)

April 22, 2007 Earth Day Celebration

Half Day Event

Big Picture Theater

Late Morning: Earth Day Film (Big Picture) for more details visit: www.bigpicturetheater.info

Afternoon: A community-wide charrette (working title: A Future Preferred State for the Mad River Valley) led by local business and environmental leaders who live in the Valley and are having a beneficial impact on global systems:

Gregor Barnum-7th Generation Company

Michael Dupee- Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

Victor Morrison-American Flatbread Company

Terry Kellogg-1% for the Planet

Bob Ferris-Yestermorrow Design/Build School

Co-Sponsors and Participants: 

Efficiency Vermont, Friends of the Mad River, Green Mountain Club, Green Mountain Global Forum, Mad River Valley Housing Coalition, Mad River Valley Localvore Project, Mad River Path Association, Mad River Sustainability Group, Mountain Institute, National Wildlife Federation, Stark Mountain Foundation, Turning the Tide, Yestermorrow Design/Build School

Financial Contributors: 

Green Mountain Global Forum, Yestermorrow Design/Build School, Stark Mountain Foundation and Bob Ferris and Carlene Ramus. (Note: there is more room on this list.)