We made it to a presentation on Photovoltaics that was informative. It was about maximizing the energy from your solar panels. The end of the presentation got drowned out in the sounds of rain and hail from feisty weather. It is always encouraging to see what others are doing in your area though.
I enjoyed learning about some of the challenges of solar power and some innovations that help overcome them. I've got some fun notes and I'm sure I will be looking more into this PV group that services the midwest: Advanced Solar Solutions.
www.AESsolar.com
Next we sat in on a presentation about why it is important to grow native plants in your lawn. It was called "We all live downstream". The presenter, Tim Lewis, talked about the importance of the root systems to filter ground water and prevent erosion. He also talked about how native plants support native insects that help to balance a healthy ecosystem.
Tim obviously had a personal vendetta with the "traditional" american lawn. Although, I can't say I disagree. I think that lawns are a waste of time and resources. The shallow root system alone causes environmental degradation, not to mention chemical fertilizers and fossil fuels used to keep it trim and green. Jerome told me about a group called food-not-lawns that I find intriguing. I learned from the presentation that grass is actually the largest crop in America, covering 30-40 million acres of lawn surface. Imagine if everybody grew some of their own food instead of caring for a fruitless lawn.
According to Tim Lewis, the current traditional American lawn is actually a throwback to the 1700's. In England it was a status symbol. The lawn took off in America right after World War II. Now there are laws about the necessity of taking care of one's lawn. As people are learning more about the hazard of current lawns though this is changing. The association for native plants refers to a lawyer who will help people fight for their right to plant native species to nurture their ecosystem.
We ended up having to leave early because of the rain and storms and a sick little one. I was disappointed to not be able to return on Sunday, but Phoenix just started school and seems to have already caught a virus. I stayed home and took care of her while Jerome got a chance to go back and pick up some of the native food-bearing plants (hazelnuts, serviceberries and more) we had planned on getting at the fair from Red Buffalo Nursery (http://www.redbuffalonursery.com/).
I will make another post later on what we got to see at our time at the Illinois Renewable Energy Fair! We had a long day today picnicking and playing at Eagle Point Park in Clinton with the girls. We ate at the top of a small castle next to a wedding and played at the multiple playgrounds. We relaxed on a blanket, had a treat and read a story. Then the kids went back to play while the adults relaxed with some yoga and Thai massage before a small hike. I'm ready to relax at home with some candlelight and local wine.
No comments:
Post a Comment