SEEDS, Freshwater Heritage of Blacksburg: Stroubles Creek & 16 Frogs Tour

Find your connection to Stroubles Creek, and to the New River and Gulf of Mexico. Follow the trail of the stream and discover why the 16 original blocks of Blacksburg were founded in this area. Be prepared with appropriate clothes, water and snacks. Find some of Blacksburg’s most historic locations and also find a few of the 16 (bronze sculpted) Green Frogs installed so far as part of the “16 Frogs” project that SEEDS is part of developing. *kid/family friendly

Time: 2-4 p.m.

Location/Directions: Meet up at SEEDS/Blacksburg Nature Center at the Price House, 107 Wharton St., SE, *please note that parking is limited at the Nature Center, please plan to bike, walk, or carpool to this event.

Additional Information: Blacksburg Price House Nature Center, SEEDS, 16 Frogs, Biological Sciences Outreach Program

Resilience in a Changing World: How Can Communities Prepare and Respond?

Infrastructure is all around us, and most of us are accustomed to it always being there, working just fine! It impacts every aspect of our lives: from the water we drink, the food we eat, how we get around, communicate with one another, and power our homes. For a lot of reasons, our critical infrastructure is also increasingly vulnerable. Come learn how you can make your own household more resilient in the event of infrastructure disruptions – and how you can be part of an effort to build greater neighborhood and community resiliency going forward.

Time: 5-6:30 p.m.

Location/Directions: 200 Miller St., SW, Blacksburg Library

Additional Information: https://www.ready.gov/

Hoof Hearted Farm Tour: Rotational Grazing, Carbon Sequestration & Sustainable Food

Learn how ruminants can save the planet through proper grazing management. Short talk followed by a walking tour. We will start promptly at 6 p.m. so arrive early.

Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

Location/Directions: 2305 Meadowbrook Dr.  *parking limited, carpooling recommended. Park across the street on Alice Drive (primary) or at the Heritage Park/ Gateway Trail parking lot.

Additional Information: hoofheartedfarm.com

Kids’ Activities Passport

We believe that children are our future! This year for Sustainability Week we are offering a passport to all the activities that are kid/family friendly. Kids who participate in at least four Sustainability Week activities (initialed by parent/teacher) will receive a special prize! Download and print the passport

Times: At least one kid/family friendly event is being offered each day of Sustainability Week – see event descriptions below and look for *kid/family friendly to find all the fantastic events you and your kiddos could attend!

Location: Multiple locations – download and print the passport

Additional Information: Passports can be picked up at the SEEDS Office/Price House Nature Center at 107 Wharton Street SE, the YMCA Thrift Store at 1000 N. Main St., or Imaginations Toy and Furniture at 1531 S. Main St, Blacksburg, VA 24060 or the Blacksburg Library at 200 Miller St. If you would like the passport emailed to you, please contact sustainability@blacksburg.gov. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent at all Sustainability Week events. Prizes for completed passports can be collected at any of the places where passports were distributed, or at the Town of Blacksburg Sustainability Office at 141 Jackson St.

Caught Green Handed

Do you see people on campus or around town using reusable bags, biking to work, or filling a reusable water bottle, or doing something else green? Help us catch these people “green handed.” This campaign looks to spread awareness and give a tangible “attagirl” or “attaboy” to folks who take that extra step to make green choices in their everyday lives. CGH Ambassadors will be given a set of Caught Green Handed stickers and over the course of the week, they will keep their eyes peeled so they can “catch” people doing something green. We also ask our CGH Ambassadors to help spread the message by posting pics of themselves with their “catchee” to our social media campaign #CaughtGreenHanded. (with permission of course). *kid/family friendly (kids can be CGH Ambassadors as long as they are working with a parent/adult)

Time: All week

Location: Anywhere someone can be caught!

Additional Information: We need 20 volunteers to be Caught Green Handed Ambassadors – if you are interested, please visit our Volunteer SignUp Page, or contact skarlee3@vt.edu (if you are a VT student) or sustainability@blacksburg.gov (if you are a community member).

Wands for Wildlife

Recycle a save wild lives! Old mascara wands are perfect for removing parasites and debris from the fur and feathers of sick and injured animals brought to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge Center. We’ll be putting out collection boxes in key places on campus and around the community during Sustainability Week (September) and will collect them during Earth Week (April). Please wash off residual mascara in warm soapy water before placing them in the collection boxes.

Time:  All week

Additional Information: Appalachian Wildlife Refuge Wands for Wildlife Program

The Last Plastic Straw Campaign

Did you know 500 million straws are used and discarded every day in the United States alone? Single-use plastics like straws are used for an average of 12 minutes, yet last for hundreds (if not thousands) of years! During Sustainability Week, we are looking for community volunteers to encourage local restaurants to provide a straw only when a customer requests one. Volunteers will be given an outreach packet complete with promotional materials that restaurants can use to highlight their new earth- and wildlife-friendly practice. This is a great project for families and students alike – if you would like help, please email Jennifer Jen: jenniferhjen@gmail.com

Time: All week

Additional Information: The Last Plastic Straw