Fundraiser for the Susan Garrison Sustainability Fund
Susan Garrison, much–loved and admired Sustainability Manager for the Town of Blacksburg, passed away in February of 2013. A tireless environmental advocate, she helped establish Blacksburg’s first Sustainability Week, launched the community’s Climate Action Plan, and championed nearly all of the town’s sustainability initiatives. If you shop or dine at one of the participating downtown establishments listed a percentage of sales for the day will go toward Susan’s Fund and will help us launch citizen-initiated projects that make Blacksburg a greener and more beautiful place to live, work, and play.
Participating Businesses: Bollo’s Cafe & Bakery, Cabo Fish Taco, Fringe Benefit, Gillie’s Restaurant, Main Street Pharmacy, Main Street Inn, Matrix Gallery, Sugar Magnolia, and t.r. collection. View event on Facebook.
Sustainable Bike Tour
Event Description: A bike tour around the Town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech Campus highlighting the town and university’s sustainable practices. The route will be 4-5 miles long, at a social/leisure pace of 7-10 MPH, and will take about 1.5-2 hours including stops throughout the route. Click here for more info.
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Location/Directions: Huckleberry Trailhead at Miller Street
Additional Resources: VT Alternative Transportation Center, VT Bike Hub, and Ride Solutions. If you would like to help volunteer for this event, please visit our Volunteer SignUp Page. View event on Facebook.
Monarch Mania at the Market
Event Description: Join us at the Blacksburg Farmers Market to learn about the Monarch life cycle, challenges they’re facing and how you can help. View caterpillars and butterflies up close. The butterflies have been tagged through the Monarch Watch program and, weather permitting, they will be released at the market. We will also be making milkweed seed bombs for you to take and plant. Milkweed is the only plant that Monarch caterpillars can eat. At 5:30 p.m., Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith will give a few remarks about Blacksburg’s recent commitment to become a Monarch City. Following her remarks, we will release the butterflies, weather permitting.
Time: 4-5:30 p.m.
Location/Directions: Blacksburg Farmers Market (100 Draper Road)
Lightning Talks
NOT a boring lecture. The Sustainability Week Team is bringing you 10 great speakers - rapid fire - who will be presenting on their environmental/sustainability topic of expertise or passion Topics include: Non Point Source Pollution; Invasive Plants; Homefield Farm (VT farm-to dining hall program); Food Waste; Campus Kitchen; Community Supported Agriculture; Small Living; The Economic Model for Conservation; NRV Homegrown (supporting local business).
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Location/Directions: Alexander Black House (204 Draper Rd) (across from Market Sqaure Park). View event on Facebook.
The Last Plastic Straw Campaign
Every day in the U.S., people use 500 million straws a day – enough to circle to planet more than two-and-a-half times! Straws are now one of the top 10 marine debris items found on our beaches. And by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
Throughout the week we will be celebrating businesses who have pledged to lessen their straw use in 2018 and announcing new establishments that join us in ‘The Last Plastic Straw Blacksburg Restaurant Campaign’ to reduce community and global straw use.
Try Transit Week
Take the pledge to use transit this week and you could win free transit for a year! Sign up at Try Transit VA and ride BT. Public transportation is a great way to get around Blacksburg and connect to your job, shopping, entertainment, restaurants and sightseeing. Every day thousands of Virginians use transit, and it’s easy to see why! Public transportation saves money, helps the environment and reduces traffic congestion. To earn additional rewards while using transit, and to learn about additional alternative transportation options check out RIDE Solutions. Try Transit Week flyer
