Living Lightly Fair Brings Muncie Greens Together
Muncie Star Press Sep. 21, 2008
MUNCIE -- Carol Islam only planned to shop at the Minnetrista Farmers' Market Saturday morning when she saw white tents across the center's campus. She knew something was going on and when she discovered it was the Living Lightly Sustainable Resource Fair, she was presently surprised, opting to spend more time at the Muncie cultural center.
Islam was impressed with the vendors and exhibits, but she was most pleased with the number of people spending their Saturday morning learning about the environment. "It's not really obvious in the day-to-day life of living in Muncie that there are people that are concerned about the environment," she said. "You can see by the crowd here today that people are participating and interested."
From local organizations such as the Smart Living Project to lectures from various community environmentalists, visitors to the fair learned what they could do today to save the earth tomorrow. And while may spent time milling about the various exhibits across the Minnetrista campus, the highlight of the event was the keynote address by Jerome Ringo of the Apollo Alliance, an environmental organization that hopes to remove America's dependence on foreign oil.
A native of Lake Charles, La., the first African-American to lead an environmental organization spoke about his connection to Muncie, as a friend of Virginia Ball, and his passion for the green movement, which started when he worked for a petrochemical plant in southern Louisiana.
He encouraged the audience to do their part for Muncie to become a "green" city, including voting for legislators who support green policies and who understand that alternative fuel energies are essential for a new economy in the city and beyond.
Ringo believes there is an urgent need to handle green issues now more than ever, especially as a result of his understanding of global warming.
In the last three years, he has had to evacuate his home during to a hurricane more than any other time in his life, and suggested that those who doubt the severity of global warming to "talk to the people of New Orleans."
He understands that other issues may affect voters in the November elections, but sees environmental and energy issues as some that connect most concerns.
"Every time they pull up at the gas pump, it becomes the issue. Every time they get their electric bill, it becomes the issue," he said. "Every time another body bag comes home, it becomes the issue. Every time a hurricane shuts down the oil supply in the Gulf of Mexico, it becomes the issue. We become extremely aware through circumstances that we need to act and act now."
By news reporter Ivy Farguheson.
