Community Corner

Local Environmental Group Turns One

Neighbors celebrate a year of exchanging ideas about water conservation, energy efficiency, and recycling through Piedmont Connect.

Piedmont Connect began in February of last year with a handful of eco-conscious Piedmonters gathered in Terry Smith's living room.

By June, the grassroots community environmental organization was turning away people who wanted to sign up for its garden ramble–its very first public event–when registration topped 100. (Registration is open for this year's tour of water-conserving and edible gardens in Piedmont, which takes place June 4).

The group now claims more than 200 members, two dozen of whom filled co-founder Heather Clapp's house Wednesday for an anniversary potluck. An architect, a green MBA student, and several Piedmont teachers (including Smith, who teaches science at Havens Elementary) were among the crowd.

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"This is great, there's so many of us," Clapp said.

The group has established itself as a recognizable entity around town in the last year, having co-sponsored a discussion on local energy efficiency solutions with the Piedmont League of Women Voters last September and three more on its own since addressing gray water systems, smart gardening, and . Connect volunteers managed the recycling at the 2010 Harvest Festival and the group now has a permanent seat on the event committee.

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And Connect is making headway with the city and the school district in their energy efficiency and waste reduction iniatives.

Smith said the school district in particular has become much more amendable to Connect's ideas. Putting up stern resistance to stepped up recycling at first, and later getting behind an effort to for three elementary school gardens.

"It's gone from 'do we have to do this?', to 'what are we doing next?'."


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