Dirt, plants and hippie houses: Here comes Sustainability Month - 2011-01-25

Speakers, photo exhibit headline event, which kicks off Feb. 1

CONTACT: Mara Thacker, (518) 327-6462 / mthacker@paulsmiths.edu

PAUL SMITHS – A reading from a nationally known author, a photo exhibit of eco-friendly houses and a lesson on how to breed cold-hardy plants highlight Sustainability Month at Paul Smith’s College.

The events, to be held in February, are free and open to the public.

Among the highlights:

• Kristin Kimball, author of 2010’s “The Dirty Life,” will speak on Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 10:10-11 a.m. in Adirondack Room of the Joan Weill Adirondack Library. Kimball’s critically acclaimed memoir relates her experiences as a farmer in the North Country after leaving behind a journalism career in New York City.
• Bill MacKentley of St. Lawrence Nurseries discusses how to breed cold-hardy plants in a 90-minute class on Thursday, Feb. 17, from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Pine Room of the Joan Weill Student Center. MacKentley appears as part of the college’s World of Forestry seminar series, sponsored by the School of Forestry and Natural Resources.
• Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) presents “Back to the Land: Hippie Houses and Homesteads for the 21st Century,” a photo exhibit on homestead architecture in rural, northern New York. On Monday, Feb. 1, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., TAUNY president and homestead expert Jill Breit will introduce the exhibit; following her presentation, appetizers featuring regional foods will be available. The exhibition will be on display all month.

“Sustainability is a global concern, but it starts at home,” said Mara Thacker, the college’s public services librarian. “We’re bringing in speakers from the North Country to show that, as big as this issue is, we can all accomplish a lot locally.”

ABOUT PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE

At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. Our programs, in fields including hospitality, culinary arts, forestry, natural resources, entrepreneurship and the sciences, draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere.

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