Oklahoma Local Foods Week 2009

Sustainable Green Country and a host of other groups are encouraging their fellow Oklahomans to join them in celebrating "Local Foods Week" during the week of June 14-21, 2009, pronouncing that local food is a valuable economic asset for the state of Oklahoma. Gov. Brad Henry has made the event official this year by means of a proclamation.

Created by Sustainable Green Country's Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, Local Foods Week festivities will highlight local family farms and farmers' markets hosting a variety of events, including community garden tours, a farm table dinner, cooking demonstrations, a scavenger hunt for children, a salsa making contest, canning classes, on-the-farm cheese making class with tour, and more. In addition, there will be a special screening of the film "FRESH". FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.

Buying local strengthens the local food and farm economy, improves health and revitalizes rural and urban communities. Tulsa metro-area residents spent $2.2 billion on food in 2004. If just five percent of those dollars were redirected to buying local food, this would mean an additional $110 million dollars stays in the Oklahoma economy. For more information on Local Foods Week, visit http://www.buyfreshbuylocalok.com/.

Sustainable Shawnee and Allied Waste help SYAA Recycle at the Ball fields

With the assistance of Allied Waste, Buford White Lumber, and Sustainable Shawnee, SYAA is now recycling plastic bottles at the ball fields north of the YMCA. “We noticed the huge volumes of plastic bottles going into the trash during the baseball season and really wanted to do something about it this year so we contacted Sustainable Shawnee.” says Sarah Oliver with SYAA.

Thanks to Allied Waste and Buford White several of the recycling bins and the recycling service have been provided free of charge. “Allied Waste agreed to locate a large container for plastic at the ball fields to make it easier on the kids and parents to recycle.” says Shawna Turner, President of Sustainable Shawnee. “We’re very pleased with the project and hope to repeat it again next year.”
Sustainable Shawnee has recently received a grant from the Junior Service League to conduct Event Recycling in our community. Sustainable Shawnee’s first activity will be Jazz in June on June 13th downtown. If you are planning an event or are responsible for sporting activities in Shawnee and would like to recycle, contact Sustainable Shawnee at http://www.sustainableshawnee.org/ and we’ll be happy to help!