Go green this Friday at Garvan Woodland Gardens

Want to save money, conserve energy, and have a positive impact on the environment? Then plan now to attend a one-day workshop being held January 21 in the Magnolia Room at Garvan Gardens. A panel of eco-friendly speakers will help you go "green" by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Presentations are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Justin Jones, Senior Program Consultant for CLEAResult Consulting, an energy efficiency consulting firm with clients throughout the U.S., will provide information about energy audits and how Arkansas homeowners can benefit from "Green" initiatives.Another energy-saving practice being discussed is water efficiency in the landscape. Presenter Mark Brown, an agent with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service specializing in water conservation and turf and landscape management, will offer water-wise tips you can apply to your home landscape. His information will help you cultivate healthy turf and plants while saving money and natural resources.Learn what it means for a business to be certified "green" from Eric Van Cleave, president of Spectrum Technology Solutions, a company that received the recognition from the GreenBusiness Bureau in 2001. Cleave hopes to raise public awareness of the certification program and what its commitment means to the consumer. He will also provide options for recycling technology-related items such as computer components and other electronic equipment.Karen Holcomb, one of the founders of the Hot Springs Spa City Co-op, shares her insights on how our food choices have as much impact on the ecology as the cars we drive. She will discuss how shopping locally from farmer's markets and other community-supported agriculture helps save resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials.Thinking about going solar? Bob Nagy, author of "A Complete Guide to the Installation of Off-Grid Solar Power Systems," has 33 years of solar energy design experience to share with workshop participants. A former NASA employee and the star of over 40 technical training videos, Nagy will help you decide if solar energy is right for you and share tips for improving the efficiency of your home and automobile.Betsy Spetich, Western Arkansas Recycling Coordinator for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, will explain why in this throw-away culture recycling is so important to the environment. Learn how to reduce landfill waste and save precious resources with simple life choices you make every day.In the last session of the day, Hot Springs/Garland County Beautification Commission Executive Director Adam Roberts will inform class members about the importance of investing in local environmental programs and the footprint their efforts may leave regionally, even globally. In addition, Roberts will provide a list of environmental volunteer projects in which citizens can participant.
The workshop, made possible through a grant from Entergy Arkansas, is free of charge. Space is Limited. Reserve your spot by calling the Gardens at (501) 262-9300 or 800-366-4664. The first 50 respondents will receive free Green products.