Sustainable Grove, Oh Sustainable Grove
A residence outfitted with solar panels by ecohouse solar
Henceroth Park is Grove City’s “green” park, with solar lighting, exercise stations made from recycled plastic and playground units made from recycled materials.
On Aug. 22, the park will become even more of a showcase of “green,” when the first Grove City EcoFest is held there from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“As a city, we are looking at more sustainable things,” says Linda Rosine, Grove City’s environmental coordinator and the person Grove City Mayor Ike Stage approached regarding to putting the event together.
The event will include roughly 25 to 30 booths, including vendors and a variety of organizations with information on sustainability practices.
Organizations represented will include Wild Ones natural landscaping organization, Rain Brothers rainwater catchment and Ecohouse Solar, a solar power equipment supplier.
“We serve central Ohio with solar installations,” says Sarah Straley, director of sales and marketing at Ecohouse.
The majority of the company’s work has been at the residential level, and most solar panels pay back in eight to 10 years, Straley says. Ecohouse’s booth will have literature on financial incentives for installing solar power in one’s home, as well as a staffer to answer questions.
There will also be an electric vehicle ride-and-drive, for which people can register to drive an electric Nissan, BMW or Chevrolet on a two-mile course. The ride-and-drive is being put on by Clean Fuels Ohio, a nonprofit organization that works to reduce pollution.
Vendors include Live Love Dew, which offers natural home and body care products such as natural cleaners, body wash and soy candles; White Dove Herbs, an herbal tea company; and Steeling Copper Metal Studio, which makes modern, nature-inspired metal garden art. All three are based in Grove City
Food at the festival will be provided by Schmidt’s Sausage Truck, Pitabilities, Ice Cream Spot, Lollipop Stop and Bubba’s Shaved Ice Snowballs.
Early in the day, Stage will host a family bike ride, and a section of the festival dedicated to healthy living will feature activities such as yoga and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
EcoFest will also keep children occupied with interactive activities such as a climbing wall, an obstacle course and fabric sculpture making.
“We don’t tell them it’s exercise,” says Rosine.
Local musical group Deuce ‘n a Quarter performs in the evening.
Francis Pellicciaro is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
