Virginia Natural Living News - April 2007

In this Edition -

Green Homes Tour
Make Your Own Milk Paint
Backyard Wildlife Program
Earth Day Chanting
Earth Week at VT
Earth Day - Claytor Lake
Earth Day - Roanoke
Creativity Workshop
Singing Bowl Workshop

I hope you're enjoying early spring, even though it's certainly been a bit chilly. April has to be my favorite month in the New River Valley, and it's fitting that Earth Day falls is this month. Read on to find out about the first Green Home seminar in the NRV, how to make your own milk paint, and other upcoming events.

Best,

Larissa

Green Home Seminar and Tour

April 28, 2007
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Curious about green building?
Want to lower energy costs?
Want to visit green homes?

The green home event will start with a morning seminar (9am-12pm) focusing on sustainable design, residential energy topics, and financial considerations of green building at the YMCA in Blacksburg, 1000 N. Main St.

There will be an afternoon self-guided tour (1pm-5pm of green homes in the New River Vally, with open house hosts and tour brochures.

Be sure to visit the informative vendor booths and enjoy the refreshments provided at the morning seminar.Registration is $15/person, $25/couple. For more info and to register online, go to the YMCA Home Tour page.

Green MOB of the NRV is a group of committed professionals supporting Green Models of Building in the New River Valley.

Make Your Own Milk Paint

by Karen Cairns
Have you heard of milk paint? Milk paint, sometimes found on antique furniture, was used by early American pioneers. Making your own for walls is cheap, easy, produces lovely, soft colors, and is environmentally healthy, with no odor and no toxins. Many commercial paints contain a wide variety of potentially harmful chemicals. However, some commercial companies now offer environmentally-friendly or low VOC paints. Be careful to read the label, though, as some paints that are advertised as "eco" may not be. Read article

NWF Backyard Wildlife Program

Become a wildlife-friendly gardener and learn many practical, easy things you can do in your own yard to create a low-maintenance habitat, beneficial for both wildlife and the environment. Utilizing resources from the National Wildlife Federation and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, instructors Sandy and Tom Marano will address the needs of wildlife for food, water, cover and places to raise young.
Fee: $34 or $65/family
1 - 4 pm, April 22
The Inn at Riverbend, Giles County
To register, visit the YMCA

Earth Day Chanting & Meditation

Saturday, April 21, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
An Evening of Meditative Chant to Honor Mother Earth and Earth Day
with chant leader Maxine Fraade from Roanoke. Singing ability or prior experience with meditation is not needed. Akke's Yoga Place, 2401 South Main Street, Blacksburg
Please e-mail Ellen or call 552-3707 (Ellen/Cliff) to reserve your place.
Suggested donation: $5

Earth Week 2007 at Virginia Tech

April 13th-20th
Envirofusion is a week-long event at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, that will bring together professionals, educators, and students in order to increase public eco-awareness. Guest speakers from fields such as architecture, energy, and public policy will be featured throughout the week. Earth Day at Virginia Tech will be celebrated as a part of Envirofusion on Thursday, April 19. As a part of Earth Day, environmentally-conscious organizations will be invited to showcase their work on the Drillfield from 10AM-4PM.

Earth Day at Claytor Lake State Park

Come to the park to enjoy a variety of outdoor events in celebration of Earth Day and Virginia's 400th Anniversary. Programs include a historical tree planting, historical flower planting, trail cleanups and the creation of a wildlife food plot for deer and turkey. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear.
Saturday, April 21, 2007, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Phone: (540) 643-2500
claytorlake@dcr.virginia.gov
Roanoke, Va

Earth Day Events in Roanoke

Celebrate Earth Day in Historic Grandin Village with FREE events for the whole family. Visit the website for a list of activities & sites.
April 21, 9am - 8:30pm
Grandin Village - corner of Grandin Road & Memorial Avenue
For information: Mary Beth Ladenheim 540.343.5652 or marybeth.ladenheim@gmail.com

Empower Your Creative Self Workshop

6-week workshop with a focus on developing your creative self. Participants are asked to bring a copy of The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and a sketchbook to the first class.
Sec 1: Mon 1:00 to 3:00pm beginning April 16th (6 weeks)
Sec 2: Tues 2:00 - 4:00pm beginning April 17th (6 weeks)
Open to anyone with an interest in exploring their creative self
Fee: $60 includes materials
For more workshops or information, visit:
Willowbank Creative Center
200 Professional Park Drive, Suite 3
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Contact: Carole McNamee 449-4421

Tibetan Singing Bowl Workshop

Sunday, April 15, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Discover how to use singing bowls for stress reduction, relaxation and healing. Playing and listening to singing bowls can reduce stress and anxiety,strengthen the immune system, balance the chakras, release energetic blockages, diminish pain, allow access to the body's inner wisdom, stimulate the body's ability to heal itself, and create a deeply meditative state. $45 per person. Andrew Matzner from Roanoke will lead the workshop at Akke's Yoga Place in Blacksburg.