Fair to celebrate islanders' strides toward sustainable living

“Celebrating is a big part of tackling the issue,” says Sharon Abreu, founder of the non-profit Irthlingz and one of the organizers behind Orcas Island’s first Sustainable Living Fair, to be held at the Library Park on Saturday, May 2.

“There are a lot of great things going on with a lot of people who deserve to be acknowledged for that; people are choosing to make things happen in a sustainable way that feeds all our spirits,” she says.

The Sustainable Living Fair arose out of the gathering at the Outlook Inn on Nov. 4 to celebrate the election of the Obama administration. Part of that gathering was to acknowledge the work Abreu and others have done on a National Strategy for Sustainability, and there was some money left over.

“The national strategy all has to be implemented at a community level,” says Abreu, “so people can see what’s already happening here. There is so much potential and so many people working towards sustainability in a variety of ways. ”

So the group, working with Sustainable Orcas Island, which meets the last Wednesday of each month at the public library, decided to launch a Sustainable Living Fair.

A sampling of the people Abreu references will be displaying their projects at the Fair:

— Phil Heikkinen and Bob Connell, Sustainable Orcas Island;

— Sharon Abreu, Irthlingz Arts-Based Environmental Education;

— Patrick Bennett, Good Earth Works, growing food at home;

— Mikial Denker, recycled and electric bicycles;

— John Mottl, Rainshadow Solar;

— Allan Rosato and Lisa Warden, Orcas Seed Bank;

— Chloe Scott and members of the F.E.A.S.T. crew  (Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens program –   includes Whitney Hartzell, Rusty Diggs, Christopher Evans);

— Ken Wood, breeding ‘silver fox’ rabbits as a sustainable local food source;

— Matthew Maher, Stem sustainable design – (at the Farmers Market);

— Ben Sheppard, promoting his workshop at the Funhouse about a new software program that will help people self-publish on the internet.

Abreu cites Sheppard’s display as an example of ways islanders are advancing sustainable measures in their businesses: “It will help people like authors and editors that don’t know much about the internet but want to get more involved with using it. This represents a sustainable choice in that it promotes self-empowerment and creates lucrative situations for people that are far less dependent on fossil fuels for traveling, paper for publishing, and large corporations deciding what gets published and distributed.”

Abreu, who is a professional singer, says “I’m still working to strike a balance” between her artistic life as a singer, song-writer and performer and the mission of environmental sustainability.

“There is so much need and so many causes that demand our attention and energy and resources.” What is lacking is political will, Abreu says, citing worldwide hunger as an example. “What is it about our culture that allows us to make decisions that are so toxic?”

While she says the sustainability movement tends to be intellectual or “head-centered,” Abreu finds that lending her voice in artistic expression to the cause gives her the “spirit-oriented” work that helps attain balance.

In case of rain, the Fair organizers have reserved the Odd Fellows Hall and the event will move inside.

But exhibitors are encouraged to bring awnings or tents as well as their own tables for the event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

(The Farmers Market will be on Prune Alley between Fern and A Streets, due to the re-seeding project on the Village Green.)

Abreu promises, “The Fair will be inspiring to people to see what’s going on and get some ideas to move further towards sustainability.”

To sign up to display, or for further information, contact Abreu at sharmuse@gmail.com