Kids Go Green - Sidewalk Art Draws Sustainability Interest

It was great to see the Main Street Gazebo Walkways bustling with children and families for the First Annual Kids Go Green - Sidewalk Art event on July 28 as part of the Classic Car Festival.

The competition brought out 25 talented kids ranging from age 3 to 14 to draw their vision of environmental awareness and sustainability themes. Recycling, alternative transportation, water preservation, and energy conservation were some of the major themes drawn. John Bergdoll, West Warwick's Sustainability Business Coordinator and Kids Go Green judge, said all the kids expressed a sincere concern and commitment to environmental sensitivity and a more sustainable lifestyle for themselves, their families and their schools.

All kids and families who participated are winners and were personally thanked for their involvement and commitment.Each kid received a thank you bag of valuable coupons and giveaways from West Warwick businesses. Local sponsors generously gave over $700 in prize coupons, giveaways and cash.

West Warwick is grateful to our local businesses for their support and commitment to the Kids Go Green Sidewalk Art event. Their leadership in the sustainability effort is helping reshape West Warwick's new identity as a sustainability leader. Little changes do make a big impact.

Kudos to our Local Sponsors:
Target, D'Angelo, Citizen's Bank, Little Rhody Ice Cream, Crazy Apparel, KickBoxing, Trader Joe's, Picardi's Ice Cream & Coffee House, New York Ferrucci's System, Lucy Envisions, and Subway.

Flower Plantings add Charm and Curb Appeal to Main Street

Main Street looks a little brighter now that nine street planters have been spruced up with new flower plantings. Thanks to an initiative from the Sustainability Business Group, Christine Palazzolo, Chieh Hsu, and Monkeea Stateson teamed up with Jack Lancelotta and the JAYCEES volunteers to clean out the neglected planters and fill them with Stella Doras, petuneas, and other greenery.

Wal-Mart generously donated $100 worth of plants to help beautify the Arctic Business District. The West Warwick Department of Public Works also contributed to the effort by offering the much needed ground soil.

The plants are low maintenance but they need to be watered daily. We are hoping the nearby store owners will remember to give the flowers a drink every day to keep these flowers looking beautiful.

Thank you to all who participated in making Main Street a little more beautiful.

Kids Go Green - Sidewalk Event. Why are we focusing on kids?

Firstly, we have focused on children for this activity because children represent hope. Every person has experienced a moment in their life where they have taken something for granted, but there is something that people all over the world are taking for granted every day: clean air, clean drinking water, and healthy food. These vital resources are at risk unless we adopt more sustainable behaviors and teach our future generations to be wise stewards of our planet.

Being sustainable means that we should be able to take care of our needs, all while and allowing future generations and all living things to take care of their needs as well. We are all interconnected. We only have one planet with limited resources. Unfortunately, our vital resources are not an indefinite supply, and if we don’t take care of it and protect them, we may lose them forever. By sharing information and raising awareness with our youngest generation, we can create a solid foundation today to make a significant impact tomorrow.