Spring brings green events

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New vegetation is starting to poke out of the tundra, and upcoming events in Boulder County are heralding a spring full of green interests.

There’s a boatload of ways to recycle stuff that might otherwise wind up in a landfill, but one of the most fun has got to be creating a human-powered entry for the annual Longmont Kinetics Sculpture Challenge at Union Reservoir.

Besides being a zero-waste event, the Challenge encourages using recycled items to create human-powered vehicles — the wackier the better. There is actual science involved, too, as any viable craft has to be able to travel on both land and water.

Participants can go solo or act in teams, which makes it a great opportunity for youth groups, families, clubs and office buddies to get their eco-creative groove on.

The Challenge will be held as part of Longmont’s Festival on Main celebration on Aug. 26-27. If you’re interested in testing your skills of invention, there are workshops scheduled that will take you from planning to testing:

• Workshop #1, the basic background and brainstorming kick-off, will be held Saturday, April 30, at the Longmont Recreation Center.

• Workshop #2 is literally focused on the nuts and bolts, and it will be held on Saturday, May 21, at the ReSource Tool Library in Boulder.

• Workshop #3 is all about vehicle-tuning and polishing your theme at Union Reservoir on Saturday, June 25.

All three will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

There are also volunteer opportunities for those who would like to participate without a craft. More information is available at http://kineticists.org. Those interested in volunteering should include what their specific interest is.

GreenFrontier Fest

In other green news, GreenFrontier Fest 2011, featuring the 5th Annual Product and Service Fair — all about the newest in green technologies and products — is coming Sunday, May 1.

The City of Boulder, Boulder Green Building Guild, ReDirect Guide and the Center for ReSource Conservation are putting on this event in downtown Boulder’s Central Park area. Business-level BGBG members who commit to a booth before April 1 can get the space for $350, on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available at http://bit.ly/bgbgevent.

EnergySmart kickoff

Also coming up is the EnergySmart Kickoff Party on Thursday, April 7, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Oskar Blues in Longmont, just to get people jazzed about Boulder County’s new EnergySmart program. Nibble free appetizers while learning about this service for finding the most hassle-free options for affordable energy efficiency. More information is available at www.energysmartyes.com/

Flea market

The I Love to Grow garden nursery and neighborhood-sustainability hub is holding a monthly Community Flea Market until October on weekends, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The next one is April 9-10. The daily cover charge is $15, with a $15 refundable deposit. It is located at 4715 Broadway. For more information, see www.ilovetogrow. com or call 303-736-9508.

Class for drips

Boulder’s ReSource Tool Library is starting its new Tool School with a class on drip irrigation on April 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 303-419-8534 or check the website for registration and other classes offered through October: www.conservationcenter.org/ToolLibrary.htm.

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