Write of Passage

Going Green in the Village

Posted by Maureen Connors Badding on June 1, 2011

VillageGreen, Wauwatosa BID, Go Green

 When you think about it, the Village of Wauwatosa is pretty green (in the eco-friendly sense) 365 days a year. It’s just a short walk, bike ride or drive to some of the best restaurants and interesting shops in metro Milwaukee. In fact, the Village Business Improvement District offers a “Live Local” program with discount privileges for members at VillageofWauwatosa.com.

Add to that equation the Farmers Market and new stores that promote sustainability: Go Green Design Center, which offers green building supplies plus green solutions for energy and water conservation, and B. Green, which sells eco-friendly home goods and toys. Both of those businesses are in the building that Tosa oldtimers will forever refer to as “The Drews Building.” (If you haven’t seen it lately, it’s worth a trip just to see architect and Go Green owner Karen Wilman’s inspired design.)

This Saturday, a small group of volunteers is turning the Village even greener, with the second VillageGreen Street Fair. It’s a family-friendly festival dedicated to sustainability.* There are green activities, green vendors and even green activities for kids, all from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 4.

You can go to VillageGreenStreetFair.com to see the full lineup of green vendors, but check out this entertainment:

9 a.m. The Bystanders   classic rock & current hits Underwood Stage

        Saving Our Wildlife   live animal interaction Kids Area

        Greening Your Home   presentation Little Red Store

10 a.m. Evan & Tom Leahy Band   Irish & folk Harwood Stage

10:30 a.m. Rhythm for Unity Drum Circle Kids Area

11 a.m. Sustainable Communities   presentation Little Red Store

        Joey Lavie   hits from the 70s, 80s & 90s Underwood Stage

11:45 a.m. Sweet Water Organics Traveling Mini-farm Kids Area

noon         Small Space Vegetable Gardening   Little Red Store

        Bent Willow Band   folk music Harwood Stage

1 p.m. Inland Moss   bluegrass Underwood Stage

2 p.m. Zumba Demonstration/Class Kids Area

        Healthy & Organic Desserts   presentation Harwood Stage

The Kids Area will also offer face painting, crafts, hula hooping, a mural project called “It Takes a Village,” and visits with exotic animals, urban wildlife and “recycled” golden retrievers.

(Conveniently, Saturday the 4^th from 8 a.m. to noon is when my neighborhood association scheduled a scrap metal recycling drive in the Unity Church parking lot on 73^rd Street, just north of Milwaukee Ave. Bring your scrap metal and electronics and then stroll down to the VillageGreen Street Fair.)

Hope to see you down there!

*VillageGreen Street Fair is presented by the BID and sponsored by our generous friends at WaterStone Bank, Forbo Flooring, the Lutheran Home/Harwood Place and the YMCA.