Local Earth Fair Promotes Sustainability

The 13th annual Prairie Village Earth Fair will be held Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Shawnee Mission East gymnasium. The event is organized jointly by the Prairie Village Environmental Committee and East’s Environmental Club. This year’s theme is sustainability.

Businesses returning from last year’s fair include Master Gardeners, Door to Door Organics, Johnson County Transit and Greenability Magazine. Representatives from each company will set up booths in the in the gymnasium with information on how their business contributes to the community as well as the environment.

Also returning to the Earth Fair is the the Used Book Sale will be held in the stage gym. Students can attend the sale all day on Friday and during the Earth Fair on Saturday. The fair is organized by East librarian Kathi Knop and students who are members of the Friends of the Library organization.

“With the used book fair, we try to emphasize reusing and recycling,” Knop said. “It really goes hand in hand with the environment and the Earth Fair.”

Students involved in East’s Used Book Sale Committee collected books throughout the month of March, donated them to the fair and priced the books. Each book will cost under two dollars in an effort to make the books accessible to everyone.

Over 50 exhibitors will be present at the fair; they range from local farmers to regional authorities on energy efficiency. The Earth Fair will also feature the latest hybrid and electric cars. East’s own Environmental Club will have two booths at the event.

“We’re going to have kids make and decorate hats out of recycled newspapers,” Environmental Club member Shrushti Mehta said. “We’re also going to give presentations on the composting program in our cafeteria. We’re hoping for a big turnout.”

Other activities for younger fair-goers include craft-making, scavenger hunts and bird-watching. Local groups such as StoneLion Puppets, Eco-Elvis and the Green Swing band will put on dramatic and musical performances.

For more information, visit www.earth-fair.org, check out the Facebook page www.facebook.com/pvearthfair or follow @PVEarthFair on Twitter.