Great things are happening at our big green house this month. From film screenings, to recycling classes, from putting in a demonstration garden to our first potluck dinner, we’ve got something for everyone.
 
Potluck Dinners Celebrating Local Foods
 Plan to join us on Wednesday, April 30th at 6:00 p.m. for a casual potluck dinner. Bring your favorite dish, be it meat or vegetable, and a favorite beverage if you’d like. Or perhaps a salad, appetizer, or dessert is your favorite for sharing. We’ve got a full kitchen for last minute preparations, and we’ll provide cutlery, dishes, ice, and seating. Please feel free to bring then entire family and arrive anytime between 6-8 p.m. We might even end up playing a little acoustic music after dinner. Our intention is to share fresh, local foods and encourage all to explore the possibilities of incorporating localism in every aspect of our daily lives. And if you can’t bring a dish, just bring a small donation instead!
 We’ll continue the dinners on the last Wednesday of every month, at least through September, so mark these dates on your calendar: May 28, June 25, July 30, August 27, and September 24.
 
Gardening
 Interested in gardening? Contact Sylvia Blain to learn more about upcoming gardening classes in May. The first one will be Organic Vegetable Gardening for Beginners, and will be held Saturday, May 17th from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Class cost is $25 and includes lunch and all materials. Call her at 501-765-2469 or email sblain@arkansaslocalfoods.org to sign up today!
 
Films
 April films feature topics like Americans’ obsessions with their lawns, a closer look at genetically modified corn and corn-based products in agriculture and the impact of large scale monocultures and food industries, a peek at one of the world’s most sustainable cities (Curitiba, Brazil), and a touching story about a midwestern farm family. Check out the calendar listings for dates and times.
Did you miss a film that you’d like to see? Contact us about our newly established lending library and availability of films for viewing at your convenience. Call Julie at 350-0713 for information.
 
Recycling Classes
 Wait! Don’t throw that in the trash! Confused by the myriad of materials marked “recyclable”? Don’t know exactly what you can and can’t recycle in Little Rock? Want to learn more about waste reduction, reuse, and recycling in general? We’ll help you understand what you can place in that bin, and address related issues such as zero waste and composting. This class will answer your questions regarding residential, business, and school recycling. Call Julie at 350-0713 or email jhendrix@sustainablealternatives.org to sign up today.
 
Water Quality Education
 In case you didn’t know, Central Arkansas has one of top municipal water supplies in the country. We’re also blessed as a water-rich state and should take every opportunity to protect all our water resources. One of most common misconceptions is about storm water runoff – did you know that it’s NOT filtered or treated in any way between the time it slips down the local storm drains and into our local watersheds? Would you like to volunteer to help educate the public by working with the Central Arkansas Storm Drain Marking Project? It’s easy, quick, and a great way to get out in your area and say hello to your neighbors. Contact Julie at 350-0713 or email her at jhendrix@sustainablealternatives.org
 
Cob Building Workshop
 Interested in learning more about natural building materials and methods? Join us for a cob and plaster demonstration workshop on April 19, from 2-5 p.m. in Little Rock. Earthrise Ecoschool will be helping Audubon Arkansas put up some rain barrels with a big adobe-like platform. If you've always wanted to see what working with earthen materials is like, this is the perfect class for you. We will be using cob and earthen plasters to cover a rain barrel stand and you’ll also get a great chance to take a look at the rain barrel demonstration system going up on this site! Rain or shine! Location: NW corner of 4th and Valmar. Cost: $20 preregistration or $30 day-of workshop. Please email Jeff Dempsey at earthrise@bioshift.org as space is limited.