Students have always been enthusiastic receptors and activists when it comes to worthy causes such as the environment. This weekend, the Wood River High School Honor Seminar class and the Environmental Club will hold the first Generation Green Holiday Fair at the Wood River High School commons area, in Hailey.
Their mission is twofold. They want to raise awareness in the community and funds in order to pay for recycle bins for the Wood River Middle School.
The Generation Green Fair will have a pretty big hitter as its main purveyor. Ten Thousand Villages will ship a minimum of $4,000 in retail goods to festival organizers. With 160 stores throughout the country, Ten Thousand Villages has artisan groups in Africa, Asia and Latin America making fair-trade jewelry, decor, apparel and more. As one of the world's oldest and largest fair-trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages has built long-term relationships with these artisans.
"Each year the honor class has a project as the culmination of the trimester," said Rosie Gilchrist, a Wood River High School junior. "It was something we wanted to do. Something to get the community aware of the environment, the club and the class."
Because America Recycles Day was on Thursday, Nov. 15, the class also decided to honor that cause by encouraging each day this week to be dedicated to improving one's recycling habits. On Monday, water was conserved. On Tuesday, electricity was conserved. On Wednesday, composting was the theme and on Thursday, canvas shopping bags were sold during America Recycles Day at the high school. Today, people are encouraged to reuse items.
A panel discussion will take place at the Community Campus immediately after the fair ends on Saturday. The speakers will be Larry Barnes—on bio-diesel, Gerry Ryan—on florescent light bulbs, Craig Barry and Kimberly Ralphs from the Environmental Resource Center, and Professor Ron Thaemert from the University of Idaho.
"The class also made a brochure that we hope will continue that has 10 things we can all do at home," Gilchrist said. "We'll be handing the brochures out when we have the panel discussion and at the fair."
Generation Green Holiday Fair
What: Ten Thousand Villages merchandise.
Where: Wood River High School commons area, and Community Campus.
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17. (Panel discussion to follow at Community Campus) and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18.
The Wood River High School Honor Seminar class takes a tour of the Ohio Gulch Transfer Station.Courtesy photo
