NASHUA, NH – The 3rd Annual sustainability fair was held Saturday at the Nashua Public Library. Despite rainy weather forcing the event indoors, it was well attended and a success.
The fair is held each April, adjacent to Earth Day, to showcase resources, organizations, projects, and sustainability practices from around the Nashua area. The event included about two dozen exhibitors, and an eco-market where various artists and farmers offered eco-friendly products. There was a seed library and kids’ art activities.
This year included an exhibit from the Caterpillar Lab, which brought two dozen species of live caterpillars and insects from their collection. Attendees could examine each closely under a microscope, which projected the image to a large screen. Their staff was on hand to discuss the biology of the insects, and the exhibit was a hit with the crowd.
Librarian Holly Klump was a bit disappointed to move the event indoors from the originally scheduled outdoors on the library plaza. The majority of the vendors agreed to attend despite the late change in plans. The electric car rodeo, which is a big draw, had to be cut from the program.
“I’m excited by the good turnout. The weather wasn’t the end-all,” said Klump
Deb Chisholm is the sustainability manager for the city of Nashua. She and her team organized the fair in partnership with the Nashua Public Library, saying, “The library has been amazing, both with providing us with the space to hold the event, and they’ve done a lot of the marketing for it as well.”
For Chisholm, one of the primary challenges for her team is educating the public about the city’s sustainability program and how individuals can incorporate it into their lifestyle choices. The fair is part of their ongoing public outreach and education
“We want to be part of a sustainable system. The idea is to get people knowledgeable about things so they can make their own choices,” Chisholm said.
The city is invested in sustainability for both environmental and economic reasons. Adding solar energy to city buildings and operating two hydroelectric stations reduces energy costs. Embracing the composting program of the Grow Nashua group, one of the exhibitors is another way to reduce the waste stream and landfill. Last year, they eliminated about a million pounds of solid waste one 5-gallon bucket at a time.
Last Tuesday, on Earth Day, Livable Nashua presented a progress report to the board of aldermen on the program for the city to build resilience and adapt to climate change.
City Energy Manager Doria Brown, who was recently named Young Professional Energy Champion, was also at the event. She commented, “It’s important to the city to have something like this to show people that we have resources here in the city to help them live a more sustainable life.”
“I would like people in Nashua to know that we are participating in sustainability. The city of Nashua has one of the biggest sustainability departments in the state. We are an investor in renewable energy, and the benefits of that come back to the community in cost savings as well as profits from our hydroelectric facilities. So sustainability is a way to help us live in a more eco-conscious way, as well as help us save money.”
