Festival

Lisa Baker looks forward to collaboration as the Cool Davis Coalition takes shape.

Over the past two-and-a-half year history of Cool Davis, a powerful network of more than 50 partners joined together to support the Cool Davis mission.   As Cool Davis matures into a stronger, more focused organization, the existing Cool Davis Initiative Core will transition to a full-blown coalition of community partners with a broader purpose under the shared leadership of Tom Hall and Lisa Baker.   Read more

Matteo Nouve, 8, test-drives a Whymcycle at Saturday’s Cool Davis Festival in Central Park. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

The Cool Davis Festival, held October 13 in Central Park, was a terrific success, drawing more participants than ever before.

Participants were treated to a Bike Circus where city council members raced each other on Whymcycles . The Plug-in Electric Vehicle show was busy all morning.

Starting with a fun skit and dance, lead by our fearless Mayor Joe Kravoza (dressed as a tree), the array of entertainment was more extensive this year. This skit was written by Betsy Raymond, who was responsible for recruiting a fabulous collection of musicians, poets, comedians and actors including special performance of Nature’s Theater as well as leading the team of techs who supported them. The cooking demonstrations were very popular with three chef’s giving tips on healthy, environmentally sustainable eating.

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La gotita, Cool Davis mascot with attendees of the Cool Davis Festival 2012. Credit: Judy Moores

We are so grateful for all the work that our volunteers, leaders partners and sponsors did to make the Cool Davis Festival 2012 so successful! With nearly 70 exhibits, great weather and all your efforts to make this new venue work, it was a beautiful and wonderful day!

Cool Davis would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the following: Read more

Gabriela Acosta of Girl Scout Troop 2586 helps Ruby Schwerin, 4, make a small planter for grass and flower seeds out of an eggshell. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

This article by Cory Golden is cross-posted from the Davis Enterprise, one of the Cool Davis’ Festival sponsors.

Allen Doyle remembers seeing craters in Alaska left behind by vanished permafrost.

On Saturday at the Cool Davis Festival — the Central Park pep rally for all things green — Doyle did his bit to fight back against climate change with his green grenade.

Or maybe it’s a green egg.

Or maybe it’s just a so-far nameless organizer for all those plastic bags that, as Doyle put it, “You can’t stop from coming into your life.”

Take a plastic water bottle. Cut the ends off. Tie bags with bow knots. Insert bags into bottle. Store. Reuse. Read more

John Mott-Smith Credit: Davis Enterprise

John Mott-Smith is a member of Cool Davis and a regular columnist at the Davis Enterprise from which this article has been cross-posted.

It’s that time of year again, when the folks at Cool Davis put on the annual funfest to make real their organization’s promise to “promote sustainability and have fun doing it.”

The issue of climate change and its potential adverse effects can be deadly dull and somewhat depressing. The Cool Davis Festival celebrates the positive aspects of responding to climate change, including more comfortable and efficient homes and businesses and a healthy lifestyle.

The 2012 Cool Davis Festival will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. For the past two years, the festival has been presented at the Veterans’ Memorial Center, but this year is moving to Central Park to showcase the important role the Davis Farmers Market plays in the overall sustainability of the community. Third Street will be closed between B and C streets to make room for events and demonstrations. Read more

Jeff Falyn draws in children in his role as Nature Guide.

Nature’s Theater produces environmentally-themed books and plays for children and is the latest to join Cool Davis as a partner.

The company is the loving work of Jeff Falyn and Lyndsay Dawkins who have worked with Cool Davis since 2010. At the 10-10-10 Cool Davis Festival, they used humor and fun to introduce a theater full of families to climate change and personal ways to make a difference.
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Kerry Daane Loux of Cool Davis greets guests at “Songs to Move the Earth” as presenter Lorraine Anderson looks on at the Village Homes Community Center.

By Lynne Nittler, homeowner in Village Homes since 1977

Village Homes in Davis is a passive solar community built in the 1970′s founded on the principals of sustainability. This August, Village Homeowners’ Association Board formalized the friendly relationship Village Homes and Cool Davis  have already enjoyed for several years and became an official partner. The alliance is an easy fit because Village Homes was deliberately designed for low carbon living and energy conservation as well as the intention to develop a sense of community.

The Board members found the interview questions to be quite worthwhile as a way to review where Village Homes is now, and to  consider where they want to go. Read more

Sithu Tun is absolutely passionate about the healthy produce and sustainable fish he uses to make sushi.

The upcoming Cool Davis Festival on October 13 wl brought together four passionate expert presenters in a special demonstration booth to show visitors how they can integrate low-carbon solutions into their daily lives.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make sustainable sushi, create homemade gifts of scrubs and salts, clean your house without using toxics, or need ideas for how to cook from your CSA basket?  The festival offered the demonstration to answer your curiosity.

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