Moving Planet Day coming to Asheville Sept. 24

Local organizers of Asheville’s Moving Planet activities wish to share the following information about the events that will be on tap next Saturday, Sept. 24. Organizers say this will be “at least the third major public event where Asheville has joined in solidarity with towns and cities across the globe to call attention to climate change and the necessity of immediate, coordinated, and dramatic action:”

WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 2011 , 3:00-11:00pm, RAIN OR SHINE
WHERE: Presbyterian Church parking area (Lexington Ave. and Aston Street downtown); Burton Street Community Center Grounds (134 Burton Street, West Asheville); and UNCA quadrangle
COST: All Moving Planet events are FREE and open to the public
INFO: Erica Palmer erica@wnca.org, Chas Jansen cjansen@mtsu.edu, & Macon Foscue dmfoscue@unca.edu

Organizers released the following background on these events:

“Moving Planet events around the world are bringing people to the streets, demanding action on climate change. Asheville’s Moving Planet event takes place in three different venues to reach diverse segments of our community and to focus on how we might help move our world beyond fossil fuels (see www.asheville350.org).

“Asheville’s Moving Planet Kickoff Ceremony (from 3:15 to 3:45pm) features speakers addressing how Asheville is responding to the urgency and demands of climate change.  Speaking at the First Presbyterian Church parking area are County Commissioner Holly Jones; WNC Alliance Executive Director Julie Mayfield; and President of the WNC-Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO Mark Case, among others.  As a preamble to the Moving Planet Kickoff (noon to 3pm at the First Presbyterian Church), WNC Alliance presents a Transportation Workshop, featuring speaker and transportation planner Don Kostelec, who will explain how local and regional transportation planning work together and how citizens can best engage in and influence the process.  (For more info, visit www.wnca.org.)  After the Kickoff, an Asheville on Bikes Caravan will wend its way to two other Moving Planet venues where other aspects of climate change and our responses will be highlighted. Those not cycling are encouraged to take public transportation or carpool to the other Moving planet venues.

“When the Bike Caravan arrives at the Burton Street Agricultural Fair, Moving Planet will take the stage from (4:15 and 4:45) to highlight ways one neighborhood is reducing the city’s carbon footprint.  Green Opportunities will touch on their retrofiting existing housing for energy efficiency.  The Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy will address plans for a private/public partnership placing PV solar panels on the Burton Street Community Center.  And Transition Asheville’s Food Action Group will emphasize how food security through local agriculture helps in many ways to reduce our carbon footprint while improving health.  The Fair happens on the grounds of the Burton Street Community Center in West Asheville.  For further info, contact Event Coordinator Safi Mahaba, 828-301-0166; see also www.burtonstreet.org.

“The Bike Caravan will then move on to UNC Asheville where Active Students for Health and the Environment (ASHE) is holding a Flip the Switch Concert.  Between performances by numerous talented, local musicians, Flip the Switch showcases information on local and national environmental issues in an all-day festival format.  Speakers include Paul Gallimore of the Long Branch Environmental Education Center; Mary Olsen of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service; and Ned Doyle, founder of the Southern Energy and Environmental Expo, among others.  While raising awareness about current energy issues, energy conservation efforts, and efficiency practices, this concert will also include a silent auction to raise money for the Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference (November 4-6), an event on the UNCA campus to educate and empower youth climate leaders across the Southeast.  Flip the Switch runs from 3-11pm on the UNCA campus.”

For a complete schedule, see www.moving-planet.org/events/us/asheville/999.

Asheville’s Moving Planet unfolds with sponsorship from The Canary Coalition, the Sierra Club, Transition Asheville, the United Nations Association-USA (Western NC Chapter), and the WNC Alliance.  The Canary Coalition will create a video-documentary of Asheville’s Moving Planet event.