Cherokee Transitions Green will present the fourth annual Choosing Green Festival in conjunction with the Canton Farmers Market.
The festival will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cannon Park. Residents will see presentations and get information on home energy savings, solar panels, rain garden design, bee keeping and environmental and sustainable lifestyle.
This year’s festival will also feature alternative fuel vehicles that run on electric, hybrid or veggie diesel fuels.
Roy Taylor, the organizer of the festival, said he’s expecting up to 1,500 people to attend the festival, which he said could also attract those who choose to attend the city’s farmers markets.
Taylor said the festival is about bringing awareness to not only sustainable living, but also supporting local industries and businesses.
“It really is all about developing our local economy,” he said. “It’s all about how much more can we do to be more self-reliant (and) to produce more locally with local resources.”
The way to do so, Taylor said, is to promote the use of community gardens and to also support local growers by buying local produce.
Taylor said the festival and the sustainable living movement continues to grow in Canton, but noted it’s hard for people to understand and grasp the lingo that comes along with it.
He said the city is also working to incorporate reducing energy consumption and natural resources by installing cisterns at the Canton Fire Department’s station on Marietta Highway.
Four 1,700-gallon cisterns were installed underground and tied into the fire station’s gutter system.
The water collected is re-directed to flush toilets, wash fire engines and go into the irrigation system.
Canton City Hall has also taken steps to reduce its energy usage. Mayor Gene Hobgood said many of the offices are outfitted with lights that automatically turn on or off by using motion detectors.
Hobgood also praised Taylor for his efforts.
“It’s admirable for him to take that on to try and bring that to reality in Canton,” he said.
Taylor and other Cherokee Transitions Green members, said they hope to see many people come out and learn about the ways to transform their lifestyle into a conscious-based lifestyle.
Taylor added the festival will also give residents the opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals like them.
Bob Kovacs, who serves on the Holly Springs Planning and Zoning Commission, said the festival will give people the opportunity to learn about the different technology out there.
“It’s a lot easier to see it hands-on and in person than to read about it or see it on TV,” he said.
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