Green Drinks is seeking to add a little energy to its upcoming event.
New Westminster Environmental Partners is hosting Green Drinks New West on Thursday, Sept. 12, and the fun gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with a meet and greet. Norm Connolly, the city's community energy manager, and Nigel Protter, executive director and CEO of B.C. Sustainable Energy, will be the evening's guest speakers.
"Everyone needs energy to live, which means looking at our energy use is an essential component of creating a sustainable future," said Karla Olson, one of the event's organizers. "And, we are so excited to hear two perspectives on it."
Connolly, who runs the City of New Westminster's Energy Save New West program, will talk about what it's like for homeowners and businesses to see their energy pictures; Protter will address the global perspective of energy sustainability. Green Drinks New West is open to anyone who is interested in environment and sustainability issues and wants to socialize with like-minded people. The emphasis is on discussing new ideas and creating connections with others, while challenging everyone to think globally and act locally.
Green Drinks New West takes place at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St. The event is free, but people can purchase food and drinks.
Discover the river Fraser River Discovery Centre is getting set to unveil three new exhibits in its second floor space.
My River My Home is one of three new exhibits set to be unveiled on Sept. 28 during RiverFest: Inspired by the Fraser. The exhibit, which will remain at the centre until July 2015, will display artwork from children around the world to accompany information about major river basins, including the Congo, the Ganges, the Amazon and the Fraser River.
According to a press release from Fraser River Discovery Centre, the exhibit's origins lie in a research project conducted by scientists at the Global Rivers Observatory, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the Woods Hole Research Centre initiatives. Researchers are working with partners around the world to study the role of rivers in the changing global ocean systems.
"My River My Home first took shape when Anya Suslova, the 13-yearold daughter of a sampling boat captain in Siberia, volunteered to continue to collect water samples," stated the press release. "Her classmates began to create artwork in response to the project and it soon became a collaborative effort between students, teachers and scientists to obtain river water samples as well as drawings, painting and crafts."
My River My Home will showcase artwood from students living in watersheds as far away as Siberia, and as close as a piece from Richard McBride student Jaden Joseph. Panels will also display updated information about the research project, interview with researchers, and facts about the major river basins, as well as photos taken by Chris Linder, the lead photographer and filmmaker for the Global Rivers Observatory.
"The Fraser River is really put into a global perspective in this exhibit," said Kathleen Bertrand, exhibits coordinator at Discovery Centre. "In researching this exhibit, I got a much clearer understanding of how my actions in New Westminster connect me to someone who lives in the Congo or in the Ganges."
Royal City residents will be able to check out the My River My Home exhibit later this month. Discovery Centre is located at 788 Quayside Dr. and is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with admission to the galleries by donation.
Do you have an item for Around Town? Send community interest items to Theresa, tmcmanus@royalcityrecord. com. You can also find Theresa on Twitter, @TheresaMcManus.
