Wilton goes green

WILTON -- From compost to (electric) cars, from a steel band to an inflatable Earth balloon, from vegan food to recycled bedding, and from a talk about the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge to a guided walk along the Norwalk River, the second annual Wilton Go Green Festival had something for everyone among the estimated thousand-plus people who came to Town Center on Sunday.

"We had close to 1,000 last year, and at least that many this year," Festival co-chair Debbie Hunsberger said as the event was wrapping up. "The weather couldn't have been better, and there was an incredible variety of exhibitors, great music. We had great discussions in the Eco Cafe, and I think we can definitely consider it a success."

One of the more unusual attractions of the Festival was the Earth balloon, which was housed in the Brubeck Room of the Wilton Library.

The 20-foot diameter, air-inflated globe allowed about a dozen people at a time to get a reverse view of the world, with guide Sonya Robbins from Minneapolis-based, not-for-profit Earth Adventure pointing out different highlights of our planet.

"Over 2,000 NASA satellite images were used to develop the photo-like depiction of the globe," Robbins said during the 15-minute stay inside.

Torie Clancy, the new executive director of the Wilton Chamber of Commerce, said the Festival was a good example of what needs to be done moving forward, both privately and commercially.

"Green is the new economy," Clancy said. "Educational events like the Go Green Festival help to inform the community of the environmentally responsible initiatives our town is embracing. We have a collective vision for Wilton to be a sustainable place to live, do business and visit. To promote this goal throughout our region, we need to adopt innovative solutions that reduce our environmental footprint and positively impact Wilton's quality of life. Businesses must consider their impact and actively incorporate 'green' best practices and responsible operations to leave a respectable legacy."

Anna Jones-Iacovella from Fairfield said her friend Madeleine Corliss, a Wilton native who now resides in Norwalk insisted she attend.

"Madeleine said to come and she brought me here, and it was a great day," said Jones-Iacovella, who had her 4-month-old daughter Sierra in tow. "We enjoyed the steel band (Wilton Steel), and now I'd love to put up solar panels some day. I would tell people to come this year, next year and every year."

For Corliss, who was enjoying the day with her husband Carl and their nearly 11-month-old daughter Kaya, it was a tremendous homecoming.

"The steel band was fabulous, and the energy efficiency booths were fantastic," Corliss said. "It was a wonderful experience, with a couple of wonderful vegan food experiences, especially Izzy B's (allergen-free goodies of Norwalk). I would recommend this Festival to everyone."

The Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge was officially launched on Sunday, with First Selectman Bill Brennan joining other Wilton and state officials and community leaders in support of energy conservation.

The town is one of 14 municipalities statewide chosen to participate in the Challenge -- a community energy savings program that aims to reduce energy consumption in participating households by 20 percent.

Made possible by a $4.17-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the BetterBuildings initiative, this program's mission is to create a self-sustaining building energy upgrade market.

"We're excited to join the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge," Brennan said. "This is a great opportunity for Wilton to demonstrate leadership by saving energy and money, which can go back into our local economy. But we cannot do this alone. I challenge Wilton residents to take the first step by signing up for a Home Energy Solutions visit."

Residents will have many ways to reach their 20-percent energy waste reduction goal, with support from the program at every step in the journey, according to Kerry O'Neill, president of Earth markets and project manager for the Earth Challenge.