Tri-County Carolina Yard Experience is based on the Carolina Yards & Neighborhoods program, which helps people work WITH the environment around their property – not against it. Sounds cool!

This is a free, environmental event focused on the home landscape-including environmentally friendly gardening practices, recycling, rainwater harvesting, pond management and much more!  Hands-on demonstrations and educational displays by county extension agents and Master Gardeners.

A ton of local sponsors, including Clemson Extension Tri-county Master Gardeners, DHEC, and Charleston, Berkeley & Dorchester County Recycling, have made this free event possible. On Saturday, March 13th, head down to the The Charleston Exchange Park, Ladson SC from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and get your green yard on!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jezpage/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

1. Exhibitors – There are well over 100 exhibitors to check out, including green builders, food providers, nonprofits, transportation, and energy solutions.
2. It’s FREE – There are no doors to Marion Square, so come on down.
3. The KidZone – Inspiring our kids to be more sustainable is an important part of the solution, and there will be plenty of cool activities in the KidZone.
4. Live Music – Check out headliner Jesse Colin Young on the main stage, which is sponsored by the fabulous Coastal Conservation League.
5. Speaker Tent – The learning never stops, so check out the speaker tent for a wide array of sustainability-focused presentations.
6. Nonprofit Education Tent – Come check out all the local dogooders (including us!) that are making a difference in our community.
7. Sustainable Seafood Cooking Contest – Watch as local chefs are challenged to create tasty meals using local and sustainable ingredients that you get to sample.
8. Inspiration – Sometimes it feels like you’re the only one trying to make a difference. It’s not true, and the Green Fair will inspire you to continue your efforts.
9. You Can Meet Us – OK, maybe not a can’t miss reason, but we can’t wait to meet YOU!

The Charleston Green Fair kicks off at noon on Sunday, September 27.

I also feel that while the drop sites give motivated recyclers an option, they are only part of the solution. I see scenes like the one above on every trash day, and sometimes the cardboard is actually broken down and stacked in a pile – they’re doing everything but driving it to the drop site! I know there is an issue with the trucks/equipment, but Charleston County needs to figure this out. If you feel like I do, and think cardboard recycling rates would soar if it was picked up curbside, then let the Charleston County Environmental Management team know — Call: 843.720.1111 Email: publicinfo@charlestoncounty.org Write: 13 Romney Street Charleston, SC 29403 —

This looks like a great event for the green-focused builder or home improver, so be sure to check it out. Tickets are reasonably priced and available online.

Homerooms in the Ladson school have been collecting recyclable materials all year — over 60,000 pounds so far — in an effort to win a field trip on the Spirit of South Carolina. Students have also been making recycled paper, donating reusable bags, and creating PSAs for younger kids.

The more our kids learn about reducing our impact, the closer we’ll be to a sustainable future. Cheers to the school, kids, and local business for collaborating in such a positive way. Visit www.RaceToEndWaste.com for more info.

You can still register online for $25 race/$20 walk. If you don’t want to commit, you can always get in on late registration at 8 a.m. the morning of the event, with  the race starting at 9.

Charleston County Earth Day Festival
This year’s event will be back in Park Circle on April 18, and should top the 7,500 attendees and over 70 contributors who participated last year. Just like last year, we’ll have our table set up with some interactive sustainability activities.

Charleston Green Fair
Wow, how awesome was last year’s event?!? The 2nd annual Charleston Green Fair will be on September 27, and promises to be bigger and better than last year. It will feature local businesses, organizations, food vendors, and musicians…we’ll be here too!

On a recent trip to a Mount Pleasant recycling drop site, it was clear that people were making just as many mistakes with their recycling as they were their trash. And since 2008 was the year of the Fail meme, which has generated its own blog and Wikipedia entry, I thought it might be time to start  a new column: Recycling Fail!

I mean, we’ve all been to one of Charleston County Recycling‘s drop sites and seen the piles of trash people have left – what are they thinking? I’ve even blogged about the serious problems they are having at one of the Mount Pleasant drop sites.

The first pic above is the most interesting, only because they made it all the way to the drop site and THEN failed. I mean, after you know what to recycle, one of the only other rules is to flatten your boxes. It even says so right on the dumpster! FAIL!

And what about the person that left a bag of trash and a pumpkin? A pumpkin??? I wish we had county-sponsored composting, but that doesn’t mean I can toss used holiday fruit wherever I please.  Also note that the pumpkin was discarded in a recyclable bag.

The person who left the mess below clearly scoffs at the rules. They probably drive in the left lane, take 2 newspapers, and sneak home office supplies too. Rules are rules peeps, so lets try to keep the trash in the landfill, not in the middle of a parking lot. I mean, that’s someone’s fence/backyard right there…how would that make you feel?

If you’ve seen some Recycling Fail around town, or even have some pics, please let us know!

The Battery organization has done a great job working sustainable practices into the stadium. They have a massive solar array (which can be tracked online), ample recycling, and alternative dining products. Go check it out on December 4th, at 5:30 p.m.