KingstonFest focuses on sustainability

It was a cold and rainy Saturday morning, but that didn’t deter the crowds from attending the first KingstonFest on Oct. 4.

Run by Sustainable Kingston, the event focused on showcasing the wide array of organizations that contribute to environmental responsibility in the Kingston community.

The event took place within St. Lawrence College, hosting a wide selection of activities ranging from workshops on health care in World War I to booths informing patrons on hydroponics, the process of growing plants without soil.

After purchasing a bag of peppermint chocolate, I listened to the live music played by local musical duo Kyra and Tully. Their poppy folk music contributed greatly to the fun grassroots feel of the event.

The area showcasing the booths from different organizations was buzzing with activity. I went to the Wintergreen Studios booth where I calculated my ecological footprint using an online survey.

According to the survey, if the rest of the world consumed to the extent that I do, we would need 4.72 Earths to accommodate everyone’s lifestyle. My score wasn’t too bad, which made me feel a little less guilty.

Afterwards, I spoke to Michael Tkautz, who was there from GreenCity Initiatives presenting a hydroponics system that utilizes a rolling barrel to maximize plant growth. Tkautz discussed the benefits of utilizing hydroponics in areas with dense populations.

“When you’re able to provide food internally, in the heart of any city, that drastically reduces the use of any fossil fuels for transportation,” he said.

John Johnson, executive director of Sustainable Kingston, said they designed the event to be as accessible as possible to community members.

“It’s free for anyone that wants to come. We really aimed it at families and kids, but we’ve had a whole range of people here today,” Johnson said.

Variety seemed to be the prevalent theme of KingstonFest. The people, the organizations and the activities all made for an interesting and educational Saturday.

As a Queen’s student, it felt good to leave the proverbial student bubble to learn more about the eclectic and exciting community around me.

Tags

Environment, Festival, KingstonFest, Local, Sustainability

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