ECO, the Environmental and Conservation Organization’s Green Energy and Sustainability Committee, has announced its sustainability workshops for the first half of 2012. The workshops are designed to help local residents use environmentally sound methods to live better lives and develop closer connections to their world. ECO organizers said each workshop will be taught by a trained specialist.
The sustainability programs will begin on Thursday, Jan. 26 with a forum featuring owners of green homes who took part in ECO’s Green Home Tour over the last few years. They will talk about their successes and challenges, expectations and changes as they set out to build environmentally friendly homes. This forum will be held in the conference room at the ECO Office, 121 Third Avenue West, Hendersonville, N.C.
Upcoming workshops include:
 • Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m.: Raising Rabbits for the Home or Business. Rock Harty of Harty Farms in Madison County will teach a workshop on raising rabbits, from breeding stock to housing, feeding, breeding, processing, packaging and sales.
• March 6 – 6:30 p.m.: Creating a Backyard or Neighborhood Orchard. Chuck Marsh, a permaculture landscape expert, will discuss how to turn your backyard or a neighborhood spot into a thriving fruit and nut tree orchard. Issues covered will include siting of the trees, cultural strategies, companion plants and animals, optimizing nutrition and much more. Advance registrants will also be able to order fruit trees that will be delivered at the time of the workshop.
• April 21- 10 a.m.: Wild Plant Walk. Local naturalist Michele Skeele will lead a walk in the woods identifying local plants that are suitable for eating.
• May: Composting Workshop (date/time TBA). Rather than dumping food waste, put it to work in your garden to grow your own food creating a closed loop. Join a panel of experts to learn the latest ways to create garden independence without reliance on harmful and damaging chemicals in your yard.
Pre-registration for all workshops is required as class size is limited. To register for any of the workshops, get directions or for more information, please contact ECO at (828) 692-0385 or email ECO at eco@eco-wnc.org.
– article submitted by David Weintraub