Healthy Savannah

A press release describes the goal of the forum “is to help people understand what factors have the greatest impact on our health in Savannah. Keynote speaker Dr. Evelyn Lewis will provide an opportunity for citizens to learn about how their health is affected by factors like public policy and the environment in which we live. Participants will also engage in active dialogue around actions we can take to improve our health individually and within the communities where we live.”

Healthy Savannah — coalition of businesses, nonprofits, healthcare agencies, governments, schools and neighborhoods — is an initiative of City of Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson formed in 2007.  It is a public/private collaboration of over 65 community organizations and growing. The community forum is sponsored by the Junior League of Savannah, The 100 Black Men of Savannah, The City of Savannah, St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, Memorial Medical Center, GeoVista Credit Union, Savannah State University and the A Phillip Randolph Institute.

Thee vent is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Healthy Savannah Web site or call Kimberly Pannell at (912) 658-8769.

It’s a critical time for this important resource. The Bamboo Farm, which attracts 120,00 visitors a year and employees nine people, has been identified as a potential victim of the latest round of state budget cuts. Here’s a good description of what could be lost and what can be done to protect this important resource.

The Greening the Southeast Regional Summit

• Farming and Forestry
• Non-traditional Funding Sources
• Climate Change, Renewable Energy Sources, Food Access and Watersheds
• Successful Grassroots Models
• Green Action Plans for College Campuses

For more information, visit the summit Web site.

While the big news on the streets of Savannah yesterday involved a presidential motorcade, a different sort of vehicle should get more attention as bicycle-related events round out the week. On Thursday, March 4 at 9 p.m., the bicycle culture movie “Veer” will be screened at SCAD’s River Club. Sponsored by SCAD’s student news organization and Desoto Row Gallery’s “Spoked” bicycle art festival, the Matthew Modine-narrated film is free and open to the public. It’s preceded at 7 p.m. by a screening of the indie rock music poster documentary, “Died Young Stated Pretty.”

On Friday morning, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign’s 2Wheels 2Work bicycle commuting event returns, this time with the support of Savannah’s legal community. You don’t have to be a lawyer to enjoy free coffee from Jittery Joe’s in Davant Park or ride in the Wheels of Justice bicycle convoy from Habersham Village. You might even win a free bike!

On Friday evening from 6-9 p.m. an opening reception for Spoked will be held at Desoto Row, located in the Starland District. Artists included in the show are Graham Carswell, Ashley Dowling, Angela Petsis, Evan Pomerantz, George Retseck, Cecily Upton, Kevin Willsey and Jessie Jones.

Spoked continues on Saturday from noon-6 p.m. with a Bike Expo. The event will feature demonstrations, contests, informational booths and a group ride sponsored by the Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

The event begins at 7 p.m. at River Club, 3 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. The event is free and open to the public. A complete minute by minute schedule is available on the sustainability council Web site. The event will be streamed live by District, SCAD’s award-winning student news source. Video from the last two days of [Un]disciplined can be viewed here and here.

• Matt Nolan, project architect for Belay Architecture in Tacoma, Wa.
• Ursula Tischner,  professor of Design for Sustainability at SCAD and CEO of econcept, Germany
• Dror Benshetrit of Dror multidisciplinary design (pictured, right).

Additional biographical information on the keynote speakers is available on the SCAD Sustainability Council Web site. The night begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m.,  at River Club, 3 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The event is free and open to the public.

The Savannah College of Art and Design Sustainability Council announces a  series of events focusing on Sustainability, Jan. 26-29 at River Club, 3 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. [Un]disciplined is aimed at examining and understanding the full scope of sustainability. All events are free and open to the public.

The series begins Jan. 26 with an opening reception at 6:30 p.m. and keynote addresses from 7-9:30 p.m. Scheduled to speak are Matt Nolan, project architect for Belay Architecture in Tacoma, Wa.; Ursula Tischner, professor of design for sustainability at SCAD and CEO of Econcept, Germany; and Dror Benshetrit, multidisciplinary design, Dror, New York, NY.

On Jan. 27, a panel discussion from 7-9 p.m. features professional journalists discussing how media coverage has shaped public understanding of sustainability. The panel discussion is co-sponsored by SCAD’s chapter of the Society for Collegiate Journalists.

On Jan. 28 from 7-9:30 p.m., representatives from local organizations working on sustainability issues will describe their efforts and explain opportunities for participation. Scheduled to speak are representatives from the Emergent Structures Project, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, SCAD physical resources and others.

Hands on workshops on a variety of subjects will invite participants to learn more about topics including bicycle design and modification, wind turbines and rainwater showers. Workshops will be held on Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

A complete schedule of events and presenters can be found on the SCAD Sustainability Council Web site. [Un]disciplined is sponsored by the Office of Innovative Teaching and Learning and the Industrial Design Department.

Folks, who have made a stop at the Forsyth Farmers Market part of their Saturday morning routine, now have more chances to buy locally grown food directly from the farmers, who grew it.  The market’s season, originally scheduled to conclude today, has been extended for another month. What’s the deal with the market?

The Forsyth Farmers Market was organized by the Savannah Local Food Collaborative  with the primary mission of making fresh, regionally grown produce easily accessible to the citizens of Savannah. The market is limited to agricultural and horticultural products.

Located near the tennis courts at the south end of the park, the market lasts from 9 a.m, to 1 p.m. and is open rain or shine. EBT cards are accepted. On the second Saturday of each month, a “Health Pavilion” features lectures and workshops. A schedule is available on the market’s Web site.