Hi everyone
The South Coast Permaculture Guild and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network will have a booth at the Organic Festival Sept 8 & 9. Please drop by and see us and if you would like to help at the booth contact
Wes Roe lakinroe@silcom.com

see ya

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
August 31, 2001

Julie Schloss

PAAC, 805-963-1625

Press Advisory
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA TO PROCLAIM SEPTEMEBER
PESTICIDE AWARENESS MONTH
Groups Call on Community and Local Governments to Go Organic!

SANTA BARBARA, CA.- On Tuesday, Sept. 4^th at 2pm, the City of Santa Barbara will officially declare September as Pesticide Awareness Month. Members of the Pesticide Awareness and Alternatives Coalition (PAAC), the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), the Community Environmental Council (CEC) and Hannah-Beth Jackson’s office will host a press conference at the steps of De La Guerra Plaza at 1:30pm to announce this historic occasion. The City will make its proclamation at 2pm at City Hall.

Speakers at the press conference include Cameron Benson, field representative for Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson; Julie Schloss, founding member of PAAC; Eric Cárdenas, Program Coordinator for EDC’s Environmental Health Project; and Phil Boise, CEC’s Integrated Pest Management Director.

A series of other events are scheduled in the coming weeks to help raise awareness about the hazards posed by exposure to pesticides and effective alternatives. These events include:

· Children’s Bug Parade, Sept. 4^th, 4:30pm- Following the city’s declaration, the bug parade will meet at Haley and State St. and proceed to march through Tuesday afternoon’s Farmers Market. Children, parents, and community members of all age and sizes will actively promote going organic by dressing up as beneficial bugs!

· Art Exhibit and Sale, First Annual Ladybug Awards, Sept. 6^th, 4-8pm- This event will take place at the University Club at 1338 Santa Barbara St., seeking to promote Organic Awareness Month, raise much needed funds for PAAC, and award community organizations and individuals who have been instrumental in raising pesticide awareness and activism. Award recipients include Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, Rodale Organic Living Magazine, Phil Boise and Oscar Carmona (CEC), the Environmental Defense Center, and more. Councilman Gil Garcia will be on hand as the keynote speaker, as will actor Larry Hagman to present the Ladybug Awards.
· Second Annual Organic Festival, Sept 8-9^th, 11-5pm- The festival at Oak Park promises to be even more of a success than last year’s one-day event which drew over 5,000 people. Come enjoy organically grown food, children’s activities, live music and cultural performances, and much more.

For more information on any of the above, contact Julie Schloss at 805-963-1625 or email paac@organicfestival.com. and website http://www.organicfestival.com

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