Here is a note for those who have to manage presentations at events: be like these folks and put "people people" in your booths. Also, make sure they know what they are talking about. As I mentioned, the car geeks were friendly and knew their stuff. Many of the other booths were a bit more spotty. I realize that a stranger talking to you can be disconcerting. Then again, if you are at a table trying to sell something it pays to be polite. One person even snarled at me!
That having been said, most folks were fine and got their message across. Perhaps the best presenters were with the Charles River Watershed Association (above). They had an excellent interactive demonstration showing the way that the Charles (and, for that matter, other rivers) manage to get polluted. We live about 40 yards from the river, so the presentation had a great effect on the kids. Also--considering the stated goal of the family project--it is one of the more obvious and practical considerations for me. We live right next to the Charles yet it is hard to remember how our actions may effect it. These good people furnished us with coloring books about water runoff and a Charles River recreation guide. Very classy.
These two pictures are of friendly and hard-working organizer types. I swear that the folks at Youth Build Boston (below) almost had me moving to Roxbury to put in roof gardens.
Also worthy of mention (but, sadly, without cool pictures) were the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Mass Bike, and The Marion Institute (whose "Bioneers by the Bay" conference in October may be worth checking out). There were many other great conversations and useful tips and information, including one "organic lawn-care" specialist who said my plan of allowing diverse grasses and other vegetation (dandelions for the most part) to dominate my lawn was the good and ethical thing. Now that's a relief! I left my name just about everywhere. Perhaps over the next few weeks some these other organizations will get back in touch...
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