Sustainability Day event location

Here is an outline of the day.

• 7 to 8:30 am Nature Walk – Birds, vernal pools and PHS rain gardens
• 8:00 to 9:00 am Set up
• 9:00 to 9:30 am Workshop Preview
• 9:30 to 10:30 am Workshop (I) Vendor demos, etc.
• 10:30 to 11:30 Brunch Pot Luck 50/50 bring your own and some to share
• 11:30 to 12:30 pm Workshop (II) Vendor demos, etc.
• 12:30 to 1:30 pm Documentary film, Whaleback Film Festival and Workshop (III)
• 1:30 pm to rest of day

Related community events:

• Tour of the Hodgson Brook Restoration Project
• Women’s Clothing Swap at the Portsmouth Library Levenson Community Room
• The PHS Eco-club is hosting a 5 K road race at Pease Trade Port
• The Whaleback Film Festival, focusing on environmentally related films will be ongoing all weekend
• An art show using recycled materials will be ongoing for the month of May at the Portsmouth Library

About the Day

Joining together as community partners, Portsmouth Listens, Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative, The City of Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth School District announce Portsmouth Sustainability Day on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Portsmouth High School . Sustainability entrepreneurs will exhibit their ideas, products and projects. There will be an emphasis on slow and local food along with engaging environmental education for kids. Come enjoy, celebrate and learn. The Day is an invitation to participate and contribute to the next steps we can take as individuals and collectively in making sustainability a reality.

The theme of the Day will be The Natural Step Four System Conditions, as adopted in Portsmouth’s resolution to become an eco-municipality. Come experience and learn how The System Conditions give us a compass to guide us into a sustainable future.

Sustainability Principles - Using the Natural Step* Process

CRUST	SUBSTANCES	NATURE	FAIRNESS
Reduce Dependence On Fossil Fuels	Reduce Dependence On Synthetic Chemicals	Reduce Encroachment On Nature	Meet Human Needs Fairly & Efficiently

*From the Natural Step Framework: James, S. and T Lahti, (2004). The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices.

4 Systems Conditions

An inherent characteristic of an Eco-Municipality is The Natural Steps systems approach to sustainability. In a simplified form, The Natural Steps systems process embraces four sustainability principles or conditions:

• Reducing Dependence on Fossil Fuels
• Reducing Dependence on Synthetic Chemicals
• Reducing Encroachment on Nature
• Meeting Human Needs Fairly and Efficiently