Read about Grey to Green on realneo:
It’s no great secret that local foods and local economy represent one of the great opportunities for our city and region. Exciting work is developing at a rapid pace in this domain, not just in Cleveland but throughout our entire region. A great example of educating, advocating, and advancing collaborative ways of driving grassroots economic development was made transparent to hundreds who gathered at last month’s Grey to Green festival in Youngstown. I was honored to participate and meet a living legend, MacArthur award recipient and urban foods pioneer Will Allen, there. For decades Will has worked to lead Growing Power in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a champion of social entrepreneurship and social justice.
Thanks to Jaci Clark for pictures of the 2009 Festival. Enjoy the slideshow. Music is by The Wailin’ Jennys.
The 2009 Grey to Green Festival saw a substantial increase in attendance and recognition. Food vendors sold out of everything they brought, art was abundant throughout the park, and vendors saw a significant amount of foot traffic.
At most festivals, the large number of attendees might raise a common problem: a large volume of trash left behind and headed to a landfill. Something remarkable happened at Grey to Green, though.
At the end of the day, as the grounds were cleaned up, a solitary garbage bag was all that was needed. Everything else was gathered for composting or separated for recycling. If there’s a more appropriate testament to the significance of the day, I can’t think of one.