URI holds garden, energy demos at 'GreenShare' day

Traditional gardening workshops, sales and demonstrations will share space with renewable energy and energy conservation activities at the 17th annual GreenShare Field Day at the University of Rhode Island on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The free event will be held in and around the URI Botanical Gardens and Outreach Center on the corner of Upper College Road and East Alumni Avenue on URI's Kingston Campus. The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 30.

Highlights will include a showcase of alternative-fueled vehicles - biofuel, electric and hybrid - as well as an exhibit about the Outreach Center's photovoltaic roof tiles. There will be workshops on URI's energy conservation programs, and another on "Smart Tips for Home Energy Conservation." In addition, Rosanne Sherry, coordinator of the URI Master Gardener program, will lead a workshop entitled "A Gardener's Guide to Global Warming."

The day will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with the unveiling of a plaque recognizing the late Kathy Mallon, former director of URI's Cooperative Education Center (now the Outreach Center), and another plaque honoring URI Master Gardener Chet Clayton, whose generous contribution made possible the sustainable rose garden, which is the centerpiece of the Botanical Garden. The rose garden features disease resistant roses, a dramatic circular arbor, and an innovative garden lighting system.

For more information, call the URI Outreach Center at 874-2900 or visit www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc.