Year after year I’ve felt frustrated about the bad air problems that we have here in the Salt Lake valley. This past winter was the hardest for me – it seemed like such a huge problem and I didn’t have a clue where to start to do something about it. I was excited to learn that a doctors group had organized on this issue, and even more excited when I learned that a mothers’ group was forming.

I attended the first meeting of Utah Moms for Clean Air tonight. I was heartened to see that about 60 people + children turned out at the Foothill library. There was a lot of information presented and a lot to take in, so I’ll probably parse out a “Did you know” post a day or something so as not to overload and overwhelm.

The group will be taking a 3 prong approach to eliminating much of our pollution: 1) government/regulatory/laws 2) corporate/industry and 3) personal responsibility/education.

UMFCA (?) has a web domain reserved (although the site is not yet up): utahmomsforcleanair.org

To get on the email list to find out about future meetings or online participation and what you can do to get involved, you can write to utahmomsforcleanair@gmail.com

One or more representatives from the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment group will give an introductory presentation on the subject of the health consequences of Utah 's chronic air pollution. Dads and children are, of course, welcome too! (A play area will be set-up for quiet kid play)."

Salt Lake City's Open Classroom, an optional (and free program) in the Salt Lake City school district, will be having it's 6th annual rummage sale tomorrow (Saturday, October 15) from 8 am to 5 pm at Lowell Elementary School, which is located in the Avenues between D and E Streets,  and 2nd and 3rd Avenue (approx. 400 E. and 100 N. in Salt Lake City).

This is a huge sale of items donated from families in the OC, so there's lots of stuff for families and kids. In the past there's been lots of clothes, books, toys, electronic items, furniture for sale at bargain prices. This year will feature a bake sale and a "kiddie corral" for parents that would like to shop with out the kiddies.

All the proceeds benefit the Open Classroom.

I'm always looking for ways to give my children the opportunity to experience other cultures and the performing arts. When I was doing the single parenting thing with my oldest daughter, I made sure I never missed the Living Traditions Festival. Now that I'm married with a second child, we still make sure to go.

While the festival itself is free, I would always take $20 (more now that we have more family members) so we could enjoy the variety of ethnic foods available. A meal at Living Traditions might enclude crepes from the French booth, a stir fry from one of the Asian food booths, and a trifle from the Scottish booth.

I recommend bringing a blanket -- it's nice to camp out under a tree and enjoy the performances. They do have chairs set up though, if you prefer to use them. But I like the blanket, because you can use it to set up a "home base" and it's easier to eat food that way.

From http://www.slcgov.com/arts/livingtraditions/

"The Living Traditions Festival celebrates the traditional ethnic music, dance, crafts, and food that are vitally important elements in the lives of many Salt Lake Valley citizens.

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Here at the festival music and dance are performed by many of our valley's talented residents, some of whom learned their performance skills in their native lands; others having honed their knowledge here from teachers, parents and master performers. Ethnic crafts are demonstrated by artisans intent on keeping alive the traditional art forms of their cultural heritage. And ethnic cuisines cooked in kitchens throughout the valley are represented in a marvelous feast of aromas, flavors, colors and textures."

Here's a little more info from the website:

Washington Square, Salt Lake City & County Building, 450 South 200 East

DATES AND TIMES
Friday, May 20, 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21, Noon to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22, Noon to 7:00 p.m.

ADMISSION: Free

FIRST AID: Adjacent to Crafts Market

FESTIVAL INFORMATION: 596-5000; www.slcgov.com

INFORMATION/MERCHANDISE/COMMUNITY RESOURCE CANOPIES: East side of City & County Building. See map.

FESTIVAL AREAS:

Performing Arts
Two stages, North and South sides of the City and County Building

Workshops
Stage located on west side of City & County Building

Crafts Demonstration and Display Area
Invited demonstrating craft artists located under six canopies on the east side of the City & County Building

Crafts Market
Items made by invited demonstrating artists available for purchase, south of Information Canopy

Food
Traditional ethnic cuisine prepared and sold by 20 food vendors, each representing a local nonprofit community group. Located along 200 East.

Drink
Traditional Ethnic Drinks - Various festival food booths.
Various Soft Drinks - Pepsi trailers along 200 East.
Beer and Wine - Available at two Living Traditions Beer Gardens, located near North and South stages.
Water Bottled Water - Pepsi trailers
Water Fountain - Center of Festival by Information Canopy

Living Traditions Kids
Interactive area for children 12 and under, Saturday & Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 pm.

Bocce Ball Court
Located on northwest lawn of City and County Building. Hours of operation - Friday Evening 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m

T-SHIRTS AND OTHER MERCHANDISE: Merchandise Canopy and Crafts Market

FESTIVAL PROGRAMS: Information Canopy, Beer Gardens

PARKING: Street parking in surrounding blocks and private paid lots in the vicinity of the Festival.

Bike racks - Located near the City & County Building.
Handicapped parking- Designated on 500 South, between 200 East and State Street.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Visitors can ride TRAX to the Courthouse or The City Library stations, call RIDE-UTA for bus schedules or visit www.rideuta.com

LOST & FOUND: Information Canopy

RESTROOMS: Portable toilets, including handicap-accessible units, are located on the north and south perimeters of the Festival grounds.

ATM: Temporary ATMs are located on the City and County Building grounds.

PUBLIC TELEPHONES: Nearest public phones are located at Burger King, northeast corner of 400 South 200 East and Public Library.

NO PETS ALLOWED: For their own sake, please leave your pets at home.

Freedom Forum Four: The freedom for young people to receive honest information about sexuality. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson will host a discussion on Utah's approach to sex education. Thursday, April 28, 2005 7:00 p.m. in the Main City Library Auditorium, 200 East and 400 South Please plan on attending this community dialogue.

progressiveutah

The Open Classroom at Washington Elementary will be hosting a spring open house Thursday April 14 at 6:30 in the multipurpose room at Washington Elementary, located at 420 North 200 West in Salt Lake City.

The Open Classroom is an optional, free program in the Salt Lake City district that features a co-operative learning environment. The Open Classroom is a community of learners where the parents, students and teachers actively participate in creating and maintaining a meaningful, purposeful learning environment.

The OC has an educational goal to teach the whole child and to provide opportunities for growth socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. While the primary focus of the program is the education of children, the importance of family and community involvement is strongly recognized and all community members are valued as learning partners. Together they work to provide purposeful learning experiences with a clear goal, building on the students interests, needs and prior understanding; help children develop skills in decision making and problem solving; provide opportunities for making authentic learning choices and being responsible for consequences; experience community learning as well as individual progress.

In addition to the spring Open House, there will be OC tours on April 20 and 27.

Form more information, please call 578-8144 or wisit the OC website at http://www.ocslc.org/index.html

crossposted in progressiveutah