This column previously appeared in the Telegraph-Journal on July 27th, 2010.
The article was written by FUSION Saint John’s Claire Ryan:
Once again this summer, Green Feet, Uptown Saint John’s environment committee, is holding a Bring your Own Bag (BYOB) contest, asking Saint John artists to interpret the approaches people are taking to green living and turn them into works of art.
The contest is open to local artists of all ages, professional and amateur alike. The theme is “Green Living in Uptown Saint John” and while last year’s contest saw the canvas bag toted by Saint Johners throughout the city, this year the winning entry will be printed on lunch bags.
“We’re going to do lunch bags this year to show people another way they can grab it to go green,” says Anne McShane, Green Feet member and owner of the Feel Good Store in the uptown. Green Feet has again partnered with the Saint John Community Arts Funding Program on this initiative.
The winning entry will be unveiled at a FUSION Party with a Purpose in October, and will be printed on at least 1,000 natural cotton lunch bags that will be distributed at various uptown retailers this fall. The first-place winner will also be awarded a $500 gift certificate to ESL Art Supplies, with a $150 gift certificate going to the second-place winner. All the entries will be auctioned off, and 50 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to the Joshua Group, a local organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in need in Greater Saint John.
In addition to the BYOB contest, Green Feet has worked with community partners on several green activities, including an anti-idling project with ACAP Saint John, a tree-planting initiative with St. Malachy’s Memorial High School and a waste management position with uptown stakeholders. Green Feet also promotes green activities in the uptown through its Facebook page and membership email list. This includes the Marsh Creek restoration initiative, the Fundy carbon fund, the Marsh Creek cleanup, Earth Hour and the City of Saint John’s sustainability tool kit.
“We try to pull in all the aspects of the uptown in anything we do,” McShane said. “Last year was fantastic – more than 100 people attended our party and everyone made a point to embrace the artists and bid on all the art.”
The success of last year’s event resulted in a $400 donation to the Joshua Group.
The deadline for entries in Green Feet’s Bring Your Own Bag contest is July 31. Work may be submitted to Uptown Saint John Inc., located in the Business Resource Centre, 40 King St.
Claire Ryan is on the FUSION Saint John board. Reach her at cryan@mtlpr.ca.
