Our friend Sarah from the Harbin Institute sent me these photos of the great snow storm in China, just days before the earthquake that struck northwestern China back in April. It is truly terrible to think of earthquake victims forced outside in this mess. It's a big country but I believe it was even colder in Qinghai province.
The tapas night promotion last month was so well received, we thought we would try it again in April. Certainly, many of you will be downtown this Saturday for Double Decker, so why not enjoy a mid-week repast off the square at ravine?
This Wednesday, April 21st, we will provide a $25 discount for the first 20 reservations that call the restaurant. This discount will be for food only (no tax, gratuity, or alcohol), and will be applied this upcoming Wednesday only. You can see the menu at our website, oxfordravine.com.
Call me at the restaurant phone number and mention the email, and I will make a note if you are one of the lucky 20. This offer stands for people who did not take advantage of the same deal in March.
Thanks,
Joel
ravine 53 cr 321 oxford, ms 38655 oxfordravine.com 662.234.4555
Sixty-five stretches of highway in the Oxford/Lafayette area are available for adoption. The goal is to recruit campus and community organizations to adopt 25 stretches of nearby highways. Organizations can sign up for the Adopt-A-Highway program by visiting the Student Union plaza between 10am-2pm on Monday, April 19 or by emailing us at green@olemiss.edu. Additional information will be released on this website. Walk the Walk Opportunity: Recycling Pledge
Members of the Oxford, Lafayette, and University Community will be encouraged to pledge at least 2 hours to volunteer to support either the Oxford Recycling Center or the University’s Gameday Recycling Initiative. Visit the Student Union Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to join this pledge.
Outreach/Education Activity: Campus Recycling Plan/Oxford Curbside Recycling Visit the Student Union Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to get information about recycling on campus and to sign up for curbside recycling in Oxford.
Activities for Tuesday, April 20
Focus Area: Transportation
Walk the Walk Opportunity: Commuter Challenge
Members of Oxford, Lafayette, and University Community will be encouraged to commit to using an alternative means of transportation at least one day a week. Transportation options include the OUT bus, bike, walking, and carpooling. Visit the Student Union Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take the next step forward in the commuter challenge.
Outreach/Education Activity: Oxford University Transit (OUT) Promotion
Bike & Car-Share Awareness/Promotion
Oxford University Transit (OUT) Promotion. A major effort will be coordinated to provide students, faculty, and staff with information about this free transportation service, including maps and schedules. Rebel Pedals will also be highlighted, and the university will announce the next phase of enhancements to this program. The university will also release a plan for future transportation programs.
The Oxford Maker's Market occurs every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. It occurs at The Lyric Oxford on the Oxford square. Support local artists and makers of all sorts of art and gifts! 10am - 5pm, live music from local musicians and full bar inside The Lyric at the Red Star Bar. Check out photos from past markets http://www.oxfordmakersmarket.com/
This weekend also marks the start of the Midtown Farmer's Market - one of my favorite things about Oxford!!!! Saturdays, 7am - 11am April 17th through October 30th and Wednesdays 12-5:30pm. This weekend boasts a bounty of locally produced food, including berries, honey, eggs, milk, meat, breads and much more! Check out their new website: http://www.mtfarmersmarket.com/
Three Rivers Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Saturday, April 10, 2010 8 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Free collection and disposal to all residents in Lee, Pontotoc, Itawamba, Monroe, Calhoun, Lafayette, and Union Counties. *No commercial waste will be accepted, only household hazardous waste. * Armory Parking Lot beside the Oxford Conference Center, 102 Ed Perry Boulevard, Oxford (Just off Highway 6 and Sisk Avenue).
A really informative issue - the April 2010 Invitation Oxford magazine is on the stands everywhere in Oxford - pick up a copy today, or read the great cover stories on their website - http://invitationoxford.com/content.html
And don't forget to recycle your hardcopy when you're done with it!
The cover stories in this issue follow the Earth Day subjects of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. All three of the Green movement's Rs are so important! But personally - I find myself putting REDUCING at the top of my list. When I use the term reducing - I primarily mean the reducing of purchasing and of consuming so many products with environmentally unfriendly packaging. There are many more ways to reduce, such as reducing the use of energy, which you can read about in Jesse Wright's article about the Doyle family on page 38.
The reason that I am reducing my use of products that can be recycled, or refraining from the purchase of some consumer items that I know can also be recycled, is the fact that I'm not sure where the packaging for so many items goes after I recycle it.
I continue to recycle, of course, but my latest concern is that final destination of so many plastic bottles and containers. In the Recycle article by Katie Morrison in the latest Invitation Oxford issue, one learns that the Oxford-Lafayette Recycling Center has grown exponentially since 2002, and is even turning a profit these days. I loved seeing the pic of Amberlyn Liles, the director of the OLRC. She always responds promptly to my emails, and I was thrilled to put a face with a name as I have not met her in person. (She's so cute! What a great pic!) The article states,
"Oxford's recyclables go on to live another life as diaper filler, feminine hygiene products, roofing shingles, Patagonia pullovers, carpets, cereal boxes and playground jungle gyms, among other products."
The article does not go in to any detail about who takes the crushed cans on to be recycled, or how the paper gets turned into more paper products that Oxonians, in fact, use again. We only see the photo of the cans, paper and plastic saved from the landfill and awaiting recycling.
I challenge Oxonians and Mississippians alike to reconsider the purchasing of so many products with plastic and/or excess packaging. Just because we can recycle it, does not make it environmentally friendly to go overboard with the purchasing of so many plastic items, such as bottled water, for example. Many of the items we throw into our recycling bins are shipped to other countries to be downcycled into lower quality products. In the end, these new items are not recycled but end up in landfills in other nations.
Watch The Story of Stuff Project's The Story of Bottled Water video below:
You are invited to the 11th Annual Paws for Art Charity Auction, Tuesday, April 6th at The Library Bar and Grill!
The Patron Party will begin at 6:00 p.m. and tickets are $45 per guest or $80 per couple. The Patron Party offers a sneak preview of live and silent auction items, a one hour open bar, and admission to the Auction Party and Live Auction. The Auction Party will begin at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are $30 per guest or $50 per couple. Plan to join us for a fun evening and enjoy live and silent auctions, a cocktail buffet catered by several of Oxford’s favorite restaurants, a full bar, and live music. The auction features presenting artist, Baxter Knowlton and auctioneer, Robert Taylor.
For more information, please e-mail Hattie Alton, Development Director at hattie.alton@gmail.com
The following 2 photographs by Lizzie Oglesby will be for auction at the event! Place your bids and help raise funds for the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society's Capital Campaign - I've never seen a shelter in more need of renovation than this one.
Thank you so much for visiting Pick It Up, Oxford - Oxford, Mississippi's Guide to Greener Living!
About Pick It Up, Oxford!
"Pick It Up, Oxford!" is Oxford, Mississippi's guide to becoming greener and to preserving the beauty of the Southern United States and the health of our people. Tips and photographs are courtesy of Live Better Lizzie.
This blog was born out of a lack of web information about green activities, local art events & entertainment and practical consumer advice for newcomers to Oxford. Check this blog frequently for tips on how to greenify your life, step by step, little by little. Consider saving your health and the health of the great state of Mississippi as one of your many works in progress.
Are you new to Oxford? Here's a list of businesses that I could not live without:
Visit Lizzie Oglesby: Shuffled Thoughts on Art and Other Impermanent Records of Existence
The Oxford Artists Guild
Visit the Oxford Artists Guild's blog to learn what is going on in Oxford's art community!
Eating Oxford - Food & Restaurant Reviews of Oxford, Mississippi
Find A Restaurant Here!
Are You Planning A Tailgate? Check out Traveling Tailgate!
Listen to LIVING ON EARTH from PRI - Public Radio International
Living On Earth with Steve Curwood is the weekly environmental news and information program distrubuted by Public Radio International. Every week approximately 300 Public Radio stations broadcast Living On Earth's news, features, interviews and commentary on a broad range of ecological issues.
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