Supporting the environment starts at home and the Rotary Club Tucson Verde is promoting that concept with its first Earth Day Home & Building Tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.
“We thought this was a nice fundraiser that we could do every year. There is so much happening environmentally in Tucson. We are trying to make a difference with building materials we are using and the recycling of building materials and all sorts of things that we think should be applauded and awarded,” said Linda Fugate, who is spearheading the fundraiser as a member of Rotary Club Tucson Verde.
Founded in 2021 as the first environment-focused club in Arizona, Rotary Club Tucson Verde’s members invest their time and human resources on projects that will improve the ecological and sustainable environment of the community and planet.
“We are a group of like-minded people committed to the environment. We all need to protect our planet: There is no Plan B,” said Ellie Patterson, a founding member and past president of the club.
People are also reading…
She said the club lives its mission through monthly projects and collaborations with an ever-growing list of partner organizations including City of Tucson Environmental and General Services; Tucson Rodeo Committee; Iskashitaa Refugee Network; Pima County Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation; Mission Garden, the Sonoran Institute; Sweetwater Wetlands Park; Tucson Audubon Society; Watershed Management Group and many others. Projects have ranged from recycling at the Tucson Rodeo—more than 100 55-gallon bags of aluminum cans and 1,100 pounds of plastic were collected this year—to composting, tree planting, water harvesting and much more. The club also hosts guest speakers on a wide variety of environmental topics during meetings at 5:15 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in the Community Room at Ward 3, 1510 E. Grant Rd. The meetings are open to the public and guests are welcome.
The upcoming fundraising tour features a diverse itinerary including all-solar net-zero energy home in the San Clemente neighborhood; three award-winning auxiliary dwelling units in Arroyo Chico and Feldman’s; a new-build by students in the UA’s College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture; a Barrio Viejo home built in 1880 with sustainable features; a zero-emissions Do-It-Yourself townhouse and a remodel in midtown; a two-story, net-zero Barrio Libre urban-infill home; the historic Teatro Carmen in Barrio Viejo, which is under restoration; and opportunities to learn about water conservation at Watershed Management’s Living Lab.
“The tour can really show everyone what people can do and how we can work together and get ideas from other people so we can make a difference in a sustainable way. These homes have so many eco-friendly features and there is something for everyone. There is a lot going on in Tucson: Some believe it may be the epicenter of the environmental movement and we are all working hard to help make our community clean, green and ever-mindful of the future,” said Patterson.
Go to www.rotarytucsonverde.com for tickets and information.
