“Being Green” just got a little easier with The Green Living Expo at the Austin Convention Center!
American YouthWorks Corps members set up booth at the Convention Center to present their skills and efforts, discover new green information, and fundraise on the weekend of April 23-25 at Austin’s Green Living Expo.
The Green Living Expo was an excellent opportunity for the various corps organization members (Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, and Green Energy Corps) to work together and learn more about each other as well.
Generally, Corps headquarters and activities do not afford additional time toward getting to know in-depth the objectives of fellow Corps programs.
This was also an opportunity to share the passion harbored from work done in the community from weatherization and home construction, park/trail/forestry and habitat restoration, refurbishing computer and technology donations, and generally working to assist and strengthen low-income and at-risk communities in the Austin area.
The booth was decorated by each Corps with ther respective individal flair.
GEC and ECorps constructed display boards using materials commonly worked with (natural woods or weatherization materials such as solar screens). E-Corps also had a table to display and demonstrate some of their commonly used tools. Computer Corps set up a powerpoint presentation with videos, photographs and information about all of the Corps programs and GEC guided booth visitors in online carbon footprint calculations.
To view the additional Green Living Expo snapshots, please visit our Facebook photo album of this event.
At the Convention Center, members also had the opportunity to explore what the Green Living Expo had to offer in more sustainable solutions for the way we live, food, entertainment, and build. There were hundreds of booths for sampling fresh organic cuisine and learning better ways to cook, book recycling programs through Austin Public Libraries, presentations and book signings from notable guest speakers in sustainability and green business, and various design ideas for work Corps members are utilizing (Rain water collectors, and innovative insulation and home construction designs).
Seminars were on three stages: Green Building, Sustainable Living, and Climate Change. Interim CEO Dick Pierce of Dick Pierce Designs presented on the Sustainability stage as an expert in Permaculture on Sunday, April 25th at 3pm.
In addition, GEC member Jake Clarke created an amazing magnet design that was offered to donors of $10 or more. 
This new American YouthWorks magnet has school location and contact information which an image depicting volunteers of all 4 Corps and Service Learning Academy programs working together. A number of these were handed out during the Green Expo weekend, but we still have a supply available for anyone interested in purchasing one now. The actual magnet size is 6.5” by 5”. Great for a refrigerator or filing cabinet, the magnet image actually pops out so you can use the border as a picture frame and have two magnets in one. For more information on donating and/or getting your magnet for a minimum donation of $10, please contact Brandon Kiger (bkiger@americanyouthworks.org). Quantities are limited so pick yours up today!
Blog written by Angela Garner, GEC Member
On Tuesday, April 27th Emily Mathon, AYW Deputy YouthBuild Program Director, accepted the Grants for Technology Opportunities Program grant award on behalf of American YouthWorks’ Computer Corps. As Chair of the Emerging Technology and Telecommunications Committee, Council Member Laura Morrison presented the grant awards to the nine recipients of the $150k grant that connect the public with information technology, computers and the internet.
