Send us Tips

Hundreds of pinwheels coming to Green Lake: your help needed

What do you think? (6 Comments) March 14, 2010 at 1:27PM

Greenwood CoolMom invites you to Green Lake Park, on the hill between the Green Lake Playground and the street (7201 E Green Lake Dr N), on Sunday, April 18th, 12-3 p.m., to celebrate Earth Week.

CoolMom is calling for an end to coal in Washington and a transition to clean energy and green jobs with a symbolic installation of hundreds of pinwheels around Green Lake.

In addition to seeing you at the event, CoolMom is asking for donations of pencils for use in pinwheel construction.  The pencils must be at least six inches long and must still have erasers.  Hundred of pencils are needed.

A pencil donation bucket is available at Greenlake PCC (7504 Aurora Ave N) inside the main door by the shopping carts, hanging from the cork board.

The deadline for pencil donation is April 9th.

Pencil collection at Greenlake PCC

Pencil collection at Greenlake PCC

From Kimberly Christensen of Greenwood CoolMom:

Did you know that coal supplies 20% of Washington’s electricity? Did you know that the TransAlta Coal Plant is our state’s single biggest source of carbon dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide emissions?

If we closed it, it would be the equivalent of taking 1.8 million cars off the road.

CoolMom, in partnership with the Sierra Club, has the chance to help dramatically reduce our state’s carbon emissions by putting pressure on Governor Gregoire to close the TransAlta Coal Plant. Beyond that, we have the chance to help improve air quality, making our state a healthier place for children.

In order to do this we need to raise public awareness. On Sunday April 18th, we’ll celebrate “Earth Week” by installing hundreds of pinwheels around Greenlake, calling for an end to coal in Washington and a transition to clean energy and green jobs. These pinwheels will have been made by families throughout the city, including yours!

It’s easy to help! Please volunteer for a job, small or large, to kick coal out of Washington State.

1.Collect wooden pencils for use in pinwheels. We need hundreds of used pencils with erasers. They need to be at least 6 inches long. You can donate what you’ve got, or become a collection point at work, school, in your neighborhood, or at the second hand store. Anything will help!

2.Become a Pinwheel Captain. Take our pinwheel template to your child’s school, scout troop, etc. to help us make hundreds of pinwheels.

3.Become a Pinwheel Assembler. Some of the pinwheels will need finishing touches before the big day. You can do this job in front of the TV or with your older children.

4.Help out at Greenlake on the 18th of April. We’ll need people to place the pinwheels, remove them at the end of the day, and hang out during the afternoon to hand out info and help passers-by make pinwheels. We will have a photo op where you and your family holding an oversized pinwheel will be downloaded and printed on site to make and send a card to Governor Gregoire letting her know we want to close the TransAlta Coal plant and build clean energy.

5. Post the Event Flyer in your neighborhood.

6.Talk to people about the TransAlta coal plant. Raising awareness is our goal! More info is available at http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/wa/

Questions? Please contact our Coal Free Washington Liaison, Greenwood CoolMom Kimberly Christensen at kimc@speakeasy.org.

  • Danny

    What were the “hundreds of pinwheels” made of and where did they go after people were told how to leave a smaller carbon footprint on Earth Day?

  • http://www.mygreenlake.com/ Amy Duncan

    Hi Danny,

    The pinwheels were made out of used pencils and re-used paper, such as calendar pages from past years. I'm assuming that the paper was then recycled. It's a fair question, though!

    -amy

  • Danny

    What were the “hundreds of pinwheels” made of and where did they go after people were told how to leave a smaller carbon footprint on Earth Day?

  • http://www.mygreenlake.com/ Amy Duncan

    Hi Danny,

    The pinwheels were made out of used pencils and re-used paper, such as calendar pages from past years. I'm assuming that the paper was then recycled. It's a fair question, though!

    -amy