Jackson Free Press

A labyrinth, geodesic dome and solar water pre-heater in Jackson? They are just a few of the exhibits that will be featured at the free Mississippi Vision 2020 Future Fair and Film Festival at Millsaps College Wednesday, March 26, through Saturday, March 29. The Sustainability Film Festival, part of Millsaps' "Green Semester," will kick off the events on Wednesday and Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The films featured will explore our relationship with our planet and how to build a sustainable global environment through communities, companies and economies.

This will be the first-ever Southern exhibition of the Future Fair at Millsaps—the event typically tours more tree-hugging states like Vermont, New York and Colorado—on Friday and Saturday. "The goal of the Future Fair is to make Mississippi the first sustainable state in the South," says Bob Kochtitzky, executive director of Mississippi 2020 Network Inc. The issue of sustainability, which the network defines as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," will be addressed at the Future Fair by educating individuals on how to be aware of their own lifestyle and consumption.

On Saturday, the children's program will start the events. "Thomas Jefferson" will be there to welcome fairgoers to the year 2020, which will be followed by a free lunch, educational workshops and drawings for prizes. Later, hear guest speakers, like Mayor Peter Clavelle of Burlington, Vt., who will talk about his success with the Burlington Legacy Project Action Plan that went into effect in June 2000. And join the interactive Town Meeting, where participants will frame issues and vote on them.

Kochtitzky says he hopes to get more communities involved by expanding The Sustainable Community Network of Mississippi (which already has towns like Oxford, Hattiesburg, Lucedale and Starkville as members) to at least 20 other towns and cities throughout Mississippi in order to make Mississippi sustainable one community at a time. Live music and a reception will close the festivities.

All events are free. Check out http://www.mississippi2020.org or call 969-2902 for more details.