We are very proud and excited to have our greenhouse featured in the Crested Butte News today.  Thank you Olivia Lueckemeyer of the Crested Butte News for a wonderfully written article about the upcoming Sustainable Tour that is being put on through the Film Festival.  The article also does an amazing job of featuring the story of our first greenhouse build.

Below is an excerpt from the article.  If you would like to read the full article please click here to visit the Crested Butte News article.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PROMOTED DURING FILM FEST

Tour of energy-efficient greenhouse also offered

By: Olivia Lueckemeyer

The sustainable living concept is widely embraced by the Crested Butte community, and this year the Crested Butte Film Festival will highlight this commitment through its screening of the Josh Fox documentary, How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change.

In conjunction with the film, local sustainable builder Kara Holzmiller of SmithWorks Natural Homes and Build. Sow. Grow. has organized an event to highlight sustainable businesses throughout the Gunnison Valley.

The film, which is sponsored by SmithWorks Natural Homes and Paradox Footwear, investigates climate change and the possibility that it may be too late to prevent some of the worst consequences. While the premise sounds dismal, the film ends on an inspiring note by highlighting the many things that climate cannot destroy.

“SmithWorks is very passionate about bringing awareness to the public about climate change and that’s the whole reason why we are trying to build in a more sustainable way,” Holzmiller explained. “The building sector accounts for almost 50 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., so we thought it would be great to feature some businesses that are involved in sustainability and climate change awareness and having a positive effect on the situation.”

Holzmiller reached out to organizations throughout the valley to set up booths before and after the documentary screens on three separate dates during the film festival to inform the public about sustainable practices. Tassinong Farms, SmithWorks Natural Homes, Nunatak Alternative Energy Solutions, The Mountain Roots Food Project and others have agreed to join the event, which begins Thursday, September 15 when the documentary is shown for the first time at 7 p.m. at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts.

As part of the event, Holzmiller will also offer tours on October 1 and October 2 of an energy-efficient greenhouse she recently built with her friend and former builder, Dustin Kujawski. Located on Kujawski’s property at 373 Cascadilla St. in Crested Butte South, the greenhouse is the first of its kind for this climate.

“Build. Sow. Grow. has just built its first prototype greenhouse, which is on the forefront of sustainable building by using passive solar design techniques, clay/straw walls, and climate battery to create the healthiest and most energy efficient greenhouse possible for this climate,” Holzmiller explained. “So far it’s one of a kind.”

Holzmiller and Kujawski began construction on the greenhouse at the end of May and are currently installing finishing touches to ready the structure for the upcoming open house.

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