In the sci-fi blockbuster Avatar the lavish and exotic flora of the planet Pandora is a creative mix of real-life and computer generated plants. There are carnivorous and bioluminescent plants, some that spin and those that float. To establish the authenticity of Pandora’s plants as well as how a botanist would approach the plant-life, filmmakers enlisted the help of Jodie Holt, PhD, professor of plant physiology and chair, department of botany and plant sciences, University of California, Riverside.
The San Diego Botanic Garden is pleased to honor Holt at Gala in the Garden, taking place on September 11, at 5pm, with the Paul Ecke Jr. Award of Excellence for her life’s work as a distinguished scientist and educator.
Gala artistic director, Rene van Rems, promises that this year’s gala will offer a true multi-sensory experience. In a nod to Avatar, van Rems will create an other-planetary world with funky orchids, driftwood, billowing jungle leaves, and an exotic array of floral specimens to provide a transcendent atmosphere. Just as the flora in Avatar moves and glows, the gardens themselves will come alive and sparkle with thousands of fiber-optics, neon, and LED twinkle lights. “You will feel the life spirit of the Garden around you,” says van Rems.
Gala Green Goal: Entertain 500 Guests and Send Just Five Gallons of Waste to the Landfill
In addition to looking green, the Gala will also go green this year. The San Diego Botanic Garden’s role, in large part, is to educate about sustainability. This is done most effectively by demonstrating sustainable practices. This year, the theme for the gala is "Celebrating Environment and Stewardship” with the goal of feeding and entertaining 500 guests while sending just five gallons of waste to the landfill.
The gala’s sustainability committee is chaired by Bill Dean, who led the recycling division for Mashburn in San Diego, and Sarah Rankin, who has an MS in environmental science and was sustainability coordinator for the City of Chattanooga, TN. These gurus of green set a goal of making the SDBG Gala a zero-waste fundraiser.
Typically, such an event produces about five yards of landfill waste. To reduce the landfill waste to just five gallons instead requires careful participation by all involved. Go-green measures include:
— Eating utensils, plates, and cups that are compostable, going to the Greenery, part of the Miramar Landfill that composts materials into soil amendments
— All served food waste will be composted on site
— Un-served food will be immediately taken to a social service agency that provides meals
— There will be no cardboard trashcans. Instead, volunteers will staff eco-stations where utensils and leftovers will be sorted for recycling into soil amendments
— Any water bottles brought by guests will be recycled
— Guests are being asked to carpool to the gala. Everyone arriving in a car with three or more people will be eligible for a $500 Barona package prize.
— Valets will be asked to mitigate car idling
— There will also be an eco-demonstration center to show guests how all this recycling will be accomplished
Tickets are $175 per person. All proceeds will contribute directly to the growth of the garden and fund essential projects, programs and exhibits. For information please contact Sherri Johnson, development special events coordinator. (760/436-3036, ext. 218, www.sdbgarden.org)
