April...a month of re-birth. In many parts of the country, they're beginning to pull out of their long winter and a sense of renewal and anticipation sets in.

In Arizona, April is all about being outdoors... Baseball, Pat's Run, Country Thunder, Exotic Car Shows, the Chandler Family Bike Ride, and food & wine festivals such as The Italian Festival, Scottsdale Culinary Festival, Birds & Beer, Wine & Dine and the BBQ Festival. There are also art festivals throughout the Valley of the Sun that will be sure to delight the senses.

An important day in April is Earth Day, April 22nd. First celebrated in 1970, it is now observed in more the 192 countries each year, it brings focus and demonstrates support for environmental protection. Earth day was founded by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, who was awarded the Presidential Metal of Freedom in honor of this contribution.

I believe in Earth Day and what it stands for. I believe that we all should strive to leave this world a better place for future generations. What does that mean in the design world? It means re-use, and re-purpose. It means using sustainable materials, recycling, using low VOC paints and supporting manufacturers who adopt environmentally responsible manufacturing techniques.

Personally, it also represents buying local and supporting our local suppliers instead of getting a 'better deal' off of the internet. I do a lot of price checking on the internet...and I'm sure I'm not alone...but I always buy from my local distributor when I can. I recently had that happen with some hardware that I had been sourcing. It ended up costing me slightly more to get it from 'my guy', but I maintain our relationship and know that they'll stand behind the product.

But enough of that...on to some great events that are coming up. April 17th we're celebrating the outdoors and the extraordinary works of Dale Chihuly at the Desert Botanical Gardens. Complimentary admission to the Gardens is provided for our members, and we have a very distinguished panel who will discuss the integration of interior and exterior space, and landscape design.

May will bring a salute to our mid-century modern roots in Phoenix, with a presentation from Modern Phoenix' Alison King, Associate Professor of Design at the Art Institute of Phoenix...and mid-century modern aficionado. Look for the details...

So, please come and join us for these great events! Learn something new, connect with old friends and make new acquaintances. I personally can't think of a better way to way to immerse my soul in our design culture.

Happy Earth Day!

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