“10 years as the nation’s sustainability event, 1 million attendees”

By MARINA D. SANDOVAL

EL NUEVO SOL

La historia en español: Un proyecto para una América más verde

As earth day was arriving, San Francisco was the starting point for this years Green Festival at the Concourse Exhibition Center through April 9 – 10.

This festival showcases sustainable green products, services and ideas. The event included interactive and educational exhibits, local and organic foods and goods, a children’s area with eco-carnival games, music, entertainment and more. The Green Festival is a great location to find great ideas for your life, your community and the world. Whether you live in a large home or a small apartment the speakers and products provided are abundant in order to inspire your actions. So why go green?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800; 2 billion by 1922; and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. The world has a fixed amount of natural resources – some of which are already depleted. So as population growth greatly strains our finite resources, there are fewer resources available.

“Drinking out of one disposable coffee cup a day can create over 20 pounds of trash,” said Nova Lee, founder and inventor of the HicCup, Nova Star. “This trash is not recyclable because the inside of the cups are lined with poly-epolene and the lids contain BPA.”

Buda Star was one of the many informative vendors at the festival who brought attention to the mass contribution our society makes towards non-recycled items that land in a land fill. They invented an eco-savvy product that is geared towards replacing the water bottle, acrylic tumbler, ceramic mug, plus disposable beer and wine cups. As people begin to make a step towards being greener they can stop being part of the Americans who use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour and the 25,000 styrofoam coffee cups that are thrown away every year.

Along with Buda Star, products from Divine Chocolate, Locally Grown Clothing, and Konjacu a 100% handmade veggie-fiber skin-care sponge was among the many items that attendees could sample, learn about and purchase.

“It’s a good way to see local vendors, more natural food, and a larger green sustainability outreach,” said Rachel a first time volunteer, Green Festival. “Everything is vegan, there are some good natural products, fair trade items like baby toys, kitchen supplies it’s cool that you can support fair trade as well.”

The main stage offered keynote speakers that varied from national and international authors, public figures, activists and cultural icons. For the opening ceremony Guillermo Vasquez and the Indigenous Permaculture Program staff shared their wisdom on the importance of using local resources. They help to revitalize native and local communities to be self-sufficient through traditional agriculture, community food security and sustainable development. Amy Goodman with Democracy NOW! spoke about her current book “Breaking the Sound Barrier,” which entails community organizations and the strength of ordinary people who stand up for their belief.

“I’ve never been to the festival, a co-worker told me about it,”said Helen, Oakland resident.”I saw what speakers were listed and I was really interested in hearing what they had to say.”

Throughout the festival seven pavilions were spread out, each focusing on a green solution. Fair trade, green business, community action as well as green building and renewable energy. Each pavilion was swarmed with peoples interest in learning a new technique or idea of how to become greener. At the sustainable home and garden pavilion people could learn hands on, how to compost, grow their own food and build an urban garden. For fun there was a beer and wine pavilion that offered organic brewing companies, and tasting stations.
Overall the experience is beneficial, you are able to sample organic food and green products. And you become inspired by the creative people and groups who can help you make a difference on the carbon footprint you leave behind.

Did you know…

• For every ton of paper: that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
• You can run a TV: for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
• By recycling just one glass bottle: you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.
• 4 tons: The amount of carbon released into the atmosphere when producing a single car, in addition to 700 pounds of other pollutants.
• 2 million gallons: The amount of biodiesel produced in the US in the year 2000; in 2005 it produced around 75 million gallons. In September of 2006, sixty-five companies reported having plants currently under construction and thirteen more are planning expansions.
• 22.1 MPG: The peak fuel economy of the average passenger car, which was reached in 1987. The EPA estimates that 2006 average fuel economy, despite two decades of improvements in automobile technology, is 21 mpg.
• $4,826 to $9,685: The estimated average yearly cost of driving a single-occupant car. In comparison, the average cost of a year’s worth of public transportation is between $200 and $2000.
• 544,000: Trees saved if every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100 percent recycled ones.
• 9 cubic yards: Amount of landfill space saved by recycling one ton of cardboard.
• 63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.
• 500 billion to 1 trillion: Plastic bags used by shoppers each year. This translates to about 150 bags a year for every person on earth.
• 83 percent: Percentage of Americans who now say global warming is a “serious” problem. This is up from 70 percent in 2004. Remember to bring your own!
• 941 and 1,023: Pounds of greenhouse gases added each year from one person eating three burgers per week.
• Five: Number of planets we would need if everyone lived like the average North American. If everyone lived like the average European, we’d need three. Unfortunately, we only have one.

Sources: World Wildlife Fund, Algalita, WebWire, Footprint Network

la misma historia en español: Un proyecto para una América más verde

Tags:  Buda Star comercio justo Democracy Now Divine Chocolate El Nuevo Sol Fair Trade Festival verde Green Festival Green Products HicCup Indigenous Permaculture Marina D. Sandoval Natural Resources productos sostenibles productos verdes recursos naturales San Francisco Sustainable Products