The theme for this year’s festival is water quality. There will be a Water Quality Symposium where speakers will cover topics such as Residential Water Use and What’s Happening In Your River? (that would be the Delaware River for those unfamiliar with the region). There will also be several short films at the EcoFilm Forum that will cover water topics.

While water is the theme of this year’s festival there will be much more going on. 200 exhibitors will display their green causes/services/merchandise. There will be plenty of kids activities and even a Sweet Green Organic Pastry/Dessert Contest. Oh, YUM! And much, much more.

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OK, the name is a little cheesy but these signs are a great idea for businesses that need eco-friendly signage which still shows a professional edge.

Primarily constructed of bamboo, the Panda Stand is an environmentally friendly retractable banner stand for the exhibit, display and graphics markets. The unit is made from 90% renewable resources (bamboo casing and pole) and designed to maximize visual impact.

The Panda Stand’s eco-friendly style helps to emphasize your message while contributing to a greener planet for us all. In fact I would say the stand itself contributes to your message.

The manufacturer - Megagraphix - is working on using a 100% recycled solution for the banner itself as well as printing the unit using 100% vegetable based dyes.

This sturdy and premium portable display unit offers the same high performance attributes as other retractable displays. Its precision-engineered retraction system makes it easy and quick to set up virtually anywhere - simply unwind the graphic stored in the bamboo base and insert the support pole.

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How did America, one of the richest countries on the planet, end up in this situation?  The new documentary I.O.U.S.A. helps to answer that question.  Directed by Patrick Creadon of Wordplay fame, the film follows former US Comptroller General and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation David Walker and the Concord Coalition’s Robert L. Bixby around the country on their “Fiscal Wake-Up Tour.”  Bixby adds comic relief as they trace the history of the national debt, revealing startling facts like, the only year in US history that the federal government was ever one hundred percent debt free was 1835.

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Lush Cosmetics have always been ahead of the game when it comes to reducing packaging. Their line of solid shampoo bars, conditioners, body butters and soaps are freshly cut for each customer and don’t require packaging. However, they’re about to take that concept to a whole new level. In an effort to reinforce the message that we need to reduce waste through re-thinking packaging of consumer goods,  what better way to emphasize the point than to enlist your sales team to reduce their own packaging. This Wednesday, August 27th, Lush salespeople in 25 stores across America will be wearing nothing but aprons saying, “Ask me why I’m naked.” Customers are also being asked to take action and will be urged to ‘go naked’ by purchasing products with no packaging.

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“Big-time sporting events provide a unique platform to educate fans on green initiatives, and we feel that the best way we can educate is to lead by example,” said Arlen Kantarian, Chief Executive Officer, Pro Tennis, USTA. “We have a plan that will lessen the environmental impact of the event and heighten the environmental awareness of those who attend it.”

Constellation Energy will provide wind credits through Green-E to offset the entire amount of electricity used during the US Open. US Tennis has partnered with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to give away wallet-sized cards with green living tips at the US Open.  The NTC will have convenient plastic and aluminum recycling for spectators and players.  And napkins and other paper products at the tournament will be made from between 30 and 90% post-consumer waste.

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Models, designers and media will all be offered emission-free transportation to and from the shows courtesy of Aveda branded petty cabs; organic & locally sourced food is being served to models, stylists, makeup artists and production crews backstage; all use of fur is being eliminated; show invitations and programs are being printed on post-consumer recycled paper; and they’re replacing all bottled water (400 p/show on average) with reusable SIGG bottles that will be filled with NYC tap water (which is actually some of the most pure in the US believe it or not).

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You look west to see a barren landscape, tumbleweed breezing lazily through the charred remains of a forest.  The rust laden skeleton of what used to be a city echoes the promise of a future long gone.  You are fighting out your days amidst gunfire and tribal warfare in armor composed of animal fur and long deserted hockey pads.  Ironically water isn’t the most important liquid on the planet that spins where the Earth once spun.  You begin to wash the grease smears off your face in a shallow pool…

…oh wait, am I jumping the gun here?

While our gas crises hasn’t quite reached ‘Mad Max’ proportions yet, things are close enough that the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers will make this September “Green Check-Up Month.” After countless years of making oversized and inefficient autos, Ford and Chevy are now going to tell us how to save gas.

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Enter Greg Christian, owner of Greg Christian Catering and Events, Chicago’s “Conscious Caterer” on a mission to bring the healthy, sustainable food message to the event scene. Wearing his white chef coat like a cloak of armor, Christensen proves that commitment, passion for healthy food and a dedication to constantly questioning and evolving can prompt true change.

Christian’s journey toward sustainability sparked when his young daughter’s asthma improved significantly through eating organic foods. “But I was living two lives, eating organic at home and using conventional foods in my businesses,” Christian confesses. “I realized I couldn’t live these two separate lives anymore and I started literally diagnosing where my food inputs came from on a world map.” This mapping system prompted not only change, but a deep sense of humility for Christian. “I’m humble and honored to be part of the global food system,” adds Christian, an emotion fueling his catering company’s constant quest to buy from area farmers, run a zero waste kitchen and continually work towards further greening his operations.

Planning an event you would like to keep green? Here are five tips to get started:

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Organic Bouquet, based in San Rafael, California, was successfully launched nationwide in August 2002. The business originated with the goal to establish the national market for organic flowers. But cofounder Prolman said it was hard convincing growers to convert. However thankfully, the pursuits of combined commitments, charitable fund-raising partnerships, and determination resulted in a reliable certified organic distribution system.

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I now understand that my attempt at blogging from our convention was a little bit of a pipe dream. There were simply so many green products and conversations going on that I was nearly overwhelmed.

Two big take-aways:

1) The industry is certain that green is going to stick this time around. A few vendors placed green (by their use of the word at the time) at 8-12% of the business and with a growth to 20% in the next few years seeming very likely. Ash City is looking for 50% by 2010.

2) This is the interesting point for Ecopreneurs: suppliers are having trouble keeping up with demand in the marketplace, even at the low levels of current business. Problems are at every level of the supply chain, so if you have a green idea, GET IT OUT THERE.

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Green boutiques are not lacking in the city by the bay and Christine Kay, owner of Ladita is quite aware.  Winner of the Best Of The Bay Area award and recently featured in the September issue of Lucky mag, their mission is to offer the latest eco brands and limited-editions.  They’re stocked with coveted labels like Del Forte denim, Toggery, Covet, Stewart+Brown and James Jeans amongst others.  You’ll also find a selection of handmade and/or recycled jewelry and even eco-duds for baby. 

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Canada’s Olympic athletes are sporting eco-uniforms at the Beijing Games right now and they’re all made with eco-friendly fabrics. The Hudson’s Bay Company created the athletes’ clothing line for the current Beijing 2008 Olympics. All the outfits are materials like organic cotton and cacona, which is derived from coconut.

Designers also adapted the clothing to the high temperatures in Beijing so the clothing for the Beijing Games was made using fabrics that provide UV protection, four-way stretch, odor resistance and wicking and cooling properties so athletes are comfortable.~cbc.ca

The designer Tu Ly said the move to environmentally sustainable materials was made easy by a larger worldwide trend that increased the availability of such products.

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Served in the hotel’s lobby lounge bar or in your own backyard:

2 large (organic) Cilantro Springs
1 oz Tequila (they use Sauza’s Tres Generaciones, but try 4 Copas, the only certified organic Tequila I know of if you can get your hands on it!)
2 oz Vodka (I like Square One )
3/4 oz Fresh Organic Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
Fresh Cilantro Sprigs for decorations

For Related Posts on Cocktails:

• Drink Local: Keeping Cool with Rhubarb Cocktails
• Summer is the Season for Sangria
• Cheers to Biodynamic Wine

This contest, open to all U.S. businesses, will award one winning company with a $5,000 shopping spree on the company’s online Ecoffice Source catalog.

Since our readers tend to really, really like our “greening your office” posts, I thought I’d see if anyone wanted to take up the challenge. Sponsored by Corporate Express US Inc. The contest runs June 30, 2008 to Sunday, August 31, 2008. To enter, go to http://www.corporateexpress.com/greencontest to download and fill out the Ecoffice Makeover Official Entry FormEntrants.

Be prepared to submit an electronic presentation of up to twenty slides in length on why your organization deserves an “Ecoffice Makeover” - whether you have just started to work on sustainability or if you’ve already taken significant steps toward going green.

“Purchasing eco-preferable products is just one of the many steps that businesses can take toward greater workplace sustainability,” said Walter Scott, vice president of marketing and e-commerce, Corporate Express US. “Through this contest, we want to help raise awareness with businesses about the breadth of eco-conscious products that are available for the office.”

That and to sell more office products.

Related Posts About Greening Your Office:

Stocking the Green Office: Sustainable Supplies

Eco-Entrepreneurs Are Talking About: Greening Your Office

How To Green Your Law Firm

There are a string of eco-friendly New Urbanist developments along Highway 30-A, a long and well-kept secret until stars, like Sheryl Crow, Britney Spears and most recently, Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo began vacationing in the region. Seaside is one of the first and perhaps best examples - it is such a beautiful and surreal community that it actually serves as the backdrop for Jim Carrey’s movie, the Truman Show…yes. It is a real town, not a movie set.

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Why? They will “style you silly, dress you funky, green your wardrobe, but also pink, yellow, and purple it up. We’ll create outfits that turn heads and have people stop you in the street asking, “Where did you get that?” All at a price that will keep you smiling.

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GreenWare cups resemble clear plastic cups but are made from a resin derived from corn called Natureworks® PLA (polylactic acid) resin. If you are a business, festival, music event, stadium or other venue selling drinks in cups, please consider these as a alternative to petroleum based plastic cups.

These cups are 100% compostable and environmentally sustainable as PLA resin is naturally recycled in the Earth.

Other environmental benefits include:
~ 20% - 50% fewer fossil resources used than with petroleum based resins.
~ No ground water contamination because the cups break down into natural lactic acid and metabolites which are recycled into the ground.

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It was when Jennifer Stambolsky was planning her own wedding that she found a lack of wedding invitations for the modern bride that were both gorgeous & eco-friendly. With a love of nature combined with a love of beautiful stationery, she launched EarthlyAffair.com.

Choose from two environmentally friendly papers, a premium 100% Recycled Post Consumer Recycled paper that uses no new trees and a heavyweight 60% Recycled (30% Post Consumer) Cotton paper that is Forest Stewardship Counsel certified. All envelopes are made of 100% post consumer waste, FSC certified and processed without the use of chlorine. Not only that but they are a carbon neutral business purchasing CO2 offsets for emissions caused by conducting business and shipping through carbonfund.org.

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