Green Festivals

Green Festival News

Green Festival™ Revitalizes Website

Contact: Katie Hunsberger/Courtney Greenwald
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GREEN FESTIVAL™ REVITALIZES WEBSITE
A Greener and Greater Website Keeps Festival Fans Up-to-Date and Connected with the Largest Green Consumer Shows Across the Country

Washington, DC (September 2008) - Green Festival™, the nation’s largest green living event, has launched its new and expanded website: www.greenfestivals.org. With the introduction of Seattle and Denver to the Green Festival circuit, and continuing events in San Francisco, Washington DC, and Chicago, the Green Festival team is now providing people of all shades of green with the most up-to-date news on the events. Access to all the information you could ever need about past, present and future festivals, including streaming audio and video coverage of some of the biggest names in green living, is now just a click away.

A joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, two leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to environmental sustainability and social justice for more than 25 years, Green Festival™ is a forum to explore and build sustainable solutions for our communities and the environment. Since the first event in 2002, Green Festival™ has remained a model of environmental and social leadership, consistently providing authentic information for consumers on every aspect of green living. Co-op America’s stringent screening process ensures all exhibitors and sponsors meet the best practices and highest standards for environmental integrity and social responsibility.

Produced by Earthsite.net, the leading Internet partner for sustainable businesses, the updated Green Festival™ website is easily navigable and now includes exciting features to keep you in-the-know about virtually every detail of all the events. From speaker and exhibitor directories to streaming video and radio, www.greenfestivals.org is a complete guide to the greenest event in town.

SEATTLE WELCOMES GREEN FESTIVAL

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SEATTLE WELCOMES GREEN FESTIVAL
World’s Largest Green Living Event Debuts in the Pacific Northwest at Washington State Convention & Trade Center
-- April 12th and 13th 2008 --

Seattle, WA (March 27, 2008) - Green Festival, the nation’s largest green living event, will make its Pacific Northwest debut when Seattle becomes the fourth city in the festival circuit this April 12 – 13, 2008 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.

A joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, two leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to environmental and social justice for over twenty-five years, Green Festival is a forum to explore and build sustainable solutions for our communities and the environment. With an expected attendance of 30,000, Seattle’s Green Festival will host 150 visionary speakers, 300 local and national green businesses, and dozens of community and non-profit groups. The Seattle Host Committee of nearly 200 community leaders helped design the event for local focus.

For two days, Green Festival attendees will explore the latest in clean technology, green building, socially responsible investing, eco-fashion, renewable energy, green careers and green collar jobs, natural foods, groundbreaking films, eco-tourism, green building, and more. The wide selection of workshops, speakers and panelists will cover topics ranging from “Green Home Remodeling 101” and the “DIY Energy Audit,” to “Building the Green Economy” and “Grassroots Solutions to Climate Change.”

“With something for everyone, the green in Green Festival encompasses it all- environmental and community health, social and economic justice, fair trade, education and inspiration,” says Global Exchange’s Co-Founder Kevin Danaher. “You’ll see people from all backgrounds and communities leading and exploring pathways to a sustainable future.”

Seattle residents are invited to learn more about their city’s and county’s environmental initiatives and resources at the City of Seattle and King County interactive education pavilions where experts will provide tips and demonstrations on all aspects of urban green living – from local transportation and volunteering, to greening your garden and exploring local foods. Mayor Gregory J. Nickels, founder of the U.S Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, will welcome attendees on Saturday and provide remarks on the city’s environmental successes, innovations and challenges ahead.

Before organizing the event, Green Festival leadership went to the local First Nations peoples to ask for permission to hold the event on tribal lands. With spoken word, song and dance, the Duwamish and the Suquamish tribes honor the event by providing an official welcome.

“We are honored to be working so closely with the City of Seattle, King County, First Nations, the Seattle Host Committee and the many local green businesses and community leaders who are bringing together such innovative ideas, technologies, products, and services from the Puget Sound region,” says Co-op America Executive Director Alisa Gravitz.

Since the first event in 2002, Green Festival has remained a model of environmental and social leadership, consistently providing authentic information for consumers on every aspect of green living. A stringent screening process ensures all exhibitors and sponsors meet the best practices and highest integrity standards for environmental and social responsibility. While many events and tradeshows are notoriously wasteful, Green Festival demonstrates an unmatched commitment to reducing environmental impact by walking its green talk and reusing, recycling or composting 95 percent or more of show waste. To further reduce the footprint of the event and its attendees, those who arrive by bicycle are offered reduced admission along with valet parking. Green Festival also provides carbon offsets for the entire event and its participating staff and organizers.

Now in its seventh year, Green Festival’s circuit includes San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC and saw over 100,000 combined attendance in 2007. The next festival will take place in Chicago in May, 2008 with Washington, DC and San Francisco to follow in November 2008.

Seattle Green Festival Highlights

First Nations programming including speakers Billy Frank, Jr. and the Honorable Cecile Hansen.
Nationally renowned speakers such as Seattle’s Mayor Greg Nickels, Amory Lovins, Amy Goodman, Frances Moore-Lappe, Paul Stamets and Jim Hightower
Fair-Trade and Eco-Shopping
Green Careers and Education Area
King County and City of Seattle Environmental Pavilions
Organic Valley Green Kids Zone
Socially Responsible Investing
The Fair Trade Café and Organic Beer & Wine Pavilion
Power Foods Pavilion
Eco Tourism and Eco Fashion
Environmental Film Festival
Community Action Center
Green Home Pavilion featuring 40-minute workshops
Bike Valet
Natural Pet Care

About Co-op America:
Co-op America (www.coopamerica.org) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1982, providing the economic strategies, organizing power and practicing tools for businesses and individuals to address today's social and environmental problems. Its Green Business Network is the largest national network of businesses screened for their social and environmental responsibility.

About Global Exchange:
Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org) is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. Since its founding in 1988, Global Exchange has successfully increased public awareness of root causes of injustice while building international partnerships and mobilizing for change.

Green Festival Partners
Bainbridge Graduate Institute, bgreen, Care2, City of Seattle, Clif Bar, Fetzer Wines, Honest Tea, Interra, Kimpton Hotels, King County, KOMO, KPTK, KUNS, Entercom Radio/1 Thing, PCC Natural Markets, Planet Green, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle Climate Action Now, Shore Bank Pacific, tsDesigns

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The World’s Largest Sustainable Living Event Returns to Washington DC and San Francisco

Washington, DC (August 2008) - Returning to Washington DC and San Francisco, Green Festival™, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, is the largest and most diverse green living event in the country.

Now in its seventh year and in five cities nationwide, Green Festival™ brings together upwards to 175,000 attendees and is the world’s most authentic green living show, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability through extensive event-greening efforts.

At Green Festival™, there’s something for everyone: kid and teen activities, green film festival, live music, 150 speakers and workshops, a green marketplace with more than 350 local and national green businesses, and dozens of community and nonprofit groups.

Chicago Green Festival Gathers Together People of all Shades of Green

Chicago, IL (June, 2008) – Returning for a second year in a row, Green Festival, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, brought its celebration of sustainability to the greater Chicagoland area May 17 and 18. Surpassing last year’s impressive attendance by several thousand, this year’s event drew a diverse crowd of over 35,000 to Chicago’s historic Navy Pier for a weekend that built community around the growth of the green economy while fostering the development of accessible sustainable ideas. Now in its seventh year and in four cities nationwide, Green Festival is the world’s largest and most authentic green living show that demonstrates its commitment to sustainability through extensive event-greening efforts.

Organic Valley Holds 20th Annual Meeting, Honors Veterinarian Dr. Paul Detloff

La Farge, Wis. - May 06, 2008

At its 20th annual meeting held recently in La Farge, Wis., Organic Valley bestowed veterinarian Dr. Paul Detloff with the cooperative’s highest honor, the Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award. Dr. Detloff serves as Organic Valley’s resident doctor of veterinary medicine, educating the co-op’s farmer members and retail and consumer partners on the importance of organics in herd health through presentations, farm visits and workshops.

For the past five years, Organic Valley has recognized a deserving farmer with the award, named for the late Ray Hass, one of its founding farmers. Dr. Detloff is the first non-farmer recipient, recognized by the co-op for his instrumental work in helping hundreds of farmers transition to organics.

Link to Article...

Finding out what green means at Green Festival in Seattle

By Drew DeSilver

Seattle Times staff reporter

Nearly 38 years after the first Earth Day, what does it mean to be green?

Maybe green means furiously pedalling a stationary bike to power a laptop or a video monitor, like the guys from Planet Green (a new cable channel launching this summer) at Saturday's Green Festival.

Or perhaps it means nibbling on organic chocolate, or buying your cat the right variety of grain-based kitty litter (both corn and wheat were on display). Or subscribing to the appropriate magazine — nearly a dozen had booths at the show, from stalwarts like Mother Jones and The Nation to newer publications such as Yes! and Plenty.

Link to Article...

San Francisco Goes Green in Record Numbers

Contact: Becky Wisdom/Katie Hunsberger
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Francisco Goes Green in Record Numbers
Over 41,000 Attend the World’s Leading Authority in Green Living
The 6th Annual Green Festival

San Francisco, CA (December 1, 2007) – Green Festivals, the joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America and the nation’s largest green consumer show, celebrated its sixth year in San Francisco from November 9th-11th, 2007 at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center. Amidst news of the tragic oil spill in the Bay, the Festival drew a record-breaking attendance of over 41,000 people from all backgrounds and shades of green.

Combined with the numbers from this year’s Green Festival events in Washington DC and Chicago – the San Francisco event pushed total 2007 attendance to over 100,000.

DC Gets the Green Vote

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DC Gets the Green Vote
A Record-Breaking 31,000 Attend District’s Fourth Green Festival

Washington, DC (October 24, 2007) – Green Festivals, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, celebrated its fourth year in Washington DC with an unprecedented event attendance of 31,000. The world’s largest and most authentic green living event took place on October 6th and 7th at the Washington Convention Center.

For two days, more than 400 green businesses, 150 speakers, dozens of community groups and thousands of DC area residents came together to explore and celebrate what’s working in our communities – for people, for businesses and for the environment. Attendees were invited to check out what’s on the horizon for renewable energy, socially responsible investing, eco-fashions, green building, eco-friendly travel, organic foods, sustainable business and more.

Consumers representing all shades of green were given the opportunity to shop with their conscience and “vote with their dollars” as they either began or furthered a movement towards a sustainable lifestyle and a just and inclusive green economy.

“Our goal is to provide a two day party with a purpose, engaging attendees with a truly extensive green event to enlighten and educate the public on greener ways of living” says Co-op America Executive Director Alisa Gravitz. “The tremendous growth in attendance at Green Festivals reflects people’s hunger to learn about the movement toward more sustainable lifestyles – and how much fun it is to go green.”

While most events and tradeshows are highly wasteful, Green Festival is an exemplary model of environmental responsibility. As it does every year, the 2007 Washington DC Green Festival demonstrated its commitment to walking its green talk by reusing, recycling or composting 90% of all show waste.
To reduce the event’s environmental impact:

CHICAGO GOES GREEN IN RECORD NUMBERS!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Becky Wisdom/Cheryl Roth
OrganicWorks Marketing
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CHICAGO GOES GREEN IN RECORD NUMBERS!
City’s First Green Festival 2007 Draws More Than 31,000

Chicago, IL (May 03, 2007) – The Chicago Green Festival, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, drew a record event attendance of 31,133 people. The world’s largest green living consumer show took place from April 21 – 22 (Earth Day) at McCormick Place – Lakeside in Chicago.

The event showcased more than 350 diverse local and national green businesses displaying and selling eco-friendly, fair trade and sustainable products. More than 150 environmental, socially conscious and visionary speakers appeared for standing-room-only panel discussions, presentations and main stage speaking events.

Green Festivals are an important part of a powerful environmental and social justice movement that is generating economic stability and vitality across the country. With its record attendance, Chicago Green Festival was a landmark event for Green Festivals, the city of Chicago and the Midwestern United States.

San Francisco Green Festival Greening Report

Green Festival San Francisco – November 2006
Overall Greening and Waste Recovery Numbers
Matthew J Dufon, Greening manager

Congratulations, San Francisco Green Festival!

Thanks to the amazing efforts of hundreds of greening volunteers under the leadership of Greening Manager Matt Dufone, the San Francisco Green Festivalachieved an impressive 96% resource recovery rate. What an incredible feat!Only 4% of all the waste generated during this 3-day event with 35,000people found its way to the local landfill. Another great example of what¹s
working in our communities.

GREEN GOES MAINSTREAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Becky Wisdom/Cheryl Roth
OrganicWorks Marketing
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GREEN GOES MAINSTREAM

Green Festival Celebrates 5th Year in San Francisco
-- World’s Largest Party with A Purpose Continues to Grow with Added Show Day and Anticipated 35,000 Attendees--

(San Francisco, CA) November, 2006 – Green Festival, a joint project of Global Exchange and Co-op America, and widely known “party with a purpose,” kicks off its fifth year in San Francisco on November 10th at the Concourse Exhibition Center. Due to the extraordinary success of last year’s festival, a third show day has been added to the event and will bring together more than 100 speakers, 400 green national and local businesses and an anticipated audience of 35,000. Maintaining its position as the largest and most authentic sustainability event in the world, Green Festival continues to stay at the forefront of bringing leading-edge green products, innovations, services and information into people’s lives and communities.

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