What do the international human rights group Global Exchange and Hewlett Packard (HP) have in common? Both are participating in the 2004 San Francisco Green Festival on Nov. 6-7. This shows the power of the emerging Green Economy. Multimillion-dollar companies are developing environmentally friendly products, are involved in socially responsible investment, and are supporting organic farming and alternative energy.

 

Socially responsible investment managers control $2.16 trillion, or $1 out of every $9 invested in the nation. The U.S. organic food market is worth $10.38 billion. Organic food sales are growing at 17 to 21 percent annually, versus two to four percent for total food sales. Fair Trade sales are booming at $250 million in North America and the Pacific Rim. Renewable energy is burgeoning. The wind energy segment alone is the world’s fastest growing energy source on a percentage basis and it is now price competitive with coal. Other renewable energy sources like tidal power and biofuels are expanding. The global photovoltaic solar industry generates $3 to $4 billion annually. Green building materials have become a major factor in the construction industry—the green building market was worth $5.8 billion in 2003. Demand for green building materials is being fed by both residential and commercial clients, designers, and builders.

 

Find out what’s driving the Green Economy at the San Francisco Green Festival on Nov. 6-7 at the San Francisco Concourse. The Green Festival, sponsored by Global Exchange and Co-op America, is a Green Economy conference merged with an eco-friendly trade show. Be there on Nov. 6 to witness the unveiling of the next logical step in transforming the Green Festival into a permanent Global Citizen Center. 

 

“The Green Festival is a living, breathing example of a life values-based economy growing within the shell of a profit-driven market that is showing signs of fatigue,” says Green Festival founder Kevin Danaher. “The thousands of people who have attended Green Festivals across the country prove there is a growing constituency for eco-friendly and justice-based companies interested in more than just the bottom line. The Green Festival is our future, now.”              

 

The San Francisco Green Festival runs the gamut from HP to herbal tea, among the exhibitor tracks are organic food, renewable energy, green building materials, and socially responsible investment. There are organic farmers, organic brewers, recycled office supplies and solar power producers. The featured speakers include linguist George Lakoff, Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick, journalist Greg Palast and Global Exchange co-founder Medea Benjamin, plus the new Woody Harrelson film “Go Further.”

 

 “HP is proud to be a sponsor of the Green Festival. This year, you can bring a used HP inkjet or LaserJet cartridge to be recycled, and we will cover your admission to the festival,” says Debra Dunn, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Global Citizenship. “Our goal is to make it easy for our customers to be environmentally responsible.”

 

Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, political and environmental justice. Since our founding in 1988, we have increased the U.S. public's global awareness while building partnerships among peoples around the world. Co-op America is the leading force in educating and empowering our nation's people and businesses to make significant improvements through the economic system. For more information go to www.globalexchange.org, www.greenfestivals.org and www.globalcitizencenter.org.