2009 DC Green Festival

Sunday, October 11, 2009

2009 DC Green Festival

I experienced sensory overload during my visit at DC's Green Festival - the largest sustainability event on the planet! The rich colors, soothing scents, lavish textures, and diverse flavors opened my eyes to an abundance of unique products, important causes, and eco-friendly alternatives that are designed to empower and positively enrich the world.

I knew I was in for an entertaining and educational visit as I set foot in the main showroom and met Green Destiny, a Mercedes-Benz wagon that runs on industrial grade hemp oil and used fryer oil (WVO = waste vegetable oil) from restaurants.

Next stop was the Cliff Bar booth, where free samples were handed out by friendly and knowledgeable representatives who were eager to share information about the latest and greatest organic trail mix bars. Cliff is a company that supports sustainable agriculture, strives toward zero waste, reduces their climate footprint, and conserves and restores the natural resources and ecosystems that we depend on. My favorite was the Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel bar: at 10 grams of protein, 21 grams of carbs, and only 9 grams of fat, this bar is a perfect post-workout snack for any athlete.

I fell in love with the supremely soft fabrics and vibrant colors at Happy Green Bee's booth, a children's organic clothing company.

This happy toddler was sporting one of their outfits - she was absolutely adorable:

Livity offered funky clothing and accessories for adults:

I was diggin' the fedoras - check out the cool patterns and colors!


Yours truly:

The Paper to Pearls booth was a fascinating experience. I learned that the unique jewelry is a product of Ugandan refugee women, who hand craft and sell each piece, using the proceeds to buy food, medicine, and school supplies for their children. The bracelets, earrings, and necklaces are made out of paper and are colorful, lightweight, and very stylish. I marveled at the quality and detail - they were works of art!


Political and social responsibility go hand-and-hand with eco-accountability - many vendors had creative ways of enabling you to spread the word:





After visiting hundreds of vendors, my stomach demanded sustenance. I am obsessed with Indian cuisine so a beeline was made to Nirvana where I was served a hearty portion of basmati rice, curry chick peas, veggies and whole wheat paratha í:


What a wonderful experience and I will be back next year for more enlightenment and information on how to become a more responsible and sustainable human on precious Planet Earth.

Going Greener,
Notorious K.