The D.C. Convention Center buzzed with excitement last weekend as visitors poured in for the annual Green Festival, which looked past the traditional stereotype of anti-global warming sentiment and focused on more specific ecological issues such as healthier living, vegan eating and fair trade.
Upon entering the festival, held Oct. 14 and 15, attendees found hundreds of booths displaying food, clothing, stock options and media outlets. Most food stations offered free samples of organic cider, pasta and chocolate. For those over 21, the festival also offered organic wine and beer tasting.
Reware, a company that specializes in developing solar-paneled bags made out of recycled plastic bottles that can charge any electronic device from phones to iPods to laptops, was one of the companies that had a booth at the festival.
Cesar Garzon, a graduate student from University of Maryland University College and worker for the Reware booth, said he got his start with the company through an internship.
"It was a pretty cool concept, and I helped them with their marketing," he said.
Many of the volunteers in the booths were college students, recent alumni or graduate students. Plenty, a 2-year-old new environmental lifestyles magazine, had two staffers both under the age of 25 in coordinating positions and the Student Conservation Association also had college students working their booths.
College students were also drawn to the event by catchy phrases on bumper stickers, T-shirts and buttons. For event volunteers, representation at the festival meant spreading their message and educating the public.
"We're trying to teach individuals about conventional organic methods," said Amy Watts, a special projects director at the Organic Center, a research group that performs studies at university campuses all across the country. "If they have the facts, maybe they can make an informed decision. We hope to increase the market by 10 to 20 percent by the year 2010."
Companies at commercial booths took the opportunity to market their products. The Reware solar paneled bags ran for $150 to $200.
"We hope that the technology will develop and be more affordable to the general public," Garzon said.
For AU students who did not go home over Fall Break, the Green Festival served as a diversion and way to relax for the weekend.
"I thought it was a really unique opportunity to see socially responsible organizations," said Alexandra Dart, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Asha Tamirisa, a freshman in the School of International Service, said she enjoyed her experience attending a reception and screening for the movie "Black Gold" about fair trade.
"I thought it was great, although I wish I could have tried some of the food," she said, saying she was unable to try any of the samples the booths offered because she attended the film screening and following reception.
