When Denver’s Green Festival debuts this weekend, Kendra Sandoval hopes it will persuade more ethnic communities to adopt environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Up until now, the green movement largely has been pushed by the “eco-elite,” says Sandoval, who heads the northwest-Denver-based Blue and Yellow Logic. The company consults on sustainability and ecological issues. She will be among 125 speakers and hundreds of exhibitors of “green” products and services at the festival running Saturday and Sunday at the Colorado Convention Center.
More than 30,000 people are expected to attend Denver’s Green Festival, a joint project of Global Exchange and Green America (formerly Co-op America). Since its inception in 2002, it has been held in Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
Sandoval will be part of two panel discussions to encourage ethnic youths to shift their habits — “Thinkin’ Green, Living Bling: Hip Hop Perspectives on Going Green While Living Large” (featuring Jonny 5 of the Flobots) and “Verde, Verdad: Keeping it Real, Keeping it Green.”
“One of the highlights of the festival is the chance to reach out to communities who might not have understood the sustainable message before,” says Sandoval, who has done community outreach. “Asians, Latinos and African-Americans really have not been so much a part of the conversation because they do not have the money, luxury and time to devote to sustainability like the eco-elite. They cannot afford to focus on things outside of their families’ daily basic needs. We have to explain to them how being green can actually save them money.”
Other Colorado-centric topics will include how climate changes affect the state’s tourism and recreation, water in a dry climate, the economy and creation of “green” jobs.
“Green Festival’s stature and branding in the sustainable community will help elevate the Mile High City’s green profile nationally,” said Sarah Moss, the regional director for Denver Green Festival.
Denver politicos spent nearly three years trying to get festival organizers to host the event here. The city’s commitment to making last summer’s Democratic National Convention a green event helped land the Green Festival.
Denver will also be the first city where a governor has spoken at a Green Festival: Gov. Bill Ritter has confirmed he will appear. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will give the keynote speech.
Attendees who bike to the event will get a $5 admission ticket discount and free valet bike parking. “Green Home Series” workshops will include sessions on how to perform home energy audits and backyard beekeeping. The Green Teen Pavilion will host a green spa, while the Organic Valley Green Kids Zone will give children interactive options such as recycled papermaking hosted by Vince Curran.
Curran is a touring comedian with a degree in environmental design from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He’s the “head sales honcho” for Pedro’s Planet, an office product company that picks up recycled items when it delivers its products.
“(Making paper) shows kids the entire cycle of recycled stuff,” Curran said. “I take the shredded paper my business collects from our office-supply customers, grind it up in a blender and produce paper right out of it. They can see the entire process, get involved with their hands and get dirty — all the messy, sloppy things kids like to do.”
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com
The Green Festival
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $15 for two days; $10 for seniors, students, and all who arrive by bicycle; free for children 18 and under, Green America or Global Exchange members and volunteers.
