Pleasanton Green Scene Fair Returns on October 6

By Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Pleasanton's Green Scene Fair is becoming a tradition. A joint production of the City and Hacienda, the sustainability-promoting fair was such a success last year, its inaugural, that it is now an annual event.

The 2011 Green Fair will be held on Thursday, October 6, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm in the tree-shaded courtyard at the CarrAmerica Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive. The park-like setting is the perfect place for an al fresco lunch or a break from work. It is also an appropriate backdrop for the 100-plus exhibitors who will be showing attendees how to incorporate green practices into almost every aspect of their daily lives.

"The fair will be similar to last year's, only larger," comments Laura Ryan, Manager of Energy and Sustainability for the City. "We have expanded the range of topics to include healthy living, so you can also find things like health and beauty products and cleaning supplies." Ryan issues a heads-up for early Christmas shoppers: many exhibitors will be offering gift items "for the green people in your life."

Volunteer docents will be on hand to guide visitors through displays showcasing sustainable building materials, landscape design, solar power and energy-efficient products, waste reduction and recycling, water conservation, commute and transportation options, financial programs and incentives, and more. As befits the green theme, the vast majority of exhibitors are local, hailing from the Tri-Valley or the East Bay, and even from the park (First United Services Credit Union and newcomer Nuubia Chocolat).

With transportation a major opportunity for carbon reduction, some of the latest alternative vehicles are sure to attract crowds. The Tesla automobile, the new all-electric Nissan Leaf, the award-winning Chevy Volt, the Segway, new tricycles, and electric motorcycles will all be on display. For the home front, visitors can learn about eco-landscaping, rain-water harvesting, and vertical garden kits, in addition to low-energy appliances and waste-reduction techniques. In the lifestyle arena, healthy products, from probiotic drinks to organic cosmetics, will be featured.

A treasure hunt and raffle of green-related prizes will raise the entertainment quotient. Sustainably produced food will be available for purchase, making sure that visitors will not leave hungry, while a mini-farmers market presents the opportunity to bring the green spirit home in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The fair is one of many initiatives designed to demonstrate how to do more with less. As the City emphasized recently, explaining the rationale behind the Pleasanton Climate Action Plan, all segments of the community must "prepare for a future that will require more energy efficiency in all aspects of our lives: transportation, infrastructure, commerce, housing, water, and solid waste."

James Paxson, Hacienda's General Manager, points out that "there are dozens of ways our businesses and residents can build on the steps they have already taken to implement energy-saving, waste-reduction, and other environmentally friendly practices, to the benefit of all."

Building the buzz for the fair, a promotional piece will air on Tri-Valley Community TV's channel 30 "Slice of Life" throughout the month of September. To view, go to www.tri-valleytv.org/streaming/SLICE.html. For more sustainability information, visit www.PleasantonGreenScene.org, or better yet, come to the fair on October 6.

Also in this issue...