Change tangible at California eco event
by Rob Parsons
 Photo ŠJan Sluizer |
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On
a sunny autumn morning as crisp as a Fuji apple, a gathering crowd
fills the sidewalk at the corner of 8th and Brannan in San Francisco.
In front of a renovated train station—now the Concourse Exhibition
Center—Cirque du Soleil performers dressed in bug costumes do a
booty-shaking, Bollywood style dance to entertain those awaiting the
opening of the 8th annual Green Festival.
Inside, co-founder
Kevin Danaher is doing a radio interview while staff, volunteers and
vendors make last-minute preparations for the three-day event, set to
feature more than 125 speakers and 400 exhibitors. Those offering the
latest in green building, natural foods, eco-fashion, renewable energy,
clean technology, socially responsible investing, green media, organic
foods and green careers must go through a rigorous screening process
and meet strict standards of social and environmental responsibility.
"There's a lot of green-washing out there," says Danaher.
San
Francisco is the birthplace of the very first Green Festival, which now
travels to Seattle, Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C. The event is a
joint project of Global Exchange, the international human rights and
fair trade organization Danaher founded over 20 years ago, and Green
America, which uses economic strategies and other tools to promote
social and environmental justice.
More than just a green trade
show, the Green Festival also walks its talk, recycling or composting
nearly all the waste generated with the help of volunteers—some 1,000
strong for the weekend—monitoring exactly what goes into each color
recycling bin throughout the exhibition hall. Coffee, tea and
chocolates are certified Fair Trade, beer and wine are organic and
biodynamic and vegetarian food is served on compostable plates.
The
gathering is intended to offer hope, inspiration and practical ideas.
To Danaher, there is recognition that the transition to sustainability
must happen soon, not because it's trendy, but because it is absolutely
essential. "We're in the cancer stage," he says, "where money values
are rapidly eroding life values."
This is a seismic transition,
says Danaher, who equates its magnitude to when feudalism gave way to
capitalism some five centuries ago. "If you look at avalanches," he
says, "you'll notice that they start small. Basically, we've got to
accelerate this transition to a green economy, or we're screwed."
Danaher
goes about his work, along with co-producer Alisa Gravits of Green
America, with a staff of 50 putting on a $1 million festival, while
paying himself an annual salary of $40,000. It's enough to get by, and
far more than millions of people worldwide whose lot Danaher has tried
to improve by spearheading development projects and going to bat for
the rights of women, farmers, children, laborers and indigenous
communities.
A single entry or three-day Green Festival pass
costs $15. Those arriving via mass transit receive a $5 discount, as do
those arriving by bicycle (a bicycle valet service is free). There are
samples galore: skin care products, energy bars, green cinema trailers,
organic apples, kombucha, eco-magazines, atmospheric water. The Hemp
Industries Association Pavilion showcases hemp clothing, bags, paper,
nutritional foods and oils, body care products and educational
materials.
Speakers cover the gamut of green topics: Medea
Benjamin (Code Pink, and Danaher's wife) addresses "Moving from hope to
action: Ending war in the age of Obama"; renowned mycologist Paul
Stamets unveils his plan for how "Mushrooms can save the world"; Amy
Goodman of Democracy Now! explicates the power of independent
journalism; others speak about bamboo as construction material,
aquaponics, the politics of food safety, teaching green justice and
youth empowerment/green career programs.
Participants can be
treated to a free "Hands-on stress evaluation," or a mini-massage. Pet
owners can pick up "SWheat scoop" kitty litter, made from non-toxic
grain chaff, or 100 percent flushable dog waste bags. There are myriad
green printing options, and even paper made from elephant dung. It's
all part of a retrofit for an economic system that is in disarray and
desperately calling for a complete makeover.
 Photo ©Jan Sluizer |
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Author David Korten
addresses the issue in his newest book, Agenda for a New Economy: Why
Wall Street Can't Be Fixed and How to Replace It.
"A 30-year
experiment with trickle-down economics that favored the interests of
Wall Street speculators over the hard working people…proved not to
work," writes Korten. "We now live with the devastating consequences.
"Corrective
action begins with recognition that our economic crisis is, at its
core, a moral crisis. Our economic institutions and rules…consistently
place financial values ahead of life values. We must now come together
to create the institutions of a new economy founded on a values-based
pragmatism that recognizes a simple truth: if the world is to work for
any of us, it must work for all of us."
Korten is adamant that
there be no more government bailouts of failed institutions. He
advocates for vigorous antitrust enforcement to break up excessive
concentrations of economic power and to help restore market discipline.
He says we need to strive for food independence by rebuilding local
food systems, and energy independence by supporting local entrepreneurs
creating businesses to apply renewable technologies. He favors
rebuilding our infrastructure to promote walking, biking and public
transportation, and to aid the recovery of our farms and forestlands.
He seeks to create a true ownership society where people have an
opportunity to purchase a home they can afford to keep and a stake in
enterprises on which their lives depend.
It's not pie-in-the-sky
thinking, and it can happen. But we need to shift some major practices
and institutions, both Korten and Danaher understand. Danaher tosses
out the number of U.S. military bases around the world—865—and says the
tremendous amount of resources being poured into them is part of the
imbalance that is eroding life values.
At a time of
unprecedented focus on our economy—in Hawaii, California and
globally—the Green Festival and its founders are offering real, viable
solutions for strengthening local communities with eco-friendly
products, services, investments and programs. It's part of a mission to
work with businesses everywhere to grow a green economy that's good for
the people and the planet.