The Idaho Green Expo was a huge success over the weekend. The Boise Centre on the Grove was flush with conscientious people who were learning more about products that help promote a healthy environment.
And we should all embrace those concepts, whether it’s proper recycling techniques, buying products that are packaged in recyclable materials, or finding alternative means of transportation.
A booth across from the Idaho Business Review booth featured handmade bags that were made from recycled clothing. Next to that one was one featuring organically grown cotton shirts.
There were organic products for lawns that keep from polluting the water system and are safe for pets and children, plenty of solar and wind power products and even suggestions for using recycled products to build or expand your home.
And people came by the thousands. I heard Saturday’s estimates anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 people attending the event. It showcased more than 150 booths and had 80 different sessions for people to learn more about conservation, recycling or finding ways to alter your lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint – a term used to gauge the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases people or businesses produce. They are measured in units of carbon dioxide.
I won’t get on a soap box about why you should care, except to make it very local. If the Treasure Valley doesn’t do something to minimize its collective footprint, we are going to exceed federal air quality standards. More importantly, we will be breathing unsafe air. And that affects our ability to lure new businesses to town.
After spending two days at our booth, I only saw two politicians. Granted they may have been avoiding me and purposefully stayed away from the media! But we need to get away from ceding the green movement and environmentally sound policies to one political party.
We cannot afford to simply say that by increasing our production, we will work our way out of the oil shortage or at least the demand for oil. Oil prices affect every business from farmers driving their tractors in the fields to businesses who rely on trucks to deliver their products – or customers to drive to their store to buy their products.
Note: today has already been forecast as a “yellow” air quality day because of high ozone levels.
If we want to grow our state economy, we have to maintain or perhaps even repair our air quality. That starts by making changes in our lifestyle. Riding a bike to work or perhaps using one to ride five blocks to the store instead of driving. Or how about riding your bike to Camel’s Back to start your ride instead of driving there to unload your bike to begin your ride.
I ride my bike to work three days a week for health reasons, but found it difficult to find shower facilities. If there was a simple solution to using local lockers and showers, I’d probably ride five days a week. At least I drive a hybrid the other two days.
There are simple, easy solutions to cleaning up our air. But that starts with leadership in our community. I was disappointed not to see more politicians and business leaders at the Idaho Green Expo trying to understand what they can do to continue to make the Treasure Valley truly a treasure.
The younger generation has taken note, and they are becoming very educated on how the products they use impact our environment. They are becoming politically and socially active. And, they vote.
CONTACT US at 208.336.3768
WANT THREE FREE ISSUES?
.jpg)
