The Green Way

Paper or plastic? Walk or drive? Gas or electric? Living sustainably is a matter of educated choice—“educated” being the key word. That’s the goal of the inaugural Southern Green Living Expo, which offers some 50 eco-informational workshops and seminars over three days in Asheville. Greenhorns and green veterans alike stand to gain from the knowledge that will be imparted, from the ins and outs of environmentally responsible investing to trends in smart grid technology to tips for lessening your carbon footprint. Co-organizer Ned Ryan Doyle hopes the event will attract people who are inspired to defend the environment and keen on stretching their dollars.

After hosting the Southern Energy & Environmental Expo for a successful eight-year run, Doyle took a year hiatus to reorganize. “This event is the next step up,” he says, adding that the expanded gathering will cover the complete ABCs of building a regional sustainable economy, from bike commuting to launching a career in eco-technology. While the classroom sessions demonstrate practical and affordable solutions for a greener lifestyle, there will also be dozens of exhibitors with the scoop on green products and services, jobs, energy, education, and transportation.

The result, he intends, is a program that casts a wider net of participation to help everyday folks warm up to the idea that a healthy environment and a vibrant economy aren’t mutually exclusive. “We want people to start thinking about the economic benefits of sustainability,” he says. “The bottom line is that the long-term multiplier effect of a green economy in the region is tremendous.”                 

Southern Green Living Expo
September 14-16
$9 per day, $8 for seniors,
$5 ages 13-21, free ages 12 & younger
U.S. Cellular Center, Asheville
www.southerngreenlivingexpo.com