Building A Green, Sustainable Lifestyle from the Ground Up

April 25, 2010 - PRLog -- The NWA Green Expo will open free to the public April 30 and May 1 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. Presented by Walmart, Sam’s Club, Good Housekeeping Magazine, and hosted by the Bentonville Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, organizers have purposefully created two distinct, action-packed days of workshop, events, speakers, exhibitors, and fun to serve the interests of the entire region.

Friday’s events target business and sustainability, with nine prestigious speakers sharing the stage for a speaker series. From smart cities to recycled retail, speakers are here in NW Arkansas to appeal to business, government and professionals engaged in sustainability issues.  The Speaker Series is open to the pubic, but seating is limited. Tickets are available at http://www.NWAGreenExpo.com at $10 in advance and include breakfast.

Expo doors open at 11 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.  

Derrick Mains is one of the speakers. He is CEO and Founder of GreenNurture, a company that focuses on the micro issues of sustainability. He believes that the people most qualified to recognize sustainable opportunities in the workplace are the people who do the work.

“That message is important to me,” he said, “because I have been on my own personal journey of transformation– from a being naysayer of environmental things to becoming a staunch supporter. Through a change in my own attitude and actions I have seen the personal financial benefits in my own expenses as well as the decreasing amount of waste my family produces.”

Engaging youth is where it all starts, said Phyllis Abraham, a fourth-grade teacher at R.E. Baker Elementary in Bentonville, Ark. Baker is a staunch supporter and a leader in sharing 'green initiatives' with her students. Through her leadership, the school is Arkansas' first Litter-Free Zone, a Monarch butterfly way station, and active in gardening as a curriculum. They sell their lettuce to an area restaurant and turn salsa gardens into salsa-tasting parties. They grow butterfly-attracting plants (host and nectar) for their butterfly garden, and tag the monarchs for further study about migration when they pass through Arkansas.

“With our students being our future leaders, it is critical that at this young age they take ownership of being part of the sustainability and recycling programs that make a difference in saving and protecting our environment on Earth.  Our young students have the passion to make better choices, to influence adults to change harmful/destructive ways, and the ingenuity to be entrepreneurs as we face issues that affect our homes, our world, our Earth,” she said.

Activities on Saturday at the Green Expo have area youth in mind. Included are everybody’s favorites-- the Mad Science Guy, EcoGeeco, the Stream Team, and Ozark Natural Science Center, all masters at making education fun.  

Adults can learn about recycling at the Coca Cola Recycling Vehicle, participate in workshops and presentations on energy efficiency, gardening, water conservation, and visit dozens of booths featuring green and sustainable products and services, tips and opportunities.  

All can enjoy the Good Housekeeping "bubble" – a giant, hands-on display of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval research lab.

Doors open for the Expo portion of the event at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 30 and close at 5 p.m. On Saturday, May 1, doors open at 9 a.m.. and close at 3 p.m. All events are free, with the exception of the Speaker Series breakfast.

For detailed information and stories on the speakers and activities, visit http://www.NWAGreenZine.com, the official publication for the event. For details on the event, visit http://www.NWAGreenExpo.com.

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Creative Coop publishes digital magazines Biz2Biz NWA and NWA GreenZine for the Northwest Arkansas marketplace, home to Walmart and Sam's Club. Both magazines are carbon-neutral and focus on small business enterprise and sustainability.