VANCOUVER, Canada — the home city of the 2010 winter Olympics and what the city’s mayor hopes will become the world’s greenest city, hosted Western Canada’s only green consumer tradeshow and eco-marketplace this weekend. Yes, the city which serves as home base to the Ninja Network became a hub of green living excitement when more than 300 exhibitors gathered at the beautiful Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver’s newest and greenest convention centre, to share their ideas, inventions and products with environmentally-conscious consumers.
This place had it all. From speakers including Vancouver’s mayor, Gregor Robertson, economist Mark Anielski and author Stacy Malkan, the founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, to a ‘Sustainable Sips’ mixology class at the EPIC Tasting Lounge.
As well as checking out the latest in cool gadgets, jewelry, shoes, foods and eco-friendly clothing, shoppers could also test-drive Toyota or Lexus Hybrids. The companies showcased the upcoming Hybrid models not on the market yet including the all-new third generation Prius, the all-new Lexus RX450h and the Lexus HS250h.
One cool booth we visited was BuenoStyle, whose designer, Christi Jessica York showcased her vintage, hand-made jewelry. York uses vintage and reclaimed material in her designs, which produces a smaller “footprint” than purchasing something new.
We also paid a visit to Green Gal, who was selling her line of eco-tuplip capris, coffee-cuffs and eco-forever dresses, which wraps in 20 or more different ways.
Multiple car companies were on-hand to showcase their latest eco-friendly models, as well as car sharing networks – which offers city dwellers who don’t own a car, and alternative to buying a car, public transportation or expensive car rental services. With car sharing networks, members rent vehicles at low cost on a semi long-term basis. If you are among those city dwellers who only drive a few times in a month, then a car sharing network might be just the ticket.
Some of Vancouver’s top chefs were also on-hand to prepare world-class sustainable cuisine on the EPIC Cooking Stage. Overall, we give the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo two thumbs up.
