Green Fair to help Earth-friendly practices take root

Marion Square may seem a little greener to some this Sunday when hundreds converge on the downtown park to promote environmentally friendly living.

Organizers of Charleston Green Fair, which will include entertainment, food and education about the impact people's daily lives have on the environment, expect about 2,000 to attend the event scheduled from noon to 6 p.m.

Suzie Webster, co-sponsor of the event and owner of Mount Pleasant's Evergreen Concepts, said one goal is to dispel misconceptions about the costs of going green. "We want to get in front of those people and show them how to make their homes or businesses more energy-efficient, and show them that it can be truly affordable," Webster said.

The festival will boast three stages with a variety of entertainment, including bands Sol Driven Train and Dangermuffin, as well as other local acts. Visitors can also attend roundtable discussions on green topics and watch green cleaning demonstrations. Organic and earth-friendly foods will be provided by vendors such as Taco Boy, Aluette, Home Team BBQ, Monza, The Glass Onion and Good Food Catering.

A beer and wine garden will be set up for adults, while touch tanks filled with turtles, crabs and other salt marsh organisms will be available for kids.

Webster said the fair's full slate of offerings is a testament to how much the green community has grown in the Lowcountry. "More industries are more aware of the impact they have," Webster said. "Even the hospitality industry is starting to change here in Charleston."

Seven Star Events of Asheville, N.C., was contracted to ensure that the festival does not have a negative environmental impact on the city. The company has organized similar green festivals in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Seattle.

They will use all biodegradable products and offer stations for recycling goods not normally recycled in the Charleston area. Visitors can bring used small electronic items such as DVD players, cell phones and MP3 players to be recycled. A composting station also will be available on the site.

Fritz Stine, a 21 year-old College of Charleston student, plans to volunteer at the festival as a representative for SC Green, a nonprofit organization that helps link homeowners to green developers over the Internet. "It's exciting that companies like these are being represented at the fair," Stine said. "Hopefully (the fair) will make an impact and help spread the message."

Reach Lauren Santander at lsantander@postandcourier.com.