Fair highlights sustainable living

Workshops and speakers addressed environmentally sustainable practices.

By Kathleen Pointer

Published Sept. 18, 2007

While many football fans packed Faurot Field on Saturday, environmental fans gathered inside and outside of the Unity Center of Columbia on West Broadway to promote sustainable living.

The fifth annual Sustainable Living Fair was sponsored by Peaceworks' Center for Sustainable Living.

The fair included more than 30 informational booths and 14 workshops, Mid-Missouri Peaceworks director Mark Haim said.

"There was a pretty good range of different booths," said associate director Kim Dill. "There is something for whatever path you're on for sustainable living."

The event was held from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and included both non-profit organizations and businesses with an environmental message, Dill said.

Throughout the day, people were able to stop at various tables to hear "table talks" that discussed the specifics about his or her angle on sustainable living.

Workshops were also available to discuss topics including sustainable parenting choices and information sessions on plant life and local food systems.

The main event of the day was the keynote address given by Kathy Lawrence, called "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sustainability: A Journey Along the Food Chain."

Lawrence served a five-year tenure as the executive director of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture.

"Everyone said she was a really powerful speaker," Haim said.

Dill said she was pleased with the range of booths present, including several representatives from MU.

Sustain Mizzou, the Mizzou Hydrogen Car Team and a Missouri Students Association Craft Studio booth all provided information at the fair.

Representatives from Sustain Mizzou had information about upcoming events as well as their magazine, The Footprint.

"We were approached by someone in charge and asked if we would participate, and living to talk to anyone about sustainability, we agreed," sophomore Sustain Mizzou member Patrick Margherio said.

Margherio said although the fair did not attract many MU students, the community responded well to the various booths connected with MU.

"The community loves to hear about what Mizzou is doing, especially the students," Margherio said.

Haid said the community also has an interest in learning about the environment.

"The community has responded," Haim said. "There is a growing interest in making sustainable choices."

Because of a growing interest, more organizations participated in the fair.

"All the booths are by invitation," said Dill. "If we're contacted by an organization, it is discussed as a community. We have limited space."

Although this was the fifth annual fair, Peaceworks got involved with making sustainable choices before the fair started.

According to Dill, Peaceworks has been involved with Earth Day in Peace Park, an alternative-energy fair and a solar-homes tour.

As for the inspiration to create an annual event just for sustainable living, Haim said, "We saw a very compelling need to educate ourselves and others as to the opportunities to make our lives more eco-friendly and fulfilling."