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VOICE ONE:
I'm Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we tell about the Washington, D.C. Green Festival that took place earlier this month. An estimated thirty thousand people attended this two-day event. They learned about businesses, organizations and communities that support renewable energy, fair trade and improving the environment.
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VOICE ONE:
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VOICE ONE:
For the past four years, the Green Festival in Washington, D.C., has brought together people from around the country who are interested in the environmental movement. The event is a joint project between two nonprofit organizations, Global Exchange and Co-op America. The groups call the festival a "party with a purpose." They say the goal of the Green Festival is to create a fair and inclusive economy in which natural resources are used in a way that does not destroy the environment. To the people who organize the event, "green" means having a safe and healthy community and a strong local economy.
VOICE TWO:
The Green Festival was held at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center. Over one thousand people volunteered to help the festival run smoothly. Four hundred businesses and organizations showed their products and projects. But not everyone can be an exhibitor. Green Festival organizers create a list of green requirements that all exhibitors must follow to be able to attend. Visitors can find everything from naturally made organic food to clothing made from bamboo plants. There are even companies that help people put their money in environmentally safe investments.
VOICE ONE:
Throughout the two-day event, there were over one hundred fifty speakers and discussion groups. For example, you could learn how to be an environmentally friendly traveler. You could also watch several movies about political and environmental issues. Then you could listen to some live music performances. After sitting for so long, visitors could take a yoga exercise class. There was even an area for children. Younger visitors could enjoy fun games and lessons on subjects like protecting the rainforest and creating fairly traded chocolate sweets.
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VOICE TWO:
This "party with a purpose" is not limited to the Washington, D.C. area. There are also yearly Green Festivals in San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois.
You might be wondering about the environmental effect of holding such large and crowded events. The Green Festival organizers set out large containers at all events to collect materials to be used again, or recycled. All forks, knives, spoons and plates used for eating food at the event are made from fiber from the sugarcane plant. At the San Francisco gathering last year, organizers said they recycled ninety-six percent of the waste produced by exhibitors and visitors. This included over seventeen hundred kilograms of recycled cardboard paper material. And, festival organizers say they recycled over four thousand kilograms of plant waste into compost soil fertilizer.
VOICE ONE:
Many organizations at the D.C. Green Festival work on different community action issues. The Rachel Carson Council works to educate the public about the harmful effects of chemicals used for killing insects. It was created to continue the efforts of the scientist and writer Rachel Carson. In nineteen sixty-two she published "Silent Spring". This important book brought public attention to the usage of deadly pesticides.
The Nuclear Policy Research Institute works to educate the public about the dangerous effects of the nuclear industry. Its goal is to create a world free from nuclear power and weapons. Other groups work on animal rights issues. Friends of Animals and the Farm Animal Reform Movement teach people to respect animals. They both work to end cruelty to animals and actively support a meat-free vegetarian diet.
