Updates from the Green Earth Expo Floor
Wow, wow, wow and more wow!!! A rockin eco fashion show, worms that will eat your junk mail and turn it into food for the sweetest, plumpest blueberries, lively debates on everything from organics to greenwashing and the biggest community Eco Party in the Southeast.
I am having a blast and everyone on the show floor is already talking about how we can make it even bigger and better next year. If you haven’t made it to the Orange County Convention Center for the first annual Green Earth Expo sponsored by the Green Earth Alliance and Sustainable Synergy, well what are you waiting for???
You’ve got one more day, cuz at 3pm the walls are coming down the hybrid cars are going back to their lots and the keg’ll be tapped. But no worries their because after the expo we are all headed to the Orlando Brewing for a post event music bash.
You can check out my blow by blow reports on The Health Chic Blog.
Happy Expo-ing!!
Wendimere, The Health Chic
Countdown to Showtime
It’s Monday night and all the final preparations, last minute copies, faxes and phone calls are being juggled as we countdown to showtime. It’s all so exciting, and I just can’t believe it’s all happening right here in Central Florida.
I just took a look at the final speaker list, my goodness, there’s got to be well over 100 guest speakers, talk about blowin the roof off, and this is just the first year of this event. New York, California, Colorado– look out, cause the next hippest, greenest and funkiest place to be is right here in my back yard. Can you imagine the headlines as Orlando’s Tourist industry ends up ranking second to our Green industry?
This event goes way beyond your mama’s recycling and whole wheat sandwiches. There’s Eco Intelligent Plastics, Organic Racing, Hydrogen Super Highways, Green Investing and Carbon Neutral Economies. Not to mention a fashion show, full kids programming and Organic Beer Sampling.
It’s game on, It’s green on, and if you haven’t gotten your ticket yet, what are you waiting for?
As for me, I have to finish painting a rain barrel, hook-up The Health Chic Mobile and get myself ready for an 8am load-in at the Convention Center.
I’m your host to all things hip, fun, & green at this year’s Green Earth Expo. Stay tuned, I’ll be blogging all week and bringing you some great insider tips.
Peace, Love & Flowers, The Health Chic
Sustainable Garden Showcases Best in Healthy Food
Local Farmers, Restaurants, Distributors, Food Purveyors, and Sustainable Wellness Education Come Together To Empower The Food Community
Global Green Alliance has partnered with Garden of Life and Slow Food Orlando to sponsor Sustainable Garden. Sustainable Garden will be a featured section within Green Earth Expo that focuses on sustainable food from local farmers, food purveyors, and restaurants as well as the leading organic, whole food supplement company and sustainable wellness educators, Garden of Life.
This area of the show serves to educate consumers about the food industry and how our choices make a very large impact not only on our personal health, but the health of the environment. By showcasing many of our local farmers and organizations, consumers will have the opportunity to learn about the options, education and support available within their local community.
In addition, Garden of Life will be giving out their new book, Perfect Weight America, by Jordan Rubin, which will provide additional information about sustainable health, wellness and the environment.
The Green Earth Expo 2008 will take place May 14-18, 2008, and will be held annually for the next ten years in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Green Earth Expo 2008 will be the world’s largest show promoting sustainable commerce and lifestyles and will feature everything from major automakers and alternative energy providers, to sustainable food.
Help Kids Become a Global Hero
The response to the Global Hero Progam (see post on March 13) has been fabulous. Discovery Toys and NASA have both come on board as sponsors. The Orange County Public School System and the Girl Scouts have both signed up as participants.
As promised here are more details. Keep those ideas coming!!!
Getting Started
1) Determine the number of teams the school will support
2) Identify team and support coaches
3) Review roles of coaches
4) Present Global Heroes Team Challenge concept to students
5) Create teams from student volunteers
6) At initial meeting:
a) Review roles of team and coaches
b) Set ground rules, timeline
c) Discuss and select a challenge
d) Choose an aspect of the question to focus on (*see Helpful Tips section)
Recommended Steps
1) Determine whether an issue or potential issue really exists
2) Create an exact statement of the aspect of the issue the team will address
3) Identify what information is needed to understand the issue
4) Identify resources to be used to gather the information needed
5) Generate possible solutions
6) Analyze the options
7) Select the best solution
Present the solution in creative, concise and clear manner
To Register
All teams must register their intent to accept the Challenge and present their solution at the Green Earth Expo 2008. By registering, a presentation time slot and display space will be reserved for the team. Registration deadline is February 15, 2008. Register by emailing the following information to kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com :
School’s name and address
Team’s Name
Team Coach, email and phone number
Team members and ages
Question chosen
Confirmation of Participation
Teams must submit the written portion of their solution via email by Monday April 28, 2008 to confirm their participation in the Challenge. The email, send to the address above, should include all the information requested at registration (to verify all information is current and accurate), attachment of the written report and presentation requirements (display space and/or performance needs).
Instructions for the Expo, including presentation date and time, exhibit location and drop-off and pick-up dates and times, will be emailed to the team coach after receipt of the confirmation documents.
Help
* If your school would like someone to present the program and answer questions, please email kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com or call 407-340-4370 to schedule.
* If the team and/or coach has questions about the challenge, please contact Kathy Ford at email kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com or call 407-340-4370.
* Suggestions for next year’s Global Heroes Team Challenge? Email them to the address above.
Helpful Tips
1) When brainstorming what aspect of the question to focus on, cluster mapping can be a useful tool. Begin by placing the question in a ‘bubble’ and draw lines radiating from it with all the things that the team thinks of that will be affected by the situation.
- Generate as many ideas as possible
- Encourage wild ideas – helps to break out of traditional thinking
- Piggy back ideas on previous ideas
- Allow no criticism – make is safe for all ideas to be spoken
When there are no more ideas for the basic question, choose just one or two of those ideas, make another bubble and repeat the process. Do this three or four times (as example below suggests).
Allow all the ideas to simmer until the next meeting. Choose which aspect of the problem the team will address (will probably be found in the third or fourth layer of the brainstorm). Have the team clearly state the aspect of the question they will address.
Helpful Tips
2) It is important to clearly state the problem to be solved. How the problem is stated can significantly impact the way in which it is solved.
For example, there is a huge difference between posing the problem of how to
land a man on the moon and Landing a man on the moon and then returning
him safely back to earth again. The approach, the scope, the objectives are
quite different. The more precise the problem is stated, the easier it will be to
solve it.
3) Call a parents meeting to explain the team’s challenge and choice of topic.
Parents appreciate knowing the team’s meeting schedule and the dates of the
Expo. Also, they may know people who can act as support coaches or identify resources for research or presentation.
4) Meeting warm-ups can get the team in a creative mindset. Short activities at the
start of each meeting can help build team cohesiveness, get creative juices
flowing and strengthen problem-solving skills. Some suggestions for these
activities might be to give a short creative writing topic, scribble or doodle and
then tell a story about it, play a round of Pictionary or do 3-D puzzles.
Kids Art Contest
One of the many great features at The Green Earth Expo is the Kids Corner Pavillion. One of the big events will be The Art Contest, open to all area middle and high school students. The Art Contest offers two categories for submission. Category I is Recyclable Art while Category II is Earth as Art.Entries for the art contest will be displayed in the Green Earth Gallery, located in the Kids Corner.
Entries will be judged by leaders in the local art community for: Creative Use of Recyclable Materials, Visual Impact and a Compelling Message About the Earth. Central Florida art teachers and students are encouraged to participate in this contest.or further information about the Art Contest or Global Heroes Team Challenge, please contact Kathy Ford at kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com or 407-340-4370.
Kids can be a Global Hero
There are many global issues facing us today without clear-cut or easy solutions. The Global Heroes Team Challenge© program is designed to involve our children, tomorrow’s leaders, in searching for creative, realistic and actionable alternatives and solutions.
Overview
Global issues represent threats to the status quo, but also provide opportunities to correct situations that are potentially harmful to the planet, to humanity and/or
to all life on the planet. Global Heroes Team Challenge© promotes active, positive involvement of our youth to find new, creative solutions to these problems. The Challenge is open to middle and high school students.
Global Heroes Team Challenge© is intended to:
➢ Bring awareness of potential issues facing us and the planet
➢ Encourage research to understand the causes of the issues
➢ Consider the downstream implications of the issues
➢ Propose creative, realistic and actionable alternatives or solutions
➢ Present the team’s conclusions in a creative format
Global Heroes Team Challenge© gives students an opportunity to apply classroom learning and research skills to a real world issue. As a self-directed student activity it promotes self-esteem, cooperation and creative problem solving. Creativity is encouraged in considering potential solutions as well as presenting the team’s findings and conclusions in an interesting, informative and potentially entertaining way.
The Teams
Students volunteer to be on a team, as self-motivation is a key factor for success in self-directed team projects. The team, composed of 4-6 students, will work cooperatively and in a self-guided manner. They will select the question to be addressed, set the ground rules for the team (how often to meet, code of conduct, etc.) and determine a timeline for completion. They also will design, execute and present the team’s conclusion, which can be in written, visual (art, display boards, etc.) and/or dramatic (skit, music, video) form.
The Coaches
The Team Coach, typically a teacher, keeps the team moving forward, resolves issues and answers any specific questions posed to him or her, but does not offer suggestions, ask leading questions or solve the problem for the team. Coaches offer encouragement and helps keep the team stay on its timeline.
Support coaches are teachers or other adults in various disciplines that act as resources for the team, answering specific questions posed by the team. For example, a science coach could assist in explaining a particular scientific concept. An English coach, and possibly an art or music coach, could provide guidance in crafting the final presentation. Support coaches, like the team coach, cannot influence the content or direction of the team’s project.
The Schools
Schools are encouraged to have their teams present their project and findings to the student body in an assembly or other format. All teams are welcomed and encouraged to present and display their findings at the Green Earth Expo 2008, held at the Orange County Convention Center on May 16, 17 or 18. Teams will be given a specific day and time to make their presentation.
The Questions
Global Heroes Team Challenge© presents intentionally vague questions that relate to current or potential global issues for teams to work on. Each question has many implications and areas of impact. Each team will select just one aspect of one question to research, analyze and discuss. Determining which aspect to focus on, and which potential solution is the most realistic and actionable will require debate, decision making and consensus of all team members. Addressing these questions in a team challenge format not only helps students build awareness of, and expertise on, these issues, but also develops skills such as positive collaboration, creative problem solving, and persuasive presentation.
The Solutions
The team’s recommended solution must be realistic, implemented with current technologies, safe for the earth and all life forms, sustainable and economically feasible. Recommended solutions are to be prepared both in written and presentation form. The written report must be typed, single space 12 point, and 5 to 10 pages long, including attachments. The presentation should be creative, persuasive, clear and concise. Presentations can be physical displays, works of art, dance or music, skits, videos or other creative expression. Physical presentations must not exceed 3 feet wide, 3 feet deep and 6 feet high. Performance presentations must not exceed 4 minutes. Teams may not spend more than $ 25 on props or supplies.
The Reward
We believe that every team that works together to find new solutions to the questions posed is a winner. Therefore, there is no competition or awarding of medals in this challenge. All teams and coaches are recognized for their effort and willingness to look for ways to help the Earth and all life upon it.
Stay tuned for more details or contact Kathy at kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com 407-340-4370.
It’s All About the Fashion
Green & Eco Fashion of course!
Aveda and International Academy of Design & Technology Sponsor Eco-Fashion Show
Global Green Alliance has partnered with Aveda and the International Academy of Design & Technology to sponsor an Eco-Fashion Show. The show will take place on Saturday, May 17, on the main Expo stage.
The runway will be showcasing a variety of eco-fashion alternatives from green couture to vintage glam. A team of Aveda’s industry professionals will provide the eco-friendly hair and make-up services required to bring the Eco-Fashion Show to life.
International Academy of Design & Technology will assist in the production of the Show. In addition, some of their students will be featuring their own lines of Eco-apparel designed exclusively for the Show.
The intent for the Eco-Fashion Show is to raise consumer consciousness, hence eco-awareness, concerning the social and environmental implications within the fashion industry. Further, the Show aims to create a sense of social and corporate responsibility while educating both business and consumers in the various ways the fashion and beauty industries can accommodate Green and sustainable practices without sacrificing comfort and style.
Kids Corner at Green Earth Expo
Green Earth Expo 2008, presented by Global Green Alliance, is expected to draw over 600 exhibitors, 50,000 attendees, environmental leaders, and a one-of-a-kind Kids Corner area.
In celebration of children, our key to a truly a sustainable future, the Green Earth Expo is proud to feature Kids Corner. Kids Corner is an inspirational and interactive fun area including Eco-educational activities and Eco-entertainment for children and adults alike. Activities will commence on Friday, and will continue for the duration of the show on Saturday and Sunday. Kids Corner is also inviting area schools to participate in this Expo through an art contest and a creative problem solving program.
Green Earth Expo 2008 encourages area schools to expose students to the information and programs at the Expo. Students, teachers and chaperones may attend the Expo as a school sponsored field trip free of charge.
For further information about the Art Contest or Global Heroes Team Challenge, please contact Kathy Ford at kathy.ford@globalgreenalliance.com or 407-340-4370.
The Green Earth Expo 2008 will be held from May 14-18, 2008, and will be held annually for the next ten years in Orlando, FL. The Orange County Convention Center is the second largest convention center in the U.S., and is the only one to earn ISO 14001-2004 certification for environmental management due their successful recycling program. Additionally, OCCC recently announced a major solar energy project to provide power to the convention center.
About Green Earth Expo 2008
WORLD’S LARGEST SUSTAINABLE COMMERCE AND LIFESTYLE TRADE SHOW EVENT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER MAY 14-18, 2008
Green Earth Expo 2008, presented by Global Green Alliance, expected to draw over 600 exhibitors and 50,000 attendees
Altamonte Springs, FL: Global Green Alliance announced the launch of Green Earth Expo 2008 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The Green Earth Expo will be the largest show of its kind, allowing hundreds of Green and Sustainable corporations and non-profits to showcase their Green initiatives to other businesses and consumers. The Green Earth Expo 2008 will feature major automakers, alternative energy providers, green construction fabricators and contractors, Green service providers, energy efficient appliance manufacturers, as well as health & wellness groups and organic retailers. Confirmed speakers include top-level government officials, Green business leaders, and environmental experts.
“We think it is important for businesses and consumers alike to know what Green products and services are available,” said Jim Griffin, Founder and President of Global Green Alliance. “We want people to understand that ‘Going Green’ does not mean sacrificing your way of life or spending more money. It means that you care about your environment and you are making efforts to preserve it.”
The Green Earth Expo 2008 will be held from May 14-18, 2008, and is booked for the next ten years. The Orange County Convention Center is the second largest convention center in the U.S., and is the only one to earn ISO 14001-2004 certification for environmental management due to their successful recycling program. Additionally, OCCC recently announced a major solar energy project to provide power to the convention center.
The Expo is designed to promote Green and Sustainable commerce. Participating organizations will enjoy both a day for the Green Business Symposium on Wednesday, May 14, and a dedicated Business-to-Business day to network with like-minded organizations and collaborate on new Green projects on Thursday, May 15. The general public will be welcomed for the last three days of the Expo, enabling exhibitors to showcase their Green initiatives to tens of thousands of consumer, business, and government attendees. The Expo is proud to feature an Eco-Kid’s Corner on Friday-Sunday, with educational activities and entertainment for children and adults alike. Top designers will host an Eco-Fashion Show on Saturday, May 17, 2008
“Green should not be exclusive. Reducing our carbon footprint, protecting our resources, and bettering our individual health should be a natural goal of any organization or person,” noted Griffin. “We feel it is our mission to promote Green commerce to encourage its growth amongst the business community. Furthermore, we want to educate the public about the quality and affordability of Green products and services that are available to them to further incorporate Green into their lives.”
About Global Green Alliance
Global Green Alliance is a consortium of organizations dedicated to promoting Green and Sustainable commerce and lifestyle. Along with producing the Green Earth Expo, GGA works with governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations to raise environmental awareness and to advance Green and Sustainable practices. For more information, please visit Global Green Alliance.
Guide to Green Earth Expo 2008, Orlando, Florida
It’s just three months until showtime, and the Global Green Alliance is pleased to announce that Wendimere Reilly, a.k.a., The Health Chic has just signed on to be your behind-the-scenes guide to all that’s Hip, Fun, & Eco at this year’s Green Expo 2008. The Expo runs May 15th- 18th at the Orlando County Convention Center.
Stick with Wendimere as she shares tips about which exhibitors are giving out the best free goodies, where to go for the best pre & post events parties as well as which seminars are just not to be missed.
And, if you have a natural health or green business and you haven’t registered for the Expo yet, you are in luck, there’s still a few booths left, just contact us for the details.
