LA’s Go Green Expo this weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center
Going "green," or becoming more eco-friendly, seems to be a hard selling point these days.
People are having a difficult time paying their bills or looking for work, let alone pitching in to create energy efficient buildings or cutting down on oil consumption.
The feeling in such economic dire circumstances seems to be "does it make a difference?" When the question should really be "why not?"
In fact, the "green" trend seems to be a glimmer of hope amidst a sea of financial turmoil. After all, with all the doom-and-gloom forecasts of the economy, well, what else is there left to hope for but for what’s next?
And what’s next is on the agenda for LA’s Go Green Expo coming to the Los Angeles Convention Center this weekend, from Jan. 22-24. The event will be fitted with its regular list of environmental organizations, a green film festival, a green marketplace, over 250 booths and keynote speakers.
What really might interest you is the chance to network with some of the leading aficionados of the field. Some of the top green entrepreneurs in Los Angeles will be there to discuss how to “Build Green: Grow Profits,” along with speakers on the potential for green job opportunities coming to the Southland.
But this year in particular the “green” workforce will be in more demand than supply, coming out of one of the worst years for most businesses in centuries and entering into what some see as a rocky financial future.
On top of that is the added skepticism and debate of whether climate change is even minutely caused by humans at all, and whether making such drastic changes to our daily lives will even help the matter. Aside from such blurry vision, many businesses, markets, and organizations have a lot invested in the “green” trend.
Including solar powered energy plants, to electric car manufacturers, the State of California is directly involved by announcing this year the first-ever “green” building code enforcement, a workforce directly tied to the alternative energy ethos and the creation of a cleaner environment. This definitely is what businesses and the government hope will help pull the economy out of the current recession.
Changes are happening, and it’s time to either accept and learn, or be stuck in the past.
During this weekend’s event, celebrities and officials will be talking about exactly these changes, such as eco-activist and actor Ed Begley Jr. and Mariel Hemingway, who will talk about living a healthy lifestyle. Other activities will be interactive seminars and speeches, film presentations by Blue Planet Film Festival, a rock climbing wall, yoga classes and demonstrations.
The event will only be open to businesses and sponsors on Friday, Jan. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is invited to the event on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The general public can purchase a two-day pass for $10 to attend the weekend events. Discounted tickets are available for senior citizens, students and military families for $5, and for children under 12 admission is free.
Green Facts about The Los Angeles Convention Center:
The Los Angeles Convention Center is literally a Green Community, both physically and environmentally.
On Sept. 15 2008, the Los Angeles Convention Center achieved a historical mark by becoming the first Convention Center of age and size in the U.S to be awarded the highly sought after certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
As a Los Angeles landmark, with its towering emerald green facade, it defines the L.A. cityscape and is a devoted advocate of environmental programs. The Los Angeles Convention Center’s constant efforts to progressively explore, test, and implement new and innovative Earth-friendly initiatives throughout the 54 acre facility typify it’s commitment to environmental stewardship. The Los Angeles Convention Center is underway in developing innovative new programs like thermal storage and creating green space for its community. Source: The Los Angeles Convention Center.
