Living green means making choices in our day-to-day lives that enhance, rather than just reduce, our impact on the environment, and that move us in the direction of a sustainable lifestyle—one that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, and humane.
A sustainable lifestyle fits with the cycles of nature, has a sound economic base, and respects human, animal and plant life. Impacts of that lifestyle do not compromise the ability of future generations to lead a healthy, quality life. These practices can save us money and time while improving our health and overall quality of life.
The Living Green Expo uses a two-tiered approach to living green: low-impact living and long-term sustainability.
Low-impact living
Low-impact living reduces environmental and social impacts by using a product or service and by adopting a behavior that:
1. Reduces energy and uses renewable sources
• Energy-efficient lighting, appliances, and vehicles
• Well-insulated homes, passive and active solar systems, and buying green energy
• Working and playing near home
2. Conserves and protects water
• Water-conserving home toilets, fixtures and appliances
• Water-conserving landscaping using rain gardens and native plants
• Constructed-wetland septic treatment systems
3. Is less toxic
• Nontoxic cleaning products and pest control
• Water-based and low-solvent paints
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4. Is derived from plants
• E-85 and biodiesel fuels
• Office furniture from waste plant material
• Hemp and corn-based Ingeo fabric
5. Is organically grown, sustainably produced
• Organic food and cotton
• Sustainably harvested wood, fish, etc.
7. Is durable, reused, designed for disassembly
• Canvas shopping bags
• Salvaged building materials
• Reconditioned electronics
8. Contains recycled material
• Decking made from recycled plastic and wood scraps
• Post-consumer recycled paper and other products
9. Is locally/regionally produced
• Minnesota-grown food
• Other locally manufactured products
10. Is socially responsible
• Products made without sweatshop, child, or slave labor
• Living wages paid to producers under a fair-trade label
• Investments in/purchases from socially responsible companies
Long-term sustainability
One goal of the Expo is to showcase products, services and educational approaches that go beyond meeting just one or two of the low-impact living criteria and strive toward the long-term ideal of sustainability. Two well-accepted sets of sustainability principles—the Natural Step and Cradle-to-Cradle frameworks—establish conditions for how we can develop our products, services, our individual lives, our economy, and our society in a truly sustainable manner.
What we take, make and waste: The inputs, products, pollution and wastes of our industrial society—originating with fossil and radioactive fuels, mined metals and minerals, synthetic chemicals, pesticides, plastics,etc.— must not accumulate long-term in the environment as wastes. “Wastes” must ultimately be compostable or remain in closed-loop reuse cycles that don’t contaminate compostables. All energy must eventually come directly and indirectly from the earth’s one perpetual source of energy: the sun.
What we do to the Earth: Biodiversity and natural systems—soils, forests, water, air, genetic material—must not be irreversibly degraded by human activities. Healthy natural systems allow us to eat, drink, and breathe safely.
What we need: The bounty of the Earth—food, raw materials, natural systems—must be used equitably, fairly and efficiently so that the basic needs of all humans are met locally and globally. Social, economic, and ecologic diversity that builds off the uniqueness of each specific place builds resiliency into geographic regions.
4. Is derived from plants