LAWRENCE: Annual Green Home and Energy Expo set for Saturday

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Green transportation — as in sustainable, not the color — will be highlighted at Sustainable Lawrence’s 5th annual Green Home and Energy Expo, set for Saturday at the Lawrence High School Commons.
   The free event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature electric and hybrid cars on display in the LHS parking lot — and even an electric bicycle, said Tahirih Smith, who serves on Sustainable Lawrence’s board of directors.
   ”Sustainable Lawrence’s mission is to promote sustainable living in the community. The fair is one of many ways to bring (the concept of sustainability) to the community,” Ms. Smith said.
   Visitors to the expo will have a chance to learn how to build an electric bicycle at the 1 p.m. electric bike workshop, Ms. Smith said. One lucky winner will receive a bicycle and a kit to convert it into an electric bicycle, which is about a $1,000 value, she said.
   ”If you have gone shopping and your bicycle is full of things and you are going uphill, the bicycle will accelerate,” Ms. Smith said. “There are accelerator handles on the bicycle to kick it into electric mode. There are a lot of hills that you don’t notice when you are in a car.”
   In addition to the electric bicycle demonstration and the hybrid and electric car display in the parking lot, green vendors will be on hand to show off their wares — “everything from solar installations to energy auditors to organic cleaning supplies,” Ms. Smith said.
   Unused bicycles can be donated to the Trenton Bicycle Exchange, which refurbishes bicycles and provides them to people who need them, she said. The Mercer County Improvement Authority will be on hand to answer questions about recycling.
   Information will be available on energy efficient appliances, too, Ms. Smith said.
   Numerous workshops are planned, and there will be an “Ask Your Neighbor” table where residents who have undertaken projects or used some goods can share their experiences — what worked and what didn’t work, she said.
   A farm-to-table lunch will be available, as well as a mini farmers’ market. Dorothy Mullen of the Suppers Program will discuss nutritious and fun foods. There will be special programs for children of all ages.
   The Green Home and Energy Expo is being held in cooperation with the Lawrence Township Green Team Advisory Committee and the Lawrence Township Public School District.
   For more information, visit Sustainable Lawrence’s website at www.sustainablelawrence.org, or call 609-924-2310 or 609-731-1818.