By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Everyone likes to eat and there is growing interest in locally grown organic food, but what exactly does “organically grown” mean?
Recycling is more than just putting out yellow and green buckets full of bottles, cans and paper. It’s also allowing household goods and clothing to be used by someone else, but how do you do that?
And with the emphasis to reduce reliance on fossil fuels that have been said to contribute to climate change, is nuclear energy a viable alternative energy source?
The answer to those questions and many more may be found at Sustainable Lawrence’s eighth annual Living Local Expo fair, set for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New Jersey Army National Guard Armory on Eggerts Crossing Road.
The event, which is free and open the public, is sponsored by Sustainable Lawrence, along with green teams from Lawrence, Ewing, Hopewell and Trenton, and Sustainable Princeton and the Mercer County Office of Sustainability.
The Living Local Expo, which started out as a local event in Lawrence Township organized by Sustainable Lawrence, has grown since its early days, said Tahirih Smith, president of Sustainable Lawrence’s board of trustees.
“The Living Local Expo showcased local businesses and resources, but now it encompasses all of Mercer County (by) working with sustainable organizations and green teams from all over the county,” Ms. Smith said. It has grown from a handful of exhibitors to about 60 vendors who will participate on Saturday, she said.
The eco-friendly vendors will display their products and answer questions at the event. Almost a dozen talks are scheduled on topics that range from socially responsible recycling to residential energy efficiency, nuclear energy, and wildlife protection.
One of the more popular features of the Living Local Expo Fair is the “Ask Your Neighbors” table, where visitors can speak one-on- one with homeowners about their experiences remodeling and performing energy efficient projects.
There will be cooking demonstrations aimed at helping fair-goers learn healthier ways of eating and cooking, as well as a chance to speak with local farmers, Ms. Smith said. Several local food trucks have also been invited to participate, she said.
Visitors can purchase fresh food at the farmer’s market that will be set up at the expo.
In that vein, visitors also can listen to speakers discuss what is meant by “organically raised,” and why choose it. They will learn the pros and cons of different methods of raising food — from organically grown to cage-free to pasture raised/finished.
The role of nuclear energy also will be discussed — now and in the future — as a possible solution to the dependence on fossil fuels and as a means to stave off climate change.
Visitors can listen to speakers explain residential energy efficiency, including home energy audits, and also learn about the New Jersey Clean Energy program and incentives for rebate through its Residential Energy Efficiency program.
Bottles and paper can be recycled, and so can clothing and household goods. A representative of the Rescue Mission of Trenton will talk about “socially responsible recycling” — donating one’s gently used clothing and furniture for distribution or re-sale.
There will also be a chance to bring unwanted bicycles and medical equipment. Womanspace will be collecting business suits and outfits, and the Rescue Mission will have a truck ready to collect unwanted items.
For more information, visit www.livinglocalexpo.org.
