LAWRENCE — Traci McMahon and her family are trying to live a sustainable lifestyle.
The family has already installed solar energy panels on the roof of their house, and they follow an organic, vegetarian diet. Recycling comes automatically to the family.
Nevertheless, Ms. McMahon brought her family to the eighth annual Living Local Expo Saturday morning to find out what is new in the sustainability arena.
“There is a lot to see today. I came here (to the expo) about two or three years ago,” said Ms. McMahon, as she surveyed the array of vendors who had set up shop in the armory’s main room.
“I am interested in environmental issues. I came out to see to the local businesses. I want to support the local businesses. I never knew there were so many local farms,” Ms. McMahon said.
Ms. McMahon, who lives in Lawrence Township, was one of a steady stream of visitors to the expo at the New Jersey Army National Guard Armory on Eggerts Crossing Road. It was sponsored by Sustainable Lawrence, along with the green teams from Lawrence, Ewing, Hopewell and Trenton, Sustainable Princeton and the Mercer County Office of Sustainability.
There were plenty of organic farms at the expo, along with exhibits from companies that promised to help homeowners replace their windows or install photo-voltaic solar panels, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and other home improvements designed to save energy and money.
For those who lack carpentry skills and whose thumbs aren’t green and yet want a backyard garden, Hillcrest Urban Gardening promised to build and deliver a raised garden bed. They’ll even make weekly or bi-weekly visits to maintain the garden and leave the harvest on the doorstep.
At Windy Farm Alpacas, the product is fleece — not food. There were rugs, socks, mittens and other items on display at the expo, made from fleece sheared from the alpacas. The animals originated in the Andes Mountains in Peru, and resemble camels without the distinctive humps.
Throughout the day, guest speakers discussed topics that ranged from organic food to the role of nuclear energy, and why furniture and other household items should be recycled — not tossed into a landfill.
Speaker Judith Robinson explained what is meant by “organically raised” and why it is better than food that is not raised organically. Farmers who raise food organically do not use synthetic fertilizers or other chemicals, and also pay attention to the health of the soil, she said. Chemicals destroy the soil-food web, she said.
“When you buy food that has been grown organically, there is a greater spectrum of nutrients and vitamins and minerals. If the soil is bereft of those elements, the product is, too. You do not ingest chemicals and pesticides (in organically grown food),” Ms. Robinson said.
And Samantha Bobila of the Rescue Mission of Trenton encouraged attendees to consider donating unwanted clothing and household items to the 100-year-old nonprofit group, which are then sold in its store. The Rescue Mission provides shelter for the homeless and helps them to rebuild their lives.
The Living Local Expo also offered a chance for community groups to get their message out: WomanSpace, which helps victims of domestic violence; the Greater Mercer TMA, which focuses on transportation; the Girl Scouts; the Salvation Army; and Good Grief, which helps grieving children, teens, young adults and families.
There were plenty of activities for children, too. They could have designs painted on their faces, and Snipes Farm and Education Center, located across the Delaware River in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, brought along a bunny rabbit that was the “hit” of the day. Children could pet the rabbit in its straw-stuffed cage.
And at the Student Participation in Learning Aquatic Science and History (SPLASH) booth, children squirted colored water — representing pesticides, road salt and other chemicals — onto a plastic landscape. Then, they poured a cup of “rain” on it and watched as the colored water ran into the “river,” polluting it.
Lorrie Marcus, who lives in Lawrence Township, said this was the first time that she attended the Living Local Expo, and she was glad that she discovered it on Facebook.
“I like it. There are things here that I probably never knew existed. There are local farms. I try to live a clean and healthy life, and this (Living Local Expo) fits into that category,” Ms. Marcus said.
