Ferndale celebrates renewable festival
2nd Live Green Fair has food, ideas, info
By MEGHA SATYANARAYANA FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Lyndsey Sleek and Dave Ristich said they know a lot about living a sustainable lifestyle, but walked away Saturday with two new ideas — home delivery of organic produce and a rain barrel.
Sleek, 26, of Royal Oak and Ristich, 24, of Waterford were among those who took to downtown Ferndale on Saturday on the second day of the three-day Live Green Fair. It featured eco-conscious art, products and food for those seeking sustainability and something fun for a sunny afternoon.
“It’s a simple idea, and it’s good,” Ristich said of the barrels, which were shown at the festival by multiple companies.
The fair is in its second year, said co-organizer Bart Loeb. He said Ferndale is a good choice because the city itself thinks green.
“Affirmations is LEED-certified,” he said, referring to the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center and its certification through a sustainable building program. “The library is LEED.”
Vendors included those selling home improvement products with a green edge — such as recycled insulation, energy-efficient windows and rain barrels — to those selling art made from reclaimed materials.
Others offered tastes of vegetarian and vegan foods, which many say are easier on the planet because they don’t require the same land and water and don’t create the same waste that raising animals for food does.
“Whole grains, good ingredients — that’s one of the greenest things you can do,” said George Vutetakis, author of “Vegetarian Traditions” and former head chef of Inn Season Cafe in Royal Oak. He manned a booth at the fair to talk about his book.
Loeb said he didn’t vet claims of organic, recycled or energy-efficient products from vendors and exhibitors. Some in the sustainability movement have said a lack of oversight and standardization of green products can lead to greenwashing, or promoting products or processes as eco-conscious when they aren’t. But Julia Jones, 4, was interested in only one thing, said her dad, Bobby. “Facepainting.”
Uma Devi Dasi, 24, of Ann Arbor plays an Indian drum during the Live Green Fair on Saturday in Fern-dale. Entertainment was part of the festival, which focused on sustainability and energy conservation.
MADALYN RUGGIERO/Special to the Free Press
