CONFESSIONS OF A WANNABE ECO CHIC: Report From the Go Green Expo

I had the pleasure of attending the Go Green Expo in NYC this past weekend, and during what are such unarguably challenging times, it is heartening and impressive to see how many entrepreneurial people and innovative new products are flooding the market supporting the effort towards to sustainability. It was like a breath of fresh air—literally and figuratively considering how much we can lower our carbon footprint and promote health and well being by choosing eco-friendly alternatives—to see that so many companies are emerging to support responsibility . . . tough times notwithstanding . . . because it’s the right thing to do.

Despite whatever setbacks our administration is experiencing pushing through their cleaner energy plans, it’s amazing to see how much progress is being made on the grass roots level, and walking the aisles of this show you could literally feel the momentum building. The energy and excitement, and the broad spectrum of products and services—including food and beverage, health and beauty, fashion, automotive, building, gardening, decorating, travel, education, jobs, toys, and even services such as dry cleaning, printing, and limos—was inspiring. I left the expo feeling upbeat and optimistic for the first time in many months, realizing that progress is truly being made and that more and more people and companies are joining the effort.

It’s been a long time coming, but the eco-trickle is finally starting to flow full force. What are some of the great new eco-friendly products and services you’ve seen lately? We’d love to know, so leave your comments below.

—Diana Murphy, canvas editor in chief