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September 30, 2009

Fort Collins’ Sustainable Living Fair ~ via Adriane Ehmann & Old Town Yoga Studio.

Taking part of the Sustainable Living Fair for the past eight years as an attendee and a vendor, Jake Van Vonderen has had the chance to experience the Fair in all different phases. This year he helped organize the “Zen Zone,” and host a booth for his Old Town Yoga. Having the opportunity to see the process from a couple different views, the one thing that stuck out the most was the beauty of watching Fort Collins come together as a community.  From the number of exhibitors that were at the Fair to the countless volunteers who showed up to take care of countless small but essential details, to the weather…it was an amazing, inspiring weekend.

With 250 exhibitors this year—including New Belgium Brewery, Mugs, Tasty Harmony, Old Town Yoga, Emerfit, Resource, Eco Thrift, and Green Logic—there was pulllenty to check out. Old Town Yoga offered a Rock n’Roll Yoga class on the final day, as well as free t-shirts the first day. Emerfit did a sample workout for everyone including rowing, kettle bell swings and box jumps.  Mugs delivered coffee to all the vendors bright and early so that they would have a great start to the morning.  And, Green Logic threw a fashion show exhibiting how to stay trendy and shop at thrift stores.

The community came together to educate one another. Keynote speakers lent their time to help educate on a healthier way of living. Subjects ranged from eating local foods to how to become better aware of your finances…or make a great smoothie!

350 volunteers (!) were out from the early morning setting things up, to well past the beautiful sunsets that topped off the evenings, working efficiently to get everything done.  These are the people that really make it happen; the ones that put up the booths and take ’em down, who water the plants, organized the bike valet and made sure everything ran smoothly.

As we still await the number of attendees at this year’s success, we imagine there was an increase from last year:

Exhibitors 225 — SOLD OUT
Attendees 11,873
Workshops 86
Volunteers 276
ONLY 275 lbs of trash
84% waste diversion
3502lbs Electronics Recycled

Way to pull together, Fort Collins!  You guys rock!


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