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A Green Event
 In addition to providing an excellent opportunity for individuals to find information, resources, products, and technologies to reduce their environmental impact, the Living Green Expo is working hard to minimize the environmental impact from the event itself.
- Waste is being greatly reduced at the event through aggressive recycling and food composting. Last year’s Expo, with an estimated 13,700 attendees, produced only about 195 pounds of trash, with 96 percent of discards diverted from disposal, thanks to prior planning and work by Eureka Recycling, the event’s Minneapolis-based nonprofit recycling partner. Eureka Recycling is coordinating waste services at the event again this year.
- Wind-generated power will be purchased from a wind power provider, Native Energy, to offset carbon dioxide generated by the electricity used in the event hall. It is estimated that the approximately 20,000 kW of electricity used would create over 16 tons of carbon dioxide. Wind power capacity purchased will offset 20 tons of CO2 emissions.
- Trees are being planted to offset the carbon dioxide emitted by those traveling to the event in private vehicles. Approximately 150,000 car miles will be associated with this event, generating about 66 tons of carbon dioxide. To offset these emissions, 100 trees will be planted in the United States through American Forests and 1,000 trees will be planted in Central America through Trees for the Future.
- Trees are being planted to offset the paper used for promotional materials. Although the event organizers are using 100% post-consumer recycled paper that was manufactured without the use of chlorine, it is estimated that event partners and exhibitors will use 4.2 tons of paper, representing about 50 trees. To offset this, 100 trees will be planted in the United States through American Forests and 100 trees will be planted in Central America through Trees, Water and People.
- To recognize food wasted at this event, a donation is being made to All Seasons Food Rescue, a local program working to provide safe, nutritious food for human consumption to those in need, while helping to reduce food waste in Minnesota. Attendees at the Expo are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to benefit Second Harvest Heartland. In 2005, 1,776 pounds of food was collected at the Expo.
- To recognize water used at this event, a donation is being made to the WaterShed Partners, a coalition of organizations in the Twin Cities area that, through collaborative educational outreach, teaches residents how to care for area waters.
Find out more
Use these online tools to estimate and offset the environmental impact of your green meetings.
 Links to online calculators of environmental impacts: www.nextstep.state.mn.us/res_detail.cfm?id=1189
Carbon Footprint Calculator to determine carbon dioxide emissions from home energy consumption and transportation by car and plane, and to purchase wind generation capacity to offset these emissions.
Climate Change Calculator to estimate the number of trees needed to be planted to compensate for carbon dioxide generated by transportation, energy use, waste generation, and other activities.
How much paper can be made from a tree? provides conversions to estimate the number of trees consumed by paper use.
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 What
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