Thursday, September 22, 2011

Green Expo Causes a Swell in Huntington Beach

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. For permission to reprint or excerpt it and/or link it to another website, contact: surfwriter.girls@gmail.com


Surfwriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel headed out to Huntington Beach last Saturday for the 4th Annual Green Expo. Even though the fog hadn’t burned off yet when we got there the booths set up next to the pier were already doing a booming business.


The Surfrider Foundation Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter’s booth was jammed with people stopping by to learn about Surfrider’s ocean and beach environmental mission, make donations, and drink some of Gilbert Castillon’s Java Jaws Surfer Coffee.



Surfrider members Corey Fogel, Manuel Florence, and Casey Metkovich were giving out information about the foundation’s beach cleanups and Rise Above Plastics (RAP) programs.

Merle Moshiri, Surfrider’s Chair of the Blue Water Task Force that focuses on cleaning the ocean, was doing double duty at the Residents for Responsible Desalination booth.

Over 70 vendors participated this year, showcasing everything from energy efficient cars, environmentally-friendly landscaping, water systems, fireplace logs made out of textile scraps, window tinting, cleaning products, furniture, clothing, and food.

 Among the vendors were: Southern California Edison, the Gas Company, Boeing, Whole Foods, Earthlog, Tint Pros, Simple Green, local landscaping firms, and various non-profit organizations like Residents for Responsible Desalination and Habitat for Humanity.

 Surfrider member Mitch Kalamian, the owner of Solena Landscape Co., even made up special “Ocean Friendly Garden” T-shirts to help spread the word about going Green.
The annual event, which is co-sponsored by the City of Huntington Beach and the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, demonstrates Huntington Beach’s commitment to protecting the environment. “Sustainability is becoming a way of life,” said HB Chamber of Commerce President Jerry L. Wheeler. “Not only are developing sustainable practices in our homes and businesses the right thing to do, but you can actually make money in the process.”

Also represented at the Expo was the City of Huntington Beach Environmental Board, which works with city programs to reduce water and energy consumption and develop sustainable energy practices. The Board reviews Environmental Impact Reports, assists city staff in promoting a healthy community, and generates public awareness through its education and advisory activities.   

In the spirit of keeping Green, Surfwriter Girls Sunny and Patti made sure to check out the $100,000 Tesla electric sports car that was on display. It goes from 0 - 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and can get up to 240 miles per charge. We learned that it uses the same lithium ion batteries that are used to power a laptop. The six-figure price tag put the Tesla out of our budget, but a less expensive version is in the works. Two other electric cars at the Expo, the Leaf ($27,000) and the Volt ($33,000) were a little more budget-friendly.


The Green Expo had a decidedly festive atmosphere with people mingling, pushing baby strollers, and stopping at booths to ask advice and get ideas to make their homes and gardens more energy efficient and less polluting. John and Marianne Carey told us they were not only getting information at the Expo, but walking off the breakfast they had just eaten at Ruby's on the pier.

Adrian Gee, a landscape artist with The Plant Nerd, Inc., said one of the best ways homeowners can help the environment is to “take out the lawn. It’s one of the most heavy water users. Your water bill will go way down.” Instead of planting grass, she suggests using dimondia, a plant that is similar to grass, but lower maintenance and uses less water. Succulents are another choice, along with sages, which have flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Gee also told us, “Drip systems are 70% more effective than sprinklers.”

SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti thought Mark Ventura’s contribution to a greener planet was perfect for Surf City’s Green Expo – a natural surfboard wax. Through his company, Ventura Enterprises, he makes the wax out of bees wax, pine sap, clay, palm and coconut oils, and other natural ingredients. The board wax doesn’t pollute the water with chemicals when it wears off…and it even smells good.



The Surf City board wax was a big hit with Surfrider member Don MacLean, who's in charge of the HB/SB Chapter's campaign against cigarette butts.


One of the most recognized vendors at the fair was Simple Green, the Huntington Beach-based company whose earth-friendly household products can be found practically everywhere. Ana Nunez, who was manning the booth, was eager to give us a sample of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner and tell us how much she loves working at the company. “It’s a family environment,” she said. “We look out for each other… grow with the company…and we learn something new every day.”
After making our way from one end of the Expo to the other, SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti had learned a lot, too. Keeping Green isn’t about doing any one thing. It’s about doing lots of little things – using biodegradable products, using less water, and conserving energy. The bottom line is: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.    

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