Green Festival seeks to balance consumerism and sustainability

Can capitalism and eco-sustainability coexist?

The Green Festival, featuring more than 125 speakers and 350 green businesses, sought to answer that question during a two-day show. The aim of the festival was to prove life can be more environmentally, socially and economically healthy.

Charlotte Hageman, the greening manager for festival organizer Seven Star Events, maintains the recycling and composting for the event. The 20-person company handles greening, sales and operations. Hageman explains that the primary motive for the company is not monetary.

"As far as the profit margins, they're not huge," she said.

Others at the festival concurred, and said it is necessary to strike a balance between making profits and staying ecologically aware. 

Nancy Mayes owns Fundamentally Dog, a company that produces environmentally responsible T-shirts for dog lovers. She believes that the bottom line is always important when running a business. 

"Everybody's in business to make money … you have to be practical and make a living," she said, adding that eco-friendly companies don't deserve criticism for their efforts. "I think companies should be commended for taking the environmentally friendly route, not questioned," she said. Companies that are insincere about their intentions to maintain environmental sustainability should beware of the well-informed eco-consumer.

"People who come to Green Fest are very savvy, they’re very knowledgeable, and they’re going to see through companies that are just trying to greenwash their products," she said.

While some people understand that financial solvency is a part of maintaining a healthy eco-friendly marketplace, others are leery of the consumerism of an event like the Green Festival. 

Aaron Waxman, a volunteer with the Washington Area Bicycle Association, said he doesn't understand the need for excessive consumerism.

"This is a great festival … but it seems a little more consumer- driven," he said. While he and his organization work toward less consumption, this event seemed too involved with over-consumption, Waxman said referring to the many vendors on hand at the festival selling goods.

"Solar panels or water filters or green home renovations, I think that does a little more for us becoming more green than a hemp T-shirt," Waxman said.

"You gotta do for yourself, but you gotta also think of the greater good of society," said Ben Shaberman, author of the Vegan Monologues. He said he thinks that striking a balance between helping yourself and others is important with any eco-friendly business.

"I think [it's important] for a person to live comfortably in a decent home, with decent food … and not hoarding cash," he said. Shaberman said he doesn't have furniture or a television in his apartment. He also cuts down by limiting his spending. 

Jeanine Behr Getz is an author and the managing director of Kids Think Big, a company that writes books that makes environmentally conscience children's books. She said that her motivation is not financial but educational. She donates 10 percent of her profits to eco-friendly causes and the rest goes to the production of the books.

"My motive is really to teach the kids and this younger age that hasn't been tapped," she said.