At first glance, the Columbia Area Earth Day Festival seemed no different from the average street fair. There was face paint. There were musicians. And, of course, there was kettle corn. However, the booths at the festival centered on one theme: environmental issues.
Organizations focused on sustainability, such as Missouri Solar Solutions and Renew Missouri, were on Elm Street, renamed “Eco Avenue” during the festival. Festival-goers could buy potted plants, learn how to live a sustainable life and peruse nature-inspired jewelry on Eco Avenue. Kim Dill, street fair coordinator, said placing the environmental booths on one street is intentional.
“We don’t limit who can or cannot have a booth,” Dill said. “Pretty much anyone who pays the fee is welcome to have a booth at Earth Day. We place an emphasis on and give prominent placement to booths that focus on sustainability and environmental issues because it’s Earth Day. We want to get as much education before the public as we can.”
Pam Otto, creator of Ozark Sticks and Stones, sells her nature-inspired jewelry at many craft fairs. Her jewelry sold on Eco Avenue repurposed beads, rocks and pieces of wood into bracelets, earrings and necklaces. She said she set up her studio in front of a window so she can be directly inspired by the outdoors.
“My favorite quote is kind of in line with [sustainability], and it’s from Sitting Bull,” Otto said. “It’s something along the lines of, ‘Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can leave for our children.’ I think that is what this is all about.”
Signs sprinkled throughout the festival had environmental messages such as, “Did you know only 16.32 percent of textile waste was recycled in 2014?” Also, separate bins for trash, fiber, containers and food waste encouraged recycling and composting.
The festival was not limited to Elm Street; Peace Park was renamed “Kids’ Park” and taught children how to be environmentally conscious through workshops and crafts. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby, one organization located in Kids’ Park, set up a craft station for children. Kids could make kites and color a blank parachute. CCL advertised their market-based Carbon Fee and Dividend policy and encouraged people to call their local politicians and lobby for clean air legislation.
“There’s no reason to wait to solve climate change,” George Laur, co-Missouri coordinator of CCL, said. “Burning fossil fuels adds a cost to everybody in the form of the problems caused by climate change and pollution. We want to give money back to households and back into the economy to help people make the transition to cleaner energy.”
This year marked the 29th annual Earth Day festival in Columbia. This festival has grown since its origination, with a half dozen booths along with musicians and speakers, into the large sustainability celebration it is today.
“Sustainability means seeing the world from a long perspective and making choices in our lives and in our government policy that promote the long-term viability of our planet,” Dill said. “It encompasses a genuine caring for the state our planet is in and a willingness to work to make it better.”
_Edited by Alexandra Sharp | asharp@themaneater.com_
