Sustainable Living Made Easy

by  Mikaela Antonelli 
On September 20 and 21, the Sustainable Living Association will hold their 15th annual sustainable living fair. Since 2000, the Sustainable Living Fair has been bringing people in the community together to celebrate and learn about living more simply. Founder Kellie Falbo started the fair as a student event, but it soon grew into an entire community affair.
There is something for everyone at the fair. There will be over 250 exhibitors, 75 workshops, a beer garden, and live music all weekend featuring Iron Horse, Blue Grama, The Holler!, and Mason Howling. There will also be a “real food” market with healthy non-chemically altered crops from local farms.
The fair is $10 for the whole weekend. “We try to keep it accessible for everyone,” Kellie Falbo, founder of the Sustainable Living Association explains. In addition to the low price of tickets, the Sustainable Living Fair offers something called “the family planet” where parents can take their kids and enjoy crafts, games, and workshops, that allow them to have fun while learning about sustainable living.
Transportation will be provided to and from the fair, in the parking lot behind Odell Brewing on Buckingham Street. The free shuttle bus will run every 15 minutes. There is also an option to try out an electric car in the parking lot. Festivalgoers have the option to drive or ride in an electric car and test out a more earth friendly vehicle option. For those riding their bikes, there is a free bike valet at the venue as well.
For those interested in learning how to live more simply, this is the best way to get started. All weekend there will be workshops geared towards teaching people who are new to the sustainable life and those already living sustainable how to improve their standard of living and make the planet better at the same time. Kellie aims to keep the festival fresh and diverse each year, her goal is for people of all levels of interest to take something away from the festival.
If you are interested in making small changes now, Kellie has some quick tips; “recycle, grow your own garden, bike or carpool, shop locally,” she explains, “simple living saves lives.”