Boise News

Guest review: Idaho Green Expo

Green Expo Should Be Permanent Boise Event

By Roxanne Gail Beach, 5-18-08

With the Saturday Market and the First Annual Green Expo all being held on Saturday May 17, it was hard to find a parking spot downtown, let alone maneuver through the crowds. The warm and sunny weather beckoned Boiseans to come out and play, and they did – by the thousands.

Boise is beginning to look like a real Metropolis, with people from all over the world at the Expo and many languages being spoken.

Despite the heat, the crowds and the general commotion, people were happy.  The atmosphere was festive and chatty, all with one shared interest to learn more about choosing a more environmentally responsible way to live.

The goal of the Expo was to improve both the quality of Idaho’s environment and the quality of Idahoan lives.  The producers of the Expo made sure that all of the participating vendors were really using sustainable materials.

According to Josh Bogle, who is co-owner with Jonathan King of Green Remodeling, they went “green” because to them, green means building it right. “Durable, efficient, healthy and beautiful are our goals for our remodeling projects,” Bogle said.  Bogle and King have over twenty years of combined experience in historic remodels, custom homes and energy retrofits.

Lindsey Schramm, co-owner of sustainable Growth Boise, a local Organic Lawn and Land care company presented a seminar on “Organic Land Care and Life in the Soil.” Her seminar focused on building life in the soil, critical in creating a healthy landscape that uses less water and is resistant to pests, disease and weeds.

Stew at Native & Xeric Plants from Emmett offers hydro seeding and other restoration and landscaping services.  When asked why he started his nursery he replied, “as a landscaper I wasn’t able to find the plants for my clients so the only alternative was to create our own nursery and stock.”

The Boise Urban Garden School offered an Organic Learning Environment for children called BUGS, which uses organic gardening to engage students, teachers and the community in issues of ecology, local food economies, sustainability, nutrition, health and literacy.  For adults they offer grids and tips on “Square Foot Gardening.”

I was pleased to see the local landmark business, Zamzow’s, there with their line of Green Products. However, what, I liked most of all was that most of the vendors were companies and people I had not seen at previous shows at the Boise Centre on the Grove. I met new people and learned a lot about what I could do personally to live a greener life.  Next year should be even better.  This event deserves to be a part of the permanent Boise scene.

NewWest.Net/Boise was a Green Expo media partner.

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