Environmental Factor, May 2010, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Going Green at the EPA Green Vendor Fair

By Laura Hall
May 2010

EPA and NIEHS employees took advantage of the beautiful weather to enjoy their lunch outside and browse at the booths to learn more about environmentally friendly products. (Photo courtesy of Ed Kang)

The EPA Environmental Management System booth allowed visitors to measure the wattage used by a traditional incandescent bulb compared to a compact fluorescent bulb.The incandescent bulb used five times as much energy. The booth also had information about laboratory energy usage. (Photo courtesy of Ed Kang)

NIEHS Program Analyst Jenny Collins, left, Program Specialist Michelle Owens, middle, and Biologist Laura Hall, right, learn more about sustainability at the Green Vendor Fair. (Photo courtesy of Ed Kang)

May 2010

The sun was shining, the music was playing, and the vendors had information galore for increasing sustainability in daily living at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Vendor Fair on April 20. The NIEHS family was invited to attend this fair as well as the other EPA events celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

There were local and organic food, earth friendly products, and handcrafted gifts. Several businesses in solar power, electronic recycling, green homebuilding, water collection, and green lawncare presented information on their products and answered questions. Alternative transportation was represented at booths with hybrid vehicles, SmartCommute@rtp information, and folding bicycles.

Technology has improved greatly since the first Earth Day, surprisingly so.

"I plan to recycle an old computer next week," said NIEHS Program Specialist Michelle Owens. "I was impressed at how efficient the electronic recycling is now -- they can reuse 97 percent of every pound recycled."

(Laura Hall is a biologist in the NIEHS Laboratory of Toxicology and Pharmacology currently on detail as a writer for the Environmental Factor.)

Melon Director of Sales Holly Colson shows off the 25 pound folding bicycle at the Green Vendor Fair. When folded, the bicycle can be carried on a bus and stored under a desk. Test rides were encouraged. (Photo courtesy of Ed Kang)

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