Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Pam McCurdy, 651-757-2559, Pamela.McCurdy@state.mn.us St. Paul, Minn. -- A day at the Minnesota State Fair means a long day on your feet. Come to the Eco Experience, sit back and learn how to take a load off your electric bill, water use and carbon footprint. A variety of live presentations, performances and demonstrations will provide resources for reducing the effects your home has on the environment and your pocketbook. Collectively, individual actions can make a huge difference. Learn about actions you can take at home from Minnesota's own polar explorer, Eric Larsen. Larsen will be at the Eco Experience on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to talk about climate change and how the choices we make affect the rest of the globe. Stop by the Eco Experience for kid-friendly shows and time out of the sun or rain. Sewerman will make an appearance to talk about clean water -- be sure to stick around to the end of the show for an unbelievable surprise. And Tricia and her friends, the Toonies, will be singing and talking about ways to reduce, reuse and recycle at home and at school. Raingardens, rain barrels and native plants can help you conserve water and spend less time on yard upkeep. At the Eco Experience you will learn how these tactics reduce stormwater runoff and cut the amount of time you'll need to spend mowing, fertilizing and watering your lawn. A great way to get some extra cash is by not spending it in the first place. There are simple, energy-saving steps you can take that will help reduce your electric bills. At the Eco Experience, experts on home energy efficiency and alternative energy will give you tools to reduce your electric consumption. There will be live performances on the Eco Experience stage daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. And there will be food demonstrations on the Eco Experience stage at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Learn about local fresh foods and the delicious dishes you can make with these healthy ingredients. For more information and schedules, go to http://www.ecoexperience.org. About the Eco Experience: A partnership between the Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and dozens of organizations and businesses across the state, the Eco Experience has become the second most popular exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair. The Eco Experience is the largest environmental event of its kind in the country. Since 2006 over one million visitors have attended the 25,000-square-foot exhibit in the fair's Progress Center to learn about clean water, saving energy, climate change, healthy local food, transportation, green building and remodeling, and other ways to lead more eco-friendly lives.