Going green doesn’t have to be expensive. Easy projects and simple choices can be good for the environment and save you money too.

• Think reused. Reused items cost less and produce less waste than new items. Try shopping second-hand stores to find your reused goods; starting on August 25 we will be giving out 20 percent off coupons to ARC’s Value Village and Frog Box, a company that rents reusable plastic moving boxes  (limited supply – first come first serve).
• Drive alone less often. AAA estimates it costs roughly $8,800 per year to own and operate an average car in 2011 (and that’s with gas at $2.88 per gallon!). Save money on fuel and maintenance costs when you drive less often. Grab a carpool buddy, walk to places less than a mile away, ride the bus or train, and/or try biking. Resources for all these options are available in the transportation exhibit.
• Upgrade your fixtures and equipment. Heating accounts for the vast majority of energy use of Minnesotan families — so making sure your heating system is up to snuff can mean hundreds of dollars in savings every year. If your current furnace is more than 20 years old, it’s time to upgrade to a 95% efficient or higher unit. CenterPoint Energy will be at the Eco Experience to discuss options, rebates, and incentives to help you make this investment in your home.
• Do simple repairs. An audit will help you prioritize projects for your home. Where to air seal, insulate, and replace appliances will all be addressed. See a blower door and infrared camera like the ones that auditors use to “detect” leaks in your home. If you follow the audit’s recommendations, you’ll save hundreds each year!
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using honey and maple syrup at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Most air pollution comes from every-day activities; not factories or power plants. You and your neighbors can breathe better by learning about ways to reduce air pollution at the Eco Experience:

• Discover electric vehicles. Check out the new Chevy Volt — and extended range electric vehicle (EV) — and other EVs in the transportation area. Full EVs do not run on an internal combustion engine and emit no tailpipe exhaust. Increasing the portion of EVs on our roads will positively impact air quality — a benefit to our health and environment.
• Drive alone less often. Our vehicles are a major source of air pollution. Grab a carpool buddy, walk to places less than a mile away, use public transit, and/or try biking. Resources for all these options are available in the transportation exhibit.
• Landscape to reduce mowing. Small engines, like lawn mowers, emit more than their fair share of air pollution. In the Green Crossing area you can learn how to reduce your lawn area by installing native plants, rain gardens, or vegetable gardens. Experts will be on site to answer your gardening questions.
• Skip the wood fire. Burning wood in an old fireplace releases lots of smoke. In the Tech Tower in the Green Crossing area, you can see a natural gas insert for an old wood fireplace and learn about rebates for their conversion.
• Save energy. We still burn coal or natural gas to make most of the electricity in Minnesota, so saving energy is good for air quality too. Learn how to find air leaks in your home, where to get rebates for efficient appliances, and how to prepare for a renewable energy project at your house.
• Use renewable energy. Solar and wind installations also reduce pollution associated with traditional electricity production. You can see solar electricity (PV) panels in a traditional panel, a beautiful double-paned glass structure, and solar shingles. Come learn what would work best for you.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using bison at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulates sources of pollution draining directly into our lakes and rivers, but there are many indirect sources of water pollution, like runoff from lawns and driveways. Learn how you can keep Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and streams clear and healthy for swimming, fishing and other recreation. 

• Reduce runoff. Take a stroll through Green Crossing area and see ways to help rainwater soak into the ground instead of running into storm sewers. Permeable pavers allow rain to soak into the ground and beautiful rain gardens and native plants can prevent erosion while attracting birds and butterflies.
• Collect rain water. Water runs off all hard surfaces and into storm sewers, including roofs. Installing a green roof, using a rain barrel or water chain are all ways to reduce the runoff from your home. Experts from the Minnesota Green Roofs council will be on hand to talk about green roofs.
• Become a water monitor. Make a splash in the water area, sign-up to become a volunteer water monitor. Use a secchi disk – a key tool for measuring water quality in lakes.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using dairy products at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Minnesotans use an average of 9,600 kWh of electricity and 550 therms of natural gas to operate their homes. At current prices, this is about $1,600 per year and generates 28,000 lbs of CO2. The typical Minnesota homeowner could reduce energy use by up to 40 percent through a combination of conservation and efficiency measures.

• Energy audits. The best way to start saving energy is to know your present energy use and opportunities to reduce energy use. An advanced energy audit, available from your utility company or private energy auditor, can provide you a detailed report and solutions for your energy problems. Stop by the Common Cottage in the Green Crossing area to see how several audit tools (including a blower door and an infrared camera) can show areas where energy — and money, and CO2 — can be saved.
• Make the switch. Small actions things can make a big difference for energy savings, like turning off the lights when you leave a room or switching from traditional light bulbs to CFLs and/or LEDs.
• Power smart. Many electronics use power even when they are turned off. Smart power strips completely power down items when they are turned off.
• Upgrade appliances. Energy Star appliances use less energy. See examples of energy efficient appliances, furnaces and water heaters in the Green Crossing area.
• Get off the grid. Installing solar photovoltaic panels can provide energy to your home year round and reduce your electric bills. See examples of solar panels outside the Eco Experience and installed on the Tech Tower at Green Crossing.
• Seal up the house. Proper insulation is key to keeping heat in during cold months and out during warmer ones. Spray insulation and structurally insulated panels are two examples of R value insulation that will be on display. 
• Design for passive cooling. The Tech Tower and Common Cottage in Green Crossing are designed to take advantage of natural cooling. The tower draws warm air up and out the windows at the top, creating a breeze below and pulling in cool outside air. Solar shading devices were placed to provide shade in the summer months.
• Get a coupon for a visit from the Home Energy Squad. Schedule your appointment using your coupon before September 5 and the Home Energy Squad will arrive at your home for just $40 (an $80 retail value plus free labor) to assess your savings opportunities and immediately install energy-efficient materials. Residents who are a CenterPoint Energy natural gas customer AND Xcel Energy electric customer, or who are an Xcel Energy natural gas AND electric customer are eligible. Coupons available on Save Energy day only. 
• Get a coupon for an energy efficient appliance. Warners’ Stellian is offering coupons for $50 off any Energy Star or cooking product $500 and up. Coupons available on Save Energy day only.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using pastured products (beef, chicken, pork, lamb and eggs) at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Everyone, big and small, young and old, can do small and big things that help our environment. Come and join us for hands-on family activities in the building.

• Take a trip in the climate time machine. This interactive exhibit uses global tracking data from NASA to see our changing climate.
• It may not be winter, but you can see, touch and feel a replica of an ice core. Ice cores contain tons of information about past climate conditions and is a key tool for climate research.
• Visit the healthy local foods area to sample locally produced food and talk to local farmers about the food they grow. Local chefs will show you how they take that food and create amazing kid friendly dishes.
• Come to Green Crossing and learn how much energy our appliances and electronics use, even when they’re turned off.
• Stop by the Just for Kids area sponsored by Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education to trace your footprint and make a pledge to do something to reduce your impact on the environment and shrink your ecological footprint!
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using berries, a Minnesota super-food, at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

AAA estimates it costs roughly $8,800 per year to own and operate an average car in 2011 (and that’s with gas at $2.88 per gallon!). Save money on fuel and maintenance costs when you drive less often. Grab a carpool buddy, walk to places less than a mile away, ride the bus or train, and/or try biking. Resources for all these options are available in the transportation exhibit.

• Try transit. Come to the Transportation Area and learn how to plan your trip on Metro Transit. How about carpooling? Learn how to find a carpool in your area too.
• Discover electric vehicles. Check out the new Chevy Volt — and extended range electric vehicle (EV) — and other EVs in the transportation area. Full EVs do not run on an internal combustion engine and emit no tailpipe exhaust. We are showcasing a Photovoltaic trellis charging station for EVs. Learn how you can plug into solar and get off the grid completely.
• Begin biking. Minneapolis is consistently ranked one of the best cities for bike commuting. Get tips from experts and check out some gear than can make bike commuting easier.
• Sample healthy local food.  Cooking demos using grapes and wine at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.
  
  

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. What’s the next step? By reducing your waste you save valuable resources from being extracted, processed, transported, manufactured, used and disposed.

• Bring a reusable bottle. Show your green side at the Great Minnesota Get-Together; bring a reusable water bottle to the fair. There are several places you can refill your bottle throughout the day.
• Think reused. Reused items cost less and produce less waste than new items. Buying items at second hand stores is one way to reuse. You can also choose reusable items over disposables, like cloth napkins, silverware over plastic utensils and reusable shopping bags.
• Reduce your food waste. Composting is nature’s way of recycling, and holds necessary moisture and nutrients for your native garden. Did you know composting can be done indoors? See a live worm compost bin in the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle area.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using assorted greens at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

There are many jobs represented in the Eco Experience. You can come by the Jobs for the Future booth to learn about education and opportunities available in our state.

Green jobs are not just in the renewable energy field. The first green jobs were in the recycling industry! Did you know that 36,000 Minnesotans depend on your recycled material for their jobs? Minnesotans throw out more than 1.3 million tons of materials every year that could be used by manufacturers in the state.

Purchasing recycled materials is a great way to increase demand for recycled products and supporting green jobs. Look for recycled cast-iron sinks, recycled glass counter tops, recycled (and recyclable) carpet squares in Green Crossing or visit the Reduce, Reuse Recycle area to see the many products made in Minnesota.

Look for people wearing the “Ask me about my Green Job” button to learn more about the many jobs in our building.

Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using dried beans at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Your lawn impacts water quality in a big way. If you have a patch of land that you care for, be inspired by the following features of the 2011 Eco Experience: 

• Native plant garden designs:  Native plants are low-maintenance, provide habitat for wildlife, and need less watering. Several designs will be on display, with plant lists and designs available for you to use.
• Rain capture: There are many ways to encourage rainwater to soak into the ground-including rain barrels, rain gardens, and permable pavers. At the Eco Experience you can get a coupon for a rain barrel, ask experts what to plant in your rain garden, and see permeable paver options.
• Composting: Gardens grow best with healthy soil, which you can produce in your own backyard while reducing your household garbage. Backyard composting bin designs will be available, as well as information about worm composting for apartment and condo dwellers.
• Backyard chickens: A few backyard hens can be a fun hobby. Keeping chickens will teach you about food production and give you a great source of compost for your garden. See live chickens in a backyard coop at this year’s Eco Experience.
• Green roofs: A green roof absorbs rain water and adds urban green space to our cities. See an example of a green roof and learn how they are put together.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using grains and wild rice at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Reducing your water use can save money on your water bill and help conserve water for future generations.  Using less water in your home means less will end up going into wastewater treatment plants and preserve already clean water.

• Detect water leaks in your home. Test your skills at reading a water-meter and learn how much you use in a day and how to check for leaks or other ways to reduce water consumption.
• Switch to low-flow fixtures. Duel flush toilets save water. Sink aerators save water and water heating costs. Get these and other great water conservation ideas from Green Crossing.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using sweet potatoes and root vegetables at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples - don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

Food choices can be complex, but cooking and eating can also be fun and adventuresome. At the Eco Experience you can green your kitchen in many ways:

• Local food: Meet farmers, join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to receive weekly boxes of food directly from a local farm, and learn how to use all those funky veggies available at your local farmers’ market during demos on the cooking stage.
• Kitchen remodeling: While making do is always the greenest option, sometimes that old countertop or gaudy light fixture has got to go. See a wide range of options for recycled-content and rapidly-renewable products for cabinets, fixtures, flooring and counter tops.
• Composting:  A green chef never lets kitchen scrapes head out with the trash. Learn to start and use a compost bin at as a part of your kitchen routine
• Efficient appliances: If you still have a fridge from the 1980s, replace it with an ENERGY STAR qualified model and save over $100 each year on your utility bills. In the Green Crossing exhibit you can see energy efficient a refrigerator, dishwasher, range, washer/dryer and natural gas grill.
• Sample healthy local food.  Cooking demos using squash and pumpkins at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.

From the high-tech to the simple, gadgets can often help us be green. At Green Crossings there is a Tech Tower filled with items for gadget-lovers that are also eco-friendly. 

• E-Gauge energy monitoring system: How much energy do you use? How much do you produce with your solar panels? The E-Gauge system lets home owners see their whole house energy use at the same time as their solar production, all on a colorful line graph.
• Smart power strips: Avoiding standby power just got easier! With a smart power strip, when you turn off your computer your printer, fax, and scanner are cut off from stand-by power too.
• NexTrip mobile app: Each of the nearly 15,000 bus stops in the Twin Cities has a unique stop number. Now, customers with smart phones can enter the stop number into NexTrip and see predicted departures for all bus routes serving a particular stop.
• Sample healthy local food. Cooking demos using apples at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2:00, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.  Demos include samples — don't miss the best fare at the Fair.