More than 1,500 visitors and 75 exhibitors attended Lake County’s first-ever Green Fair on Nov. 1 at Wooton Park in Tavares.
“The Green Fair’s attendance was remarkable,” said Amye King, Director of the Lake County Department of Growth Management and organizer of the event, along with other County employees from the Lake County Green Team. “I think the community as a whole was eager and wanted to learn more about how they can be environmentally friendly. What the Green Fair accomplished was it gave local businesses, organizations and governmental entities the opportunity to share some of these sustainable-living ideas with the community in a fun, fair-like atmosphere.”
In addition to environmental information shared at the event, the Green Fair provided an opportunity for the community to properly and safely dispose of household hazardous chemicals, recyclables and old thermometers and thermostats containing mercury. According to Covanta Lake, more than two pounds of mercury was safely disposed of at the event.
While the available information and disposal services attracted adults to the event, other activities and exhibitors helped make the Green Fair a family fun activity. Several popular displays included the Land of Green Ginger Alpacas and the adopt-a-pet booth. The Lake County Department of Public Safety, Animal Services Division, reported 15 out of the 16 dogs brought to the Green Fair were adopted. In addition, a free Green Team T-shirt, face painter, bounce house and scavenger hunt helped make children feel welcome at the Green Fair. Other fun activities at the Green Fair included a dragon boat mini-regatta, kayaking and trying out a Segway.
Tavares Mayor Nancy Clutts welcomes the Green Fair exhibitors. The City of Tavares helped sponsor the Lake County event with permission to use Wooton Park.
The Lake County Green Team thanks the sponsors of the 2008 Lake County Green Fair: SECO Energy, BRS Legal, The Central Florida Chapter of FPZA, Ocala Recycling, General Works Roofing, Progress Energy, PBS&J, Lake Jem Farms, Cherry Lake Tree Farm, Lake County Health Department, Transit Plus, Waste Management, Covanta, O’Keefe’s Restaurant, Lake County Soil & Water Conservation, LPG Planning and City of Tavares.
The first-ever Lake County Green Fair was such a success the Lake County Green Team is already preparing for a repeat event next year on Saturday, Oct. 31. For more information or to sign up to become a 2009 Green Fair sponsor, call the Lake County Department of Growth Management at (352) 343-9647.
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