A DJ spinning on solar-powered turntables. A fashion show flaunting board shorts made of recycled bottles. A bicycle valet corral.
If Earth Day is a day of celebrating the earth, then the upcoming s.a.g.e expo is a weekend of “celebrating the business of being green.”
“You can go out and find businesses that’ll help you lead a fitter, healthier—both mental and physical—and greener lifestyle,” said Mark Lipps, who conceived the event with project partner Angela Silverman. “So what if all that information was under one roof?”
On April 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the National Guard Armory in Manhattan Beach will serve as that roof, where the first ever s.a.g.e (Sustainable and Green Environments) expo will bring together local businesses, nonprofits, artists and residents to share, sell and imbibe in all things green and sustainable.
“It’s going to be very eclectic, very fun and very festive,” Lipps said. “It’s going to be a good time.”
Last summer, Lipps and Silverman had both finished their Leadership Manhattan Beach project of building a sustainable garden at the post office, but they weren’t nearly finished serving the community. After a series of brainstorming, they decided to create an event that highlighted “local businesses, nonprofits and causes in the South Bay that are sustainable and promote green lifestyle,” Lipps said.
That following November, the pair floated the idea with a group of community and local business leaders, including former Manhattan Beach mayor Portia Cohen, local restaurateur Mike Simms and the Chamber’s James O’Callaghan. That group was instrumental in pushing the event off the ground.
“They all came onboard and bought a booth,” said Silverman, who founded Manhattan Beach-based Foundation of Local Arts and was campaign manager for Cohen and current mayor David Lesser. “They became, if you will, the chartered launch group.”
Since that November meeting, word of the s.a.g.e expo has spread fast throughout the South Bay. South Bay Ford and Farmer’s Insurance are among the some hundred businesses and nonprofits that have signed on to showcase green architecture, design, landscaping, real estate, financing, construction, technology, vehicles, conservation, fitness, nutrition and wellness.
“It started to spread out and evolved into something bigger,” Lipps said.
So has their application of “sustainability,” which they noted not only pertains to the environment but also to the community and lifestyle.
“Sustainability is not just about having a beautiful green garden or green home,” Silverman said. “You have to be able to live there functionally. So we take the broad definition and say, shop local to sustain the community, and sustain the body, soul, mind and earth.”
The free-to-the-public, two-day expo includes a speakers’ series, featuring among others author Heidi Butzine on shopping local, sustainable developer Daniel Salzman on building green and Bella Builders’ Vinny Fazzino on how to choose a contractor. Workshops span topics from green gardening to green marketing.
Education aside, the pair noted, it’s all about interactive, family-friendly festivities: A section of the expo will be dedicated to food and tastings, featuring “everything from organic, gluten-free, sugar free” products to food trucks; art instructors will lead kids through art projects using recycled materials; and the Beach Cities Cycling Club has marked the Armory as its finish line as they trek Sunday afternoon to Downtown LA’s CicLAvia and back.
In addition, Yellow Cabs will be providing carpool for local seniors.
“We’d prefer that you walk, skate, bike, run or crawl to our event, or bring an electric vehicle or hybrid,” Lipps said. “You can do it in big ways or small ways to help … this [expo] is the first step, and hopefully down the line, it’ll get bigger and bigger.”
Lipps noted that booths for vendors and exhibitors are still available. Visit sageexpo.net for more information.
