I don’t even know where to begin with the Green Festival so instead here is my Pros and Cons of the hours I spent at the Seattle Convention Center this weekend.

Pros:
-Compared to the Ballard Sustainable Fair and the Tilth Fair in Wallingford, the people at the Green Festival were full of knowledge about their products. Even the stocks lady knew her shit. I was impressed that people gave me quick answers and provided me with information I hadn’t known before.

-There was so much to see! I’m actually also putting this in the Cons area because being a bit claustrophobic it became unbearable at times, but it was also nice to know that so many people are “Going Green” these days. From cars to funerals, these green peeps have got you covered.

-Samples galore! I must’ve missed out on the free bag I saw every single person tote around, but no matter. I got my fill on tea, veggie burgers, fair trade chocolate and whatever else was supposedly good for everyone.

Cons:
-Sooooooo crowded. From the second I got inside and collected my pass (which took about 10 very long minutes) to finding my way out of the sample lines, it was all just way too much. I think they could’ve spread out the sample areas and that could’ve alleviated some problems, but really not by much. The one thing I do enjoy with the outdoor, smaller green fests is that it’s just that. Smaller. No $10 to get in. No passive agressively going around people. In fact, sometimes no people at all (if you go early/late). I was so exhausted from my 2 hours there that I immediately went home and took a shower/xanax/nap.

-The one booth I was hoping to find either wasn’t there or I passed altogether. You see, once my student loans are paid off (IN TWO MORE YEARS!) I’m going to take a sebatacle and work on a farm for a few months/years/whatever. You’d think at a GREEN festival there would be at least one booth about this. I did find lots of Green travelling and trekking and home goods and jewelry, but sadly nothing on my big dream of farming. Weird, right?

-How are Clif bars “green”? This just pissed me off.

-For being a Green festival I felt like a lot was being wasted. Ok, I kinda take that back. Sure, there was the compost/recycle/landfill areas (where the teenagers manning the booths had no idea what was allowed in any of those categories) but everywhere I looked someone was taking a pamphlet for something they were never going to read. I get that these companies want to make more business, but maybe there could’ve been a better way to find out about them once they got home. Kiosks could’ve been placed where we provide an email and they send us information electronically? I don’t know what the solution for that is, but I just wanted this fest to be more Green and not just ooh, samples!

-Speakers. I didn’t even bother. I couldn’t hear anything over the floating crowds around me. I noticed a long line at one point that seemed to be in a total separate area from the booths, but by then I was so exhausted I just didn’t have it in me.

-Where was the composting? Did I miss this too? I think it was swallowed up by the solar paneling aisle for the house I’ll never be able to afford.

And there you have it. While I liked and disliked the Green Festival I think my final verdict is that this weekend will be my last. No hard feelings. I just didn’t care for the crowds and excess. If I need a Green recap I’ll just go to the smaller festivals and hope they have smarter people at their booths.