The Blue Ridge Eco Fair was founded on three years of the Floyd Energy Fest. The project evolved in 2021 to include more aspects of sustainable living. The event became a way of sharing our stories, information and inspiration with a wider audience. We believe it is vitally important to continue to draw attention to the overarching threats of climate change and environmental degradation, and to share information about lifestyles and activities that are within our reach.
2021 Blue Ridge Virtual Eco Fair
The theme for our 2021 Blue Ridge Eco Fair was “Making Choices that Matter.” The virtual event featured speakers, panel discussions, skill shares and a host of personal stories from people trying to live an authentic and meaningful life in this time of great uncertainty. Our keynote speaker was Zach Bush MD, a renowned, multi-disciplinary physician of internal medicine, endocrinology, hospice care and internationally recognized educator on the microbiome as it relates to human health, soil health, food systems, and a regenerative future.
The event featured many diverse presentations and panel discussions, such as:
- The Interconnected World with Zach Bush MD
- Tiny Homes: Lessons from Living Small with Hari Berzins
- Alternative Transportation with RIDE Solutions
- Teenagers Take On Environmental Education with The Green Cause
- Why Avoid GMOs? A video from Jeffrey Smith at Institute for Responsible Technology
- A Passion for Eco-Justice with Delia Heck of the Climate Reality Project and Rev. Melanie Mullen, Episcopal Church director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care
- Making a Difference in Your Workplace: a panel discussion with Woody Crenshaw
- Zero Waste in a Single Use World with Carol Davis, Town of Blacksburg
- Film Maker on the Frontlines with Katie Teague, Film Maker and Andy Morikawa, Senior Fellow at Virginia Tech IPG
- Feeding Yourself From Your Garden with Barbara Pleasant
- Blue Ridge Green Burial with Kristy Ratcliffe
- Student from The Green Cause
It also featured Expo Booths on a wide range of topics, including:
SIMPLE LIVING
- Tiny House Family with (Hari Berzins, Tiny House Family Blogger)
- Downsizing and the Environment (Maria Saxton, PhD)
- Simplification for a Tiny Dweller (Melanie Copeland)
- Purposeful Simplicity (Carmen Shenk)
FOOD & FARM
- 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs (Jeffrey Smith, Institute for Responsible Technology)
- Feeding Yourself from Your Garden (Barbara Pleasant, Author)
- Voices from an Organic Farm (Riverstone Organic Farm)
- Supporting Local Agriculture (Seven Springs Farm Supplies)
- The Healing Power of Herbs (Ed & Maya Skopal, I-Tal Acres) (Available to chat live at 4:00pm)
- Composting with Mark Hammas
- Solar Fish: Beginning Aquaponics (Jeff & Alison Wroblewski) (Available to chat live at 5:00pm)
- No More Food Waste with Plenty! Farm
- Falling in Love with Honeybees (Alex Tuchman, Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary)
- Seven Springs, Supporting Farmers (Seven Springs Farm & Supplies)
TRANSPORT & ENERGY
- Solar Energy Primer (Rick Brown, Solshine)
- DIY Solar Power (Mark Laity Snyder, REEVA & Generation 180)
- Myths about Electric Vehicles (Mark Laity Snyder, REEVA & Generation 180)
- Distributed Wind (JMU Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy)
EARTH CARE
- Forests: Repairing the Past, Defending the Future (Chris Bolgiano, Author) (Available to chat live at 3:30 pm)
- Our Forests, Our Future with Fred First, Author and Educator
- Conservation Landscaping in SWVA (NRV Regional Commission)
- What’s in Your Drinking Glass (Floyd County Extension Service)
- The Gardener and the Climate (Jane Cundiff, Educator)
- Meet Sherrie Tippee with (The Beaver Believers, Sarah Koenigsberg)
- Dodds Creek Trail (Partnership for Floyd)
- The Virginia Big Trees Program (Eric Wiseman)
- Dying for the Earth (Blue Ridge Green Burial)
STORIES
- Finding Your Passion (Janaka Casper CEO, Community Housing Partners)
- The Healing Power of the Natural World (Peter Lewis, Founder, Apple Ridge)
- Using your Voice to Make Change (Citizens Climate Lobby) (Available to chat live at 4:30 pm)
- Voices from Floyd (Compilation)
- Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare (Sara Wohlford, Carilion)
- Running an Earth Friendly Business (Haden Polseno Hensley, Red Rooster)
- Citizens’ Cooperative Telephone-A Community Venture (Citizens’ Telephone)
- Filmmaker on the Frontlines (Katie Teague, Documentary Filmmaker)
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
- Kids in Parks (Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation)
- Walkin’ in the Woods (Kari Kovick,Heart of the Child Music)
- Tree Planting with More Trees Please! (Tara Daystar, More Trees Please!)
- Environmental Education Presentations from (The Green Cause)
- Teenagers Views on Climate Change (SustainFloyd)
- Nature Scavenger Hunt (Partnership for Floyd)
MUSIC
- From the Floyd Country Store (Country Store staff and musicians)
- Heart of the Child Music an interview with(Kari Kovick,Heart of the Child Music)
- Blues for the Lil’Guy (Mr. Billy)
- An Acoustic Performance of New Music (Rising Appalachia)
- The Floyd Mountain Kids (with Mac Traynham)
- Quarantined (The Garage Band)
- Lay You Baby Down (Jeff Liverman)
- Thank You (Leah Song of Rising Appalachia)
- Resilience (Leah Song and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia)
We would like to thank our sponsors for the 2021 event:
Community Foundation of the NRV, Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Floyd Fest, Floyd Eco Village, Riverstone Organic Farm, Seven Springs Farm Supplies, Plenty!, Farmers Footprint, RIDE, Red Rooster Coffee, Floyd Yoga Jam, Association of Alternative Energy Professionals, Solarize Floyd, Institute for Responsible Technology, Texas State University, Cocoa Mia Chocolate, Climate Reality Project.