Washington, D.C. (October 2009) - Green Festival, the nation's largest green living event will make its sixth trip to America's capital on October 10 & 11, 2009 at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. This year, Green Festival will highlight sustainability issues that have recently been in headlines and town halls across the nation -- from climate solutions and green jobs to local food and fostering strong local communities.

Green Festival celebrates what's working in our communities for people, businesses and the environment. A joint project of Global Exchange and Green America, two leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to environmental and social justice for more than twenty-five years, Green Festival is a forum to explore and build sustainable solutions for communities and the environment. The Washington, D.C. Green Festival will host 125 visionary speakers, 350 local and national green businesses, and dozens of community and nonprofit groups.

All exhibitors must meet strict standards set by Green America, guaranteeing the highest level of social and environmental responsibility in the companies represented at the Green Festival. No green washing here!

The two days include a new Youth in Action Pavilion, an exclusive area for the next generation of activists to get their feet wet. Green Festival attendees will explore the latest in clean technology, green building, socially responsible investing, eco-fashion, renewable energy, green careers/green collar jobs, natural foods, groundbreaking films, eco-tourism and more. They'll get to sample delicious local, organic food along with Fair Trade coffee and chocolate, and enjoy the organic beer and wine garden.

The wide selection of workshops, speakers and panelists will cover topics both local and international in scope, ranging from "Brother West: Living Out Loud" a keynote speech by Dr. Cornel West to a presentation by actor/activist Ed Begley, Jr. titled "Live Simply so Others can Simply Live." Returning to Washington by popular demand is the revolutionary journalist Amy Goodman to discuss "Standing up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times."

"For the past five years we have expanded Green Festival to bring people the latest strategies and solutions for incorporating sustainability into their lives and business," says Green America's Executive Director, Alisa Gravitz. "Green Festival has it all -- from our all local, organic food court to activities for kids and teens. From serious presentations by today's social and environmental thought leaders and hands on workshops to our organic beer garden organic beer and wine garden -- there's something for everyone!"

Praised by USA Today as a role model for "how it should be done," Green Festival is known for unmatched commitment to reducing environmental impact by walking its green talk and reusing, recycling or composting 95 percent or more of its waste.

Green Festivals take place in San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Denver and saw over 170,000 guests in combined attendance in 2008. The next festival will take place in San Francisco for its eighth year on November 13, 14 & 15, 2009.

Washington, D.C. Green Festival Highlights

• Nationally renowned speakers such as Dr. Cornel West, Princeton Professor and Author of Hope on a Tightrope, Ed Begley, Jr., actor/activist and spokesperson for GreenSwitch, Lester Brown, MacArthur Fellow and founder and president of Earth Policy Institute, Naomi Davis, attorney, entrepreneur, activist who founded BIG: Blacks in Green, Jacqueline DeCarlo of Fair Trade the White House, Amy Goodman, award-winning journalist and host of Democracy Now!
• Fair Trade Pavilion
• Green Careers and Education Area
• Organic Valley Green Kids' Zone
• Youth in Action Pavilion
• Hemp Pavilion
• Socially Responsible Investing
• The Fair Trade Café
• Organic Beer & Wine Garden
• Eco-tourism and Eco-fashion
• Green Film Festival
• Community Action Center
• Green Home Pavilion featuring hands-on workshops
• Bike Valet
• Live Music
• Yoga and Movement Room

Event Details:
Washington, D.C. Convention Center,
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20001
October 10 & 11, 2009
Saturday 10AM - 7PM
Sunday 11AM - 6PM
$29 weekend pass for 2 people plus free Green Festival T-Shirt and 1 year membership to Global Exchange
$15 per person- all-access for one or both days.
$10 per person ($5 off admission) for students with ID, seniors over 62, bike riders with a ticket from the Green Festival Bike Valet, bus riders with transfer ticket/bus pass
FREE: Children 18 and under, Green America or Global Exchange members

For more information and to download the program guide, please visit: www.greenfestivals.org

Green Festival Partners: Organic Valley, Simple Shoes, 94.7 The Globe, Pangea Organics, MOM's, WUSA

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About Green America: Green America (www.greenamericatoday.org) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1982, providing the economic strategies, organizing power and practicing tools for businesses and individuals to address today's social and environmental problems. Its Green Business Network is the largest national network of businesses screened for their social and environmental responsibility.

About Global Exchange: Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org) is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. Since its founding in 1988, Global Exchange has successfully increased public awareness of root causes of injustice while building international partnerships and mobilizing for change.