Melbourne’s winter hotted up this year with the hosting in June of the first “Going Green Expo” in Australia.
Designed to give people some insight into the term “going green” and how to make simple changes in everyday life, the expo had displays and information from over 200 exhibitors, including a car that runs on air and is so light you can push it with a finger, and a washball that washes clothes without soap.
“This is one of the first truly green environmentally responsible shows of its type held in Australia,” said organiser of the event Anthony Doran. “The show gives people an overview of what they can do to help reduce the environmental impacts and footprint both at a level for consumers and also a business.”
Mr Doran said 88 per cent of all Australians believe the environment is our single largest issue. “ What we are trying to do with the show is getting that consciousness into action by showing people great products and ideas that they can actually introduce to help us with environmental impacts.”
Information available at the Expo covered a variety of innovative ways to be “green clean”, including advice on how to convert an existing home or factory into a sustainable positive cycle, plus ways to preserve our oceans via the Clean Ocean Foundation, which promotes recycling wastewater.
While the electric motor bike, the Green Painters Association’s non-toxic paints and responsible paper production all drew their share of attention, the air car was particularly popular.
Angelo Di Pietro, Managing Director of “Engineair”, explained to The Epoch Times that the air engine technology reduces the weight of the car by eliminating such things as the clutch, the gear box, the heavy engine, the radiator, the water pump and the oil pump.
“By the time you take all these things out of the car,” he said, “the chassis of the car can be manufactured much lighter; therefore, you now need a lot less energy to go to places.”
“This car, with one person inside, I can push with one finger,” he said, demonstrating just that for The Epoch Times.
“It is the engine which allows us to design differently.”
On the more domestic level, the no detergent Biowashball was also a big hit.
Consultant Marietjie Lacomme said the washball, which has been in use in Europe for several years, not only saves the cost of detergent, but also saves water as no rinsing is needed.
“It consists of ceramics which release negative ions. Negative ions are very good for the human being and also for the earth,” she explained. “It is a natural anti-oxidant and also works against anti-ageing.”
Sustainable projects in other countries were also displayed at the Expo. One of these, the XS Project Foundation, which is based in Jakarta, reuses non-biodegradable plastic while offering sustainable employment to the locals.
Cassandra Schultz, who is the Australian agent, says that the foundation works with trash-picking communities by purchasing non-biodegradable plastic waste, cleaning it and then using it to make handcrafted useful products.
“They employ people, so this is the sort of packaging,” she said as she held up a tough-looking empty plastic carton, “and this stuff ends up in landfill and can be a real problem. So by making all these useful products,” she said pointing to some strong attractive-looking carry bags, “we divert them from landfill, but we also create sustainable employment for people in poverty.
“So they serve a couple of purposes and they’re gorgeous,” she said.
Mr Doran said that he feels that Australians are now interested in being “green”, whereas before they had not been ready to make changes. For that reason, he said, the Expo will be held annually in Melbourne and will also spread to other capital cities.
For information on the “Going Green’” Expo, visit www.goinggreenexpo.com.au
