AMY GRIFFIN
Eco Expo returns to the Brisbane Showgrounds this weekend with the aim of encouraging people to make small eco-friendly changes to their lifestyle.
The three-day event, which runs from September 13 to 15, is bringing a host of environmentally conscious products and services to the showgrounds, as well as eco ambassadors to share their expertise and guide locals through the small steps they can make to create big, sustainable change.
Event founder Kiara Sullivan said in a statement that the Eco Expo was created with the goal of connecting consumers with innovative products to help them transition to a sustainable lifestyle that would benefit Australia as a whole.
The theme of the event is “one eco step”, which aims to show people that caring for the planet is as easy as taking one step at a time, rather than needing to take drastic measures.
The event will also boast a number of celebrity speakers and environmentalists, who will share their insight, their work and the eco message.
Headlining the list is the Environmental Cowboy, Khory Hancock.
Mr Hancock is an Australian environmental scientist who is passionate about changing the world’s future and believes that humanity is the solution.
He created the Environmental Cowboy as a means to portray his message to a younger generation through social media and a unique persona.
“The Environmental Cowboy was born in the outback when I was working by myself going from cattle station to cattle station helping farmers grow carbon, that is referred to as carbon farming, that aims to regenerate forests and soils,” Mr Hancock said.
“I wanted to communicate those messages to the public as I believed this work and industry was a major solution to the environmental, social and economic challenges Australia faces, so I bought a video camera and started filming myself,” he said.
Mr Hancock said he hoped people would be inspired by his presentation and would leave with a real strategy of how to enact environmental change.
“My presentation will show people what is possible right now if we choose as a nation to reverse climate change,” he said.
“The Great Barrier Reef can be saved, as can land that is being devastated by drought.”
“There are management strategies and technologies that are out there working right now.”
Mr Hancock said he hoped to see the government work toward a strong climate change policy and implement a price on carbon, and said the industry would do the rest to regulate itself.
Eco expo will also showcase more than 150 exhibitors from around Australia, each with their own unique products, services and perspectives on being environmentally friendly.
Among the exhibitors is Brisbane local, Lynn Johnstone, who wrote Nourished Vegan – A Teenager’s Guide, after her 14-year-old daughter decided to go vegan.
Ms Johnstone said the book was one she needed a year ago when her daughter made the change, and she said she hoped it would help other parents understand the health and environmental benefits of veganism.
“I’m really proud of the kids these days for standing up and doing something that is probably a bit uncomfortable, and wanting to do their bit for the animals and for the planet,” she said.
Ms Johnstone said she wanted patrons of the expo to walk away knowing that they could be the source of change, no matter what their age.
Another Eco Expo exhibitor will be online business Eco Sisters.
Gold Coast sisters Kristy Frost and Alyssa Karazajmi started Eco Sisters to offer a unique range of eco-friendly gifts and self-care products that were free of all the chemicals and additives found in commercial products.
“My sister and I were brought up in a family that was a lot more chemical free and eco-friendly, and I guess we wanted to create something along those lines,” Ms Karazajmi said.
“There is always a simple way to look after yourself and the planet at the same time,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Brisbane City Council said in a statement that Brisbane was Australia’s most biodiverse and sustainable city.
“It is also Australia’s fasted growing region, meaning we need to continually be smarter about how we manage finite resources, our space and waste, as well as looking to sustainable systems,” the spokesperson said.
The Eco Expo runs from September 13 to 15 from 10am to 4pm.
Attendees can buy one-day or three-day passes and are encouraged not to print out their tickets but to simply present the barcode on their smart devise for entry.
For more information about the expo or to buy tickets, visit the event website.