Billed as the largest green consumer show in North America, the Green Living Show took over the Direct Energy Centre Friday through Sunday. Now in its sixth year, the show continues to grow, attracting new visitors at each run. “[Green is] no longer fringe. It's very much mainstream and people are excited to see what’s new and innovative,” said Robert Orlovski, director of events at Green Living Enterprises, the company that produces the expo.
Although official attendance figures are currently not available, organizers estimate that attendance got a 15 to 20 percent boost this year. “We saw 20,000 [guests] in 2009, 25,000 in 2010, and 30,000 in 2011, so judging by the past few years we’re getting ready for 35,000,” said Orlovski in advance of the three-day show.
A number of elements have contributed to the show's rapid expansion, from loyal media partners to a dedicated team, but a key factor has been the Samsung e-waste program. “We’ve been working with Samsung for a number of years," Orlovski said. "Two years ago, we sat down with their team and said, ‘Tell us a little bit more about what you want to achieve.’" Working with Samsung’s goal of becoming the greenest electronics company in the world, organizers devised an initiative that allowed guests to exchange hazardous electronic materials for a free ticket to the show.
To expand on the three-year-old program, this year Green Living, Samsung, and Sears Canada hosted a weekend e-waste "blitz” in five locations in Southern Ontario before the show. Not only did the promotion dispose of the waste, it provided more publicity for the event and made it more accessible to potential visitors. “It meets everybody’s objectives. It’s just such a win, win, win, everywhere,” Orlovski said.
In addition to collecting discarded electronics, show organizers employ a number of sustainability measures. “We recognize that there’s certain environmental issues around having a show. [Having] 35,000 people in one place at one time is not a particularly sustainable thing to do, but we do everything we possibly can to offset it,” Orlovski said. Items like signage, badges, and lanyards are reused year to year and made from biodegradable material. The show also worked with Centerplate to serve local, sustainable food and companies like Bullfrog and Carbonzero to offset the show’s energy usage and carbon emissions. “The cost of these things are necessary, as far as we’re concerned, and not really an option,” Orlovski said.
Highlights from the 2012 iteration of the Green Living Show included the EcoKids Zone, with activities and presentations for children, the Green Inventions and Innovations Ontario exhibit, and the interactive Canada’s Oceans and You display. Toronto Mayor David Miller, author Adria Vasil, and TV personality Richard Cazeau were among this year’s speakers.
