EarthFest, San Diego’s vibrant Earth Day event, took place this year on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in the heart of Balboa Park. As I arrived, just under an hour into the start of the event, I was immediately enveloped in a sense of community. It seemed as though everyone had gathered, united by a shared passion for sustainability. The air was filled with music, the voices of inspiring speakers, and the peaceful hum of meditation. And, of course, there were countless booths, each one a hub of activity, selling items, educating, and offering a variety of delicious vegan foods.  

I looked at every booth, ate some plant-based avocado toast with “egg” and “bacon,” bought some eco-friendly products (a toothbrush, soap bars, and hair ties), and enjoyed a sound bath. Overall, it was a great day!

But what did I learn, and is there room for improvement at future events?

Takeaways

Even though I enjoyed the shopping, this day was about the earth. Here are a few of my main takeaways.

Learnings:

• Folks are trying to save some of Utah’s wilderness areas, which would help southern California’s freshwater, which streams down to us via the Colorado River.

• Hemp is not a drug. It is a cannabis sativa plant but a different varietal from marijuana. Hemp has slightly larger leaves and can grow taller. It requires much less water than cotton to grow and can also continue growing and being harvested in the same location for twenty years. Products, like hats and clothing, are produced using the stalk of the hemp plant. As a result of their production and longevity, hemp products are super sustainable.

• Plastic waste makes up 80% of all ocean trash.

• Bacon can be made with coconut and seasonings.

• Sound baths interact within the deep cores of your body.

• There are a ton of root vegetables and I will never be able to name them all.

Room for Improvement

Even at this Earth Day event, vendors were handing out plastic utensils and cups. That, and the lack of easily accessible education throughout the day, are improvements I hope the organizers recognize for future events. 

Here is my suggestion: Require every participating booth to have a sign showing how it relates to Earth Day and what it does that is sustainable. If these signs are written in plain English and succinct, even those who are not there to learn could end up going home learning a thing or two about sustainability.

Hope to see you all next year!

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