2009 Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo

The Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo

With my busy schedule in the past few weeks, I wasn’t able to make a full day of this event with the family.  It was held again this year at Illinois Wesleyan on April 17th and 18th.  In fact, I had just an hour to blitz through the show.  I am starting to run into people I know working at these events as our paths are beginning to cross with our common interests.  It is nice to see familiar, friendly faces.  There were a lot of exhibitors that I had seen last year and several new ones, so it was easier for me to make a quick run through the exhibits.

The exhibit that caught my attention the most was the Central Illinois Buy Fresh Buy Local table that is sponsored by the Illinois Stewardship Allliance.  They focus on “connecting you with fresh, locally grown food.”  They have a BFBL directory to find locally produced food, BFBL member restaurants, and event labels in grocery stores.  Sounds like a fantastic idea to me!  I loved shopping at the farmers market’s last year.  I find the food to be fresher, tastier, and more nutritious.  I am taking the following text directly from one of their brochures:

Why Buy Local?

Taste – Fresh from the field to your plate, local foods are bursting with flavor and a taste that can’t be beat.

Freshness – Local foods are harvested at their peak ripeness and are available right after harvest, not after a long haul.

Economy – Buying local supports family farmers and keeps money in the local community.

Buy Fresh Buy Local

I would add one more section:

Ecological Footprint – In the United States, food travels an average of 1500 miles to get to your plate.  Buying local reduces the carbon footprint of your food and helps in the fight against global warming and climate change.

For next year:  I would like to be able to plan a day of the event in order to attend some of the workshops they offer each year.  Some of the events that would have been interesting to me had topics covering organic and sustainable gardening, rain gardens, energy efficiency in the home, and affluenza.

The event was sponsored by the Ecology Action Center of McLean County and the Illinois Wesleyan Wellness program.

Participating Exhibitors:

• Adam Hoeper Licensed Massage Therapist
• Advanced Energy Solutions
• AdvoCare
• AHHH Hypnotherapy
• Alexander Technique
• AlignLife of Bloomington
• Aqua Ranch
• Arthritis Foundation
• Bliss
• Bloomington Parks and Recreation
• Brenda Bernt, Licensed Master Esthetician
• BroMenn
• Brown Chiropractic Center
• Center for Sustainable Community
• Citizenre Bringing Solar Power to Your Home
• Citizens Utility Board
• Common Ground Grocery
• Communication Sciences and Disorders Dept. Illinois State University
• Community Cancer Center
• Cortese Foot & Ankle Clinic / Sole Savers Shoe Store
• Crossroads Global Handcrafts
• Don Smith Paint
• Donate Life Illinois
• Eco-Lawn Organics
• Ecology Action Center
• Eden Energy Medicine
• Energistics
• Environmental Education Association of Illinois
• Environmental Maintenance Systems
• Friends of Kickapoo Creek
• Frog Cottage Jewelry
• Healing Arts Network Association
• Heartland Local Food Network & Buy Fresh Buy Local
• Heartland Community College
• Illinois Environmental Council
• Illinois Stewardship Alliance
• ISU Horticulture Center
• IWU School of Nursing Eating In – Healthy Options
• IWU – This is Public Health
• Juice Plus+
• Laser Resolutions & Ascent Counseling & Coaching Services
• Little Miss Save the Earth
• Luther Oaks
• Mended Hearts/Am Heart
• Natural Health Solutions
• Natural Pathways Reiki Center
• Northern Sun Merchandising
• Nudura
• OBGYN Care Associates
• Old House Society
• OSF St. Joseph Medical Center – Center for Healthy Lifestyles
• Paw to Paw
• PinStripes and PolkaDots LLC
• Progressive Asset Management
• Recycled Office Furniture
• Robert Hermann DC
• Ropp Jersey Cheese
• Shaklee
• Sneeze, Wheeze and Itch Associates
• Successful Aging Center
• Sugar Grove Nature Center
• Sustainable Community Development
• Sweet ‘N Clean Goat Milk Soap
• The Green Gourmutt
• Tobacco Prevention / Cessation
• Tri-Sharks
• Upper Limits
• Young Living Essential OIls
• YWCA McLean County