Formerly State-Coordinated Event Put Back on Calendar by Local Nonprofit PartnershipSPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
For more than 100,000 Minnesotans over the last eight years, the Living Green Expo—previously hosted and coordinated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)—has become an annual spring tradition and the place to learn about the latest in healthy and sustainable living. Unbeknownst to many, the annual event was canceled in November due to state budget cuts.
A few weeks later, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP), the statewide nonprofit coalition of more than 80 conservation and environmental organizations, volunteered to take over leadership of this important event. The Expo is valuable in providing Minnesotans with vast options for living healthier and protecting state resources—goals of MEP.
“We are proud our organization stepped up to save the Living Green Expo,” says Steve Morse, executive director of MEP. “We are committed to protecting and defending our state’s great outdoors legacy, including making sure Minnesotans have access to the latest in safer, smarter and cost-cutting green options.”
MEP has been a sponsor of the Living Green Expo since its 2002 inception. At that time, approximately 25 groups joined the MPCA to form a coalition to look at ways to educate residents about greener living options. The Living Green Expo was born of this coalition. Over the past eight years, the Expo has grown dramatically, from around 5,000 attendees the first year to more than 25,000 in 2009.
“MEP is doing the right thing by making sure Minnesotans can continue to enjoy the benefits of the Living Green Expo,” says Kate Rime, director of the Blue Sky Guide, an original member of the Living Green Expo coalition. “We all need to continue working together to ensure a cleaner and safer Minnesota.”
“We are grateful MEP stepped in to take over leadership of this popular event,” comments Jeff Stuhr, event manager at the MPCA. “And we’re working closely with MEP staff to ensure a smooth transition.”
