There are so many reasons to attend the Green Festival in San Francisco this weekend that we’ll spare you a long read and tell you “for crying out loud just get there.” Or said another way the recession has our underpaid editorial staff making money elsewhere. The catering company’s gain is our loss. Let’s hope that the hoi polloi receiving the benefit of their dedication (in this case pouring wine, mixing drinks and serving four course dinners) appreciate them as much as we do.
But here’s the deal. Whether you’re depressed by too much tea party paranoia, gloomy over global warming deniers or sick from corrupt, corroded corporate interests buying our democracy this is the place for you. Whether you get inspired, angry or invigorated (or most likely all three) surrounding yourself with people looking to make a difference is a balm like no other. Get your butt to the Green Festival.
And if you’re looking to just buy things you’ll be happy here too. Plus spending your money somewhere other than Pottery Barn, Sephora, Williams Sonoma or heaven forbid, The Container Store (oh how NBN hates the container store…so much unnecessary crap, so many things we have to buy to store the stuff) your shopping dollar makes a bigger difference here than elsewhere.
There’s a jam packed lineup of panel discussions with lots of folks we love including Jim Hightower the brilliant and under appreciated Texas populist who is one of the best and wittiest political analysts of our time (yes even better than Rachel Maddow, folks), Amy Goodman Oakland’s beloved baker Mani Nial among many others.
And if you want to see the future of new (and progressive,humanitarian media –sure it sounds like a cliche but its really just like it sounds) be sure to check out the panel with environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr, Rachelle Carson Begley, their daughter Hayden, Greenwish.com founder Raphael Sbare and Xav Dubois of Evox Television as they discuss their partnership, the future or media and how to communicate powerful messages using digital tools too often left only to the Machiavellian guiles of brand managers and the Koch Brothers.
