While amping up for this year's Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA and getting the LuxEco team ready for our "Green Light" Initiative in which we search out and highlight the best natural, organic and eco-friendly products that the Green Movement has to offer, I can't help but to reflect on the evolving nature of "GREEN."
Jim and I attended the first Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA almost two decades ago... and it was far from gluten-free. We were young, energetic, and held an undying faith that our world was unnaturally occurring; wearing Birkenstock and eating jerky we found our tribe. Or did we? Back then, fair-trade was a hearty handshake.
Fast forward to 2011... Green is BIG BUSINESS. Here's an example of what some people are saying about the Natural Products Expo:
"We heard from New Hope Media , the company that runs the expo, that they had "gone green" and everything was now paperless. No more phone book size catalogs, no more plastic badge covers and paperless press room. All that is fine and I have no problem with it, but if they are saving all that money on the "paperless expo", why does the price of the booths at the expo keep going up. Every year it's another $400 - $500 for a booth."
Why? Because of consumer demand. People want to live a healthy vibrant LuxEco Living lifestyle. They want their crunchy foods certified organic and their beauty products paraben-free. Living Green is at the top of the marketplace, creating new incentives worldwide for a meatless bull run. Let's talk about a Green Chip Economy!
Last year, 7000 brands got together to show off their wares at the Natural Products Expo West. For the first time, food didn't dominate. This gathering attracts the media, retailers, and also speakers for interactive discussions on the latest health trends. And healthy sustainable living is what it is all about. With health trends on the rise competition for space becomes very valuable. And today, you're not just brain dead munching on granola bars, instead you're buying intelligent design.
We have seen an increased amount of food products and beverages that purported a dynamic increase in brain functionality. Those that get the LuxEco Green Light include: Octain Brain Bar, TonIQ, and Nawgan -- as well as Omega 3 fatty acid supplements for adults, kids, and babies. AKA take: What's really smart? Vegetarian sources of omega 3 fatty acids, Salba Smart, Ascenta's NutraVege, Barlean's Vegan Omega Swirl, wild salmon and eating ORGANIC apples.
People who need really smart people are going to need antibacterial power to manage through the meet and greets. A typical Meet-Up experience will require a CleanWell hand sanitizer which offers better results without the negatives of bleach and alcohol or that of traditional tissue products. (We used Kleenex before the words dioxin and disposable were negative terms in our vernacular.) And if you really want assurance that you are toxin-free and earth friendly depend on LuxEco's Green Lit Seventh Generation- forget the mule team and baking soda, although it's cheaper.
And for truly "smart" water or tea, how about Takeya USA, LifeFactory bottles and BettiPot? Green Light, Green Light and Green Light again! You can get rid of plastic and provide safe ways to have glass containers that we can fill up and carry. Being smart is having energy to burn (carbon neutral, of course!). LuxEco Green Light also goes to Gaia Herbs' Adrenal Health, Peter Gillham's E-28 supplements for their mostly organic ingredients and balance of nutrients, VegaSport and Tera's organic whey protein powders which you can add to an iced tea or coconut water for an energy inspiring protein drink. Forget the caffeine and sugar shots!
Greens get the LuxEco Green Light too which you can now add them into your protein drink with Ready-to-go Greens and New Chapter's Berry Greens as they are organic. And for the kids, Healthy Child Healthy World moms should consider gummies like Peter Gilham's "calm focus," a supplement that comes as a liquid multi-vitamin and includes organic fruits and vegetables as well as magnesium to "calm" and plant-based DHA to "'focus."
Gluten-free is growing up. Easily the biggest trend at last year's Expo, this year promises many more organic versions of gluten-free Nature's Path and Mary's Gone Crackers stood out with great taste. Organic should matter to anyone following a gluten-free diet to address disease or symptoms. Organic is what Maria Rodale claims to be her Manifesto. She explains why "natural" and "local" can't guarantee the consumer a pesticide-free product; why doctors and dietitians alike should be PRESCRIBING organic, especially for pregnant women, kids, and anyone with disease.
But with Green Lit giants like Seeds of Change, whose organic mission and pledge is to maintain agriculture as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations, we should all be doing our part to support locally grown farmers who start from organic seed. We are the world... only if we don't mess with the seeds. If we modify anything, let's make sure we are supporting a global cooperative effort that recognizes the foundation from which all life stems. This is a country's true symbol of its real wealth. Fertility of the soil brings sustenance to the soul.
As we enter the Avatar of the Natural Products Expo for 2011 let's remind ourselves that as Americans, we have the freedom to choose and the will to profit as long as our LuxEco Living Manifesto can be shared. With knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration we can lead an LED Green Light Initiative and change the world.
LuxEco wants to graciously thank Rob from Night Ice LED Lights who is equipping the LuxEco Green Team with New Night Ice LED earrings which light up a room and project positivity. You can find us at the Expo wearing these great LED earrings as we Green Light the Best products of the expo. Thank you, Rob! You're earrings are the best!
Please Join us on the LuxEco Living Facebook Page as we post all the happenings of the Green Light Initiative at the Natural Products Expo. Have Any suggestions about products we should consider? Join our group and join the conversation!