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EPIC Sustainable Living Expo 2011

Comments 62 by Rebecca Bollwitt

EPIC: The Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo, western Canada’s largest lifestyle show for the eco-conscious consumer, returns to Vancouver this weekend.

Mike Holmes
Mike Holmes at EPIC Expo in 2008

From Friday, May 13th until Sunday, May15th over 300 exhibitors will be showcasing their products and innovations to crowds at the Vancouver Convention Centre. EPIC also has a main stage with featured speakers and this year’s line-up includes Mike McDermid (Program Manager, Ocean Wise), Sean McHugh (Executive Director, Fair Trade Vancouver), and CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos.

Taste and sip food and wine from BC restaurants and wineries, learn from some of the city’s top chefs, sit in on sewing workshops, watch daily fashions shows and find out more about hybrid vehicles. There’s also a KidZone with crafts and activities for the young ones.

General one-day tickets are available for $12 online and $15 at the door. If you plan on attending multiple times throughout the weekend, you can get a multi-day pass for $20 online or $23 at the door.

I have 4 pairs of one-day tickets to give away courtesy of EPIC as well as Vancouver Eco Fashion Week. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment naming your favourite eco-friendly product or business (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
    • I entered to win 1 of 4 pairs of #EpicExpo tickets courtesy of @EPIC_Expo @EcoFashionWeek & @miss604 http://ow.ly/4Szhm

    I will draw all 4 winners (who will each get a pair of tickets) at 5:00pm tomorrow, Thursday May 12, 2011.

    Update The winners are @johnberr, @DilaraLit, Michael Kwan, and kendra.

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    62 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

    1. RichardWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 3:46pm PDT

      My favorite eco friendly business is CREE Industries. They are the the forefront of producing energy efficient LED lighting for home and business use. They have also helped in project with switching entire cities street lights to LEDS lighting to prove the reduction in costs to Governments.

      LEDS are the future of lighting.

    2. KodyWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 3:54pm PDT

      Our company designs and manufactures electric vehicles. Biased opinion, but it’s gotta be my favourite!

    3. JaseWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:01pm PDT

      Apple!

    4. EmilyWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:09pm PDT

      MetoWe! So soft!

    5. Robert LeeWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:15pm PDT

      My Eco friendly product that I LOVE is called Wysi Wipe. They require just tap water to load up and there, a simple towel for those greasy mess! Easy to carry for any use.

    6. MaryanneWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:18pm PDT

      Stanley Park Brewery! Can’t go wrong with beer.

    7. KarlaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:20pm PDT

      It’s not really a product or business…but I like shopping at the Farmer’s Market…local produce with no packaging…and I bring a re-usable bag! Doesn’t get more grass roots than that!

      I particularly enjoy buying herbs that some woman grows in her backyard about 3 blocks from the Market! LOL

    8. amfriesenWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:21pm PDT

      the best environmentally friendly product and company is lunapads; they have divacups on sale for the month of may; they are on twitter at @lunapads

    9. DilaraWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:21pm PDT

      I love Method products.

    10. CaitlinWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:24pm PDT

      I love the handmade goods at Etsy!

    11. JulieWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:25pm PDT

      MEC!

    12. Sunshine GWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:30pm PDT

      Happy Planet…mmm…smoothies.

    13. JohnWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 4:58pm PDT

      Stanley Park Brewery….

      Canada’s first sustainable brewery.

      That and the fact that it is Craft Beer Week!

    14. angelinaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:00pm PDT

      vancouver only washing soap

    15. Pat DowneyWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:03pm PDT

      There are a few companies in Vancouver that are marketing electric bikes. http://www.ebike.ca, http://www.e-ride.ca, http://www.jvbike.com, etc. Electric bikes can handle more than 80% of the trips that we take in our carbon producing cars with no registration or insurance and much lower costs.

    16. sueWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:08pm PDT

      Brooklyn Brewery they are 100% wind generated electricity, the company’s brewery & head quarter’s in Brooklyn are powered by New Wind Energy. #craftbeer Yes I read the coaster I got at The Brooklyn Crawl last night at The Irish Heather & listened intently to every word Ken Dick had to say about the great beer !!!!

    17. Michael KwanWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:14pm PDT

      I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but I thought the idea of FrogBox reusable moving boxes is pretty great.

    18. AdamWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:15pm PDT

      I’d love to attend! It never hurts to learn more about living a green life.

    19. PatriciaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 5:30pm PDT

      Reusable shopping bags can change the world!!

    20. RIEGWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 6:55pm PDT

      My favourite is Kleen Kanteen, the eco-friendly BPA-free water bottle! I use it everyday. Pick me!

    21. MarkWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 7:02pm PDT

      My favourite eco-friendly business is MEC.

    22. BrendaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 7:37pm PDT

      I’d say Frogbox plus they have a really cute mascot!

    23. kendraWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 7:54pm PDT

      Happy Planet! Love, love, love myself a bottle full of Happy.

    24. VanessaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 8:18pm PDT

      CFL Bulb!

    25. SandraWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:14pm PDT

      The Body Shop!

    26. EnnieWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:17pm PDT

      Rocky Mountain Soap Company

    27. JeanieWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:22pm PDT

      Does the Body Shop count?

    28. JamieWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:23pm PDT

      Saje

    29. HenryWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:30pm PDT

      Lush

    30. AlbertWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:42pm PDT

      Majesta paper products replant 3 trees for every one used.

    31. AmandaWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 9:42pm PDT

      eco product i’ve been using lately, i would say ‘method’ home cleaning products ?

    32. EdWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 11:35pm PDT

      LED bulbs are great and long lasting.

    33. tracyWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 11:53pm PDT

      lush cosmetics! love their shampoo bar, no bottles!

    34. TYWednesday, May 11th, 2011 — 11:58pm PDT

      UBC! i love how my school is moving in direction of sustainability (e.g. compost bins)

    35. lisaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 12:13am PDT

      my energy star appliances! especially my stereo 🙂

    36. KathyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 12:21am PDT

      One of the best things I’ve ever bought is a Brita Water Pitcher with filter. My former roommate and I used to buy cases of bottled water. The empty bottles made the “Can Men” happy but I felt so guilty every time I dumped them into the recycling bin.

    37. IanThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 12:22am PDT

      Apple…I think! haha

    38. sabrina99Thursday, May 12th, 2011 — 1:39am PDT

      Got to go with Happy Planet, love that it’s based in Vancouver too!

    39. Sandra SThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 7:35am PDT

      Favorite eco friendly product, would be my vegetables from my garden that I will hopefully be enjoying later this year. 🙂
      http://twitter.com/#!/Sandra516/status/68684946167971841

    40. WendyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 8:05am PDT

      I’m a fan of reusable grocery/shopping bags.

    41. shellyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 10:10am PDT

      capers! i like how i can find a wide range of organic, eco-friendly and fairtrade products in-store!

    42. JudyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 10:24am PDT

      Organic Lives….their almonds are divine!

    43. ChristinaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 10:24am PDT

      We switched to using Seventh Generation cleaning products in our home. Love that it’s safe for my puppy and for us!

    44. RichieThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 10:41am PDT

      My wife bought me a Brita jug for Christmas because I use to buy so many water bottles and that now is my favorite green thing to do!!

    45. SitaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 10:41am PDT

      I love Lush!

    46. BonsThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 11:46am PDT

      I love Capers!

    47. DawnaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 11:49am PDT

      Two companies popped up right away: http://FuGenDesign.com and http://greencoastrubbish.com

    48. LisaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 12:22pm PDT

      Jason hair products! use ’em on a daily basis.

    49. CeciThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 12:56pm PDT

      I drink Happy Planet all the time!

    50. RainerThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:07pm PDT

      My favorite environmentally friendly product is Brita.

    51. CathyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:36pm PDT

      Sapadilla, a local company that makes great eco cleaning products. They work and smell fantastic!

    52. Kathryn wongThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:37pm PDT

      Buying local and handmade 🙂

    53. JosieThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:37pm PDT

      My favourite enviro-friendly biz is Greenworks Building Supply. Lovely stuff.

    54. William TangThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:38pm PDT

      Ecowash! Up and coming car wash services from Richmond, BC.

    55. Jon JenningsThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:44pm PDT

      The things that have changed the way I live my life, in a very small way, are reusable shopping bags and coffee mugs.

      It’s not just the small effect they have on my actual footprint but the fact that they’re a daily reminder to me to be conscious of what I consume and what I throw out.

    56. GraceyThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 2:45pm PDT

      Method

    57. Toby SullivanThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 4:46pm PDT

      I think my favourite eco-business would have to be Zipcar! We have our differences but it’s undeniable that they have influenced my lifestyle for the better.

    58. Aileen RThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 6:43pm PDT

      I love electric scooters! Mine gets me places without using any harmful resources and is my way of getting places faster than my two feet.

    59. Julia SousaThursday, May 12th, 2011 — 11:30pm PDT

      lulu lemon

    60. Michael KwanFriday, May 13th, 2011 — 1:09pm PDT

      Yay! Thanks Rebecca.

    61. AlyshaMonday, May 16th, 2011 — 7:42pm PDT

      I LOVE LOVE LOVE HAPPY PLANET 🙂

    62. DimitrisThursday, January 5th, 2012 — 10:14am PST

      John, way above and quite a few months back mentioned “Stanley Park Brewery… Canada’s first sustainable brewery.”

      My thoughts on their so called sustainability:

      If they are serious about sustainability why would they choose a custom bottle that is crushed instead of reused like an industry standard bottle (ISB). It’s my understanding that ISBs are returned to the participating breweries to be reused, according to Brewers of Canada, from 15 up to 20 times! Howard Collins, President of the Brewers of Canada, said this about the ISB:

      “With a return rate averaging 97% across the country, our bottle is not only environmentally friendly, it is Kyoto friendly. With nearly 4 billion beer bottles returned each year, the ISB diverts over 1 million tonnes of waste from Canadian landfills annually, saving millions for municipal taxpayers across the country while at the same time reducing over 87,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.”

      I guess I might understand the argument that a custom bottle could alter, or enhance the taste when the beer is drank from the bottle. But the Stanely Park Brewery longneck bottle is very similar in size and shape to the ISB.

      I emailed the company inquiring more than a month ago; still no response.

      To make appearances even worse, this holiday season they came out with a nine pack in … WOOD!

      regards,
      Dimitris

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