I’m going to get a little deep quickly so we’re on the same page for this post.

Have you ever had a time in your life where you so enjoyed the company of other strangers that you almost immediately felt like you were long lost friends? I’m not talking about the buzz you get when you fall in lust with someone after two MaiTais’.

Literally, I was walking into the Cow Palace and my opinion at first when I walked in was skepticism of what I was about to experience at this GREENFAIR in San Francisco. Just like you, there has to be a purpose behind what I’m doing or I just get bored.

Trade shows, expos, convention halls full of noise and corporate capitalism do not titillate my senses. GREENFAIR did more than titillate me, it awakened me even more to how incredible the people ARE propelling the green movement.

I walked in the front door of the Cow Palace and I instantly said to myself, “This will be the last year I only see 30 vendors at a show this profound and timely.” The fact is, this show had some of the most powerful players in green business-to-business and I met each and every one of them. Wow, was that a high.

I thought I would get the typical person behind the booth with fatigue all over their face with my stepping into their green booth. Or, that fake Fantasy Island smile that just gives us those warm and fuzzies all over. Instead, each vendor was welcoming, fun, and really cared as to why I was there. Did you catch that? Every single one of them stopped to listen carefully to my heart and my green intentions that connected on a soul level?

I could tell my questions were not the normal fodder they were getting from other stragglers. “What drives you to lead this movement with your purpose? What is your purpose that gets you up in the morning. This is hard work, so what is it? What in your daily BEING and DOING creates a healthy environment for our families, our neighbors and ourselves? What is it you want to accomplish with your engaging, thought-provoking conversation with a world that isn’t so green? The average Joe that could care less about green. What do you do when you want to judge or criticize the ignorant and reckless?”

The answers I heard left me spellbound. Allow me to point out my new friends and shining examples of Green across this nation:

The GreenDreamTeam - Susan Davis at the helm of experts [all greeted me like I was family] dedicated to providing you with the most comprehensive selection of services to improve, remodel, build, furnish, and landscape your home. On top of that, Susan helps companies locally learn how to morph their businesses into green by bringing in prolific speakers from all over the world.

Thai Vegetarian House - Darlene Lam. You are a light to this planet and all the people you touch. We connected spiritually both of us anchored in green. She, the expert of Thai Vegan food nudging me to try what she said tastes like chicken. Hey that was not enough to inspire me to try it. I think the people that make “Funions” tell you it tastes like chicken. Nonetheless, her beautiful smile and her flirtatious grandmother orderded me to eat it. Like a good green boy, I did try Thai Vegan meat that I would toss over a salad any day. Loved it.

GreenV - Richard Rios. He founded “The Sustainable Center of South San Francisco,” a huge warehouse loaded with the most beautiful home elements created completely with recycled goods. He mentioned the local TV stations wanting to do a reality show on his life, living green in such a large way. Wow. What an honor. Richard and I will be doing something BIG together. You know when you look in someone’s eyes and you know you can help them reach great success and happiness. That’s how I feel about my new friend, Richard at GreenV.

Village Green Market - Rosemary, you really blew me away with your new water cooler that makes water from humidity in the air. $1300 a pop for this green water machine. I told her, it would be only months before we see these in Costco for $400. She agreed. I liked Rosemary’s attitude. She, like so many others at GREENFAIR have such a deep empathy for the direction our planet is headed and they want to persuade as many people as possible to be compassionate, humble and honoring of planet earth. Water is the center of the green movement and Rosemary was not exempt from the intensity I feel from many experts in the water arena that share the same mantra. The truth is, the government may be impeding the development of water resources from the answers available to us right now. In other words, we have the answers to solve the water crisis worldwide, Rosemary shared. Her passion alone convinced me, now it’s off to do my homework so I can speak intelligently about this topic like Rosemary. Hey, if you never want to drink out of plastic water bottles again, ask Rosemary about the toxins of water bottles that you ingest.

Goza Gear from Livermore - Steve & Bonnie Melgoza. These two were a kick. So vibrant and so exciting to be in their energy space. They love organic clothes, and the passion from this dynamic organic duo is endless. Steve said, “Business created this eco-crisis, business needs to get us out.” I had a real kindred connection with these two and plan to develop a very rich relationship.

Finally, Maid Brigade. Linda Hendrickson is a gem for green cleaning. She might be like you, too, in that she doesn’t understand how to use social media to grow her green biz. I committed to gifting her my Social Media Hart Start program that will surely give her an “aha” to what’s available to growing her business using social media.

So what’s the big takeaway here? Appreciation of the Human Relationship is the underbelly of green. Honoring each other’s intention is profound. Being gentle with those who ‘don’t get’ green is being green, too.

Being “Green” in the Bay Area includes baby boomers who walk and bike to avoid using fossil fuels, young couples just learning about the benefits of sustainable living, or businesses seeking motivation and direction. What links us all is our interest in creating a healthy environment for our family, our neighbors, and ourselves.

Hart of Green and all its new friends joining by hands, with intention to support one another is very special. We are coming together as a community to generate a unique synergy where environmental advocacy quickly turns into solutions for a sustainable world. We can accomplish this through an engaging, thought-provoking conversation, and an implacable drive for innovation that inspires action.

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