Featured Roseville Blog: Sustainability at Minnesota State Fair

The pair of 20-foot tall curtains of clear and green plastic bottles resembles an abstract depiction of the Biblical story of the parting of the Red Sea. 

Interpretive signs explain that these thousands of bottles represent the number of plastic bottles used by Minnesotans every five minutes.  An orange line, about waist high, denotes the small fraction of these bottles that are actually recycled; the rest end up in landfills.  

This display was one of many exhibits focused on sustainability at the Minnesota State Fair's Eco-Experience.  The exhibit is located in the Progress Center on Randall Avenue (look for the giant wind turbine blade that resembles the Washington Monument).  

There are displays on making your home more energy efficient, an electric car with fuel efficiency exceeding 100 miles per gallon, and exhibits on everything from green roofs to air pollution to information on recycling electronics.  A stream table attracts kids (of all ages) to explore the consequences of modifying a river's flow. 

The Sustainability Stage features programs on a different topic every day, such as recycled fashion, water efficiency products and green landscaping.

When you visit the State Fair this year, it's worth taking a few minutes to peruse these exhibits.  You might learn how to save some money and help save the Earth at the same time. 

http://www.mnstatefair.org/entertainment/eco_experience.html