Seeing green was unavoidable at this year's tenth annual Pawpaw Festival at Lake Snowden.
Sustainable living and conservation were the overlying themes of the two-day event, which was attended by more than 3,000 people. Attendants from last year's festival had indicated to festival organizer and founder, Chris Chmiel, that green meant more than the color of the native pawpaw fruit the gathering revolves around.
We try to mix it up and add new elements each year
Chmiel said. A lot of people were asking about sustainability last year.
Connecting a green initiative to the pawpaw was not difficult as it is a native fruit that is virtually impossible to mass produce, said Barbara Fisher, chef at Salaam, 33 N. Court St.
It grows in forests so you don't have to clear the land she said. There are no erosion issues with the pawpaw.
A pawpaw can be commercially produced, but this is hard because no artificial pesticides or fertilizers are approved for its growth. Although absence of pesticide use is a disadvantage, it is better for the environment, Fisher said.
In addition to addressing the environmentally-friendly advantages of a pawpaw, other exhibits and workshops were available to those who wanted to learn more about protecting the environment. - said Cat Fincun, event and specialist coordinator for Rural Action.
Rural Action, a group that assisted with the planning of the first pawpaw celebration, promoted composting and energy conservation. The goal was to educate both students and Appalachian residents about environment-saving techniques such as alternative energy and carpooling.
Most people don't know that paper and plastic can be composted
she said. This is a big issue
and we want people to come together and start new things.
Some students at the Pawpaw Festival have already taken steps to cut down on their energy use. Erin McMullan, an Ohio University senior, began practicing recycling long before her trip to the event. She said that she enjoyed the green information, but ultimately wanted to sample a pawpaw before graduating.
It was a good idea to have things that will help the environment
McMullan said. It was really interesting
and I was expecting the pawpaw to taste like an apple
but it didn't.
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