By Monica Arkin, Staff Writer
On April 21st, hundreds of students trekked across Fairmount Boulevard after school to attend the third annual Green Dream Showcase. Upon entering, they were greeted by marketing students and amazed by the extravagant decorations (over 10,000 plastic bottle bottoms hanging from the ceiling) and an overwhelming number of vendors.
The Green Dream, which is Ohio’s largest eco-friendly showcase, is hosted by Marketing teacher Greg Perry’s Excel Tecc class. It is an annual event that features businesses and organizations that specialize in going “green”. The audience ranges from businesses, homeowners, and anyone else interested in investigating more energy-efficient or eco-friendly options. Perry explained that the Green Dream’s mission is “to begin creating a ‘greener’ tomorrow… today. One decision, one person, one day at a time—a plan so simple, it starts with one.”
However, much more went into the execution of the showcase than just writing a mission statement. The entire school year has been devoted to the planning of this event, with Perry’s students networking and contacting businesses and donors. The class itself is organized like a business, Perry explained, with six departments: production, finance, sales, communications, human resources, and marketing, with senior Hillary Sadler as student CEO. Throughout the year, Green Dream students sold Classic Beachwood T-shirts, in part to raise money for the Green Dream event. The class managed to make connections with over 80 green businesses and organizations in Northeast Ohio, which were then featured at the 2010 Green Dream.
Not only is the class spreading awareness of eco-friendly options, but some of the proceeds from the showcase went to the Blue Planet Run Foundation, which provides clean drinking water for Haiti. Of the approximately $30,000 earned, $2,000 went to Blue Planet Run. The Green Dream’s proceeds will make it possible for over 3,000 Haitians to access clean drinking water for the rest of their lives, Perry said. Katie Spotz, who rowed alone in a boat across the Atlantic in part to raise money for Blue Planet Run, attended the Green Dream event and accepted a check from the Green Dream.
Attendees were surprised to learn that going green extends to many facets of everyday life. There was an enormous variety of products for sale, ranging from eco-friendly soap, to roofing materials, to sun chips, to jewelry, and more. As guests walked in the doors, they were handed a reusable bag filled with coupons for treats from Chipotle and Chick- Fil-A. “People are shocked at how extensive this exhibition of greenness is. They love it,” said junior Ari Meskin, who was working as a greeter.
Senior Jerry Gordon, a first time attendee, explained that he was “overwhelmed” upon his entrance.
This year’s exhibition was different from previous years in that it showcased many more exhibitors including a display of the Tesla Roadster and a prescription disposal service. Sadler, who had a huge role in the planning and execution of the event, explained that the experience has allowed her to find her “niche.” Without Perry’s class, Sadler claimed that she would have entered college “fairly clueless,” but because of the unique experiences provided by the marketing program, she knows that she would like to study business. She has made the choice that is right for her, and said, “No matter what you do in life, business and marketing will always be a part of your career.”
Sadler explained that the target audience of the Green Dream is “anyone who wants to live a greener and more sustainable lifestyle.” Senior marketing student Dan Volosov said that even if most of the attendees walk away from the exhibition without buying anything, it’s all about the advertising and spreading awareness. “Even if [the majority of attendees] are not interested in anything, in the future, when maybe the do need something [eco-friendly], they’re already going to know which company to go to for it.”
