Living Green Expo this weekend

Information about unique home products, including creative insulation, can be found at the expo.

"We have cotton insulation made out of recycled denim jeans," says Rachel Maloney, of Natural Built Home. "It's totally nontoxic."

Natural Built Home is a sort of "green" Home Depot, located in Minneapolis. The store will be at the expo to share information about new products such as bamboo countertops and non-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints in colors designed for nurseries and to demonstrate nontoxic plastering.

"I think people are becoming more aware of the products they surround themselves and their families with at home and that there are healthier, safer options for them and the environment," Maloney says.

EcoBroker Gina Vermilyea is used to the question:

"What's an EcoBroker?"

She's a "green" real estate agent, part of an emerging trend in Minnesota. Vermilyea fields calls about topics such as paint fumes, radon, asbestos, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and solar energy from clients who want to buy, sell or build greener homes.

This weekend, Vermilyea will be at the sixth annual Living Green Expo at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to speak about choosing a healthier, more energy-efficient home.

"Nothing exists that is 100 percent green," says Vermilyea. "People need to decide what's most important to them."

Such as: When a home that is for sale is advertised as having fresh paint and carpet.

"That's not usually a good thing," Vermilyea says. "Because they probably used cheap carpet with formaldehyde and paint with offgassing toxins. My clients who are concerned about air quality may want to find a home they can paint themselves and choose the materials that are used."

Vermilyea, an agent with Coldwell Banker Burnet, is certified through the EcoBroker program of Colorado, which is a Built Green Educational Partner. Built Green is a voluntary program that encourages homebuilders to use technologies, products and practices that use less energy (thus reducing pollution), improve the quality of indoor air, reduce water usage, preserve natural resources, improve durability and reduce maintenance.

Those are elements of the Living Green

The expo is a collaboration of government agencies, nonprofit groups and businesses seeking to promote sustainability-oriented products and behaviors in Minnesota. The Prevention and Assistance Division of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is the main coordinator of this effort.

Information about unique home products, including creative insulation, can be found at the expo.

"We have cotton insulation made out of recycled denim jeans," says Rachel Maloney, of Natural Built Home. "It's totally nontoxic."

Natural Built Home is a sort of "green" Home Depot, located in Minneapolis. The store will be at the expo to share information about new products such as bamboo countertops and non-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints in colors designed for nurseries and to demonstrate nontoxic plastering.

"I think people are becoming more aware of the products they surround themselves and their families with at home and that there are healthier, safer options for them and the environment," Maloney says.

Molly Millett can be reached at mollymillett@ pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5505.

LIVING GREEN EXPO

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday

Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Admission: Free

For more information: www.livinggreen.org.

Highlights: EcoBroker Gina Vermilyea of White Bear Lake, a green real estate agent (www.EcoEdge.net), will speak from 12 to 12:45 p.m. today about choosing and buying a healthier, more energy-efficient home. She also will man a booth at the expo.

Topics: The expo explores green living topics in building and remodeling, yard and garden, household products and practices, lifestyles, recreation, transportation and more.