This weekend, EPIC – The Sustainable Living Expo hit Vancouver. The show brought a new generation of earth-friendly products and services to its audience of Ethical Progressive Intelligent Consumers (EPIC). It attracted 120 exhibitors and nearly 15,000 attendees, an impressive record for a first-time event.

“We’re delighted with the success of the show,” commented Nancy Wright, the Director of EPIC. “The attendance has been better than we had hoped, which is a testament to the fact that consumers want these kinds of products”.

Consumers at the event had an opportunity to investigate and purchase a broad range of sustainable goods and services. The show also had a strong educational component. It introduced visitors to organizations and not-for-profits that could help them reduce their footprint and hosted a number of seminars on topics such as greening your home or small business.

At the same time, the event gave suppliers, buyers, and organizations an opportunity to interact with environmentally conscious consumers. Linda Tang, the President of Dream Design, which sells 100% natural, organic home furnishings and apparel, was impressed with her experience at the event. She commented, “EPIC for us is a perfect show. Its whole focus is leading a sustainable lifestyle and this is really the whole purpose of our store”.

There was fun to be had at the event too. Four eco-fashion shows took place over the course of the weekend, where brands like Eco-Apprarel, John Fluevog, and Lela Designs graced the runway.

EPIC made an effort to reduce its footprint by mitigating its carbon emissions. Zerofootprint offset the electricity and paper associated with the event. Visitors could also contribute one dollar to a travel offset.

For more on EPIC, visit www.epicvancouver.com. If you’re interested in attending the event next year, pencil April 18th to the 20th into your schedule.