By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Guest Blogger

Baby boomers like being green. More than half of all baby boomers in the United States, about 40 million, are “green boomers.”

Green boomers say they feel a responsibility to make the world a better place, an AARP survey found. They buy environmentally safe brands and watch less television.

Since I write often in my boomer consumer blogs about green topics, I thought I’d take a trip to the Seattle Green Festival last weekend to see what I could find out that would be of interest to baby boomers.

David Korten inspires with new economy views and call to action

David Korten, author of “Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth,” spoke about changing the economic system in America.

Korten thinks the phantom wealth created by Wall Street needs to be replaced with real wealth. Real wealth, he says, is based on real values such as education, land, love, happy, healthy children, satisfying jobs, a sense of worth, a healthy environment, and peace.

Korten, cofounder of the Positive Futures Network which publishes Yes! Magazine, calls for shutting down Wall Street. He urges people to take to the streets to demonstrate against Wall Street.

Korten believes the focus in the new economy needs to be on Main Street, which can provide green jobs and sound environmental practices.

Reading Korten’s book and subscribing to Yes! Magazine are two ways boomers can learn more about green happenings and action opportunities.

Alice Waters, regional food movement leader, works for healthier school food

World-famous chef Alice Waters, owner of the Berkeley, Calif., restaurant Chez Panisse, took part in a panel discussion at the festival with Chris Taylor, director of the documentary movie “Food Fight: Revolution Never Tasted So Good.”

Waters is one of the leaders of the regional food movement, with an emphasis on organic, locally grown food, which sprang up in Northern California in the early 1970s.

“Food Fight” chronicles the development of movement and the role of Waters and others in launching and sustaining it.

I recommend the documentary. It’s inspiring.

Waters is one of the national leaders in the Edible Education in the schools movement. In the program, children grow food in gardens at school and school cafeterias serve local, nutritious, organic food.

Edible Education addresses the issues of childhood hunger and obesity, she says.

See The Edible Schoolyard for information to help you plan a garden or kitchen program in your school.

Alex Steffen sees a bright, green future

Alex Steffen, executive editor and cofounder of Worldchanging.com, threw out dozens of ideas to a green festival audience during his talk.

Steffen tracks what’s going on in green innovations and writes essays on the possibilities for the future.

Four billion people in poverty have seen the American lifestyle on television, and they want to climb up into the middle class.

While the poor are “getting rich,” our job is to reinvent what “rich” means, Steffen says. Americans need to consume less of the world’s resources, reduce their impact on the earth, and develop a restorative economy.

Steffen is editor of a popular book, “Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century.” Others at the festival referred to the 600-page book of writings from more than 60 leaders around the world as an importance reference. Check it out if you think it may meet your green thinking and action needs.

The Global Exchange and Green America, formerly Co-op America, sponsor the Seattle Green Festival.

Popularity: unranked [?]