Alicia and I are being educated and inspired along with thousands of others at the Chicago Green Festival this weekend. The festival is happening in Chicago’s massive McCormick Place on the shore of Lake Michigan. Hundreds of green companies, cooperatives and organizations have their products and services on display. Dozens of leaders of the green movement are speaking on five stages.

So far today we’ve chatted with many other fair trade retailers and wholesalers comparing notes and making connections to help grow the movement. One of the wonderful aspects of business in the fair trade industry is the willingness of market competitors to cooperate in the name of advancing the cause of fair trade. One amazing woman, Judy Wicks of progressive White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia, spoke elegantly of the need and strategic value of cooperation in a competitive market. The goal of continuous, dominating growth has proven to be unsustainable over the long run for many corporations. She contends that a network of small to medium local and regional businesses cooperating with one another can provide a healthy and sustainable living for more people than the traditional dog-eat-dog marketplace.

We saw another incredible woman speak. Amy Goodman of independent news show Democracy Now! spoke on the need for independent media to counter the subjective reporting of corporate media. She issued her rousing speech to a standing room only audience of well over a thousand people. Check out Amy on the daily broadcast of Democracy Now! on streaming online video and audio or on one of over 500 independent and public radio and television stations across America. Her broadcast reveals a starkly real alternative to network and cable news sources.

We’re off to see Chris O’brien, Beer Activist and author of Fermenting Revolution, talk about how to drink beer and save the world. Alicia and I will have much more to report in detail and with photos throughout the week. So stay tuned!