Things I learned from The Green Summit

I have to say that last weekend's Green Summit left me with a lot to think about. I have been doing some research and running some new ideas around in my head, so I think it is time to write a bit.

First, the Green Summit this year was at least twice as large as the one that I attended 2 years ago - and I can't even compare it to the first one I attended 5 years ago. There were an unbelievable number of exhibitors there as well as a dozen sessions each on Friday and Saturday. V and I attended Saturday only. My objective was to be there for several edible landscape and Arizona plant seminars, but the exhibition hall turned out to be almost as informative as the sessions.

So, just for the curious, here are a few cool ideas.

1. You can convert your car to ethanol and manufacture your own for 50 cents a gallon (plus the cost of a still).
2. You can build your own mobile waste vegetable oil filtration system, just like the guys from Cave Creek.
   
3. You can actually make drinking water out of the air by using what is basically just an AC unit.
4. The key to good gardens is knowing what the plants will do and planting them in places where they can do that. If you're smart, you don't have to prune them.
5. When the plant people walk through the halls, you can tell that they have basil in their bags just by the smell!
6. There is a solar panel sales guy that thinks that V is really cute.

During the course of the conference, V and I also came up with something that may be a good, green product. Depending on the prices of supplies, we may actually try to build and sell this one. For purposes of this blog, we will only refer to it as the Super Secret Potato - with a minor nod to Terry Pratchett's concept of "having your potato" - and let you know if we do decide to go ahead with it. No details, of course, since we might be able to sell it for actual money. Shocking, yes?

So, that was the Green Summit. After I get my plants into the ground - or the appropriate beds - I will be going back to some of these ideas. Consider yourself warned!