Event coordinators worked to determine how much energy would be consumed during the event — for example, how much greenhouse gas would be emitted by people driving to the event. Enough offsets, or credits for actions taken to reduce pollution, were donated by the Portland, Ore.-based Climate Clean in order to counter-balance the emissions. Coordinators also incorporated green practices into many elements of the planning process — which translates into extensive on-site recycling and composting, food donated by local, organic restaurants, an option for a trip to and from the event in a hybrid taxi provided by EnviroCab, biodegradable serving ware, and the use of soy-based ink and recycled paper for printed materials.
Music for the day was provided by the Pocket Band, a rock and reggae group that works to spread the message about green living and minimize their carbon footprint at shows.
The Green Cup was a step in the direction of making green living part of an everyday lifestyle, said event coordinator Sara Trab Nielsen. ‘‘Most of the events getting green today are big conferences — you don’t get it at the social level,” Trab Nielsen said. ‘‘It’s something we’re trying to mainstream.”
Proceeds benefited ACORE and three other environmental organizations, which included the Equestrian Partners in Conservation, a Montgomery County conservation group; Earth Echo International, and environmental group focused on water resources; and Live Green, a group that works to incorporate sustainability practices into everyday living.
‘‘These organizations have small staffs, but they are doing things that are momentous,” said Weirich.
Trab Nielsen, a freelance environmental consultant, helped get the event off the ground last year with her boyfriend Robert Do, founder and C.E.O. of the Washington-based Solena Group, which develops and operates bio-energy plants. This year, Do co-chaired the event with Mike Rubin, chairman of the board of directors for EPIC.
Do, also president of the Capitol Polo Club, said that the club’s location in the Agricultural Reserve promoted the event’s green message. ‘‘To bring people out to enjoy outdoor space is the idea of preservation,” Do said.
With climate change and the environment becoming hot-button issues in recent years, Nielsen said it was an ideal time to host the event. ‘‘The environment is the buzzword right now — this is the right time to get the word out,” Trab Nielsen said.
Sam Laddon, of Silver Spring, attended the event to watch his daughter, Samantha, perform with the Great Falls Vaulters, a group that mixes dance performance with horseback riding. ‘‘I endorse the concept,” Laddon said of the event’s green theme. ‘‘I think we’ve caused an awful lot of problems that are going to cost us a lot of time and money and energy to solve — anything helps.”
The event was a hit among polo enthusiasts and environmentalists alike, and coordinators hope to grow the event in coming years.
‘‘We’re going to make sure that people know we can enjoy the good life and at the same time be able to protect the environment,” Do said.
