The Renewable Energy Roundup and Sustainable Living Expo will be held indoors for the first time in Belton, Texas Sept. 26-28. Photos from previous Roundups courtesy of organizers.

Sept. 10, 2014

Now in its 14th year, the Renewable Energy Roundup & Sustainable Living Expo will once again play host to an impressive line-up of activities, speakers and exhibitors all offering advice for sustainable living.

The event organized by the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association and the Texas Center for Policy Study will be held Sept. 26-28 in Belton, located about two hours south of Fort Worth. 

Above, small wind turbines on display. Below, visitors check out a Tesla.

The three-day conference differs from other green festivals in North Texas because of its focus on four key sustainable subject areas: renewable energy; green and sustainable building and living; organic gardening and agriculture; and electric and alternative fuel vehicles.

“Water issues such as rainwater harvesting, conservation, resources and usage will be a theme running throughout all four of these subject areas too,” Esther McElfish, spokesperson for the Texas Roundup

McElfish says that the annual expo’s purpose is to give Texans a “one-stop fun, family-friendly weekend” that will not only educate, but will connect event-goers to “credible” resources.

Those credible resources include speakers such as Dirt Doctor Howard Garrett, a Dallas-based sustainable living author of more than 15 books and the host of a weekly radio program "The Natural Way" on KSKY-660; Mike Renner, a past president of North Texas Renewable Energy Group who has built his own green and sustainable home over a period of years; Larry Howe, who is the cofounder and volunteer coleader of Plano Solar Advocates also serving on the Statewide Board for the Texas Solar Energy Society; and Chris Miles, winner of the Outstanding National Award-Winning Green/ Sustainable Homebuilder, who not only serves on the Board of Dallas Homebuilders Association and is a former Flower Mound town council member, but also custom builds "green" homes in the North Texas area and is the host of a weekly radio program, "House Talk Today" on KSKY 660.

Above, organic gardening guru Howard Garrett will be speaking at this year's event.

"This is not another event with a series of vendors just trying to sell you something,” says McElfish. “We have vetted our speakers and have created one-hour presentation sessions with practical information and time for questions and answers."

McElfish say the expo is particularly aimed at individuals, families, business owners, employees and community leaders who are ready to “take it to the next level.”

Traveling from around the state to attend, McElfish said attendees tend to be folks who are “serious about taking action, and have already begun implementing some of these changes into their lifestyles, whether in their home, workplace, the foods they grow and eat, the vehicles they drive, their energy choices or their water usage and resources.”

McElfish says event-goers will be able to talk to experts with firsthand experience in implementing practical, efficient and cost effective sustainable technologies and healthy, positive lifestyle changes.  

“Folks do not have to reinvent the wheel," McElfish says. “They can learn the dos and don'ts from those who've been there. Attendees can also network with others from around Texas with experience in these subjects. Instead of having to make time-consuming individual contacts on their own with suppliers, businesse and contractors in their area, attendees can gather and compare information from numerous credible resources on site.” 

One change this year is that the event has been moved from Fredericksburg to a more central location, the Bell County Exposition Center in Belton, off I-35 between Waco and Austin. The Roundup will be indoors for the first year.

And, though the event has always been family-friendly with activities for children, this year the organizers took it up a notch adding demonstrations and hands-on activities on Friday for middle and high school-age students called "Save the Planet? Kids Are the Answer!" 

Left, solar car racing.

“We have already received confirmations from public and private schools, homeschoolers, church and scouting groups, as well as college students that they will be attending on Friday,” McElfish says. “Over 300-plus are coming from the Central Texas area alone.” 

On Friday, youth ages 18 and under will be given free admission as part of the Education Day and those under 12 years old will be admitted free on Saturday and Sunday too.

Cost is $8 to attend Saturday and Sunday and $20 for a three-day pass with military, senior and student discounts available. For more information visit www.theroundup.org.    


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