They are down to earth

The Down 2 Earth expo, created by Betty Fulton (left) and Lorelei Grazier, will include eco-conscious shows on fashion, energy use, home remodeling, and sustainable designs. (MATTHEW GRAZIER)

Like a lot of their friends and neighbors, Lorelei Grazier and Betty Fulton wanted to green up their lifestyle. But they weren't sure how to proceed.

"We both felt it can be overwhelming; can one person really change the world?" Grazier said. "We realized the way to empower a person is to give them practical information to change their lives."

They decided it wasn't only a personal opportunity, but a business one as well. So Fulton, an events planner, and Grazier, a designer and brand specialist, have teamed up to create an event to help people expand their eco-consciousness. The result is Down 2 Earth, a consumer-focused show opening tomorrow for a three-day run at the Hynes Convention Center.

They have defined eco-consciousness broadly, so that green fashion shows and cooking demos will fit under the same roof as speeches by pioneering environmental advocates Bill McKibben and Frances Moore Lappé. Other events include workshops on home remodeling and energy use, along with forums on sustainable design and green jobs.

Almost 80 exhibitors will be at the show, from vodka makers to clothing manufacturers, advocacy groups to eco-tourism companies.

"I would say it's for the curious, people who really want to learn," said Grazier, who counts herself in that category. Neither Grazier nor Fulton considers herself an environmental radical.

"Oh no, not at all," said Fulton. "I call myself maybe six months ahead of someone who might come to d2e," the nickname organizers have adopted for the event. "I began this as an educational process for myself, and I really think what we're trying to do is appeal to a broad-based audience who wants to learn a little more about sustainability."

They've already made changes in their own lives. Grazier commutes by bus rather than car. Fulton uses compact fluorescent light bulbs and is taking bids to replace drafty windows in her almost-century-old house in Jamaica Plain.

The show itself has a green soul, too. Exhibitors have been asked to refrain from cheap giveaways to cut down on waste. The show is also offsetting its carbon use with the aid of Mass Energy and staffers have gone on a "carbon diet," seeking to trim 5,000 pounds of carbon each from their routines.

Even the caterer and the venue are on board. Organizers tout the Hynes for being the first convention center in the country to join WaterWise, an EPA program for water akin to Energy Star standards for appliances. Aramark, the caterer, will use locally grown foods, offer vegetarian and vegan fare, and will use biodegradeable packaging. They'll even be composting the food waste.

"They've both been unusually responsive and eager," Fulton said, "to get on the bandwagon."

For more details on Down 2 Earth, at the Hynes Convention Center tomorrow through Sunday, visit d2eboston.com. Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Under 13 free.