I only attended for the first hour of the event. However, in that time I picked up the following mood:

Though the crowd was relatively small during that hour, the folks who had come seemed very comfortable in the relaxed atmosphere and eagerly asked questions during and following the presentations. The workshop lineup looked impressive, with a wide array of energy-related topics filling the day. Between presentations there were booths to visit, a ToolShip to explore, and neighbors to meet and greet.

During the presentations, facts and figures paired with personal experiences and tips were generously shared — a great offering, especially considering that the workshops were free of charge. Clearly, those who had come thought so too. I saw some eagerly taking notes, while others were swapping insights with presenters and fellow attendees. Pros and cons of some green energy options available on the market were considered. The presenters were clearly passionate about their topics and encouraged rather than pressured attendees to consider the information they shared — obviously a successful approach, since several people stayed after the presentations to ask more specifically focused questions.

Home upgrades can be stressful for homeowners navigating a jungle of promising advertisements, foreign-sounding lingo, and often overwhelming stats. Sometimes, we just need an answer to our specific question from a person who has lived to tell their tale. 

The concentration of accessible know-how present that day surely made this a great event for locals who wanted to shorten their learning curve on an upcoming green home improvement project.