Having found a partner in local fruits and vegetables, the green movement has landed in Utah Valley.

The first annual Living Green in Utah Valley Expo will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in conjunction with the Provo Farmers Market at Pioneer Park, 100 S. 500 West, Provo.

The goal of the expo is to show people that it is not necessary to make large investments to live in better harmony with the ecosystem, said Char Coleman of the Downtown Business Alliance of Provo, which agreed to host the expo alongside the farmer's market.

"We want to increase awareness of how people can make small, everyday steps to help the environment," she said. "People think that being green means to buy a new car or put in solar panels, but there are small things everyone can do.

"When you buy from local growers, you are saving the expense of a lot of travel," Coleman said. "It cuts back on all the big trucks that have to be on the road hauling produce back and forth, and you get fresher produce, so it really is a win-win for everyone."

When friends told her the idea of a living green expo would never fly in one of the nation's most conservative counties, organizer Marsha McLean of the global environmental movement decided to prove them wrong. It didn't take long to find willing help.

"I was adamant that Utah Valley needs to get involved because we have not been the foremost in doing these kinds of things," McLean said. "It is just a matter of making this a priority."

Holding the two events together made sense, said Raquel Smith Callis, of the Downtown Business Alliance.

"We are just excited to make the farmers market better than ever, and it is a very timely matter to discuss solutions to make our community more sustainable," she said. "Anything to localize your food web is a good thing, especially with fuel prices and the cost of bringing food from 1,500 miles away. I hope we have a good crowd turn out."

Buying local produce also encourages farmers to keep local green space and open space in production, rather than razing crops to make way for houses, Coleman said. The event also encourages families and community members to spend time in Pioneer Park.

"We can't all do everything," said McLean. "But what we can do is be conscious of the impact we are having on the planet."

Utah Valley's population has boomed, with no end in sight, and now is the time to think about how to reduce the human footprint on the local and global environment, she said.

"People like to live here but we have been a throw-away society," she said. "We have to appreciate all of God's gifts and not waste them, to take care of the animals and people and environment and air so we can all live more comfortably and live longer."

A representative of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will speak at the expo on the recently signed Western States Climate Control Accord, and other speakers will tackle water-wise landscaping, the local green building movement and other issues. About 20 vendors of green products and services also will be on hand to give information about their wares. Workshop demonstrations will include tips and information on water and energy conservancy, efficient driving, recycling, enjoying local wildlife and the benefits of local produce.

Caleb Warnock can be reached at 443-3263 or cwarnock@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C1.