HEMPFEST'S GRASS IS GREENER THIS YEAR

Event Aims to Be More Eco-Friendly

That aroma you're picking up as you walk near Myrtle Edwards Park or
downwind from the Olympic Sculpture Park this weekend?

Smells slightly sweet, familiar even, with hints of patchouli and
body odor? Does it bring back memories of dorm-room chats or crowded,
sweaty concerts?

Yeah, you got it.

It's time for the country's biggest "protestival" - Seattle Hempfest
- - on Saturday and Sunday. All "Reefer Madness" jokes aside, this is a
serious event that is expected to draw more than 150,000 people who
support reforming laws pertaining to marijuana - especially
legalizing the domestic production of that less fun strain, hemp. Of
course, some people might be there to check out a festival at which
being stoned is no big deal. It's open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.

As usual, hundreds of booths - food and products - will give festival
attendees plenty to peruse. They'll also be able to listen to five
stages of music and dozens of speakers, including the return of PBS
and NPR travel show host Rick Steves, who has spoken out for the
decriminalization and regulation of marijuana; Magic Black-Ferguson,
the executive director of Grammas for Ganja; and David Frankel,
director of the Hemp Industries Association. Headlining musical acts
include Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Laura "Piece" Kelley.

In this 17th year of Seattle Hempfest, "Industrial Hemp" is the dominant theme.

"It's a different strain of marijuana, a nonintoxicating strain with
no THC that has 5,000 applicable uses, including textiles and
fiberboards," said Vivian McPeak, Hempfest's executive director.
"Hempseed is more nutritious than soybeans, hemp plastics stronger
than other plastics, and because it's a weed, it's one of the most
fibrous plants on the Earth and it fights soil erosion. There is
literally an endless array of uses for the industrial hemp plant.
Everything sold in America - jewelry, clothing, the hempseed oil,
waffles, ice cream, hemp bread, hemp nuts/seeds sold at Whole Foods -
has been imported. The U.S. doesn't allow it to be grown domestically.

"It sounds kind of Pollyanna, but there really are all of these uses.
It's a crime we can't grow it in America because it happens to look like pot."

Although marijuana was outlawed in 1937, McPeak said the U.S.
government produced a film called "Hemp for Victory" in 1942 that
extolled the ways the plant helped fight World War II.

McPeak said the event is also becoming more eco-friendly this year.

"Some people think Hempfest is about as green an event as it can get,
but we can go greener," he said. "We are looking at ways to reduce
our carbon footprints. We are composting both at the cafe and staff
kitchen; using biodegradable food utensils (corn, plastics that
dissolve); a company called General Biodiesel is harvesting the used
cooking oil from vendors; we're running the main stage and Hemposium
stage on biodiesel; and printing programs on 100 percent
consumer-recycled paper with soy inks."

The all-volunteer event is free, but donations are encouraged. In
alignment with the green theme, attendees are urged to ride public
transportation to the event. That might work out better since parking
on Elliott Avenue West and surrounding streets can be hard to find
that weekend.

The event began in 1991 as a "humble gathering of stoners" but has
since grown into "a premier Northwest summer attraction, adding to
Seattle's notoriety as a marijuana-friendly city," according to the
news release.

McPeak gives support for that notion: A statewide medical marijuana
initiative passed in 1998; in 2003, simple possession of marijuana
was given the lowest police priority; and medical marijuana
distribution in the city has not reached the level of "exploitation"
that it has in California.

"But the fact the city respects the First Amendment - our right to
gather and free speech - and supports Hempfest shows it's friendly,"
McPeak said.

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COMING UP

SEATTLE HEMPFEST XVII

WHEN: 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

WHERE: Elliott Bay Park, Myrtle Edwards Park and Olympic Sculpture Park

INFORMATION: hempfest.org