CHAMPAIGN – Looking for ideas on how to live a more environmentally conscious life?

There's a good chance you'll find some at the Greener Living Expo to be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at The News-Gazette's distribution center in north Champaign.

More than 40 vendors have arranged to take their "green" ideas, products and services to the show. It's sponsored by Bratcher Heating and Air Conditioning, in cooperation with The News-Gazette, WDWS-WHMS radio and News-Gazette Community Newspapers.

SoyWorld USA plans to bring environmentally friendly cleansers and personal care products to the show. Angel Wind Energy will demonstrate wind turbines for residential use. And a Bratcher representative will explain how homeowners can save money and gain efficiency with geothermal heating and cooling systems.

Other exhibitors include home remodelers, landscaping companies, auto dealers ... even an investment counselor who can talk about "green" investments.

Expo organizers are asking for a $5 donation at the door, with all proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County.

Besides bringing $5, attendees may also want to bring used rubber-soled shoes, used crayons and gently used books.

Students from the READY Program – an alternative learning program operated by the Regional Office of Education – will be collecting the shoes, crayons and books that day. The rubber-soled shoes will be routed to the Nike Grind program to be recycled into rubber athletic surfaces. The crayons will be recycled as well, and the used books will be redistributed.

The first 1,000 people to come to the expo will be given tote bags made of recycled material, and there will be giveaways of items throughout the day, said Alice Vaughan, ad services manager at The News-Gazette.

Vaughan and Jeremy Hawthorne, promotions director for WDWS-WHMS, are acting as coordinators for the expo.

The expo came about after a research team at The News-Gazette found that many small businesses wanted more opportunities to talk face to face with potential customers, Vaughan said. It was also apparent that many businesses were seeking a niche in the "green" marketplace.

Bratcher signed on as title sponsor for the expo after deciding the theme fit "hand in hand" with its geothermal heating and cooling systems, said Brian Houchin, general manager of Bratcher.

"You can't find anything greener to heat and cool your home with," said Houchin, whose Bloomington-based business opened a full-service location in Champaign last year.

During the expo, Steve Hancock, Bratcher's branch manager in Champaign, will lead a seminar on how geothermal systems work and how much money they can save.

Angel Wind Energy, which started up in Onarga last September, will demonstrate wind turbines and explain incentives available to those making use of wind energy.

"We're going to have a couple videos set up showing installations that have been done worldwide with these units," said Ben Harroun, the vice president of Angel Wind Energy.

"We're also going to have some small wind turbines, with some fans set up to show how wind energy works, right in the showroom," he added.

Angel Wind Energy recently installed its biggest turbine to date at the Harvest Moon Drive-In in Gibson City, he said.

Decatur-based SoyWorld USA will bring a selection of its soy-based cleansers to the show. Those include an all-purpose cleanser, a dish and tableware cleanser, and even a golf club cleanser, said Anne Vaux, who handles sales and marketing for the company.

She and company CEO Veronica Lee will also show some of SoyWorld's personal care line.

The range of vendors at the show extends from the B. Lime "green" store to New Prairie Construction to Triad Shredding to Urbana's U-Cycle program.

Greener Living Expo

What it is: Showcase of environmentally friendly products and services offered by more than 40 vendors.

When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Where: The News-Gazette's distribution center, 3202 N. Apollo Drive, C.

To get there: Take Market Street north from Market Place Shopping Center, turn right at traffic light at Mercury Drive, turn left onto Apollo Drive and continue north to The News-Gazette's distribution center.

Cost: $5 donation, with all proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County.