A slogan we hear a lot of these days is "Make America Great Again." Now whether you agree with the politics of President Trump or you disagree with Donald Trump or whether you think that America needs to be improved or not, there is certainly one thing we can all agree on... 

Americans need and want to be healthy! 

If there was to be named one singular destination where unhealthy eating habits go to die, it would be the Natural Products Expo. This is where I spent my Sunday, at Anaheim, California’s very own Expo West, which is one of 4 major Natural Product conventions held around the country each year.

This convention was, in a word, gargantuan. Couple that with my borderline-obsession for all things healthy and earth–friendly, I was in heaven. And with so many companies in attendance this year, the Anaheim Convention Center offered up every single exhibit hall and conference room they had, to accommodate the plethora of vendors that flooded their doors.

If you stepped back and calculated the sheer quantity of products that were on display, you would think they effect would be staggering to the mind and spirit. How am I going to be able to take it all in? Suprisingly however, it was not overwhelming at all. I believe this was due to the fact that everyone in attendance shared a mutual vision.

In this arena, there were two hopeful, mindful, positive goals set before the masses, to be collectively achieved:

1)Make Americans healthier.

2)Aid in the much needed clean–up of our planet.

This is why the the environment was so different from that of a typical shopping mall, mega store, or other sales experience. Sure, vendors are there to make sales, but not at the expense of the consumer’s health, or that of Mother Earth. Thereby, a mutual vibe of respect seemed to interlace itself through the atmosphere, and no pushiness or “salesiness” befell booth perusers as far as I saw.

People greeted each other with smiles and knowing nods. Open, honest conversation was unfolding all around me throughout the day. Vendors and attendants both had a keen interest in what the other had to say. This is so out of the norm! I thought to myself. How unbelievably refreshing. Even the more sales–focused conversations I did overhear still seemed to come from a deeper place than your average infomercial.

Yes, I decided, these folks were a different breed. Passionate. Earnest. Authentic. Because of this, I felt right at home representing Parkway Jars, since they operate in such a similar way. Mingling with these lovely, big-hearted entrepreneurs, I could tell them about how Parkway products are all DEHP, DINP and Phthalate–free, and they actually got it. They cared! So awesome.

When I would describe our strict regrind policy, they relayed back to me some of their own unique carbon footprint minimization tactics. When I recounted the details of our annual participation in the New Constellation Energy’s Energy Market Load Response Program, instead of glassy-eyed stares, (something I had become accustomed to at past events) I could tell they were actually interested this time. I was so thankful.

And so I say to you, dear reader: you may call these hummus chefs, dairy–free cheese makers and smudge stick sellers whatever you’d like – be they hippies, tree huggers, or whatever else may spring to mind. The truth is, these guys know what’s up. They know we can’t continue the same resource-draining practices of past generations, and they aren’t just talking about it. No, these folks are putting in countless man-hours to create and implement more mindful manufacturing practices for our future.

We are thankful for the ingenuity and the grit of our entrepreneurial forefathers. There is no question they paved the way for us, they made it happen in a very tough, industrial age. But they are passing on the torch now, and it’s up to us to move the needle. And that needle’s name is consciousness. That needle’s surname is compassion. Yes, let’s all be profitable, let us manifest great fortune. But let’s lift each other up while doing so.

Let’s look out for each other, specifically for each other’s health and well-being, as well as for our big backyard we call home, our planet.

I was honored to rub shoulders with such a phenomenal crowd and so thankful to have done so while representing such a mutually–compassionate company. I know Parkway Jars looks forward to continuing the conscious conversations that were initiated this past weekend, and are excited to collaborate on future projects that will promote the health and elevated mindfulness for us all.