For the past four years, the Green Festival in Washington, D.C., has brought together people from around the country who are interested in the environmental movement. The groups call the festival "a party with a purpose". They say the purpose of the Green Festival is to create an economy in which natural resources are used in a way that does not destroy the environment. To the people who organize the event, "green" means having a safe and healthy community and a strong local economy. Throughout the two-day event, over one thousand people volunteered to help the festival run smoothly.  Four hundred businesses and organizations showed their products and projects. About three thousand visitors came to the party. They could find everything from naturally made organic food to clothing made from bamboo plants. There were over one hundred fifty speakers and discussion groups.  For example, you could learn how to be an environmentally friendly traveler. You could also watch several movies about political and environmental issues. Then you could listen to some live music performances. After sitting for too long, visitors could take a yoga exercise class. There was even an area for children. Younger visitors could enjoy fun games and lessons on subjects like protecting the rainforest and creating chocolate sweets. Green building was one of the important subjects at the festival. Many companies and organizations aim to create environmentally safe buildings. They design structures with reduced energy use, fewer chemicals and more recycled materials. The Loading Dock is an organization based in Baltimore, Maryland. Its message is that "a person could build a house with what others throw away". The Loading Dock collects donations of used building materials such as flooring, lighting, doors, and windows. These materials would otherwise end up in a landfill trash center. Then, the group resells the materials. This way, the materials are recycled. This form of recycling provides entire families and neighborhoods with low cost solutions for rebuilding their communities. Spending a day at the Green Festival showed people many solutions for improving the health of our planet. People have _ green choices, from the things people buy to the ways people eat, think, and live. The Green Festival connects a wide community of people who care deeply about, and are working to improve, our shared environment. What is the purpose of the Green Festival?
To bring people together. To study the environment. To improve people's health. To develop a green economy.