Green gets going at AltWheels fest

BOSTON. The 2007 AltWheels Festival hits City Hall today, with exhibits, demonstrations and experts highlighting the latest advances in green technology.

The two-day festival, now in its fifth year, will feature several new interactive exhibits, which include watching biodiesel fuel being made, shooting off hydrogen rockets and viewing the newest Hybrid prototype vehicles. More than 70 fuel-efficient vehicles and 150 exhibits will be on display, as well as an “Energy Freedom Trail” meant to show visitors simple ways to reduce their energy consumption. Other areas will target sustainable foods, health and activities for kids.

The event is meant to increase awareness and interest in green initiatives, alternative energies to oil and efforts to reduce global warming. Alison Sander, the event’s founder and chief organizer, said one of the main goals this year is to bridge the divide between individuals being aware of green initiatives and then actually taking action — which she called a “pretty wide gap.”

“One of our themes is to bring a skeptic to AltWheels,” Sander said yesterday. “We want to introduce a much broader, mainstream audience to what the options are.”

The festival will also include awards to “green pioneers” — individuals, companies and agencies that have taken extraordinary steps to reduce reliance on oil. Among the award winners this year is the MBTA for its use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses.