Buffalo is playing host to the 2013 Conference on the Environment. The opening day featured a fundraising concert and talk about Great Lakes issues with Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip.
Downie sang and talked about growing up on Lake Ontario and being a Waterkeeper for the lake.
Visitors also had a chance to look at exhibitions about sustainability and new products to help, lining an exhibit area in the Adam's Mark Hotel downtown.
Crystal Surdyk from Designing to Live Sustainably was among those on hand.
"Sustainability, it's not just about the environment. It's about economic sustainability. It's about social sustainability," Surdyk told WBFO News.
"It's not all about, you know, cattle and rain gardens. It's a much larger picture. "
Erie County Executive Poloncarz and his Niagara Region equivalent Regional Chair Gary Burroughs will be welcoming the guests Friday morning.
Friday afternoon Peace Bridge Authority General Manager Ron Reinas and Kathy Mecca, president of the Niagara Gateway Columbus Park Association, will be talking about easing air pollution at the bridge.
