Imagine a world where buildings and other creations are environmentally friendly as well as beautiful. If it's hard to conjure up a mental picture, visiting the 10th Annual Green Design Conference might help.

This three-day string of events was organized by the students in Science, Technology and Society 497G (Green Public Opinion). The goal is to encourage students and the community to focus on solutions to environmental problems instead of just worrying about them, said Barbara Anderson, chairwoman of the conference and instructor of the class.

Green design is a theory of construction that "honors all life forms, not just human," said Maegen Simmonds (senior-sustainable development), a student in the class.

One aspect of the conference will be a green design contest, which begins at 9 a.m. today. Judging of finalists begins at 1 p.m. in the Kunkle Activities Center of Hintz Family Alumni Center. Entrants submitted their designs of various environmentally-friendly systems and products, and the students have selected the finalists to be judged today.

The projects' origins range from the minds of experts to students with extra free time. Sherman Grewal (senior-psychology) said entries are coming from a much larger area than in previous years.

"As far as submissions go, it's starting to spread throughout Pa. to other colleges," he said.

Submissions include concepts for children's toys from a student and an idea for a biosystem on Mars, which an entire faculty department at the University of Maryland submitted.

This year's conference theme is "Rural Renaissance: Restoring Our Roots in the Land." Although the themes change every year, the founding principles of the conference remain the same.

"It evolves because of the more we know and the more we grow," Simmonds said.

After judging, there will be an awards dinner where winners are presented with monetary prizes of up to $1,000. The events continue at 8 p.m. with a celebration dance, open to the public, in Robb Hall.

The competition exhibits will be on display tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and workshops will be held throughout the day for $10 for the public and $5 for students. The highlight of the conference will be keynote speaker Andrew Freer, a professor from Auburn University who is at the forefront of green design.

On Sunday, there will be a public issues forum discussing Circleville Farm. Self-guided tours to places in Centre County where green design is being practiced will take people to locations including Tait Farm and a biological wastewater system. Anderson's own house will be on the tour as well.

Two professors started the conference 10 years ago in order to publicize their students' research in environmental health. Three years ago, Anderson asked to take over so she could help it reach its greatest potential, and it has grown from a one-day exhibit to a three-day conference. "I'm an environmental activist, and I have been for 20 years now," Anderson said. "I'm always looking for ways to raise awareness."