AIHA Increases Green Initiatives at Conference & Expo
Businesses everywhere are "Going Green," and this year's event is no exception. At AIHce 2008, the American Industrial Hygiene Association is implementing green initiatives that were developed from attendees' suggestions/requests, numerous green meeting Web sites and white papers, and EPA's Pollution Prevention Division and the Green Meeting Industry Council's recommendations (available here).
The following list is just a sample of the many green initiatives at this year's event:
- More than 55 percent of PDC instructors volunteered to teach "Green PDCs," meaning course handouts will be distributed electronically in advance of the conference. These PDCs are noted on the AIHce Web site.
- Students are being provided with URLs (sent by e-mail) to download handouts. This enables attendees to review materials prior to the conference and provides the option to save, print (recycled paper and double-sided printing encouraged), or transfer files to a portable device.
- Print kiosks will not be available at AIHce due, in large part, to the average PDC handout size.
- About 10 percent of instructors will extend their PDCs post AIHce, via collaborative learning formats.
- The 2009 Call for PDCs will be entirely paperless (promotion and submission).
- Individual session recordings will be provided as downloadable files only.
- Recordings of the entire conference will be provided on CD, but will require the use of fewer CDs due to compression methods used.
- China will be used for all coffee breaks. Organically grown foods and minimal packaging will be used whenever possible. Leftover food will be donated to local charities, and distribution of water in bottles will be kept to a minimum.
- Signs are printed on recyclable materials or are reused annually.
- Badge holders/supplies will be recycled; extra office supplies will be donated to schools.
In addition, a FAQ section on the Green PDC Initiatives at AIHce 2008 is available here.