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Environmental Commitment
For more than 100 years, A&WMA has been providing
industry-leading education and networking opportunities to environmental
professionals around the world. Understanding what it means for
our members, conference attendees, exhibitors, and presenters working
in the environmental field, we are consciously making efforts to
reflect their commitment in our offerings. Our 2008 meeting in Portland
promises to be our most environmentally friendly meeting yet –
and we hope we’ll be able to outdo ourselves again in 2009.
Some green features of the 101st Annual Conference & Exhibition
include:
Carbon Offset
A&WMA
shares the commitment its members have to protecting the natural
environment. Considering the initiatives and events surrounding
the 101st Annual Conference & Exhibition, there are certainly
concerns related to the environmental footprint of such a
large gathering.
Yet,
in order to really get down to business on environmental issues,
it’s just as important that professionals engage in
face-to-face dialogue. With our choice of site, convention
center, and hotels for 2008, even in the scheduling of tours
and events, we hope to offer the most responsible options
for all attendees.
For those interested in truly understanding their travel impact,
A&WMA is offering a carbon calculator through its 2008
online registration form. This feature allows attendees to
calculate the total carbon impact of their travel to and from
the Annual Conference, in both tons of carbon emitted and
the cost of an offset of those emissions on the Chicago Carbon
Exchange. From there, attendees will have the opportunity
to offset their conference travel carbon footprint, if they
choose to do so.
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 The
Oregon Convention Center – The facility for the 2008 Annual
Conference & Exhibition was the first convention center in
the country to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council
as an existing building. In addition to operating an extensive
waste management program that recycled more than 165 tons of material
in fiscal year 2006-2007, the Oregon Convention Center is a key
supporter of Pacific Power’s wind power purchase program
and provides financial incentives for employees to use mass transit.
It also contracts with a food service provider that composts food
waste and uses locally grown ingredients whenever possible. The
facility is also the first convention center to be certified “Salmon-Safe”
for its commitment to protecting water quality and the Pacific
salmon habitat.
 The
Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, A&WMA’s 2008
headquarters hotel, is Green Seal Certified by Green Seal, a nonprofit
group promoting environmentally friendly management practices,
products, and services. The Hilton has implemented energy improvements,
including the installation of highefficiency boilers and compact
fluorescent light bulbs; water conservation, waste minimization,
recycling, and composting initiatives; green meeting services,
including the use of locally grown ingredients for food service;
and environmentally friendly purchasing methods. The Doubletree
Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, a member of the Hilton Family
and another lodging option for 2008, also employs many similar
green practices, and has been recognized by the White House for
its revolutionary environmentally friendly laundry system.
 MAX
Light Rail – Portland is known throughout the world for its
success in mass transit. During the 2008 conference, attendees will
become familiar with Portland’s MAX Light Rail system, which
provides transportation from the airport to all conference hotels.
During, the conference, participants will no doubt use the rail
line to travel between the Oregon Convention Center, the Hilton
Portland & Executive Tower and other conference housing. The
MAX Light Rail will also serve as a source of transportation for
2008 technical tours, and will even be part of two tour agendas.Try
it to get around town during down time.
 Student
Housing at Portland State University – Students attending
the 101st Annual Conference & Exhibition will have the opportunity
to spend the week living in a green building. Student housing provided
by Portland State University features high-efficiency water and
energy systems, including storm water harvesting and window design
that promotes use of solar energy. Green building has become the
norm for new construction at PSU, which now boasts a green engineering
building, child development center, Native American center, and
two mixed-use facilities containing student housing.
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