Special Edition Summit Newsletter - October 2008

These days we are all conscious of climate change and the detrimental effects we have on the planet, so ORION and CANARIE are eager to do their part in reducing the carbon footprint of the Summit. In this spirit, organizers have undertaken the following initiatives to make the conference as environmentally-friendly as possible:

• Serving meat-free meals (read the U.N.'s 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization).
  
  
• Using the aggressive recycling and composting program in place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. ORION and CANARIE encourage all delegates and exhibitors to recycle materials and use the compost bins for responsible organic waste disposal.
  
  
• Providing iced water canteens instead of bottled water to cut down on the recycling of empty bottles and fuel spent in the transportation of bottled water.
  
  
• Opting for reusable utensils, cutlery, dishes, and glassware, instead of disposables.
  
  
• Reduction of printed materials. The Summit is producing only a small, pocket-size program on recycled paper.
  
  
• Wherever possible, printing of signage has been done with vegetable-based inks.
  
  
• Encouraging our delegates to offset the carbon emissions generated to travel to attend the Summit (www.zerofootprint.net, www.flygreen.ca, www.offsetters.ca etc.).
  
  
• Instead of tangible speaker gifts, Summit organizers have opted for a charitable contribution to Evergreen, a not-for-profit organization that makes Canada's cities more liveable.
  
  
• No delegate giveaway item in an effort to conserve on the manufacturing of ‘stuff’ (which consumes energy and produces pollution in the item’s manufacture and distribution and which eventually ends up in landfill sites).