For the first time in its 3 years of conferences, the Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference is carbon neutral. Firstly, the conference planning committee took as many steps as possible to reduce the conference's carbon footprint. Here's how:Conference Materials:The program was printed on 25% post consumer waste paper by an FSC printer, signs and displays are being reused from previous events wherever possible, and conference proceedings will be posted on the web (available to conference participants) and emailed to avoid paper copies.Lodging:Conference hotels were selected on a basis of proximity to the UMD campus and their environmentally friendly practices (reusing linens, and using energy and water conserving devices), and the Inn & Conference Center (in which the opening reception took place) is a LEED certified building.Transportation:(the biggest environmental impact overall) All conference participants are being encouraged to use public transportation (UMD is accessible by metro, the Marc train, bus, bike - if you have access to one, and foot).Food Service:UMD Dining Services donates surplus food and participates in composting, recycling, and water conservation. (Recycling bins are also available all over campus - outside of the dining facilities.) To offset what couldn't be avoided, the partnering organizations of the conference purchased carbon offsets through NativeEnergy, which will help build a wind farm in the central United States. So, how can you green your event? Recently, Yale University developed Sustainable Events Guidelines. We covered in the February 21, 2008 issue of the AASHE Bulletin, but here's the blurb to refresh your memory: 3. ***|*Yale U Develops Sustainable Event GuidelinesYale University has developed Sustainable Event Guidelines for campus events. The guidelines provide sustainable energy, waste, transportation, materials and food strategies to help reduce the environmental footprint of the occasion. Events will be awarded a bronze, silver, or gold sustainability rating depending on how many of the guidelines to which they adhere. The program was launched in an effort to make sustainability part of the campus culture, and was created by the Yale Sustainability Office, the Yale Sustainable Food Project, Yale Recycling, and Yale Catering. Take a look at these guidelines and see how you can apply them to your upcoming Earth Day events. Wouldn't you like your event to practice what it preaches? The AASHE 2008 conference, which is coming up this November, will also take steps to reduce its overall environmental impact. Although we don't have it posted as of today (because we are still in the planning process), check out this site in the future to see how we will be reducing our footprint: AASHE 2008 - Greening the Conference.