CleanMed 2009 - A Green CleanMed

As an ecologically-focused health care conference, we seek to make CleanMed a leading example of how to host a conference that is healthier for both participants and the wider community. Our approach involves several strategies:

Reduce waste, exposure to toxic chemicals, and other environmental and human health threats through budgeting, conference planning, materials selection, and more;
Provide opportunities for conference participants to further reduce the impacts of the conference through their personal choices.
Support a transition to a more sustainable economy by purchasing supplies and contracting with vendors that have a more benign environmental footprint.
Identify a host conference facility/hotel that is already taking steps to “green” their design, operations and maintenance; and work with them to take additional steps, as necessary, across a full spectrum of issues such as recycling, using greener cleaning methods, avoiding fragrances, serving local, organic food.

“Green” Highlights of the 2009 Host Conference Facility

The Hyatt Regency Chicago’s Green Team, led by a Vice President/Managing Director, meets weekly to create and implement green practices throughout the hotel.
Green Seal certification for Lodging Properties (GS-33) is one of its primary goals for 2009. For more information on GS-33 requirements and other Chicago hotels seeking this certification see:

http://www.greenseal.org/certification/environmental.cfm

http://www.chicagoclimateaction.org/filebin/pdf/1014GreenHotels.pdf.

The hotel is within walking distance of key destinations and accessible by public transportation to/from the airport. m ore information

Reduce Waste and Ecological Health Impacts Through Planning

Our key greening measures focus on reducing our environmental footprint through:

Waste minimization & recycling
Reduction of carbon footprint and other greenhouse gases
Safer chemicals
Healthy, sustainable food
Social & environmental justice

Waste Minimization & Recycling:

In an effort to prevent waste and increase recycling, CleanMed strives to...

Minimize paper handouts.
Use post-consumer recycled paper that is processed chlorine-free whenever possible.
Offer attendees the option of not taking a bag at registration.
Serve food in bulk rather than individual portions, such as sugar packs and dairy creamers.
Ensure recycling containers are easily accessible and well marked.
Ask exhibitors to limit handouts and free samples.
Avoid the use of bottled water (Serve municipal tap water in reusable containers.)
Use reusable china, cutlery, glassware, etc. for beverages and meals.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases to Mitigate Climate Change:

Knowing that greenhouse gases accelerate climate change, CleanMed strives to host a climate friendly conference to the extent practicable...

Select venues that are easily accessible to public transportation.
Strongly encourage participants to use the safest and most environmentally friendly methods to get to the conference. more information
Work to reduce travel miles.
Provide climate friendly meals and snacks that focus on non-animal protein options and local, seasonal, organic foods to reduce food miles while reducing the use of fossil-fuel based fertilizers and pesticides.
When available as an option, compost food waste and make leftover food available to local food programs.
Purchase supplies that are produced locally.

Safer Chemicals:

In an effort to reduce the body burden of all participants as well as protect those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (also called Chemically Impacted or Injured), CleanMed commits to safer chemicals...

Make this a fragrance-free conference-Ask attendees, speakers and exhibitors to avoid personal care products and cosmetics that contain fragrance or have a scent.
Screen exhibitors to make sure they do not offer products with PVC, mercury, halogenated flame retardants, formaldehyde, and other components known or suspected of harming the health of people, wildlife or the planet.
Abide by the Precautionary Principle.
Provide PVC-free name tag holders.
Decorate the exhibit hall with materials that are environmentally friendly, including post-industrial recycled carpeting and padding, non-vinyl banners, bio-boards with post consumer recycled content and 100% recyclable, biodegradable trash bags, and use energy efficient lighting.
Work with facility/hotel management to reduce the use of chlorine, fabric softener, fragrant soaps & toiletries and to institute reusable towels and linens.

Healthy, Sustainable Food:

Understanding that food production can impact health, CleanMed will provide, to the extent practicable, food produced in an ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible way, such as:

Tasty, healthy, nutritious, whole, unprocessed food
Milk and other dairy products produced without rBGH/rBST.
Vegan and vegetarian meals.
Poultry or pork produced without arsenic compounds or the use of antibiotics for reasons other than treating sick animals.
Grass-fed beef produced without the use of added hormones or antibiotics for reasons other than treating sick animals.
Seafood that is sustainably harvested and low in pollutants/contaminants.
Third party certified poultry and meat products and/or products approved to carry USDA approved label claims applicable to meats.
Certified organic, fair trade coffee, preferably roasted and sold by a local business that is a member of the Fair Trade Federation and/or Cooperative Coffees.
Food and beverages grown and processed within a 200-mile radius of the conference site.

Social & Environmental Justice:

Recognizing the value of human labor and the need to respect the people who help us make this conference possible, CleanMed selects only union-affiliated hotels.

Greening Tips and Information for Conference Participants

The success of any conference rests on numerous factors, most importantly, the active participation of attendees. CleanMed invites you to help us green this conference through these suggestions:

Bring your own supplies – a bag to carry items, paper & pen, fragrance-free toiletries, a reusable water bottle or beverage container for coffee.
For the health of attendees, please refrain from using products with fragrance (If the product has the word “fragrance” avoid it. Ensure no masking agents are used in “unscented” products. There are many non-fragrant products on the marketplace. Visit the Skin Deep database.
Turn off lights in your guest room when not needed.
Accept only vendor samples and conference materials that you will use.
Email the agenda to your PDA or print it and your workshop selections before traveling to the conference, using post-consumer, recycled paper that is manufactured without chlorine or chlorine compounds.
Use recycling and compost bins when available.
Take public transit to and from the conference or airport. more information
Choose restaurants that offer local, seasonal, organic foods.
Walk to restaurants or other attractions.
Ask for tap water at local restaurants.

For more information about these issues, please visit:

• Health Care Without Harm

• Practice Greenhealth

Thank you for joining us at CleanMed 2009.