Ideas for a UO Sustainability Conference in October?
by Daniel Bachhuber
Steve Mital, Sustainability Director for the University of Oregon, recently sent a call for ideas to help guide a Sustainability Conference tentatively planned for the 23rd and 24th of October, 2008. It is being organized by Sustainability Directors at Portland State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Oregon, and the second day will reportedly be “entirely devoted to students and sustainability.” My suggestions for the conference, written in full on the Oregon Direct Action blog, revolve around these ideas:
- Planning this conference digitally and in the public eye so that students can be a part of the entire process
- Adding an international component to help bridge the local-international sustainability gap
- Networking with local sustainability non-profits
- Drafting a set of sustainability guidelines for campus community to voluntarily adopt (i.e. minimizing paper use, using Tupperware instead of styrofoam, etc.)
They are looking for ideas on “workshops, themes, keynote speakers, etc.” until July 3rd. Let’s make this conference worth attending!