Greening the Conference

ESTC 2010 Green Conference Sponsor: Offsetters

Offsetters is a leading carbon management solutions provider based in Vancouver, Canada, helping individuals and companies understand, reduce and offset their climate impact. In 2009 Offsetters was selected as the first ever Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets in the history of the Olympic movement for the 2010 Winter Games.

Portland, Oregon: Most Sustainable City in the US

Consistently rated one of the "most sustainable cities in the US", Portland, Oregon is a green city where over 5,000 residents commute to work each day by bicycle; where parking meters are solar powered; and where the meticulous synchronization of traffic signals results in an annual savings of 1.1 million gallons of gasoline. Currently, Portland also boasts the most LEED-certified buildings per capita in the nation. Portlanders recycle 54 percent of their waste, a percentage that exceeds that of any other US city. And they and their fellow Oregonians introduced the nation's first bottle bill in 1971 to encourage recycling.

Smart, Sustainable Local Transportation

All conference attendees arriving from outside the region by air will enjoy the convenience of MAX light rail, the only train-to-plane option on the West Coast, conveniently connecting the Portland International Airport and downtown Portland, as well as getting around in the city with the Portland Streetcar, the only modern streetcar system in the nation. Portland boasts 226 miles of bike lanes, and is the birthplace of car-sharing in the US. The ESTC 2010 field sessions and local tours will utilize Portland's sustainable and accessible public transportations systems.

Hilton Portland Green Practices

The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, the ESTC 2010 conference venue, is Green Seal Certified and works to decrease its impact on the environment and improve sustainability. Green Seal is a non-profit organization that promotes the management, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower is also among the first hotels in Oregon to be certified in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

Local & Organic Meals

TIES is working with the conference caterers to offer local and organic food in the meals whenever possible. Supporting locally grown and produced food will conserve energy used in transportation and promote local products that are grown using environmentally friendly practices.

Fair Trade, Organic Coffee and Tea:

The coffee and tea served during the session breaks will be fair trade, local and organic products.

Green Office Practices

When the use of paper cannot be avoided, TIES is committed to using recycled and FSD certified paper. All of the conference programs will be printed using soy-based inks on post-consumer recycled paper. In addition, we are working with local partners in Portland, Oregon whenever possible to cut down on shipping-related waste.

Carbon Offsets

TIES will be partnering with a credible carbon offset organization to offer a climate friendly event. We encourage each conference participants to join us in actively helping to neutralize the impact of greenhouse gases emissions related to the ESTC 2010.