Pre Event:

• Digital Marketing - Whenever possible, LOHAS will utilize advanced technology rather than printed material to communicate with forum participants.
• Recycled/Tree Free Printing - When items must be printed, LOHAS will utilize tree-free or recycled papers and plant-based, non-toxic inks. From the badges, to the brochures, to our letterhead and envelopes, LOHAS will be a tree friendly event.
• Responsible Sponsorship - We will continue to focus on sponsors who are either adopting, or are actively applying, the LOHAS principals of sustainability.
• Merchandise - Whenever possible, LOHAS merchandise will be created with responsible products and will be manufactured without the use of sweatshop labor.
• Attendee Outreach - LOHAS will encourage all conference attendees to participate in this sustainability mission. Practices that will be encouraged include waste reduction, use of personal reusable mugs, and use of public transportation when possible.
• Non-Profit Outreach - In an effort to make the conference as accessible as possible, LOHAS is offering a 50% discounted badge rate to non-profits.
• Community Outreach - In an effort to reach out to the leaders of tomorrow, and educate them on LOHAS practices, we are committed to developing a program whereby students majoring in business can apply for a limited number of discounted conference badges. Students will be able to apply for these badges by sending an email to ted.ning@consciousmedia.com
• Energy Offsetting - LOHAS will offset all their energy use (offices, cars, airplanes, hotel energy used at conference, etc) through wind energy certificates that benefit Native American communities.

On Site:

• Renewable Energy LOHAS is bringing the Greenpeace Rolling Sunlight vehicle on-site during the conference.  The Rolling Sunlight is a Greenpeace demonstration and educational vehicle showcasing clean energy technologies. It features 256 square feet of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and supplies enough energy to power three energy efficient homes! The truck itself runs on biodiesel, a fuel created from new or waste vegetable oil. Using alternative fuels drastically decreases greenhouse gas emissions.  More information about Rolling Sunlight is available at cleanenergynow.org.
• Diverse Panelists - It is our objective to present panels that represent a diversity of issues, people and ideas. In 2005, LOHAS will make a concerted effort to reach out to panelists and speakers from a variety of ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds.
• Waste Reduction - LOHAS will ensure that minimum waste enters the waste stream by emphasizing efforts on reducing and reusing.
• Waste Reclamation - LOHAS will provide Waste Reclamation Stations that provide attendees and sponsors with a convenient place to recycle and compost
• Disposables - Disposable cups will be replaced with reusable mugs and/or bio-plastic/tree free compostables. Disposable cutlery will be replaced with reusable silverware and/or cornstarch compostables. Virgin napkins will be replaced with cloth napkins and/or 100% recycled paper napkins.
• Sponsor Waste - In 2005, LOHAS will work closely with our sponsors to help them find creative ways to market themselves that do not involve disposables, plastics, sweatshop labor, tree-paper or excessive packaging. If it cannot be reused or recycled, it simply will not be allowed on site.
• Ritz Carlton Greening LOHAS will ask our venue to utilize the most sustainable items available. On our floor we will use 100% recycled toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags.
• Food Donations - Any reusable food leftover from LOHAS meals will be donated to local food banks for distribution to those less fortunate then ourselves.

LOHAS is committed to producing a near-zero waste event. On every level of our pre-event marketing and on-site production, we aim to leave the lightest footprint possible. During the LOHAS Forum, we are asking all of our sponsors to adhere to the same conscious guidelines that we have set for ourselves. The primary guidelines we encourage our sponsors to follow include the following:

• Aim For 'Zero Waste' - Please join us in planning your sponsorship execution with Zero Waste as the goal. Sponsor products, displays, promotional handouts, signage and other promotional items should be reusable, or at least recyclable. Please try not to bring more handouts than you might need. If you pack it in, be sure that you are also prepared to pack it out (ie: you will need to ship leftover materials back to your office).
• Actively Recycle and Compost - LOHAS will have waste reclamation stations available on-site for cardboard, paper, glass, aluminum, plastic and compostables. Although we prefer that all items brought in are also brought out (reusable), should disposable packaging be necessary to your execution, it is imperative that these waste reclamation stations be utilized.
• Choose Sustainable Packaging - Should your plan include handing out samples, please bring it with, and in, the most sustainable packaging available to you. Please strive to avoid individual packaging whenever possible (ie, a plate of cookies is preferable to handing out individually wrapped ones). When shipping your products to the hotel, please also use sustainable packaging, such as newspaper filler rather than Styrofoam peanuts.
• Use Responsible Products - When choosing what to bring to LOHAS, please keep social and environmental responsibility in mind, and support other companies that also choose responsible business practices. All of our sponsors are asked to use tree-free or recycled paper, rather than virgin. If you are making promotional t-shirts, please support sweatshop-free and/or organic cotton manufacturers. When planning decorative displays, please utilize sustainable choices, such as ice sculptures or organic bouquets, over items that will end up being 'trash'.

LOHAS has retained The Spitfire Agency to assist us in our greening process, and they are available to assist you in your process as well. Should your company need tips on sustainability, contacts for responsible vendors, or creative promotional ideas that do not produce waste, please let us know.

Sustainable Products Supplied by Greenhome.com