If you feel guilty about squandering petrofuel to attend professional
conferences, there's always the option of atonement through purchase of
carbon credits ("green tags"). This year's Academy Awards ceremony bragged
that they acheived carbon neutrality by purchasing green tags from
Bonneville Environmental Foundation http://www.b-e-f.org/
I'm on a regional committee that has been purchasing green tags from BEF to
offset the carbon dioxide produced in traveling to meetings -- total cost
was about $45 per year for all of us and all of our meetings. We didn't
calculate or include the anthropogenic CO2 resulting from our long-winded
discussions.
These green tag dollars go towards investments in such things as solar and
wind power, reforestation and watershed restoration.
There are a number of other entities selling green tags and the
certification process is not yet well established. But this does seem to
offer an alternative that makes up for part of our bad habits.
Warren Aney
Senior Wildlife Ecologist
Tigard, OR
-----Original Message-----
From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Kelly Stettner
Sent: Monday, 06 August, 2007 06:27
To: [email protected]
Subject: Skipping meetings vs. teleconferencing
I got the impression from Wayne's post that he was not discouraging physical
attendance at meetings, but rather that he was encouraging the use of other
methods of participation. I have neither the time nor the money to "travel
extensively, jetting about" to and from meetings and conferences and
gatherings. I must pick and choose, carpool when I can, and (MUCH more
often) seek out conference calls, on-line courses and meetings, and notes
and presentations posted online after said conference or symposium. I have
taught myself perseverance in researching and have gained the
self-confidence to realize my questions are pertient and valid.
Another important tool I use is e-mail -- I seek out the researcher or
presenter, find their e-mail address, and ask them questions, sparking
conversations and discussions, getting answers and furthering my
understanding. I am a full-time college student, mother of two, full-time
secretary, and part-time voluntary director of a community-based watershed
team in Vermont, so my time is limited as is my budget. I think it is
extremely important for me to "meet" colleagues any way I can, and e-mail is
a fantastic "first contact" method.
So Wayne is not recommeding skipping meetings or discussion-time, he is
promoting finding alternative avenues of interacting as a means of time and
fuel economy. Or at least, that is what I am understanding from his
comments.
Sincerely,
Kelly Stettner, Director
Black River Action Team
Springfield, VT
www.blackriveractionteam.org
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