When most people attend a conference, they come home with lots of pamphlets, programs, giveaways and more. Some of it is useful and some less so. This year, in an effort to be more socially and environmentally responsible, CMF is striving to make our annual conference as green and earth-friendly as possible. We think this is another small way we can all participate in transforming Michigan.

Here are just a few of the ways we’re greening up the conference:

Paper-less, but not Paper-free
While not yet paper-free, we are lessening the amount of paper used and distributed in the following ways:

• Conference Program, Learning Journal & Roster
  The program guide will be printed on recycled paper and a participant roster will be e-mailed to participants prior to the event instead of being included in the print program, reducing the number of program pages by half.
•  Session Handouts
  Speakers are being asked to refrain from printing session handouts and instead make them available for download on our conference web site. This effort will improve the quality, availability and timeliness of handouts and resources and enable participants to print the handouts that are right for them either at home, the office or in the Cyber Café during the conference.
• Glass & Porcelain for Beverages
  Bottled water and paper cups will not be used during the conference. Instead, glass and porcelain cups will be available during coffee and snack breaks.
• Marketing
  We used a tree in our conference theme this year instead of using trees to print a registration brochure. We've put online everything a participant might need to know about the conference and we hope you’ve checked out the tool enabling you to read our registration brochure page-by-page like a catalog.

We do understand that our members have varying levels of computer savvy, so if you need a print copy, you can download one here. Or, we are more than happy to print and mail one to you. Please contact our office at 616.842.7080 and we'll send one out immediately.

Biodegradable Pens and Conference Banners
Each participant will receive a bio-pen attached to their program guide that is 80% biodegradable. Our large conference banners will also be printed on biodegradable vinyl.

Plastic Nametag Reuse
Each year, we reuse the plastic nametags returned at the registration booth after the conference. Be sure to stop by and turn yours in at the close of the conference.

Recycling During Conference
We’ve asked the Amway Grand to make recycling bins available throughout the conference. And we're continuing to look for ways on-site to cut back on resources

Linen & Towel Reuse Program
If you plan to stay at the Amway Grand during the conference, we encourage you to use their linen and towel reuse program in your guest room, saving water and energy.

Got ideas of other ways we could make the conference green? Submit them here.