Feeling like an outlier...

I am currently away attending a professional meeting that I attend each year. For the first time since I joined the association and began to attend the annual meeting I am noticing the horrific impact such an activity has on the planet. I am finding it so distracting that I have been making notes on the things that could easily be done to improve the situation that seem to simply not have occurred to anyone doing the planning.

The result is that I am wandering about wondering if I am a freak. Have I taken my concern for my effect on the globe way beyond the norm? Example, last night I was having a very lovely meal with two colleagues and a person I had not met previously who was a friend of one of my friends. The topic of my vegetarian diet came up and the person I did not know asked me what started me on that path. Before I could answer she said with a tone, "I would never do something like because of the planet or anything else like that!" [insert eye roll here]. I was a bit shocked. As it happens, I did not initially take that step for any reasons other than meat didn't appeal to me any more, but the thought that considering the impact of such things was silly struck me as very odd and a bit insulting, to be honest. I suppose you had to see the facial expression and hear the tone to understand. It was if I was suddenly patchouli-soaked, hairy and hugging a tree at the table. To be very fair, I do consume seafood from time to time, but when I do, I do not chose over-fished species. I have loved Chilean sea bass in the past, but I simply cannot order it knowing what I do. I do let the health of the world weight in on my dietary choices. Am I a freak?

I would really like to see the association make an effort to chose more sustainable options where possible. What kinds of things would I suggest? For one thing, I would banish the plastic bottles of water on every single speaker's table and provide a durable pitcher and glasses, or if the costs were reasonable make a statement by using compostable water bottles. Who needs to use the petroleum for the bottle, the shipping, etc? This is especially important given that the recent figures on plastic bottle recycling is low. I would ensure that all the handouts (thousands at this meeting) were at minimum printed DOUBLE-SIDED! Better, I would encourage presenters to make their materials available electronically - most of us throw those things away anyway. I would look into the feasibility of using recycled paper and soy-based inks for the meeting materials, and I would definitely provide recycling for those materials at the of the meeting. I'm sure there are tons of other things that could be rather easily done and implemented if there were interest, these are just off the top of my head. (I'd love it if you would comment on other ideas!)

Can't wait to get home to the bosom of good ole tree-hugging San Francisco. I might even pretend to throw something recyclable into the trash to illicit a friendly reminder from someone to remind myself I am not alone. ; )