Green Mission
AZA is committed to using as many environmentally responsible practices as possible and feasible for the Annual Conference. The below measures are in place and AZA is committed to carrying out these practices and encouraging all participants and attendees of the conference to do the same.
Conference Promotional Materials
- AZA prints all promotional materials on Forest Stewardship Council certified, recycled, double-sided paper, printed with vegetable oil-based inks when available.
- In all promotional pre-conference materials, AZA strongly encourages attendees to register online, rather than mailing a hardcopy registration form.
Conference Registration Materials
- All registration confirmation materials and badge previews will be emailed to attendees. Emailing a badge preview prevents the printing of multiple, incorrect badges.
- Registration bags will be produced from eco-friendly materials. Attendees are encouraged to reuse bags in the future.
- Recycling receptacles for attendee registration badges will be located at the registration desk and at Zoo Day to collect unwanted badge holders for re-use at other conferences and meetings.
Conference Program Materials
- AZA will be printing the program guide on Forest Stewardship Council certified, recycled, double-sided paper, printed with vegetable oil-based inks. Attendees are encouraged to only take one copy and dispose of in the recycle bins located throughout the convention center.
- A mobile app and mobile website will be made available, giving attendees the option to go paper-light.
- All directional and room signage is reused by AZA from one event to another, whenever possible.
- AZA encourages all speakers to provide their handouts or presentations to be posted on the website after the conference for Member access.
Exhibit Hall
- All conference exhibitors and participants are strongly encouraged to use sustainable products for any promotional giveaway items.
- Exhibitors are encouraged to participate in Lead Retrieval. Attendees will have a bar code on their registration badges, allowing exhibitors to scan their badge to acquire contact information. This will cut down on the number of business cards being distributed.
- Any box lunch in the Exhibit Hall will be offered either without a box, or in recyclable containers or a reusable lunch bag when possible.
- All carpet, table clothes and signage in the Exhibit Hall will be recycled or reused as much as possible.
- Low lighting and air conditioning levels will be practiced during Exhibit Hall set up and tear down, and a schedule of conservative lighting use during non-event hours will be established.
- Attendees are provided or encouraged to bring reusable water bottles.
Sustainability at Audubon Nature Institute
Conservation comes in many forms. It’s a simple act like recycling a soda can or as complex as mapping out a genetic history for a threatened animal species. It’s as joyous as the birth of a young animal, and as sobering as watching a species dwindle down to extinction.
At Audubon Nature Institute, everything we do comes back to conservation. We want to instill in our visitors an appreciation for the natural world so that together, we can make a difference for the world’s wildlife. We want to pioneer innovative partnerships that make our efforts stronger. We will measure our success by the number of species whose numbers are increasing rather than declining.
Carbon Offsetting with SOUL
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Zoo are partnering with Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) and its Community Forestry Program to help attendees offset their carbon emission traveling to the Conference. SOUL’s mission is to drive a resilient and environmentally equitable New Orleans by reforesting the city’s urban landscape.
The United States Forest Service declared New Orleans the most deforested city in the country in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina killed 100,000 trees. In order to develop an urban forest that rivals the thriving canopies of Atlanta, Austin, or Chattanooga, the city needs to plant 1 million trees. This matters. In addition to reducing pollution, trees absorb a tremendous amount of stormwater, mitigating the street flooding that plagues New Orleans during average rain events. A mature live oak tree, for example, can absorb more than 1,000 gallons of water per day and sequester 156 pounds of carbon per year!
SOUL has planted more than 1,800 large, native, water-loving trees since its 2016 launch. Trees are primarily planted on the public right-of-way, medians, campuses, and parks.
Remember to donate to SOUL when registering for the Conference!
Giving levels:
- $100 – Fund the Planting of One Tree
- $35 – Support SOUL’s Community Forestry Program
- $15 – General Donation