BlogHer - green - Comments

thanks for the list

prophetlady — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:59:33 -0500

I love youtube but I avoid to much internet on my telephone, at one point a few years ago, I was addicted to reading horoscopes, next thing you know in one month my bill was over two hundred dollars.

I said forget it, I pay a monthly set cost with rogers high speed, and as of tomorrow it will be a wireless modem, so...same cost..

But appreciate this list

Cancer blogger

aftercancer — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:45:41 -0500

I'm a cancer blogger and I've written about cancer treatment and research and the environment. Enjoy!

Kate

I blog at http://www.aftercancernowwhat.com

you haver compileed some

midnightbliss — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:40:12 -0500

you haver compileed some informative sites here. At home, I usually recycle home decors or furnitures that are no longer used and make them into something useful or trendy, in that way, we no longer have to buy new decorations evrytime we decide to recorate or renovate. With a little creativity you can make old unused things into a new piece of decor or furniture and there's no need to buy a new 0ne.

i learned a lot

midnightbliss — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:15:31 -0500

hi nina, thanks for your post, I learned a lot by reading your post and also the comments. I think honey and baking soda is worth trying.

Spnosorship and SWAG

mcmilker — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:47:33 -0500

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Great post Siel!

It was great talking with all my green online buddies at Blogher!

I think we have to start with the premise that if we want a
conference that is way below cost and affordable to many bloggers, we need to
accept that the conference needs sponsors. Either/Or - Either pay $1000 +
dollars the typical cost of a conference or accept, yes embrace
sponsorship.

Jory, Elisa and Lisa have BILLS – this conference is not
free and it’s probably best if it is made clear to all bloggers (over and over
and over) that if the cost to attend stays low then there will have to be
sponsors.

That said, as Blogher grows, more companies will want to
sponsor and the green team, as well as other teams can be asked for more input.

As a long time brand marketer, I’ve attended many, many
trade shows and conferences, including the LOHAS and green expos. SWAG is as
much a part of trade shows across the industry as it is at Blogher.

(Usually it’s just called “samples” though.) The companies
are not trying to give out gifts, they are trying to get Bloggers to try and
possibly write about their products – bloggers are opinion leaders both off and
online.

At most trade shows, people, usually buyers from small to large
stores and/or journalists are all offered small samples of “stuff”, coupons or branded
merchandise. Selected influencers are invited to on and offsite parties where
they may receive larger items…which they take to write about/consider selling
at their store.

That would be a possible model for Blogher – drop the SWAG concept
“Stuff we ALL get”. Provide brands options to offer samples of food/drink or
demos of product at the Expo center. I know the joy of getting a bag full of “stuff”
– it’s fun, but I think we can slowly wean ourselves from this model – let brands
operate the way they do at other trade shows – contact, pre-conference, a
selected group of (influencers) bloggers who they feel are a good fit for their
products – wine and dine them, have quiet moments to talk to them in conference
rooms at the show or offsite or in suites.

Some brands may wish to have open parties where everyone is
invited – that’s fine, but many will choose to have invitation only parties. That
happened this last year with mixed results. I think the key for brands is to
keep a low profile for invitation only parties – reach out to bloggers
individually – the brand should ALREADY have a relationship with bloggers
invited to private events…don’t we keep saying we want them to develop a
relationship with us? That actually opens up opportunities for smaller bloggers
– companies won’t be going after everyone- they will select those most likely
to write about their products – hey non-mommy bloggers – this means you!

Now all of that said, it might be an idea to reach out to a
variety of companies – those that don’t target moms might be interested in
small booth at the (much expanded) Expo center and a private party for THEIR
target market. Then continue to offer more branding opportunities (as was done
for the sessions.)

I think this is a journey – dropping all SWAG next year
doesn’t make sense. Slowly moving toward a different ( actually hybrid) model
does!

Incidentally, I don’t mind more reusable bags- I’ve sworn
off wrapping paper so use them for wrapping presents – introducing my ungreen friends
to the joy of reusable bags.

MC Milker - The Not-Quite-Crunchy Parent

Going Green at BlogHer09

Diane MacEachern — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:19:40 -0500

Diane MacEachern www.biggreenpurse.com Diane@biggreenpurse.com

As a member of the BlogHer Green Team, I was both thrilled and disappointed by what transpired at the conference. It was a testament to collaborative dialogue that we were able to persuade Pepsi not to hand out bottled water. However, it was very disheartening to arrive at the conference and see Pepsi handing out flavored water instead (it never occurred to the Green Team to talk about ALL of Pepsi's waters...duh!). It was terrific to see the swag bags pared down as much as they were. It was disheartening to see so many BlogHer attendees filling up their bags with the (mostly) junk exhibitors were handing out in the Expo hall. It was somewhat oppressive to see that every single session on the entire agenda was sponsored by a corporation. It was wonderful to see the Green session attended by so many interested and concerned people. This conference started a necessary conversation about values, the environment, personal responsibility and the role BlogHer as an organization can play in setting an example. BlogHer10 can be better - if we pay attention to lessons learned at BlogHer09 and set even higher standards for ourselves, for BlogHer, and for the companies that want to engage us.

We enjoy going to the beach

midnightbliss — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:21:24 -0500

We enjoy going to the beach but leave our garbage after we're done having fun, and we still need someone to do the cleaning for us.

We enjoy going to the beach

midnightbliss — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:21:17 -0500

We enjoy going to the beach but leave our garbage after we're done having fun, and we still need someone to do the cleaning for us.

swag

VenusStops2 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:10:59 -0500

I liked getting all the reuseable bags. I told my mom tonight that now we have no excuse to ever use plastic again. Tomorrow I'm going to put some in my car so I'm always ready too!

Someone talked about the bottle we were given, I have to admit it looked like plastic to me and that's why I didn't use it! What was it made out of?

I love The Daily Ocean!

Liz Henry — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:07:30 -0500

This is an amazing blog! 232 pounds of trash in 40 days with just 20 minutes a day? That's so scary.

The photos make this blog so powerful.

-----------------
Liz Henry
Composite: Tech & Poetics

lizzard@bookmaniac.net

my .02

Amy Gates — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:46:23 -0500

I think it is great that there was a green team and appreciate all of the effort you all put into making the conference greener.

I loved the idea of the water stations, but like others mentioned (and from what I heard from others at BlogHer), did not find them to be in obvious places. Maybe people were standing in front of them, I don't know. I can only recall seeing one in the ballroom. However, that didn't stop me from using my Camelbak bottle (brought from home). I just refilled it from water fountains or even the faucet in my hotel room. I'm not that picky. I do agree that there should not be plastic cups with the water coolers. Glasses maybe, but also signs to remind people to go get the reusable water bottles that came in their swag bags.

I'd love to see the recycling center in an obvious place - like outside the ballroom or in the lobby and it has to be open Sunday morning when people are checking out. I heard several stories of people leaving their excess swag in their rooms because they couldn't find the recycling center or it was already closed. Did housekeeping recycle it or just toss it? I hope that they took what they could use and recycled the rest, but I'm not holding my breath.

I thought the coupons as swag was a great idea and would encourage more of that next year. I also like the idea of larger giveaways instead of a token piece of plastic in everyone's bag.

I liked the reusable bags (one can never have too many and if one does, they can give them to friends), but not that they were often filled with crap I have no use for.

I was very glad to see real plates, utensils, etc. at the meals.

Overall, I think a very good effort was made by the green team. Is there any way to demand the the vendors follow the guidelines for swag next year - tell them these things are acceptable (coupons, large giveaways, etc.) and these things (crap that is going to end up in the landfills) are not?

Oh, and I love that pic of you and Beth. You both look wonderful. :)

Amy
Crunchy Domestic Goddess
BlogHers Act contributing editor

Thanks for the info about

Leighbra — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:58:42 -0500

Thanks for the info about all the food. Boy that makes me sad. I saw several people asking for food and money in Chicago, both on the Magnificent Mile and when we rode the train and bus to our hotel. So much waste. :(

I was actually surprised not to hear much feedback about the Ragu center pieces and sculpture. They were beautiful, but like I said, I'm probably TOO mindful about the actual cost of our food.

Guys, you really did a fantastic job. Gatherings of people in the numbers you saw are never going to be without waste. I am proud of the efforts you guys made.

I don't have a problem with the number of reusable bags I brought home. Not at all! We always seem to have left them at home, or in the other car when we go grocery shopping. Not anymore! One I felt were extras I passed on to my in-laws, because they don't use reusable bags at all. One we used as a gift bag for a birthday party my daughter went to. No clue where it came from, as it had no brand on it.

I DID feel a little silly about the reusable bag that I brought from home in my suitcase though lol

too much stuff

Adventures In Babywearing — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:11:10 -0500

I agree- swag just adds to more stuff. I think if we continue to go the swag route, then there needs to be a swag recycling area clearly marked and out in the open- not hidden in some suite- and open until Sunday afternoon. Maybe several stations? Then those items can be donated or whatever.

Steph
Link TextAdventures In Babywearing

Reusable bags

Average Jane — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:01:54 -0500

I, too, already have more than enough reusable bags. Then I found out that a community service organization to which I belong is collecting reusable grocery bags to give to homeless shelters so that the children there will have something in which to carry their belongings. I'm setting aside all of my new grocery bags from BlogHer to donate.

More Swag Recycling Would Help

Condo Blues — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:18:05 -0500

I think the place were we really fell short was with the swag recycling station. It was an unmarked table at the back of the Expo hall that was only open during those hours. With my session and volunteer schedule, I didn't have time to go through my stuff and drop it off for those people who may have wanted it. I suspected that many attendees felt the same way because I saw piles of stuff outside of their doors, some with Please Take signs. As we discussed on the Green Team what's relivant to one person is not to another.

Since there wasn't an offical caretaker for the swag recycling I wonder what's really going to happen to the stuff that was dropped offf on that table. I stopped by the swag recycling to take pictures of it for a blog post. The PR side of me wanted to see what others liked and didn't like. A person from Zwaggle saw me and asked what I was doing we had a conversation about how they handed swag recycling last year and how they spend a while week contacting nonprofits who could use the items turned in. Last year's swag recycling was helpful for the sponsors because they walked through it to see what types of items worked, what didn't, what could be improved upon like the Hanes Tshirt tote bag. I'm all for creative reuse, I understand the branding aspect of turning a t-shirt into a tote bag. But it didn't quite work because you couldn't get things in and out of it easily because it had a regular tshirt neck hole. Using a white branded tank top would have been much better to get things in and of due to the bigger neck hole and less costly/less materials to manufacture - just sew a hem in the bottom of the shirt and you're done.

As for the leftover food, The Green Team was told that local laws prohibit donating leftover food to charities. Instead of tossing it, the hotel makes leftovers available to it's employees. Not sure about the Ragu food statue. Impressive from a decor perspecitve but I wondered what happened to all of those vegtables after the lunch. I sure hope they were composed.

Condo Blues Frugal green living that's big on style and small on budget http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/