MISSION, Kan. — Early-bird registration for the American Reusable Textile Association's (ARTA) first-ever Green Summit in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, ends a week from today. Registering by next Monday will save an attendee $100.
The July 22-23 meeting at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac will feature an overview of new textile life-cycle assessment research, how-to information and tools to help attendees market the benefits of reusables, as well as information on how to enhance and measure the sustainability of current operations.
“Some might argue that green is a trend, but legislative and consumer indicators show that the focus on sustainability is here to stay,” says ARTA President Steve Tinker. “Indeed, to remain competitive in the future, businesses will need to incorporate sustainable practices into operations and be able to verify those efforts.”
The tentative agenda includes more than a dozen educational sessions.
Dr. Catherine Zimmer, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, will reveal study findings in New LCA Research: Reusables Show Advantage Over Disposables.How to Use LCA Data and Market Your Organization as Green will provide a formula for calculating carbon footprint.
In The Rebirth of the Cloth Napkin: Hospitality Clients Improve Image and Reduce Waste, Charles Brigham, Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), will offer data and a sales pitch to help attendees bring napkins back to mid-price restaurants.
Milliken & Co., a manufacturer and supplier of textiles, is set to provide a product overview in Here’s What’s Green in Hospitality Offerings.
A speaker from Practice Greenhealth (formerly H2E, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment) will discuss Healthcare Waste Reduction Efforts: 2010 and Beyond, including an update on enforcement of the EPA Memorandum of Understanding.
Ed McCauley, CEO of United Healthcare Services, will offer his perspective on how to Help Your Clients Make the Switch to Reusable Isolation Gowns.
Howard Zins, Zins & Associates, will update attendees on the Federal Trade Commission’s position in What is Legally Green?
Canadian and American supplier representatives will present Incontinence Products: Help Your Clients Make the Best Choice Between Reusables and Single-Use Disposables.
In the presentation titled Reusable and Single-Use Gowns and Drapes: A Clinical Perspective on Product Selection and Use, topics will include the pros and cons of each, what product manufacturers would have you believe, how to select the right products, and the practice of marrying the two.Using Green Chemistry Without Breaking the Bank will cover standard washing recommendations, the chemistry of cleaning and green options, productivity efficiencies, and water and energy conservation.
In his Update on Greening of Textiles Production and Avoiding False Claims, Brad Bushman, Standard Textile Co., will present an overview on how the textile manufacturing industry is greening its operations, how to overcome one of the main objections to cotton production, and identify the greenest textile selections that one can make.
Mike Dineen, Pellerin Milnor Corp., will present Innovations in Machinery that Increase the Sustainability of Organizations.
Brendan O’Neill, London Hospital Linen Service, London, Ontario, and an American operator to be determined will share how they have increased sustainability and provide a take-home checklist in How to Green Your Operations: Plant and Fleet.
The Green Summit is open to ARTA members and nonmembers, but space is limited. Early-bird cost by next Monday is $495 for ARTA members, $595 for nonmembers. The fee increases $100 in each category after that date. Single-day admissions are also available.
You can register for the event and pay online at www.arta1.com, or download a registration form there and mail it with a check to ARTA, P.O. Box 1142, Mission, KS 66222. For more information, contact Executive Director Nancy Jenkins at [email protected].
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].