First Annual Northwest Sustainability Conference
Willamette University’s first annual sustainability conference, “Creating Synergies: Community, University and Business,” will provide a forum for business leaders, professionals, scholars, students and activists from throughout the Northwest to share experiences, network and explore opportunities for collaboration.
The conference will be held on the Willamette University campus on Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21. Friday will feature panels and presentations, and Saturday field trips will include visits to businesses and communities that are guided by sustainable principles. On Sunday, April 22, an Earth Day celebration at Salem’s Riverfront Park will feature food, games and music.
Call for Participation
We invite participation in the form of individual or group presentations, discussion panels, information tables, vendor booths or posters that address the “four Es” of sustainability: environment, equity, economics and education. While all proposals will be considered, conference organizers are particularly interested in presentations and panels that foster dialogue on the following topics:
- Sustainability-oriented curricular reform in higher education
- Sustainable supply chains
- Student research and activism in sustainability
- Green building and design, including certification and performance
- Sustainable start-ups: launching sustainable businesses
- Community wind power and other human-scale alternative energy opportunities
- The sustainable bottom line: best business practices
- Sustainability and social justice
- Problem-oriented, collaborative research in sustainability
- Sustainable agriculture
- Sustainability and religion
Register for the conference as a presenter or attendee.
Accommodations & Travel
Salem is served by several public transportation agencies, and discounted rates are available at Willamette preferred hotels. Attendees are also urged to make this a carbon-neutral event by purchasing carbon credits. More information…