SCAA Goes Environmentally Friendly with 2008 Conference

Press Release
SCAA

April 1, 2008

LONG BEACH, Calif. ---- Demonstrating its commitment to promote sustainability within the specialty coffee industry, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is going “green” at its upcoming 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition, May 2 – 5 in Minneapolis, Minn. SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association.

At the SCAA conference, the association’s carbon neutrality program will help offset emissions related to conference travel, lodging and energy consumption. Conference attendees will pay a small tariff to participate in the program, and funds collected from registrants---included in the conference fee---will be donated to the sustainable agroforestry non-profit organization, Trees for the Future, for the purchasing and planting of new trees. SCAA and specialty coffee importer, Sustainable Harvest representatives will provide oversight on funding the project.

Additional “green meeting” efforts at the 2008 show, organized by SCAA, the Minneapolis Convention Center and JBS & Associates, the tradeshow manager, include:

---The elimination of paper hand-outs for more than 100 lectures and labs.
---Glass, paper, aluminum can and plastic recycling bins located throughout the Minneapolis Convention Center.
---Food and beverages served with re-useable dishware and cutlery, as well as recyclable cups, whenever possible.
---A cardboard compacter at the convention center, which recycles 98 percent of materials.
---Lights and air conditioning turned down or off when meeting rooms are vacant and reduced levels of lighting during exhibit hall move-in, set-up and move-out.
---Low flow automatic-flush toilets and restroom sinks with spring-loaded faucets.
---Metal scraps and light bulbs recycled and 100 percent “green” cleaning products utilized
---Food and beverages locally grown, in-season and organic, whenever possible.
---Food waste sent from the convention center to a hog farm for use as animal feed, and nonperishable,
unopened food products donated to a local homeless shelter.
---Recycling boxes and packing materials donated for secondary use
---Exhibitor service manuals on CD versus paper, limiting the quantity of printed show materials and increasing communications online.
---Hotels and venues that minimize travel by being within walking distance of the convention center or a public transit route.
---Information available to all conference delegates about the local public transit system, including Minneapolis’ efficient light rail system.

In addition, Minneapolis, SCAA’s conference host city, was named one of the top 10 business districts in the nation by the Environmental Protection Agency. Minneapolis is also a commuter’s paradise where more than 60 percent of downtown workers use public or alternative transportation to get to the office. Free parking for registered car and van pools, an extensive bike path system and environmentally-active employers all combine to put a significant dent in auto-based pollution. Add to that, the huge array of lakes, parks, ponds, greenbelts and more than 200,000 trees in the area, and Minneapolis stacks up to be one of the Top 10 Greenest Cities in the United States, according to Move, Inc.

As the industry’s premier coffee event, SCAA’s 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition features in-depth educational sessions covering a variety of specialty coffee topics, hundreds of exhibit booths, the United States Barista Championship and the Coffee of the Year Competition. Details at http://conference.scaa.org/.


About the SCAA

Celebrating 26 years of success, SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association. SCAA members are located in more than 40 countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The SCAA's mission is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee, providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee excellence and sustainability. The SCAA's dedication to excellence in coffee is realized through the setting of quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for members. The SCAA's annual conference is held in a different U.S. city each year and is the coffee industry's largest gathering and exhibition.

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