AIHce Donates Tree to City of Minneapolis 

FAIRFAX, VA (June 5, 2008) — More and more conferences are working to become “green.” Green meetings or events incorporate environmental considerations to minimize negative impacts on the environment. At the 2008 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce), May 31–June 5, 2008, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is implementing green initiatives in the City of Minneapolis.

AIHce has been progressively applying green meeting initiatives, expanding its efforts annually to become more environmentally friendly. New initiatives have ranged from moving conference information to the web to the latest initiative — providing electronic handouts for selected pre-conference professional development courses.

A group gathered outside the Minneapolis Convention Center on Wednesday as AIHce leadership donated a tree to the City of Minneapolis. “In a city that has been a leader in creating practices that protect and enhance the environment, AIHce thought it would be a great opportunity to show our appreciation to Minneapolis (our host city) and our dedication to “going green” by donating a tree (an Amur Maple to be exact) to the City of Minneapolis,” said AIHA President Donald J. Hart, PhD, CIH. 

AIHA and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) cosponsor AIHce. These green initiatives were developed from attendees’ suggestions/requests, numerous green meeting websites and white papers, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Pollution Prevention Division, and the Green Meeting Industry Council’s recommendations.

To learn more about the green initiatives planned for AIHce 2008, visit http://www.aiha.org/aihce08/education/green.htm. Detailed conference information is available at www.aihce2008.org. For more information, contact AIHA at (703) 849-8888.

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Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA’s 10,600 members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government, and academia. For more information, go to www.aiha.org.