In planning the 2002 conference, we made efforts on many levels to infuse the event with sustainability. In doing so we learned a great deal about how to "walk our talk".

We set high-level goals and objectives that we believe will enable The Natural Step to have the maximum impact on advancing the field. For example, providing cutting-edge information and tools, offering a current and realistic perspective of the field, hosting our first ever national conference in the Bay Area, and designing an event that will enable participants to leave prepared to launch and execute on strategic, innovative sustainability initiatives.

Every vendor and material -- from the paper in the conference workbook to the coffee being served -- was carefully selected to demonstrate some aspect of sustainability. Below we highlight many of the efforts these vendors are making and the environmentally and socially responsible materials being used and sold at the conference.

In soliciting sponsorship, we invited companies and organizations that we feel are committed to sustainability. Securing sponsorship and using a sliding tuition scale enabled us to bring in over 30 presenters from around the world and to offer a discounted registration fee for students and financial assistance for people who could not otherwise afford to attend the conference.

Fort Mason Foundation: In partnership with The National Park Service, Fort Mason Center has been transformed from an active military base to a thriving cultural, educational and recreational center that has a minimal impact on its surrounding environment. A National Historic Landmark and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Center focuses on supporting the visual and performing arts, humanities, education, ecology, and recreation. The Center houses nearly fifty nonprofit organizations and is the setting for more than 15,000 meetings, conferences, performances, and special events each year.

Acre Café and Catering: By working with Acre Catering, we were able to offer all organic, vegetarian and vegan options at the conference. Acre uses unbleached, recycled and recyclable cups; Earthshell plates; local, organic produce supplied by VeggieWorks; and, free-range chicken supplied by Modesto Foods. The company participates in the San Francisco recycling program and donated all leftover food from the conference to Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco.

TransFair USA: TransFair USA is the only non-profit certification organization for Fair Trade coffee and tea products in the United States. They have a two-fold mission -- to increase the availability of Fair Trade Certified products throughout the country by creating partnerships with industry and to increase consumer awareness about the importance of Fair Trade, thereby building consumer demand for Fair Trade Certified products. TransFair USA generously donated all coffee and tea for the conference during which they showcased a variety of local, certified, coffee companies. www.transfairusa.org

Wildlife Works Clothing Company: Wildlife Works produced The Natural Step t-shirts being sold at the conference and makes their garments from all organic cotton, hemp and eco-fleece materials. This Bay Area company is dedicated to protecting at-risk wildlife and wilderness areas, such as their 80,000 acre Rukinga elephant sanctuary in Africa, while addressing the great challenge facing conservation today: the competition for land and resources between wildlife and people in rural areas of the world. Wildlife Works provides real economic opportunities, such as their rammed earth eco-factory, for rural people who might otherwise have to compete with wildlife and dwindling wildlife habitat for survival. www.wildlife-works.com

Save-a-Tree Company: We worked with Save-a-Tree, a small company located in the East Bay, to customize and produce organic cotton bags for sale at conference. Since the 1970's, Save-a-Tree has been in the business of producing canvas bags as an alternative to Òpaper or plasticÓ. More recently, they have experimented with alternative fibers such as hemp and recycled plastic soda bottles. As you may know, bringing your own bag shopping is an easy, reusable, answer to the "paper or plastic" question.

Journeys: Better World Travel: Participants and presenters were encouraged to use Journeys: Better World Travel Company in making airline, accommodation and transportation arrangements for the conference. The company offers a "Travel Cool Program" that is designed to offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel. It is the only travel agency to-date that has received certification in Climate Neutral Air Travel by the Climate Neutral Network. The Climate Neutral Network is an alliance of organizations -- Rocky Mountain Institute, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Natural Resource Defense Council -- committed to developing products and enterprises that eliminate their impacts on the earth's climate. A Better World Travel is a full service agency that also offers electric and hybrid rental car reservations and eco-hotel accommodations. www.betterworldtravel.com

Hotel Del Sol, Cow Hollow Motor Inn, Sheraton and Holiday Inn at Fisherman's Wharf: These hotels were all recommended by The Natural Step first and foremost because of their location and proximity to the conference site. Participants can easily walk to the Fort Mason Center from any of these locations. Both the Hotel Del Sol and the Cow Hollow Motor Inn are run by small or independently owned businesses versus large hotel chains. The Hotel Del Sol participates in the standard San Francisco recycling program (paper, glass, cardboard) and exclusively uses energy saver light bulbs.

A Clean Well-Lighted Place For Books: This San Francisco company is a model for small business owners working to give back to their community. Some of the community-enhancing initiatives A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books engages in include: donating books to area hospices, schools, and homeless shelters; coordinating book drives for underprivileged children; delivering books to house-bound customers; donating children's posters and other materials to teachers; participating in the San Francisco recycling program; promoting bike to work day; and, preparing to launch a series of literary bicycle tours of San Francisco. www.bookstore.com

ORGANIC FLOWERS

Organic Bouquet: Organic Bouquet generously donated all flowers for the conference. They are a local company whose mission is to establish the organic floral market and provide high quality, socially, and environmentally responsible organic products. Supporting Organic Bouquet will encourage more growers to convert to organic practices and reduce chemical usage throughout the world. www.organicbouquet.com

Focus Audio Visual: A local company that uses rechargeable batteries to prevent contributing to landfill waste, participates in the San Francisco recycling program, and purchases recycled materials for flipcharts and other office supplies. Focus Audio Visual also donates its expertise and services to events such as the Safe Walk to School Program and groups like the American Heart Association and Marin Aid to Retarded Citizens.

Conference Works: Conference Works provided registration services for The Natural Step's 2002 conference. The company prefers to provide support services that help educationally focused, socially conscious not-for-profit associations spend more time concentrating on their mission.

Conference Recording Service, Inc.: In an effort to capture the event, we worked with a trusted and shared local resource who has been working with non-profit organizations since 1985 and whose mission is to improve the human condition. Conference Recording Service has provided audio and video conference transcripts for the following events and organizations: The Bioneers Conference, Institute for Noetic Sciences, Rio Earth Summit, Institute for Deep Ecology, Spirit Rock, Tikkun, Complementary and Oriental Medicine, Transpersonal Psychology, California Institute for Integral Studies, and more. Their subject and author searchable web site lists 30,000 healing recordings at www.conferencerecording.com

New Leaf Paper: New Leaf is one of The Natural Step's regular vendors and supplied the paper for the conference brochures, nametags, and workbook. A local company committed to supplying high-quality, environmentally great papers that meet the needs of todayÕs businesses, New Leaf's mission is to lead the paper industry in the development and distribution of environmentally responsible, economically sound paper. New Leaf carries everything from non-wood fiber papers to 100% post-consumer and totally chlorine free products such as the "Everest" paper used in the conference workbook. They offer Eco-Audits that illustrate the resources saved by using responsible paper products. www.newleaf.com

Athena Mills: Athena Root Mill is a new yarn spinner dedicated to organic and naturally colored yarns. They donated organic cotton yarn to The Natural Step, which we used along with New Leaf's "Everest" paper to create name badges for conference participants. www.athenamills.com

Shuttle Service: The shuttles we used for this conference were fueled with biodiesel. Biodiesel is a cleaner burning alternative to regular diesel that can be made from any fat or vegetable oil -- a source for US biodiesel is actually used cooking oil. This fuel produces 50% less dangerous particulate matter than petroleum diesel and reduces life-cycle carbon dioxide by 78%. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of biodiesel use comes from EPA controlled government agencies -- biodiesel transportation is woefully hard to come by in the private sector. No one has moved to corner the market on sustainable fuel vehicles because the market just isn't big enough. To change that we will need to boost appropriate legislation and, perhaps more importantly, do what we can within our own sphere to create a demand for such services. The Natural Step is proud to have taken a step toward adding to this demand.

BART's Tiny Tickets Program: On December 20, 2001 BART's Board of Directors and Mike Howe, president of the East Bay Community Foundation, introduced a new campaign, "Tiny Tickets," to encourage BART riders to donate the unused portion of their BART tickets to local nonprofit organizations. Tiny tickets are those hoards of BART tickets, often discarded or left in pockets or drawers, that have tiny bits of value left on them, a nickel, a dime, and more in some cases, that could be turned into cash. BART has estimated that the cash value of tiny tickets ranges from $300,000 to $2 million annually. Although currently the residual value of tickets may be consolidated, refunded or exchanged by BART, the majority of such tickets are left unused. The Tiny Tickets Program will allow these resources to provide needed support to local community-based organizations. The Natural Step US is a participating organization in the Tiny Tickets program. We encouraged all conference participants, who rode BART to the conference, to donate any unused portion of their tickets to The Natural Step.