Principle 1: Accessibility
Ask if your meeting venue complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), and ask the facility manager to show you how during your site inspection. When surveying meeting space possibilities, make sure rooms are accessible to people with disabilities.
Principle 2: Affordability
Offer carpooling options for participants in order to provide no or low-cost transportation options for your event.
Principle 3: Carbon Footprint
Choose a meeting venue that minimizes travel and encourage carpooling and/or public transportation through your registration process.
Principle 4: Healthy Food and Beverages
Serve fair trade (and organic if possible) tea and coffee at your meeting.
Principle 5: Just Economic Opportunities
Ask vendors, hotels and others you contract with to sign a statement attesting that they do not engage in or benefit from the use of child or slave labor or human trafficking.
Principle 6: Local Solidarity
Use the local solidarity checklist to assess if there are opportunities to be in mission at your event.
Principle 7: Multigenerational Inclusion
Offer child care to participants, making sure that at least two unrelated adults are present at all times with the children.
Principle 8: Paper Use
Ensure any printed items are double-sided and duplicated on paper made with post-consumer recycled content.
Principle 9: Racial Justice
Include a statement in your contracts, speaker agreements, attendee code of conduct, and, if relevant, exhibitor terms and conditions that expresses your intention to host an event that combats all forms of racism and oppression.
Principle 10: Toxin Reduction
Be creative and wise about nametags. Invite participants to bring their own nametag (reusing one they already have). If you are supplying nametags, if possible reuse ones you already have. Be careful of the use of ribbons and other petroleum-based enhancements. If you need to buy more, choose a type that does not use PVC and eliminates unnecessary components like holders and pouches. Encourage attendees to turn in their name badge for reuse.
Principle 11: Waste Reduction
Choose a meeting venue that provides recycling for plastic, paper, glass and metal.
Principle 12: Water Use
Avoid or eliminate the use of individual bottled water. Encourage attendees to bring their own bottle for refilling and provide pitchers of water or bubblers and promote use of water fountains.
Principle 13: Well-being of Participants
Provide a quiet space for meditation and prayer at the event. This may be a physical space and/or formal times on the agenda that are set aside for this kind of activity.
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” -Deuteronomy 30:19 (NRSV)