Green up! museum workshop at OMA Conference 2010

Since today is Earth Day 2010, it seemed somehow appropriate to shamelessly plug the "Green Up!" museum workshop I will present next Monday, April 26th at the Ohio Museums Association conference.

Robert Stockham, LEED AP and Principal at the Great Lakes Design Collaborative, Sarah Stilgenbauer, Foundations and Government Relations Manager at Opera Cleveland, and I are planning an informative, but fun workshop full of first-hand examples and practical ideas for organizations dealing with the realities of going green. Workshop highlights will include an introduction to designing and implementing a green plan, a case study in going green--Opera Cleveland's Lucia di Lammermoor, and some practical first steps for museums ready to increase efforts toward reducing their environmental footprint.

Please join us at the OMA conference, or check MuseoBlogger again next week for a link to the powerpoint slides online.

In the meantime, check out Opera Cleveland's YouTube video explaining the how and why behind their decision to green up next month's production of Lucia.

Eco-friendly favors-- building a better world, even at a baby shower

I was in charge of making the favors for my cousin's baby shower last Saturday. Instead of plastic baby tchotchkes that no one really needs, everyone received a reusable shopping bag and a yummy Kashi treat.The handmade gift tags delivered the simple message I wanted to drive home, even small changes make a difference when we all do something. Every 3rd bag had a sticker on the tag, which meant the recipient could pick a "prize" from a grocery bag of earth-friendly items. They unwrapped the prize and read the accompanying tag to the group. Fun facts about how the item helped us go green were printed on each prize tag.

Eschewing images of starving polar bears, dying reefs, or animals choked with human trash, and doom and gloom climate predictions, I kept the facts fun and the message positive: each change makes a difference. Everyone said they liked it better than the old-fashioned, silly, baby shower games and plastic trinkets filled with soft mints. Plus, they all seemed eager to try and live a little greener, even snatching up the extra bags to put in their other family car.

Drop me an email if you would like to know more about the game, fun facts, or the products I chose to feature.

Keep our mother earth in mind the next time you are planning an event for your museum, or for friends and family. Most people will pleased by your efforts and happy to learn from your example.