Currently, Baltimore disposes over 1,300 tons of waste daily into increasingly limited landfills. These landfills are releasing huge quantities of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, contributing to the mounting emission rate in the United States of over 7,000 metric tons annually. Utilizing reusable and/or compostable materials, this conference will be waste neutral. The Food Studies conference will divert 100% of the waste generated and convert it into a nutrient-rich soil amendment at a local composting facility, thus completing the cycle of sustainability.

Benefits
• Reduced carbon footprint associated with landfills
• Reduced dependency on fossil fuels
• Reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
• Preservation of the local environment
• Education about renewable resource alternatives

At the Eco-Table, conference guests will have an opportunity to learn about various environmentally sustainable products and services.

Solio’s hybrid charger is designed to harness the sun's energy using photovoltaic cells (PVs). Once charged, this elegant device can provide cell phones, iPods, PDAs, Cameras and other hand-held electronics with a full charge. The process is clean, fast, and noiseless—and thanks to Solio—easily portable.

To-Go Ware offers innovative solutions for our “to-go” culture of people on the go. To-Go Ware offers several products including a 2-tier stainless steel food carrier and reusable utensil sets created from bamboo, a sustainable alternative to disposable plastic utensils. To-Go Ware flatware holders are created by artists of WEAVE, a women’s cooperative on the Thai-Burma border and CONSERVE, an NGO project in Delhi, made entirely of repurposed plastic bags found in landfills.

Kleen Kantten offers stainless steel beverage containers that are easy to clean, durable, inert, sanitary, toxin-free, and non-leaching. Kleen Kanteens play a major role in plastic waste reduction by eliminating the artificial need for plastic water bottles, which take 700 years to begin decomposition.

The Green Team is a group of highly motivated individuals who have volunteered their time to help reduce the carbon footprint of this conference. Volunteers have the opportunity to assist in the diversion of substantial amounts of waste, providing information and support to conference participants on green-waste collection, and more.

G-Rock and the Food Studies Institute encourage conference participants to take advantage of alternative modes of transportation. Airport to Hotel: Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is the closest airport to downtown Baltimore. Once you arrive, take the Light Rail Northbound in the direction of Hunt Vall/Lt Rail and get off at the Lexington Mall/Rail stop. This will drop you off a short distance from the Tremont Plaza Hotel. Hotel to Johns Hopkins: From the Tremont Plaza Hotel walk to Charles Center Metro Southbound take the train in the direction of Johns Hopkins and arrive at John Hopkins Station (estimated travel time: 15 minutes). Once at the School for Public Health, signs will direct you to the conference room.