“Beyond Buying Recycled: EPPs and Sustainability” was the title of the conference 600 representatives from universities, colleges, municipalities, institutions and businesses in Massachusetts and elsewhere came to recognize and celebrate. The 7th Annual Buy Recycled and Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) vendor fair and conference, held Oct 30, 2001, at the Worcester Centrum Center, Worcester, MA, to reinforce the state’s commitment to buying recycled and moving towards a sustainable future. The event was sponsored by the MA State Operational Services Division, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the Dept. of Environmental Protection.

Team UMB was represented by a multi-faceted group including:

Alyce Curran (asst. to dir. of Libraries); Denise Duggan (asst. dir. Facilities); Andy Lantz (recycling intern, Env. Studies Program); Janice Mahoney (senior buyer Purchasing); Steve Martinson (asst. dir. Auxiliary Services); Arlene McKinnon (staff, Facilities); Aditi Pain (sustainability coordinator, ECOS/Aux. Services) and Denise Wilcox (gen. mgr., College Supply, Aux. Services)

A variety of forums such as “Green Buildings,” “Alternative Fuel Fleets,” “Green Procurement” continued through the day, including a banquet style luncheon and a day long Vendor’s fair. One of the highlights of lunch was the guest speaker, noted environmental activist, author and the ex-editor of The Boston Globe, Ross Gelbspan.

He reminded the gathering that global temperature/weather changes due to greenhouse gases were starting to have tangible effects such as huge insurance costs, emerging diseases and crop-destroying hordes of insects, unprecedented in years before. He also urged funding renewable energy rather than subsidizing polluting fossil-fuel based applications, similar to the many steps already underway in Europe. Ross has been a guest at UMass Boston’s Earth Day celebrations in the recent past. True to the spirit of the conference, Ford unveiled its new line fuel-cell car “ThinkTMcity” see picture or go to www.thinkmobility.com. The event was free and open to the public and is an increasingly important forum for building sustainable practices in the state. See you there next year.