I will continue to put my money and mouth in places that are working for change, not enabling more pollution. To be fair, I know that Elisa is a strong voice for sustainable actions. BlogHer has it in them, but not until the entire flock goes in that direction. BlogHer leads from the bottom and that means it will be a long time before they take real action.

I wish I could feel as optimistic and enthusiastic about BlogHer as you did. It was my first BlogHer conference. I am a professional writer and I am paid for the blog I write at Mothering magazine’s mothering.com by the magazine itself. Though there is some advertising on the blog, this is all done independently of me. I have the luxury of not needing or accepting corporate sponsors and not doing give-aways or accepting swag (though after checking with the magazine editors and arguing with myself, I did agree to a cloth diaper made by an independent manufacturer after telling her that I probably would not be reviewing it on the blog. I have also had several wonderful books sent to me for free, though I have yet to write reviews of them.)

I was so dismayed by BlogHer. I still feel sad when I think of it. As you mention here, the sponsor list is really unconscionable. And I was the blogger you wrote about in this post — after I saw how it was sponsored, I decided I would not go. Then when I saw your name on the list and the fact there was a Green Team, I decided to go. But really this was greenwashing at its worst. And I’d be willing to bet that not one plate was composted. In fact, since the chopsticks I brought with me were mistakenly thrown away, we actually went through the trash. Maybe they were planning to separate it later? I’d really like to know if that happened as the staff had no intention or knowledge of doing so when I asked about this.

This sentence that you wrote really rings true for me: “It’s also about corporate sponsorship, commercialism, and the tradeoffs made to create a platform and conference experience for 2,400 women.”

We have to stop polluting the planet. We can’t greenwash and think we’ll get away with it. We homo sapiens are on a fast road to extinction (or at least to a greatly reduced population). Some of the companies sponsoring this event are so directly involved in creating and promoting suffering (for humans, other animals, and the planet) that I am ashamed I attended a conference that they were at.

Instead of begging these companies to visit our blogs, we need to use the power of the Internet and social media–as you do so eloquently and with so much integrity–to insist that they change. Now. For real.

Corporate greenwashing is intolerable. I think you are doing it right– participating and criticizing from the inside in a thoughtful, well-reasoned way. I wish I could be more like you. But I doubt you’ll see me at another of these events, unless it’s outside on a picket line.

Excellent commentary. I completely understand your decision not to lend your name and reputation further to the BlogHer Green Team. Right now, I call out to everyone of your readers to write to BlogHer and ask them to do what it takes to get you back.

Let me say that with a bit more volume: I CALL ON EVERY FAKE PLASTIC FISH READER to write to BlogHer and ask them to do whatever it takes to get Beth Terry back on the Green Team.

We need a stronger Green Team, not weaker. I give gratitude for BlogHer’s steps in the right direction, but from the outside looking in, they do appear to be a bit short. Baby steps are fine, but while BlogHer is learning to walk in the Green world, rain forests are crashing and the polar ice caps are melting. Right now we need giant steps and a megaphone to direct the traffic.

Stepping down off soap box. I’ll do my best to get to every one of the links you offered us, and thank you again for posting a solid, useful, piece–everything we know and expect from you.

The only way to turn the tide is by companies latching onto real, sustainable standards and raising the bar so that no one has to make a choice, it just a way of life. That only way that will happen is if more women speak out like Beth just did and support these global standards and then use only the products that meet them.

The new market is about co-creation at every level; even parades of people marching to the same drummer are meaningless unless they have an audience to parade by and participate in the moment.

So, I’m with Beth–I intend to march on, play loud, and know that the direction is now being backed up by mandates from the government and global standards. It doesn’t take a nation to create a tipping point, sometimes it only takes one blogger.

Thank you for your inspiration and leadership, Beth.

On another note, I wanted to let you know that after reading The China Study and Skinny Bitch (3 of their books!) my entire family went vegan; including my rib-eye, hamburger-eating husband and my mom who loved meat too. (I only ate poultry & fish and dairy for the past 18 years.) But we all feel healthier, have been enjoying trying mew recipes and I can look a chicken in the eyes again :-)

I hope you are enjoying the San Francisco summer. London is all fog and rain already.