The blog formerly known as   Fake Plastic Fish

July 2, 2008

Blogher – Where the smart girls are

Today is the last day to register. I’ll be there. Will you?

On June 6, Clif commented, “After checking out the blogs of Crunchy, Chili, etc., I just realized what happened to all those girls who got A’s in class and contributed all the poetry and stuff to the middle school yearbook while we boys were having fistfights and sneaking cigarettes…they grew up to start blogs!”

Well, many of those “girls” will get to meet up in person the weekend of July 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. I’m so excited that the Blogher conference for women bloggers will be hosted in my town this year. I’ve registered for all three days. But you don’t have to sign up for the whole conference. If you can only make one day, I’d suggest Friday the 18th, since that’s the day of the Blogging Birds of a Feather Meet-Up for Green/Social Change bloggers. It will be hosted by Britt Bravo of Have Fun * Do Good, whom I interviewed on Fake Plastic Fish back in May. I’m also looking forward to meeting Green LA Girl Siel Ju, as well as Green Bean (are you still planning to come?)

But today is the last day to sign up!

Of course, I couldn’t register for the event without finding out about how green it would be. So I spoke with Kristy Sammis, Blogher’s events & marketing manager, and here’s what she told me about steps they are taking to make this conference as green as possible.

First, there will be no individual water bottles offered. Instead, there will be water stations, and each attendee will receive a reusable water bottle in their 100% organic cotton swag bag.

Don’t need an extra water bottle because you’re bringing your own (hint hint)? Blogher will have a special Swag Recycling room sponsored by Zwaggle where attendees can bring give-aways that they’d rather not take home. Have you ever gone to an event and been mesmerized by all the free stuff, only to get home and wonder why you felt you needed yet another key chain? At Blogher, you can return your regretted items before leaving the conference, and they’ll be returned to the sponsors or donated or recycled.

And of course, Blogher is working with the hotel to have adequate recycling and composting facilities and as little disposable food packaging as possible. (Although Kristy did tell me that for practical purposes, they will be serving boxed lunches as opposed to sit down meals.) I plan to come prepared with my own lunch and reusable cutlery, and I hope other attendees will do the same.

The entire conference will take place at the Westin St. Francis hotel, and attendees staying at the hotel will be encouraged to request their towels and linens not be washed every day in order to save water and energy.

For those bloggers who don’t live in the SF Bay Area, GM is sponsoring carpools and providing hybrid vehicles for 3 or more attendees coming together from Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York/Tri-State area, and Dallas. More information here.

So who’s coming? One of my 2008 intentions was to “meet a few more Fake Plastic Fish readers and bloggers in person.” What a great opportunity for us to see and hear the folks we’ve only imagined through blog reading. Remember, the voice you hear when you read a blog is really just your own. Come to the conference and hear how different we all are.

Sorry guys. You’ll have to keep reading and imagining what we sound like.

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Stretch Mark Mama
15 years ago

That’s great about the water bottles at BlogHer. They are doing a lot of positive things.

Yep, the smart girls are blogging, I just knew it! I was the geek that all the kids went to for questions on their homework. Gee, things haven’t changed. :)

MamaBird
15 years ago

I’m going – would love to meetcha.

Jennifer Taggart
15 years ago

I’m going, I’m going. I can’t wait. I’m driving up from Los Angeles if anybody needs a ride up. Warning – I’m driving up with my 2 small children. In a minivan. So, it is up to you whether you want to drive up with a mom in a minivan with a 5 year old and a 3 year old. Guaranteed you’ll get your fill of Disney movies.

Jennifer
http://www.thesmartmama.com

axelle
15 years ago

I’m not a blogher so I can’t go but I am offering a place to crash to any blogher who would like to skip hotel fees. There are a few drawbacks: (1) I have a simply charming, small, one-room house nestled in the woods high in the hills of Berkeley where (2) there is no bus service. However, you could try to carpool, or call a taxi to take you to the Rockridge Bart station which will bring you San Francisco, or hike to Bart. You would sleep on a futon-bed and share the bathroom with me and, possibly, a litter of kittens.

Vanessa
15 years ago

I’m going to BlogHer and hope to meet you in person while there!

Allison
15 years ago

I am soooooo jealous. I want to go but I can’t for a few reasons. I will have to try it next year. Keep us posted on all the exciting news!
Be Green.

jennconspiracy
15 years ago

I’m definitely NOT going… you’ll have to fill me in on what I missed while backpacking in Yosemite that weekend. ;)

Debby Phillips
15 years ago

I have been looking forward to BlogHer ever since I read about it last year. I found a blog talking about how much fun it was and how many networking opportunities there were. I am flying out next Thursday!

~Debby

The Green Cat
15 years ago

Sorry I won’t be there either but I look forward to reading all about it here! Have fun!

arduous
15 years ago

I wish I could come but I am not going to be able to swing the fee (among other things.) :( Have fun!

Clif
15 years ago

Beth, you may not have heard about the gathering for guys on the same date, sponsored by Harley-Davidson and featuring a drink-til-ya-drop competition!

Also, there will be a Winnebago Demolition Derby…brand new Winnebago motor homes, which can’t even be given away these days, have been donated by the company for this derby. Sounds like fun, huh?

Finally to save on strapped resources, the State Police will be at the entry booth issuing citations to all who attend. This “pre-ticketing” will save the cops the cost of pulling over attendees after the event.

You know I’m an avid recycler and bicycle guy, but I have to admit, my Y chromosome has my heart thumping just describing this event.

Green Bean
15 years ago

Yes, Beth. I’m totally coming. In fact, I woke up this morning planning to email you about being there. :) Can’t wait to meet you in person – and all the other green blogger gals who will be there.

I’m so glad that this is going to be a mostly plastic-less. :)

Holly
15 years ago

Not sure if you’ve seen these recycled toothbrushes and they are also recycled post use in a prepaid envelope included, but read about them on another blog and immediately thought of your blog. Thanks for continuing to inspire me.