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National Environmental Partnership Summit 2008
2008 Summit Content Abstract Submittal Form

Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully fill out this form and send to us by Wednesday November 21, 2007.

Fields indicated with an asterisk (*) are required.

 2008 Summit Content Abstract Submittal Form
Your First Name:*  
Your Last Name:*  
Current Job Title:*  
Organization:*  
Phone Number:*  
Your Email Address:*  
 All confirmations and related information will be sent to the email address you provide.
Confirm Email Address:*
  
Session or Presentation Format
Format:*

Please select one session / presentation format
Examples and More Information

Note: Should you submit a single 20-minute tool, case study, or presentation, and it is selected, it will be combined with the most compatible submissions available. You will be asked by a facilitator to work with your co-presenters in advance, possibly to adjust your original concept, in order to achieve a coherent session.

This Form is Not For Use In Submitting Formal Trainings
The Summit will also feature longer half and full day training opportunities that are not considered with the concurrent session proposals. Select here for our formal training application form.

 Open Dialogues
Facilitated discussions about a defined question – a chance to share ideas and advance consensus or progress around controversial issues. Example: Open examination of the role of enforcement in a beyond compliance paradigm and whether innovative, voluntary programs are distracting environmental agencies and diverting their resources from statutory obligations.
( Currently 11% of all submitted abstracts )
 
Collaborative Problem-Solving
Outcome-oriented sessions designed to attract diverse Summit attendees to work together to solve a specific common problem. Example: Session for environmental agency staff, industry EHS directors/facility managers and community-based organization representatives to explore how environmental monitoring, measuring and reporting activities/methodologies could provide results that accurately inform goals and priorities and determine supporting activities.
( Currently 5% of all submitted abstracts )
 
Workshops & Demonstrations
Abbreviated training sessions that focus in on a specific methodology for managing or delivering environmental programs. Attendees will leave sessions equipped to return to their jobs and apply the knowledge gained.
( Currently 7% of all submitted abstracts )
 
Tools (20 or 60 minute + discussion)
Introductory, informational presentations about practical tools & methodologies to use and take home. Differs from workshops in the lower level of detail.
( Currently 23% of all submitted abstracts )
 
Case Studies (20 or 60 minute + discussion)
Real world examples of successfully applied and systematically measured environmental solutions.
( Currently 21% of all submitted abstracts )
 
Panel Presentation(s) with Discussion
Theme oriented sessions that coordinate individuals who briefly present diverse perspectives about a single subject and then feature follow on discussions by all session attendees.
( Currently 33% of all submitted abstracts )
 
About Your Proposal
Session / Presentation Length:*
Please select the intended length of your proposed presentation or session.
Notes: All presentations must allow for interaction and question and answer time. Individual presentations should be no more than 15 powerpoint slides.
Topic Category*
Please select the single topical category that this session or presentation best covers. We recognize that many submittals will cover more than one category but require that you select the primary topic for your submittal.

Instructions and Examples

 Behavioral Change & Information Outreach
As environmental leaders, we lead by example. In order for change to occur, our own behavior must inspire change. These track sessions will provide examples of and guidance for how to inspire and motivate others to change their behavior in order to become more environmentally active. Also, sessions could discuss the tools developed for an initiative/project that produced measurable positive change in the target audience and strategies to improve information outreach to target audiences.

Climate Change Success Stories
Our actions and our choices will make a significant difference in the future of our planet. These sessions may include case studies, best practices, material substitution, new technologies and techniques.

Energy Reduction Tools & Techniques
From transportation to industrial, residential and commercial sectors, the United States consumes one-quarter of the world's oil supply. There are many opportunities to reduce energy use across all sectors. These track sessions will present a wide variety of examples of energy reduction tools and techniques.

Environmental Assistance
Strategic, upfront planning for addressing environmental problems that includes well-defined goals and measures, the best use of available tools, and involves affected stakeholders (government, business, community) can lead to more effective environmental solutions and long-term efficiencies in communication among the stakeholders in addressing future problems. Environmental assistance tools include pollution prevention, compliance assistance, new technologies, Environmental Management Systems, international certifications, etc. Summit sessions may include case studies, workshops, software on strategies, partnerships, or techniques that worked with target audience and affected partners to effectively address and measure results of the of the project.

Greening Your Business
Pollution Prevention is efficient business practices with environmental benefits. These track sessions will provide specific tools, tips and ideas on how businesses can save money and resources. Sessions may include presentations on case studies, cost benefit analyses on new technologies and best practices, and specific materials substitution for various processes.

Measurement, Metrics & Indicators of Environmental Performance
"We manage what we measure" Given what we want or need to know and achieve, are we measuring the right things? Do our practices in environmental monitoring, measuring and reporting provide results that accurately inform our goals, priorities and alignment of activities with those priorities? These sessions will explore methodologies for and mechanics of how to tell if our facility or programs are actually doing what we want them to do and what we say they do. These sessions will also explore how to measure and track indicators of where we will be in the future (leading indicators), so that we can use that data to take action now to shape a more positive future.

Policy & Legislation
As the world becomes more complex and the environmental challenges correspondingly more daunting, how can public policy and program design evolve to accomplish the mission of protecting our environment? Exchange ideas on innovative government, business, and nongovernmental policies or initiatives that seek to change behavior to more effectively protect the environment while enhancing economic efficiency. How can government and corporate innovations drive individual behavior? What role do NGOs play? These sessions will look at policy tools for environmental decision-makers and provide updates on policies and strategies.

Results in Research and Technology
Ideas become real at the point of application and action. From the arena of research and technology emerge the nuts and bolts that make environmental solutions work - the "what's and the how to's". These sessions will explore the current state of the art and future directions of research, development and technology in the public and private sectors - from nanotechnology to information technology.

Sustainable Consumption
Enduring solutions to pressing problems systematically take into account all dimensions of sustainability: the environment, the economy and community. Programs or organizations with a mission that focuses them primarily on one element need to at least factor in the others. Personal stewardship and consumption behaviors impact the whole. Policy directions set by public and private leaders affect personal choices and citizen involvement. Most recently, the retail industry, including large suppliers and small specialty stores, through their entire supply chain, have become environmentally-aware. Retailers know that doing the right thing for the environment can positively impact their bottom line. All of these sessions will explore the connections that comprise sustainable solutions for all industries, including the retail sector.
Proposal Title:*  
Short Description:*
If paper is selected, this will be used in final program. No more than 50 words		   
Session / Presentation Goal(s):*
Please identify the goal(s) of your session or paper. Why should this be of interest to others?
No more than 75 words.		   
Target Audience:*
Describe your target audience		   
Interaction plan or discussion questions:*
Describe how you will involve the audience for your session, e.g. a certain facilitated process, a series of posed questions, a group created product or outcome.		   
Expected Outcomes:*
What actions do you hope your audience will take after attending this session? How will this presentation enhance the performance of your target audience?		   
Optional Long Description and/or additional information / biographies:
Will be read by reviewers to make session / presentation selections.  Please include any additional information that will help the reviewers understand and evaluate your proposal (e.g., what environmental issue or challenge being addressed; what is the importance or relevance of the proposal to others).
You can provide your summary here or email your summary with any supporting documents using the information you will be provided after completing this form.
Speakers(s)
Facilitator
If you are proposing a full session, you must identify a facilitator or we will assign a facilitator to your session. All facilitators must be willing to work with us in advance of the Summit.
Yourself:
I would like to be the facilitator if this proposal is accepted.
Proposed Facilitator:
First Name:
Last Name:
Email Address:
Speakers

Required: Please enter the name and email address for each proposed speaker.

Note: If your proposal is accepted all speakers will be asked for biographies.
Yourself:
I will be a speaker if this proposal is accepted.
Optional Speaker A:
First Name:
Last Name:
Organization:
Email Address:
Session Role or topic area:
Speaker Status:
Optional Speaker B:
First Name:
Last Name:
Organization:
Session Role or topic area:
Email Address:
Speaker Status:
Optional Speaker C:
First Name:
Last Name:
Organization:
Email Address:
Session Role or topic area:
Speaker Status:
Optional Speaker D:
First Name:
Last Name:
Organization:
Email Address:
Session Role or topic area:
Speaker Status:

Background and Instructions

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this form and send it to us by Wednesday, November 21, 2007. 

With each year of the Summit, the planning team has increased our effort to generate presentations that maximize interaction and intensity in order to deepen the learning experiences for our attendees.   During the selection process we will be looking closely at the formats of the sessions that are proposed in an effort to move away from the traditional panel format and in order to encourage interaction and dialogue.  To guide your thinking, we ask that you convey the expertise or experience you want to share through one of the following formats:

  • Open Dialogues
  • Tools
  • Case Studies
  • Collaborative Problem Solving
  • Workshops & Demonstrations
  • Panel Presentations with Discussion

Our hope is to feature a balanced number of presentations in each format.  Accordingly, we will be tracking, measuring and communicating back to you a count of how the submissions are falling into each possible category. 

The Summit is an interdisciplinary marketplace of ideas and activities.  We are interested in the connections between ideas and people, in systems - not just specialties.  Several national communities come together to learn from one another at the Summit:  pollution prevention, compliance assistance, performance track and other environmental management innovators.  By design, we offer a wide breadth of content to a diversity of environmental professionals.  We consider this the hallmark of the Summit. 

We will be making selections with the goal of balanced coverage of each of the topic heading categories framed below. 

  • Behavioral Change & Information Outreach
  • Climate Change Success Stories
  • Energy Reduction Tools & Techniques
  • Environmental Assistance
  • Greening Your Business
  • Measurement, Metrics & Indicators of Environmental Performance
  • Policy & Legislation
  • Results in Research & Technology
  • Sustainable Consumption

These topic headings are guidelines meant to stimulate, but not limit your imagination. Within this framework, the details will be sculpted from the content of the submissions we receive.

In sum, there are two dimensions to every breakout session – format and subject material (topic heading category).  Our intention is to balance the offerings of the Summit along each dimension. As you contemplate your submittal, look over our website to see what has already been submitted.  You can maximize your chance of having your submittal selected by submitting it in a format or topic heading category which has received fewer submittals.  After all of the proposals have been received, we will design the highest quality sessions into logically coherent tracks. 

The final filter through which we will be considering all submissions is the session’s articulated relevance to the theme of this year’s summit: Accelerating Environmental Performance: Pathways to Action.  We believe that the subject matter of every session ought to demonstrate how our attendees can take environmental action. We ask that you make this connection very clear in the appropriate question on the form.

> Return to Submittal Form

Sponsors
Site design, conference and network support by Terrachord LLC.
http://www.environmentalsummit.org/