Portland is gearing up to host the second ReuseConex conference from October 18 to 20.
Organized by the Reuse Alliance, a national organization that works to educate people about the environmental, economic and social benefits of reuse, the event promises three days jam-packed with inspirations, ideas and eco-themed fun.
Registered guests can avail themselves to a variety of workshops on topics such as overcoming barriers to reuse, building reuse communities within universities and colleges and reuse within the food industry and other businesses.
On Friday, October 19, Kyle Wiens with iFixit.com will deliver the keynote address. iFixit.com is a free website that provides instructions on repairing all kinds of electronics, including computers, video game systems and cell phones. Repairing is a form of reuse, Wiens argues, because it is one of the best ways to save items from landfills and incinerators.
“Although you might know how to patch a hole in a pair of jeans, maybe you don’t know how to change an iPod battery,” Wiens said in a recent press release. “At iFixit, we’ve created the world’s largest online repair community, with intuitive step-by-step repair guides and a repair discussion forum. We want to unite users around repair, which is why I’m excited to share ideas with other reuse communities at ReuseConex.”
ReuseConex will also include a reuse expo, a fashion show and an art show, all of which are open to the public at no charge on Saturday, October 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Local organizations will host open houses, and theaters will screen films that talk about the importance of reuse.
Portland is well known for its eco-friendly people and programs, making it a fitting location for the conference. The city is consistently voted one of the greenest cities in the U.S., and it places a premium on supporting reuse, recycling and composting organizations.
Portland Mayor Sam Adams commented, “It’s only fitting that ReuseConex should take place here in Portland as we are a national leader in sustainable policies and practices. Our City and my office are committed to supporting reuse, as evidenced by our support of PDX Reuse and our city’s Annual Reuse Week.”
The ReuseConex conference and expo will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in northeast Portland, a green hotel that employs energy-efficient practices and recycles and composts. The event, located in Portland’s transit-fed Lloyd District, is easily accessible by light rail, streetcar and bus service. Other events will take place at scattered sites throughout the city.
Early bird registration for ReuseConex is $195 for Reuse Alliance members and $295 for non-members. For information about all conference happenings, check out the ReuseConex website. 