At the 1997 meetings in Seattle, it was decided that the Environmental Quality Committee would develop recommendations to minimize the environmental impact of the Society's activities. The committee has developed a list of possible actions relating to the annual meeting that can be implemented with minimal inconvenience to the organizing committee and to the membership at large. Many of these suggested actions are dependent on a decision by the Society as to whether and how much members are willing to trade off convenience or cost in the process of reducing environmental impacts (fortunately, many proposed actions are actually money-savers). Our objective in these "greening" efforts is to fulfill the general mission of the annual meeting in the most efficient, environmentally sound, and economic manner possible. For additional information about the ASIH Environmental Quality Committee, contact:

Gene Helfman, Professor
Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
Phone: 706-542-3346
Fax: 706-542-3344
helfman@sparc.ecology.uga.edu

The following measures have been implemented for the 2004 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists:

• The Meeting Announcement has been posted on the web rather than printed.
• Abstracts are submitted electronically.
• Confirmation of abstracts received and scheduling announcements are sent electronically.
• Registration confirmations are sent electronically whenever possible.
• Meeting participant list will be posted on the web site.
• Shirts made from natural fibers.
• Only washable tableware used for breaks.
• Paper copies of abstracts by request only. Abstracts burned to CD and posted on web site.
• Program book printed on recycled paper.
• NCED/Marriott is a "green hotel." Towel exchange is optional and linen is changed weekly.