5th Annual Green Spa Network Congress Announces Agenda

The Green Spa Network has announced the agenda to its annual congress, the longest-running and most successful event dedicated to spa industry sustainability. Held at the Sunriver Resort in Oregon from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2012, the congress will feature groundbreaking presentations, interactive workshops and state-of-the-art panels led by wellness visionaries, sustainability experts and thought leaders from the health, beauty, natural products and media industries–all in a spectacular setting.

Open to all and with day spas, resorts spas, corporate spas, greening experts and suppliers expected, the congress is recognized as the leading educational forum for promoting health and wellness sustainability.

"This is quite a pivotal year for the Green Spa Network," explains GSN Board President, Roberto Arjona, who is also the general manager of the iconic North American destination spa, Rancho La Puerta. "We are introducing the organization's first executive director; its first ever Sustainability Awards and updating attendees on the progress of GSN's first industry-wide initiative, the Plastics Reduction Challenge. It is a definite not-to-be-missed event."

With the theme of "In the Flow: Consciousness, Collaboration and Commerce", GSN's 2012 congress at Sunriver includes the following agenda highlights:

  • Interactive seminar from Jean Houston, adviser to the Dalai Lama, the Clintons, UNICEF and a founder of the human potential movement which has taken her to more than 100 countries.
  • A keynote from Pilar Girasimo, founding editor of "Experience Life," with 2.5 million readers, Huffington Postcolumnist and author of "Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act: A Manifesto for Thriving in a Mixed Up World," reveals surprising insights on how to live life in the flow.
  • Spa greening tools and resources are demystified in an interactive roundtable session, presented by industry leaders who will share

    Writing "green" for the Web: what to say when we talk about sustainability.their own sustainability case studies.
  • Organic Spa Trends Report & Global Spa Summit Sustainability Research
  • Cutting-edge green personal care product and treatment options
  • Interactive Marketing & Media discussions covering:
  1. Letting the customer into your marketing: maximizing client feedback and user-generated content; how to create a personal touch.
  2. Imagery 2013: using video and photography in unforgettable ways
  3. Stories from the field of sustainability in action and spas as community
  • Plastic Reduction Challenge Update and Hotel Water Program announcement
  • A sponsor showcase for attendees to experience products and programs that are working in the green sector.
  • Inspirational mind/body networking activities including kayaking, biking, hiking, golfing and more in Oregon's beautiful outdoors, to strengthen participants' commitment to protect the Earth's precious resources.

"Attendees have told us that of all the spa events offered each year, the GSN conference is one of the most edifying and invigorating," explains Conference Chair Tara Grodjesk. "We have designed the agenda to create an extraordinary gathering that fuels attendees with inspiration to make changes in their business that both support the greater good and reward their bottom line."

The cost of the three-day conference is $725 for members and $905 for non-GSN members. To register, seewww.greenspanetwork.org. For event details and to register, visit www.greenspanetwork.org/events/annual-congress.

About the Green Spa Network

GSN is a community of like-minded spas and resource partners comprised of more than 80 influential spa locations with an estimated purchasing power of $30+ million per year. The association provides its members with a Green Toolkit to guide them in evaluating their sustainability commitment, and educating them on how to implement greening measures.