The lethargic economy strikes again, cutting across industries as disparate as health care, home improvement, to telecommunications and construction. Cash flow is tight and credit is nonexistent, so businesses are doing everything they can to eliminate extraordinary costs. That now includes attending conferences and educational workshops.

Several green-focused conferences for 2009 have been cancelled due to low registration rates. The earthNOWexpo scheduled for June has been cancelled, and the Energy Independence in 2009 Conference scheduled for January was cancelled as low gas prices, for some, negated the urgency for cleaner technologies. Some conference venues are having trouble booking and thus keeping their doors open.

Companies cannot justify sending their employees to conferences where travel is required; nor can they afford to pay the fees for a booth or table to spotlight their company, according to earthNOWwexpo. Marketing departments are up against a financial wall: they have to decide how best to spend shrinking budgets in order to bring in revenue.

Companies are increasingly facing pressure from regulators and from consumers/clients to green their business operations and to reduce environmental impacts. Without trade shows and conferences where businesses can learn, collaborate and explore a variety of green options available to them, smaller businesses are even more at risk of losing business and they may continue to waste resources by operating in an energy inefficient manner.

Businesses can probably gain the know-how from other resources including the always free internet and webinars. But, that will require some research and possibly more staff time than available. The greatest downside occurs because companies miss out on the opportunity to sell their services within the green niche and network with other businesses for partnering options -- one of the key reasons to attend conferences.

It will be interesting to see if the remaining green conferences will see an unexpected increase in registration from the middle and large businesses segments, presumably, companies that can afford to send a staff member as well as splurge for a booth to market their green products and services.

Many green conferences will still go on. Upcoming events include the Green Cities, Corporate Sustainability Summit, RETECH 2009, and one that is sure to fill up, the Green Jobs Conference. Government employees are expected to attend these conferences providing an opportunity to advise businesses on upcoming tax incentives and possible government funding for greening efforts like converting to a carbon-neutral fleet or installing energy efficiencies in their office building. These conferences will also provide an opportunity for businesses to learn about green business certifications, an additional selling point for consumers and other businesses.