How Are You Changing the Event World

[Keith Johnston]

Today we added the Green Meetings Industry Council as a featured association, a great group doing great things. We also added a Group for members and anyone else interested in learning more.

While we were working on this, it got me thinking that one step at time, we can all make the world a better place.

Little things like holding the door open for the lady with an arm full of groceries or helping your neighbor shovel the driveway, are small, simple things that can change their entire day for the better, in ways that you may never imagine.

The same is true on a larger scale, what if we all stopped serving bottled water at meetings and switched to pitchers? Would we be making the world a better place?

Probably not with one event, but if you multiplied that by all of the events, all over the globe, every day, we can start to see how something small can create large change.

In keeping with this train of thought, I wanted to toss something to the group.

What are some of the small ways you are making your meetings a little greener, a little more earth friendly.

Just think, taking a minute to tell the world here, may change the industry in ways we never thought possible.

[Jodi Ray]

As a company we've made strides in being environmentally responsible, and we pride ourselves on providing common sense approaches to help our clients green their meetings.

We've outlined ways to green four different types of conference publications (proceedings, conference binder, session handouts, seminar manuals) on our web site. We showcase different options from soy inks and recycled paper to reduced print runs and even putting handouts on CD. Better yet, we can produce a mix of print and digital to be green without sacrificing the on-site learning tools your attendees need.

Here are some green printing tips you may find helpful as well.

The decisions we make every day make a difference!

[Michele Hill]

In my circle of associations and organizations, I offer to speak on the Green Topic.
These talks are followed up with pertinent links emailed to the listeners.
This further circulates the work of national organizations who have established guidelines for Greening.
http://www.planitgreenmeeting.com/Resources/O16F2392.pdf
http://www.dinegreen.com/twelvesteps.asp?
http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/Content.aspx?id=2781
http://www.greenhotelcertification.com/
http://www.thedailygreen.com/

Typically, going around the room to engage ideas of attendees of meetings on your very topic " small ways you are making your meeting a little greener" is revealing and stimulating.

My idea, I don a reused badge holder, point out that the font of my name has been enlarged on the business card.
We all arrive with our laptops and business cards for meetings. Slip a badge holder in a computer case pocket.
See how often you can forego the sticker to announce: “My Name is”

( On the next level, it occurs to me, each of us requesting of larger meeting organizations to offer an $8 - $10 rebate of the registration for those attendees who are supplying your own Badge holder would begin to measure how much heart is really into Greening Meetings. Sponsor money is saved on the absence of this element (badge holders) and can be spent on other meeting innovations or donated to a Green charity.)

Michele Hill
Facility and Event Promoter

Moab Area Travel Council
Po Box 550
Moab, UT 84532 USA
www.moabutah.info
www.discovermoab.com
435-259-1340 Phone

[Michele Hill]

I heard today, there is an item called the Rhoades Car. Actually a 4 wheeled cycle with four seats. Our community taxi service is considering utilizing it to dash visitors around our small city circumference.

[Serenity J. Knutson]

What a great idea! Your note immediately made me think of our local university campus, where such a mode of transportation could save a ton of driving and idling. Students drive back and forth across campus all day when they could really walk or bike to most classes (although our winter conditions curtail some of these activities, at times).

This idea could certainly be used during a conference to whisk attendees between a hotel and convention center or even to explore the neighborhood during breaks. And it sounds like fun!

[Michelle Scott]

As an independent planner, I definitely think it is my responsibility to educate my clients on the environmental and social impact of their meetings and to offer them reasonable alternatives. Afterall, they aren't expected to know these things, that's why they hired me! So, I don't wait for them to request something from me that probably isn't even on their radar. I try to plan their meetings in the most responsible way possible. I joined GMIC a few years ago. They offer a tremendous amount of information and resources with respect to green meetings.
At a recent successful conference I planned in Brooklyn... Not not one piece of marketing was printed or mailed. It was all composed and sent electronically. Registrations were collected online exclusively. And, by the way, this did not deter over three hundred people from becoming interested enough to register and attend. Sponsors were solicited in the same manner - completely paperless. The conference program was prined on post consumer recycled paper without coating. The venue had pre-established green policies and initiatives such as energy and water efficiency systems, towel and linen re-use program, the option to use china and glassware rahter than disposbles just to name a few. (This made them a more desirable selection.) I made sure these policies and practices were adhered to.The site was very accessible to public transit systems, which of course in New York, most all attendees used. Rather than ordering bottled water, water stations with large dispensers and glasses were set up. (Enhanced) boxed lunches were plated and served family style for lunch which not only eliminated waste, but was a budget friendly option presented in a way that read as more high end. We passed on ordering soda because it was not available by the pitcher (only individual cans) and opted instead for Iced tea. Signage was kept to a minimum too. Even namebadges and holders were made from recycled materials and were collected after the meeting for re-use in the future. All of these choices amounted to a conference that was easier on the environment and the budget!

[Rachel Khanna]

Wow Michelle, I'm so happy to hear that event planners such as yourself are taking this "greening" of events seriously. I know that many facilities are now taking the initiative, such as the facility you mentioned here, to compost food waste, put in more eco-friendly lighting/heat/air conditioning etc.

We work with many meeting planners and are trying to educate people on ways to easily "green" their meetings/events. We developed a free Green Event Planning Guide to assist meeting planners and you can access it here. http://bit.ly/GXJv7

Please feel free to pass on this resource to other interested people.

[Christine C. Johnson]

Just wondering if anyone has ever explored purchasing, or offering for purchase, carbon offset credits for meetings, to cover the travel to/from the venue? Something that can be included right in the registration process, for example? I've seen some notes about using green local transportation, but what about the longer haul trips...

Love all of these ideas!

Christine