Green Tips


 

Sara Geddes
Director, TBA Global Sustainability Council

Contact Sara Geddes



The industry is buzzing about green meetings and events. As more clients think green in the wake of rising fuel costs and a rapid shift in consumer consciousness, sustainability is at the forefront of the changing landscape in event management and marketing. In this new frontier where reduced carbon footprints are fast becoming part of the measurement of a successful event, we all understand the why, but what about the how? When faced with tight budgets, change in practice may seem like a difficult and expensive endeavor. But if you want to go green, here are few easy and no cost tips that have a big impact on the planet and not your bottom line.

  1. Ask questions! This is the easiest way to find out what environmentally friendly practices are already in place to help your event go green. Ask your venue about waste management, do they recycle and even better, compost? Trash sorting is one of the biggest areas of impact for any event and it costs less for a facility to recycle than to send garbage to a landfill. Also, talk to your vendors about their standard practices, from sourcing locally, transporting materials, to reusing materials post event, they may already have standards in place that will help your event be green at no additional cost to you. Ask hotels what they are doing to keep energy costs down such as changing linens and towels only on request. This is an easy question that adds no cost to your event but will garner big points from attendees and the environment.
  2. Donate. Where does the leftover food and beverage go after an event? Typically the answer is the trash. But why add to a landfill when food and beverage can be redistributed to local food banks and all table scraps can go to a local farm or compost. The law provides liability protection for organizations that donate food to charity and all it takes is a phone call to make arrangements.
  3. Water. Did you know thinking green can save you money? Serving water from pitchers or containers is a cost savings and will win you an environmental green star for preventing thousands of plastic bottles from ending up in the waste stream. Remember when thinking green, it is always better to prevent waste than to deal with it later, even when it is recycled and handled responsibly.
  4. Transportation. You may not be ready to switch to bio-diesel coaches, but you can ask your coach company to turn off the bus when standing by for a transfer. The idle time uses up fuel and pollutes the air for no reason. This is a simple request that will save your coach company money in gas and get them thinking green at the same time. Share the green knowledge!
  5. Think about the next meeting and event. What can you reuse from this event that can be carried over to next year? Signage and materials without dates and time specific information can be reused again to cut down on costs from year to year. You save money over the long term and cut energy use in production and post-event disposal. When thinking sustainable, think big picture!

    6. Useful Resources:

    US EPA Green Meetings

    MPI's Green Meeting Portal

    Blue Green Meetings

    Green Meeting Industry Council

    Articles

    MeetingsNet Magazines Green Coverage

    10 Easy Tips

    How Green is Your Meeting?