Money Talks

The benefits of adopting sustainable practices in your organization continue to flow in. It is the “right thing to do” on so many levels, including financially! According to a recent report from GMA and PricewaterhouseCoopers, “Companies that report sustainability data generally experience higher gross margins and return on sales, higher return on assets, and stronger cash flow and rising shareholder return.”

Take a look at the full report:

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/06/11/companies-that-report-sustainability-data-enjoy-higher-gross-margins/

I Want More!

More discussions with other green meeting planners…
More help finding resources…
More best practices…
More information on current trends in one place…
More ideas!

We are all like sponges, soaking up the information and looking for more! So we launched the MeetGreen Forum and invited our colleagues and folks who have attended our seminars/webinars to join. And they did! We are having lively discussions, sharing information, and asking questions.

We also want to invite the blog readers to join the fun. The link below will give you easy directions.

http://www.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com/resources/forum/

Pop on the forum, ask a question, answer a question, share a resource.

Because as Margaret Mead said, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

What is a Carbon Offset?

This is the second post in the carbon series. I hope you are finding it helpful. As a meeting planner, I never thought I would need this type of information. Of course, I never thought I would be called a "dumpster diver" either!

What is a carbon offset?

“A carbon offset is a project implemented specifically to reduce the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Offsets are so named because they counteract or offset the purchaser's GHG emissions.” (Source: Climate Trust) The important thing to realize about a carbon offset is that it does not reduce your actual event emissions. It allows you to be responsible for those emissions you can’t avoid.

Carbon offsets projects can take a variety of forms including:
• Investment in renewable energy, such as solar or wind power.
• Energy efficiency projects, such as retrofitting buildings with energy efficient systems
• Tree planting which will absorb emissions from the atmosphere.

How do I start?

Steps to providing a carbon offset program for a meeting generally involve:
1. Finding an offset partner organization
2. Working with the partner to estimate conference emissions (travel and venue energy?
3. Ascribing a dollar value to the emissions footprint
4. Engaging a sponsor, delegates or your organization to ‘buy’ the offset

It is important to consider the fit with your organization. A few questions to ask are:
- Will members be accepting of the option?
- Should the program be voluntary or mandatory?
- Is selecting one offset program too restrictive?
- Does the offset project need to be local? Is location important?

How can we fund a carbon offset program?

There are a few scenarios for funding carbon-offset programs that meeting managers currently employ.
- One option is to use the program as a sponsorship opportunity and publicize that the sponsoring company has offset the entire event’s greenhouse gas emissions. This strategy gains powerful recognition for both the sponsor and for the event.
-A second scenario is to ask attendees to offset their own travel by contributing a specific amount as part of their registration fee. Make their contribution optional. Then, those who participate will be taking an active role in contributing to improving the environment.
- A third option is to include the offset as part of the conference budget and let attendees know that the organization is doing this on their behalf.

Up next…picking a carbon offset provider in this wild, unregulated industry.

Upgraded to First Class

We all know how nice it is to sip tea out of a china cup in first class. Doesn’t it just taste better than slurping it from a Styrofoam cup in coach? That is exactly what guests experience during a green event--the food is fresh, healthy and served on china. Don't forget the silver spoon for your sugar!

It is true..."Green is the New First Class” and apparently the word is spreading. In a recent article focusing on upscale New York restaurants going green, it talks about how sustainable practices are being driven by customer demand for the best.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080511/FREE/936696709/-1/rss01&rssfeed=rss01

What's Hot? Not Bottled Water

As you know, not serving individual bottled water at conferences and events has the potential for huge environmental and economic savings. Some planners have been concerned about how to sell this to stakeholders and participants. From what I have been reading lately, that job may be getting easier!

From Grist…

“Forget SUVs and Styrofoam: hip-to-the-times green folk are directing their ire at plastic water bottles. In the last few months, the energy-intensiveness of bottled water -- 1.5 million barrels of oil go into making the bottles for the U.S. market each year, and oodles more to transporting the H2O -- has seeped into the public consciousness. Big-city mayors have urged residents to stop hitting the bottle, and highfalutin restaurants are serving filtered tap water. Advocates point out that water flows freely in nearly every U.S. home, while 38 billion recyclable plastic vessels are trashed every year.”

From the New York Times, August 12, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/fashion/12water.html?ex=1344571200&en=4cafffbfd43f5234&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

“In the last few months, bottled water — generally considered a benign, even beneficial, product — has been increasingly portrayed as an environmental villain by city leaders, activist groups and the media.”

From the Harris Interactive Poll…
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=898

“Americans claim that they are doing things that will reduce their carbon footprint. A startling 21% have stopped drinking bottled water.”

Planning For the New Generations

Our goal as meeting planners is to make our conferences exceptional events for participants. From the type of learning, to the networking activities, to the accommodations—the total experience is taken into account. We have heard a lot about the generational differences of the groups who participate and no where is it more apparent than in the environmental realm.

The younger the participant, the more environmentally savvy they are. Their expectations of environmental considerations throughout the meeting will be much higher. To them, it is a personal commitment. In his Earth Day 2008 Report, Joel Makower shares some important statistics:

“One in ten Americans say that they have looked up their personal or household's carbon footprint, according to Harris Interactive. Younger Americans are more likely to have done so. Almost one in five (18%) Echo Boomers (aged 18-31) say they have looked up their carbon footprint, compared to 11% of Gen Xers (aged 32-43), 9% of Baby Boomers (aged 44-62), and 6% of Matures (63 and older). “

As new generations move into the role of conference participants, they will be expecting green meeting practices to be incorporated into how we do meetings. Yet another reason to embrace green meetings!

What Do Women Want?

The answer to that age-old question is really not that tough. Let’s do the math…

1) Women were early adopters of the environmental movement – just ask Rachel Carson, environmental pioneer. “Women traditionally have been responsible for the care and welfare of families, which makes them especially sensitive to the importance of clean air and safe water,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency, itself a legacy of Ms. Carson’s work.

Plus…

2) Women take the environment AND business very seriously. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council recently surveyed 1,200 members and found that 71 percent are working to make their businesses greener. The survey also found that 60 percent are working to make their products greener.

Multiply this by the fact…

3) The majority of meeting planners are women. In 2007, MPI reported that two out of three members were women. This represents significant buying power in the meeting industry.

Equals…one huge opportunity to drive support for more environmentally responsible hotels, convention centers, transportation companies, caterers and exhibit contractors. The opportunity to increase business and to give us what we want--a way for our profession to make a difference in the health and lives of our loved ones—is tremendous.

Wash It or Toss It?

"Wouldn’t it save energy and water to use disposable cutlery instead of washing metal silverware?" A question we are frequently asked especially in regions of the United States where water is in short supply.

The Environmental Defense Fund provides the answer:

“Using 1,000 disposable plastic teaspoons consumes over 10 times more energy and natural resources than manufacturing one stainless steel teaspoon and washing it 1,000 times.”

Speaking of water efficiency, “virtual water” is now being measured. For instance, a cup of coffee uses 37 gallons of virtual water when you consider the amount of water used to grow, produce, package and ship the beans according to Joel Makower’s blog.

http://makower.typepad.com/joel_makower/2008/04/a-deeper-dive-i.html


The next big question is how will this impact the meeting industry?

What Goes On The Road...

The Travel Industry Association took a survey of 2,296 travelers in August, 2007 and reported these findings:

When at home these US Adults report:

85% turn out the lights when leaving a room
67% regulate heating/cooling when not at home
60% recycle
60% turn off water while brushing teeth
59% use more energy efficient bulbs
53% take short showers

Seems reasonable for both economic and environmental reasons, right? So what happens when we leave home? How did we get the idea that hotel VIP guests require:

All the lights, radio and TV turned on when arriving in a hotel room
Their room ready and waiting at a constant 68 degrees
New sheets every day
Dual shower heads
And my personal favorite, a new bar of soap every time you leave the room ( I can’t even figure out how they sneak in there and change it so fast)?

If travelers don’t practice these things at home, why would they want to on the road? Additionally, we know that guests 25-39 years of age are more environmentally conscious than their older counterparts. It is time to ask what the new generation of guests think VIP service is. My guess? Free wireless internet!

Are green meetings just a trend?

No way! Will the green meeting practices continue? Absolutely!

In the “State of Green Business 2008” report, Joel Makower states, “Green business has shifted from a movement to a market. But there is much, much more to do.” Joel’s report covers many areas our industry touches such as transportation, energy efficiency, office space, paper use and recycling. It also provides valuable resources and links. I highly recommend taking a look. http://www.stateofgreenbusiness.com/

The world media is devoting attention to environmental issues and climate change. Even magazines such as Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair had issues devoted to green in 2007. The meeting and event industry is no different. Green meetings were featured 42 times in meeting industry trade publications last year. There is a solid buzz that is not slowing down.

While the media hype surrounding green may fade in time, the solid practices being put into place won’t. Planners have found a new way to cut costs, provide a competitive advantage and increase delegate satisfaction. The economic savings alone will ensure we don’t return to past practices.