Convention Centers Prove Green is the New Black

Finally, proof from convention centers that green meetings are also an economic advantage...

The Oregon Convention Center reports that its recycling and other eco-minded practices will pay a $62.3 million dividend to the local economy. The nearly 30 events planned through 2010 will pay more than $4 million to use the convention center. Thanks to the magic of economic multipliers, visitors will spend enough on shopping, dining and lodging to send a $63.2 million wave of activity through the economy. (source: Portland Business Journal)

The San Diego Convention Center impressed me during a recent site inspection. From the General Manager to the Operations team, they are “walking the talk” and continuously looking for ways to improve their environmental performance. The energy efficiency systems now in place save money and the planet—and they have the measurements to prove it! This website talks about their policies as well as providing a downloadable fact sheet. http://www.sdccc.org/meetingplanners/greenmeetings.cfm

The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, which has made environmental sustainability a priority for more than 20 years, is reconfirming their commitment and tripling its capacity to make it one of the greenest convention center’s in the world. Take a look http://www.vcec.ca/ I can personally attest to this. Way back in 1998 during a site inspection for a technology conference, they proudly offered me their environmental policies without being asked!

Sustainable for business…sustainable for the environment! Let’s hear from others...

Summertime...and The Livin' Is Easy

The long, hot days of summer are a perfect time to relax and enjoy live music in a beautiful outdoor setting! And that is exactly what I did this weekend. Even while relaxing I had one eye on the environmental practices taking place at the festival. I just can’t help myself, I truly am a MeetGreen Martyr.

The good news is, Pacific Northwest festivals and events are really going green this summer! Hopefully, you are seeing this as well in your area. If you are organizing an event here are the….

Top Ten Things You Can Do

1. Talk to your waste/recycling hauler early in the planning process to develop a recycling program
2. Hire/appoint a recycling coordinator
3. Purchase green power for the stage and lighting
4. Use biodiesel to power generators
5. Ask food vendors to serve local, sustainable food
6. Do not allow vendors or the venue to serve food in Styrofoam and non-recyclable plastics
7. Provide incentives for the audience to use mass transit
8. Purchase carbon offsets to mitigate the travel by artists
9. Develop talking points for the artists to discuss what is being done to green the event
10. Get started. Choosing even one idea from this list will have a huge impact. Measure what you have done and build on it next year.

Thanks to Stages Northwest for this list. They have additional resources available at
http://www.stagesnorthwest.com/greenresources.html

Lucy and Ethel Got Nothin' On Us

Yes, here we are in our most beautiful hairnets repackaging food at a recent “Food Bank Friday.” Each time we donate our time at the Food Bank, we are reminded of the famous scene on the old Lucy Show where Lucy and Ethel are packing chocolates and the conveyor belt keeps speeding up. It is a laugh out loud scene and so are our Food Bank Fridays.

Throughout the year, we work at the Oregon Food Bank packing food on a Friday afternoon. We invite all of our friends and colleagues in the local area to join us and usually have quite a few hospitality industry folks take advantage of the opportunity.
Whether packing carrots, beans, apples or onions we have silly, playful fun while giving back to our community. I am never quite sure if our crew or those we are helping enjoy it more. Especially the time we packed “Cheezy Noodles” and came away with LOTS of bright orange powder all over us.

After our shift, we take everyone out for refreshments at a local pub to thank the guests who joined us and continue the camaraderie. So, if you are in Portland, Oregon, on the afternoon of July 25th and look good in a hairnet, you are invited to join us!

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/

Meeting Industry Embraces Earth Day

WOW, what a week! The meeting and events industry really went wild with information and resources about environmentally responsible meetings. Industry publications (both in print and online) had loads of coverage. And the news media followed suit with articles and interviews specifically on green meetings and events. Here it is the end of the week, and I am still digesting all of the reports.

In the upcoming week, I will be synthesizing this wealth of information (so you don’t have to) and posting it on my blog. Stay tuned!

First up--I want to congratulate ARAMARK for this week’s announcement…

Partnership to Promote Shift to Sustainable Seafood Announced. Industry leader commits to completing transition within 10 years.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium and ARAMARK have entered into a partnership under which ARAMARK commits to new practices that will guide its purchases of sustainable seafood for all operations across the US. ARAMARK is beginning immediately to shift its seafood purchases toward sustainable sources. The company will complete the transition by 2018.

ARAMARK’s US operations alone employ 180,000 people and serve tens of millions of consumers at businesses, universities, schools, sports and entertainment facilities, parks and other locations. “Being good environmental stewards is important to our employees, our customers and the communities in which we live and work,” said Robert Dennill, ARAMARK’s associate vice president for corporate social responsibility. “The expertise and knowledge we are able to gain from the Monterey Bay Aquarium will guide business practices and influence consumer behaviors, helping strengthen our commitment to the environment.”

As you know, ARAMARK is the exclusive caterer for many of the facilities used for meetings and events. Speaking for meeting planners around the country, “We applaud you!”

One Fish, Two Fish…How Can I Choose Fish?

As meeting planners, we sometimes order meals on a rather large scale. Not just one, but sometimes thousands are served by the choice we make. For that very reason when choosing fish, they should come from a sustainable fisheries. Your purchasing power can make a difference by supporting those fisheries that are better for the environment, while at the same time relieving pressure on others that are not doing as well.

We recommend using a Seafood Watch pocket guide provided by Monterey Bay Aquarium to make choices based on supporting environmentally friendly fisheries and aquaculture operations. Their website http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_aboutsfw.asp provides a wealth of information including how to order the guides for your use.

If you want to impress your clients and friends with your sustainable seafood knowledge (and don’t we all), here is a fun trick! Use the “Fish Phone”. Yes, just text 30644 on your cell phone, type in “fish” and then type in the type of fish you want to know about, say “albacore tuna” for example. A response will come back within a few moments and provide information to help you make a decision. Won’t you be the life of the party?

The State of Green Meetings 2008

In a 2006, 3.7% of meeting planners were planning green meetings
In a 2008, 42% of association meeting planners are planning green meetings

Wow, what a change! That pretty well sums up what is happening with the green meetings and events industry. What was once considered fringe behavior is now quickly becoming mainstream practice. Planners, hotels, caterers, transportation companies, visitors bureaus and exhibit decorators are all taking a look at their practices and working towards being more environmentally responsible.

All of these organizations are finding that green meetings provide:
-Reduced environmental impact
-Cost savings
-Promotional benefits
-Networking advantages
-Value-added services
-Competitive advantages
-Delegate and employee satisfaction
-Risk reduction

The 2008 Green Meeting Industry Council Conference http://www.greenmeetings.info/ is promising record attendance with delegates coming from Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, Canada and the US. This is another indicator of how large the hunger for information and networking with others in this industry is right now.

I look forward to using this blog to share more about the business case, trends, ideas, resources and actual case studies of green meetings practices. Stay tuned…