SPG Blog

It was a trade show exhibitor’s dream. When it’s all over, we were told, just leave your cardboard boxes, extra flyers, skids and other construction waste, plastic wrappers and bags behind. No pangs of “green guilt” were necessary; we were assured that the cleaning department would collect and properly recycle everything.

Sage Portfolio Group recently attended Here 07, the annual conference and trade show of the HRPAO held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). A quick glance through the exhibitor manual showed the thought the MTCC had given to greening their approach to hosting meetings and other events. The manual referred to an “aggressive waste reduction program” – including recycling, donation of leftover food, composting of food waste, and use of light sensors in meeting rooms to reduce electricity use – and included an invitation to the exhibitors to join with them as “recycling partners”, agreeing to participate and promote the program to our clients and visitors during the show. It’s not surprising that the MTCC was recently recognized as a national leader in environmental stewardship with the “Go Green” award from the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada, and the Gold Award for waste minimization by the Recycling Council of Ontario. They appeared to take the issue of waste very seriously.

It’s clear that green meetings have moved well beyond the realm of simply distributing double-sided copies of minutes. We’re talking organic fair trade coffee, served in reusable mugs and lightened with cream or milk from bulk cartons. Serving water from pitchers instead of plastic bottles. Arranging with food banks and shelters to take left-over food, which is often vegetarian and sourced from local farmers. Sharing information electronically. Printing hard copies on tree-free or high percentage post-consumer recycled content paper. Choosing venues for their proximity to transit; the rigour of their environmental management system; the availability of shops, accommodation and eateries within walking distance. Arranging with non-profit organizations to take what might otherwise be considered “garbage” (but can really be made into new, saleable products) following a large conference or show. And perhaps the greenest option of all: choosing to utilize technology–webinars, web conferencing services etc–to connect attendees so you don’t have to meet in person in the first place.

The green meeting movement is growing. MCI, the Pittsburgh Convention and Visitor Bureau, Portland Oregon Visitors Association, Stetson Convention Services, and Tourism Vancouver are all supporters of the Green Meeting Industry Council. Hilton, Marriott and Radisson Hotels in Minneapolis donate unserved food to Minneapolis food banks. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosted Canada’s first Zero Waste Event in 2005. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts offers its “Eco-Meet” package at six locations. Green meetings are also about money – making it and saving it. Between May 2003 & December 2004, 14 environmental or sustainable conferences met in Portland Oregon, representing an estimated income of $10.5 million USD. A non-profit organization based in San Francisco raises more than $125,000 USD annually from goods recovered from exhibitions at the Moscone Convention Center; this, combined with other waste reduction initiatives, has cut the convention centre’s hauling costs by $500,000 USD.

Organizers of green events agree that, contrary to popular belief, hosting a green meeting does not have to increase workload. The same types of decisions are made in the planning process: where will the meeting be held, what food will be served, what will be done with waste, how will information be communicated etc. For green meetings, there are simply different or additional issues to consider or criteria to apply during the decision-making process. If the executive team of a company has established sustainability as a corporate goal, then there are likely already policies and operating procedures in place to guide the meeting planner, making this an easy and rewarding task. And speaking of rewarding, perhaps your company’s next conference, show or meeting will be nominated for the prestigious IMEX Green Meeting Award, announced annually by IMEX and the Green Meetings Industry Council.

For more information on establishing green meetings, start with these helpful web sites:
www.bluegreenmeetings.org
www.greenmeetings.info
www.meetingstrategiesworldwide.com
www.imex-frankfurt.com/envaward.html
www.conventionindustry.org/projects/green_meetings_report.pdf
www.ns.ec.gc.ca/greenman/help.html
www.epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings
www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/MPIcontent.aspx?id=3782