Going GREEN is all the rage, from an individual to the corporate level. As meeting professionals, we have to be on the edge of the trend whether it be mini-projectors, buzz marketing tools or creating a sustainable event. Corporations want to prove that they are saving money and being more responsible in their daily business, so it's only natural for this to stem into their Event Marketing campaigns. There are several ways to appear Green and even more ways to BE Green. You can appear Green by giving away recycled notepads or you can be Green by giving nothing at all and donating to a local organization instead. Here are a few ways to make your event a little more Green:
Location, Location, Location
Choosing a venue or location for an event in my industry usually depends on the client, their product and their audience. But there are times when we are asked to do the research and make recommendations based on the objectives of the event. When being Green is the objective, look to Popsci.com (Popular Science) for their list of the Top Greenest Cities in America. Portland, Ore., San Francisco, Calif. and Boston, Mass. are the top three Greenest cities. Portland has 35 buildings certified by the US Green Building Council, produces half its power from renewable sources and boasts that a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation. San Francisco gets down to the nitty gritty by banning Styrofoam food service items—replacing them with compostable and recyclable take-out materials. The city also has a daily compost pickup; collecting nearly 440 tons of food scraps and yard trimmings to deliver to local vineyards. An impressive idea and great use of space: San Fran utilizes the rooftop of the Moscone Convention Center as well as the city's water reservoir for a massive sun soaking solar panel system (2 points for the Moscone). Boston is in the number 3 spot for its future plant that will produce methane power out of leaves and yard clippings. Believe it or not, New York City, in 20thplace, has grand plans of installing underwater turbines in the East River which will generate enough power for nearly 8,000 homes. Playing up on the eco--conscious venue will impress your clients and their guests.
Transportation and Dining
Mass transportation is about the Greenest you can get for an event, unless you are in NY and hire OZOcar. OZOcar, like many local transportation companies, has a fleet of hybrid luxury vehicles. These airport transfers are decreasing emissions and helping NY become greener every day. A quick Google search in your location will most likely result in a similar sustainable vendor.
Another increasingly popular trend in the Wine and Dine world are eco-conscious restaurants. Farm to Table is probably my favorite new trend. It takes into consideration the “food chain,” or the gathering of food. Chefs and restaurant owners are going directly to their local responsible farmers to purchase the freshest fruits and vegetables and the happiest cows and chickens they can find. This has also led to many smaller restaurants growing their own herb gardens. Not only are they supporting fresh, sustainable foods, but they are also supporting the local economy by buying from their own hometown.
- Get Rid of the Fluff
As mentioned in the intro paragraph, there is enough fluff in this world; we shouldn't force it down the throats of our event attendees. Fortunately there is an abundance of technology and creativity in the workplace—especially where I work. We use these resources to create something more interesting and eco-friendly than a costly printed invitation. Many recent events utilized web-based invites and event programs. Email—now at home, work and on your phone—is easy to view and review; it's free to send and doesn't take up real estate on a desk somewhere. If you absolutely have to print a fancy invite, use a recycled paper stock or venture out to a seeded paper. You can print virtually anything on these little garden starters and then plant them for blooms. Other things that I consider fluff are pens that get added to your collection of 25,000 or the awkward triangle highlighters—who uses these? If you have to give your attendees something, give them something useful like a thumb drive or apparel (discreetly branded so that they can wear it with their everyday attire) or donate to a local charity; they could use the money more than attendees could use more pens.
These are very elementary ways to making your event Green, but every little bit helps.