Planning Your Green Conference

Panel of Conference Organizers

Molly McCluskeyConference Communications Marketing Manager

 Beth Surmont, CMP

Manager, Meeting Planning

What is “Green?”

1: of the color green 2: covered by green growth or foliage 3: pleasantly alluring 4: youthful, vigorous 5: not ripened or matured 6: fresh, new 7: marked by a pale, sickly, or nauseated appearance 8: not fully processed or treated: 9: deficient in sophistication and savoir faire

10 a: concerned with or supporting environmentalism b: tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting)

Merriam Webster Dictionary

Why Green?

Major multi-industry trend

“Green” claims on everything from tangible items like cars and electronics to intangible services like dry cleaners and contractors

Strong base of savvy eco-consumers and consumers who want to do “the right thing.”

Recent Trends in Green…

Clorox purchases organic skincare line Burt's Bees Environmental blog Treehugger.com purchased by Discover Channel, keeps its grassrootsKatrina Cottages, low-impact cottages created after the hurricane devastated New Orleans, now sold commercially through Lowe's Hardware Fidelity, Vanguard, Tia Cref and most major brokerages offer a green or socially responsible investing option Walmart, Safeway and Target offer organic lines

The results are in…

A recent poll commissioned by SCA/Tork and conducted by Harris Interactive found:– 48% of all U.S. adults surveyed agreed that

they make an effort to support businesses that use "green " products and/or environmentally friendly practices

– Respondents were willing to spend an average of 17% to 19% more for these products or services.

April 2008 survey of 2511 participants aged over 18

How Green Are Your Conferences?

The answer may surprise you.Do you:– Offer online registration?– Use water stations?– Provide electronic handouts?– Provide instructions on public transportation?– Is the convention center within walking distance of your

main hotels?– Do you use china and silverware for your meal

functions?– Do you offer vegetarian meal options?

Why Should You Care?

Major industry trend– Nearly every industry publication in the past 10 months has had an article

relating to green practices– Both the Democratic National Committee and Republican National

Committee are incorporating green elements into their conventions this year.

Global consciousness– Overall there is more awareness of green issues.– See this in media, new television station, new products being launched.– Even if this isn't important to you, it is likely important to your attendees.

Presents a cost savings– Eliminating bottled water – which is typically an on consumption charge.– Reducing printing costs by having handouts available electronically.– Pricing of  food can be reduced with lower shipping costs from using locally

grown foods.

Greenwashing“The practice of promoting environmentally friendly programs to deflect attention from an organization's environmentally unfriendly or less savory activities” (Websters)“The dissemination of misleading information by an organization to conceal its abuse of the environment in order to present a positive public image.” (American Heritage) Criteria for identifying greenwashing:– Ad misleads with words– Ad misleads with graphics or visuals– Ad makes a green claim that is vague or seemingly

unprovable– Ad overstates how green the product/company/service is– Ad leaves out important information to make green claim

sound better. (Univ of Oregon/Enviromedia)

Best Practices to Incorporate Green Elements

Don’t keep it a secret!

Pre-planning phase:– Let the hotel/convention center know what you are

trying to accomplish.– Ask for green-conscious planners and convention

services managers.– If the hotel has a linen re-use program, ask that

they adhere to it.

Best Practices to Incorporate Green Elements

Advance Registration Phase:– Let your attendees know what you are trying to accomplish.– Provide information on public transportation.– Ask attendees to re-use a conference bag they already

have.

Exhibitors:– Let exhibitors know what you are trying to accomplish.– Ask exhibitors to limit their giveaways to practical or

reusable items.– Ask exhibitors to limit their handouts, and use recycled

paper.

Best Practices to Incorporate Green Elements

Onsite:– Remind all involved of what you are trying to accomplish.

– Have clearly labeled recycling bins available with both words and pictures.

– Have separate recycling bins for paper and bottles.

– Move from using bottled water to water stations. 

– For buffet meals, ask for bulk dispensers for salt, pepper, ketchup, etc.

– Be menu-conscious - offer vegetarian options and sustainable seafood items.

– Collect name badge holders at end of conference for future re-use.

Next Steps

Include “green” questions in RFP Process.– EPA has a requirement that environmental performance must

be considered when selecting a property.

Look for LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) properties.

Negotiate green clauses into the contract.

Order lanyards made from recyclable products, or order lanyards that can be re-used - with just the conference name, not the date or the year.

Offer a tiered fee schedule for those who opt for public transportation.

Next Steps

For centerpieces, use locally grown flowers or seedlings that can be replanted after the event.  Donate cut flowers to a hospital or nursing home. 

Ask for electric chafing heaters instead of canned fuel.

Collect upon checkout the unused, or not fully used shampoo, conditioner, etc. for donation to a homeless shelter.

Donate leftover food to local shelters, which is allowed under the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996.

Consider practical giveaways that attendees will find useful - travel mugs, or energy-efficient light bulbs.

Give attendees the opportunity to contribute to carbon offsets, or local charities that support green initiatives. 

How Green is POCO?

Location chosen based on access to mass transportation

Local foods, wines and vendors

Vegetarian options

Presentations paper-free

Workshops paper-free optional

Sustainable gift

Hotel enforcing linen change requests

Resources

10 Easy Tips to Green Your Meeting - www.bluegreenmeetings.org/HostsAndPlanners/10EasyTips.htm

Convene Green www.convenegreen.com

Green Meeting Industry Council www.greenmeetings.info

 Leave No Trace (Guide to low-impact techniques in the outdoors and beyond)

www.lnt.org LEED (Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design) Certification

www.usgbc.org

U.S. EPA Green Meetings Guide www.usgbc.org

Further Questions

Molly McCluskey    m.mccluskey@ieee.org

Beth Surmont    b.surmont@ieee.org