The latest IMEX Global Insights Report predicts increases in both number of meetings to be held as well as available budgets. All good news.More good news in the report includes, "Fears that increased financial pressures over the last 12 months would have caused Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy to take a back-seat were also allayed [...]
It's that time of year when the trends for 2011 (for all areas of meeting and event planning) are being published. I am drilling down into each survey and study to look for the sustainable practices to share with you. That usually requires a lot of wading through budgetary items as in the "2011 Incentive [...]
Want to get meeting participants to conserve water? This sign on a water station in Beijing goes straight for the heart strings. And they are absolutely right!
Since Oracle OpenWorld turned its attention to event sustainability in 2007, the progress has been impressive. Here's an example of what they have accomplished:Enabled re-investment of $1.3 million in event elements through waste-cutting actionsDiverted enough trash from landfill to fill 37 garbage trucksAvoided emissions equivalent to taking 190 cars off the road for a yearConserved [...]
Great News! The Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishery has become the world's first major crab fishery to be certified "sustainable" under standards set by the international Marine Stewardship Council. http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/12/oregons_dungeness_crab_fishery.html "The Oregon Dungeness crab fishery has demonstrated that they are a model fishery in terms of environmental sustainability and working hard to maintain and improve the [...]
For all you have done over the past year to make this planet a better place in the face of tough economic times, relentless politics and uncomfortable change!
There is almost nothing better than talking to an engaged group of students about sustainable meeting practices! That is just how my morning started. Tyra Hilliard (early advocate of green meetings and the Green Meeting Industry Council) asked me to present to her class at the University of Alabama. Using skype and webcams from my [...]
Multnomah County, where we are headquartered, has voted to ban bottled water from its meetings and functions. Hooray! http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/multnomah_county_becomes_first.htmlExtra bonus: it will save $20,000 - $30,000 per year which is desperately needed for other services in our area. Good thinking!What could your local government save on this one simple green meeting policy?
Roger Dow, President of the US Travel Association, recently talked about threats to the industry and was quoted as saying, "No concern could be greater than environmental policy that discourages people from traveling to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions."He goes on to say, "They (environmentalists) aren't as concerned about how travel works for the [...]
For those of you in the United States, when you vote today for either candidates or ballot measures make sure they support the entire triple bottom line...environment, economy AND social issues. Without all three of these, our future is not sustainable.Thank you!