Why did Mariela McIlwraith, Shawna McKinley and I tackle this project? Why were we genuinely excited to write another book on sustainable events? Why did we gather in Vancouver BC armed only with index cards full of easy tips for green meetings and one grand idea?

Because the practical know-how of how to hold a green meeting still seems to be missing in this complex world of sustainable event standards, certifications and protocols. Because you have told us you just want an easy checklist and don’t want to wade through chapters of systems thinking. Because getting started is still the hardest part!

So we wrote a book about getting started. The book is not intended to be all-encompassing, but it is intended to help you take your first step (or 167 steps). Hopefully, it will help spark an excitement for sustainable events that will encourage you to continue on the path.

Meet Better will give you easy tips in areas such as food and beverage planning, site selection, transportation and travel , purchasing practices and onsite management. There is also a section on revenue generation through sponsorship opportunities associated with environmentally responsible events.

If you are interested in learning more before you buy, check out the excerpt here.  If you want to get a daily tip, follow us on Twittter @meetbetter or follow this blog for a peek at the infographics. If you are ready to dive in and start demystifying sustainable events, you can order your own copy here.

We are indeed grateful for those who reviewed the book and provided important feedback including Scott Craighead, Joan Eisenstodt, Lawrence Leonard, Janet Sperstad, Andrew Walker and Sandra Wood. I would like to personally add that without the heroic efforts of everyday champions in host organizations, event venues, catering companies, general decorators, recycling companies, volunteers, hotels and others, meeting better would have fallen away as a short-lived trend. Instead, it is here to stay.

To those good humans doing the “hard work,” this book is for you!