Because I love a good dare, last year I quickly accepted the challenge thrown down by Aaron Elliott, Sustainability Manager at MeetGreen, who is responsible for the green meeting practices at IMEX America. His challenge was to take selfies showing what the average attendee can do at IMEX America to minimize waste. Let's say [...]
If you are looking for the key industry leaders in sustainable events, look no further. They will be gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Green Meeting Industry Council’s Sustainable Meetings Conference. Scheduled from June 17 -19, 2015, this event is known for attracting professionals who incorporate sustainable initiatives daily into their meetings and events. Planners, [...]
When Lindsay Arell accepted the Convention Industry Council Pacesetter Award last week during IMEX America, she challenged the audience of top-level meeting industry professionals to change an industry. Her passionate plea is essential to our future and for those of you who didn't hear it, I share it with you now."I am so incredibly honored [...]
Packing for IMEX America 2014, I pull out all my best "Las Vegas" shoes and fill up a suitcase. All of this thinking about my feet reminds me of my carbon footprint. Which reminds me of a fact I learned about last year's IMEX America... "If every attendee had packed just one less pair of [...]
Yes, that's right, "Collaboration." The word, collaboration, is widely used when talking about sustainable meetings. Sustainable event planners go on and on about how they must collaborate with the venues, chefs, waste haulers, general service contractors, hotels, transportation companies and even entire cities to produce an environmentally and socially responsible event. They are right. It [...]
Imagine, someone begging for donations of used signage, conference bags and lanyards? Me neither, until I took a field trip to SCRAP during the GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference. SCRAP takes an amazing amount of used items (ones that Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity won't) and diverts 250 tons of waste from the landfill each year. [...]
On Day Two of the GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference, participants took part in a project to help Stop Hunger Now. This is one of the most well organized volunteer projects I have ever been involved in. It was easy for attendees to step right in and begin packing food for the hungry. It was fun, [...]
No guest room recycling because your hotel can afford to add recycling bins? Look no further. This low tech answer is as close as a paper bag. When the GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference convened at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, guests found this solution in their rooms which resulted in a twitter fury praising [...]
There once was a team from MeetGreenThey didn’t like polystyrene They said, “No more at our meetings or there will be beatings” For we want our planet pristine. Because sometimes it is okay to be silly and not take our work in sustainability so seriously. Looking forward to some silly, innovative, enriching and thought-provoking discussions [...]
After every event, meeting managers produce reports for registration, food & beverage, room nights and budgets. We tie up all the loose ends in a neat little package. What planners usually fail to do is tell the story of the conference in an easy-to-digest document for all of the event stakeholders. Our conference management team [...]
