In today’s market meeting attendees are expecting meetings, events, and conventions to include an environmental component.
In a recent study of professional meeting planners nation-wide, these expectations were both notable and measureable:
- 47% of meeting attendees are requesting green requirements for their events.
- 73% of meeting planners indicate that their clients are showing increasing interest in reporting green measures.
So, what can an event planner do to meet this demand and be a “Green Planner?” Here are a few basic steps to get you started:
1. Create Standards – Establish environmental standards in writing and stick to it in all phases of your business! Utilize your environmental policies when choosing venues and while working with clients, suppliers, vendors, speakers and participants.
2.Get educated – Know what venues offer green meetings, are built to green standards, and what cities are going green.
3. Take advantage of easy to implement green ideas –
- Make printed materials for your events available on your social media page and downloadable to smartphones, tablets and laptops.
- Forgo plastic giveaways/treats and replace with biodegradable/recycled prizes, edible treats or special discounts.
- Have attendees bring their own lanyards and name badges from a previous event or conference.
- Use water coolers and pitchers instead of individual bottled water and soda cans.
- When possible use the venues's glassware, dishes, and cutlery. If you must use disposable choose compostable or biodegradable cups, plates and utensils.
- Provide clearly marked, easily accessible recycling and composting bins alongside all trashcans.
- Serve locally grown and organic food and beverages.
- Donate floral arrangements, decorations and leftover food to local hospitals, nursing homes or other non-profits after the event.
- Consider creating a carbon-offset program for your event such as purchasing wind energy or donating to a conservation program.
- Utilize geocaching, planting trees or treasure hunting as a team building activity.
4. Choose Wisely – Make choices dependent on the environmental impact that it will cause. Give priority to destination cities, venues, vendors and suppliers who are also developing, implementing and are innovating environmental and sustainable practices.
5. Share your success – Tell everyone involved about your green initiatives and green successes, post on social media about the energy conserved, garbage eliminated and donations made. The green effort is contagious! And, as a bonus, being a green planner makes for a pretty great marketing tool! So, sell your green plan as part of your business model and build your success while helping our planet.
A green planner integrates environmental and sustainable decisions during each phase of the planning process. Begin by making choices to conserve energy and natural resources, reduce waste, reuse and recycle goods and use earth-friendly products. Remember: Every green decision is a good decision!