By Mary Campbell, Pinellas County Extension Director, Urban Sustainability

Planning a meeting or event can be challenging. Look for ways to show your commitment to a better way of doing business through “green practices”. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Rather than sending paper invitations, send E-mail and/or set up a website. If you must use paper invitations, print them on recycled content paper.

• Make a friendly announcement at the beginning of the program announcing all efforts to go Green and instructing attendees which items are recyclable and what bin each item should go in.

• Make all copies two sided or offer any information and materials to those that request it via E-mail, DVD, or jump drive.

• Provide recycling bins for paper, cans, and plastic in meeting rooms.

• Do not use Styrofoam.

• Provide wooden coffee stirrers and as apposed to plastic straw stirrers.

• Use reusable name tags and provide a place to return them at the end of the meeting.

• Offer beverages in containers that are reusable and serve water or other drinks in pitchers.

• Include vegetarian meals, and have meals planned using local, seasonal produce.

• Use china and linens to prevent waste; or use paper plates, napkins, cups, and utensils that are biodegradable or made from recycled material.

• Instead of a buffet, offer plated entrees; this reduces the amount of wasted food.

• Consider donating un-served food.

• Offer snacks in bulk and not individually wrapped.

• Serve food and snacks that require minimal serving containers.

• Instead of individual packages of condiments (sugar, ketchup, cream, mustard, etc.), use a refillable pump condiment dispenser or recyclable containers.

• Opt-out of offering straws.

• Coordinate with the meeting venue to ensure that energy for lights and air conditioning will be turned off when rooms are not in use.

• Purchase carbon offsets for attendees traveling to/from a conference or meeting (for example: carbonfund.org, terrapass.com).

Links:

US Environmental Protection Agency Green Meetings Initiative
EPA’s “Greening Your Meetings and Conferences” page
Green Meeting Industry Council
MeetGreen
Bluegreen website for greening events and conferences

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