Green Meetings and Events

Step One

Do your homework. Review the Convention Industry Council’s Green Meetings Report, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s green meetings and events guide. Visit www.greenmeetings.info to get ideas on how to reduce, re-use and recycle. Analyze your events to see where you can improve.

Consider your organization’s green strengths and weaknesses. What are your facilities or building management teams doing to encourage an environmentally-friendly workplace? Are there programs you can carry over to your events?

Step Two

Set your priorities. You are not likely to go green over night. What initiatives can you take that will be the least disruptive or controversial, but will yield the highest payback? Start there.

Step Three

Gain management or sponsor support. Armed with your research and recommendations, sell your plan to management by emphasizing the benefits to your organization and clearing up any misconceptions. Be prepared to project the return on investment.

Step Four

Take action. Build your green initiatives into the event planning process and then execute them.

Step Five

Communicate. Event attendees may notice some of the changes you make, so be sure to share what your company is doing to help the environment. Chances are, they will support your efforts and walk away with a positive impression of your company.