Green Planning: Thinking Ahead

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As you initiate the planning for your event, develop your expectations in writing first. Going 100% green may not be your intentions. This is okay. Here is a listing of some possible ideas to help you satisfy your objectives. Once your event is complete, you can use your expectations to assist with the assessment and evaluation of your event.

Clearing the Air: Relay Your Expectations

• Make it clear in the initial stages your intentions of organizing a sustainable event. Advise and educate participants, presenters, exhibitors, and all planners in advance that the event will be green (as green as you plan it to be). Through all interactions, ask all involved to respect and assist this process as appropriate.

• For all goods procured for the meeting, preference is given to the most environmentally appropriate alternatives that are available at a reasonable price and are locally produced.

• Being green, currently, does add an additional cost. There will be a need for a willingness to pay more for environmental responsibility.

• Ask exhibitors that gifts for participants are durable, minimally packaged and made from non-toxic materials. Provide them with registration numbers and encourage them to bring limited quantities. Mailing additional materials after the event, given interest, is always an option.

• Organizers, Exhibitors, and Presenters are encouraged to walk, bicycle, carpool or use public transit to attend meetings and events whenever possible. (setting the example)

• Using recycled material, advertise to participants your expectations.

• Information systems are in place to facilitate carpooling.

• Sponsors and donors are actively sought who reflect positive environmental values and practices.

• Contributions from corporations that are known for environmentally destructive practices are rejected.

• Set up a recognition program to recognize facilities or vendors who have an extensive program in place, have made improvements in their current program, or have gone above and beyond to work with you to accommodate these requirements.

• Recognize cooperation in event newsletters, send a letter of thanks, and possibly even recognize them in person at a general session (but be sure to keep this recognition separate from any awards programs.) Include information on the facilities or vendors in information given to the press.

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Selecting a Green Site

• Select a site which minimizes long-distance travel for participants

• Pick a site that is transit accessible (bus, train, metro, tram), walkable, or bikable

• Inquire with the facility their green policies:

• Do they recycle? If so, what do they recycle?
• Do they invest into green products? (e.g. recycled, biodegradable, organic products, etc.)

• When choosing sites, ask the owners to work with your group to design environmentally friendly practices for the event.

• Get it in writing: Sample Contract
• Recycling and composting systems are in place with convenient and well-marked receptacles.
• Reusable dry markers, erasable boards or blackboards, overheads, computer projectors and slides are used instead of paper flip charts. (If paper flip charts must be provided, they should be made of recyclable newsprint, with recycled content.)
• Lights and equipment are turned off when not in use.

• Additional On-Site Considerations

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Think Locally, Act Locally

• Buying locally grown food reduces transportation costs and invests back into the community

• Choose fair-trade, organic, and/or shade-grown coffee, with bulk creamer/sugar

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Service Contractors

• Preference is given to contractors who adhere to your green criteria as routine practice.

• Hire caterers who serve local and organic food

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Emission Considerations:

• Typical emissions of an event come from:
• Travel to/from event (to city and to conference from hotels)
• Facility electricity & fuel-use
• Publications
• Food origin & preparation
• Waste
• Hotels
• Additional information on transportation

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Check out our planning resources page for Green hotel resources.

References:

• "The National Recycling Coalitions Green Meetings Policy"
• "Making your Conference Sustainable & Climate Neutral"
  by Marie-Claire Munnelly, 2007
• "EECOM Green Conference Guidelines"
• Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report

Contact Information

If you have general questions or comments, contact:
Shalini Suryanarayana (shalini@mtu.edu) and please put
"ESC Question/Comment" in the subject line.

Electronic mail

If you have any questions on the recycling program at Michigan Tech: recyclinginfo-l@mtu.edu

General Information: shalini@mtu.edu