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Lots of Chatter on Twitter for Green Meetings and Conventions

October 26, 2012 By Comments

top tweetsI like to think of Twitter as social media in real time. What I mean by that is you can literally get a pulse of what topics are hot at any given time. As part of my job, I keep on top of tweets that reference the meetings and events industry.

I’ve also noticed that green meetings and conventions are hot topics. You don’t have to look very far in order to get advice on how to implement green industry standards. It seems a lot of industry colleagues have something to say regarding sustainability. I personally think that’s a good thing. Sometimes you take away a little bit from this person and something different from that person. But what you end up getting is an overall blueprint that you can implement in your own business.

A Sampling of Some Top Tweets for Green Meetings and Conventions

The following is a sampling of what’s been discussed over the last week on Twitter referencing  sustainability. From Fairmont, we are pleased to learn that, in addition to their hotels becoming LEEDS certified, their corporate office in Toronto has become LEEDS certified silver. There’s an app for that – while discussing the top 10 mobile apps for meeting planners, @CRISTERENZIO says that her favorite is the green app. M+C Magazine explains why it’s not that hard for you to go green (little by little makes a big difference). And finally @thehubtalks via @evenues explains to us why green meetings matter. They also give some helpful links at the bottom of the post on how you can get started.

 

 

These tweets and subsequent posts offer you some guidance, and suggestions, on how you can get started on making your next meeting or event green. As you’ll find out it’s really not that hard to do and our planet will love you for it.

 

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Hesitant about Green Meetings? Two Easy Steps to Get You Underway

June 15, 2012 By Comments
Green meetings can be easier than you think

photo by blogs.softchoice.com

Are you an event planner that has been considering hosting a green meeting? And is the reason that you haven’t done so already, is that you think that it involves a lot of planning and execution? Well, you would be surprised at just how easy it is to turn your meetings green. And the beauty of it all is that you can even do it in small steps, working towards your overall goal.

Implementing Green Meeting Ideas Is Easier Than You Think

At most conventions that I attend there are always green components nowadays. As our governments continue to point fingers and be pretty much in denial of environmental changes, it’s nice to see the meetings and events industry taking its own initiative. Lord knows if we wait for our government to act today then we could be in for a very long wait. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do whatever we can to help preserve this wonderful planet of ours.

Two green meeting ideas that you can easily implement

One suggestion that I always offer a meeting or event planner is to suggest that try not to think of green meetings as one overwhelming task. Rather, break down the various components to your meeting and then review which ones you can easily apply sustainability ideas to.

Tip # 1) Go Paperless. Going paperless, especially today, is easier than you think. Do you really need to print a brochure for your meeting or conference? Can you host it on your website? There are also a lot of event planning software that is free to use that helps you communicate with your attendees electronically.

If you find you have to arrange flights or any other means of transportation for your attendees then make sure all ticketing is done electronically. Why not even take it one step further and encourage all of your attendees to download their boarding passes to their smart phones. Set up a twitter account where you can provide all of your attendees up to the minute updates as well as any changes that you need to communicate.

Tip #2) Energy. Nowadays, most hotels and meeting venues utilize environmental light bulbs. When you are booking your meeting make sure to request that this is the case for the room where your meeting will be held. It’s also not a bad idea to ensure that all of the lights are turned off as well as the heating or cooling is set to minimal levels while you are not utilizing the room.

Going green does not need to be considered simply added responsibilities to your job. The two tips above can be easily implemented. The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) is an excellent resource for the convention industry on green meeting standards as well as additional ideas that you can implement. Green meetings also show your delegates and attendees that you are serious about sustainability. Our planet will love you for it.

 

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Information for the “Green” Party Planner

August 14, 2011 By Comments
International Recycle Symbol

Image via Wikipedia

Sustainability is top of mind these days. From the way we build and operate our houses and office towers to the way we shop for, use and dispose of everything from food to winter tires, the push for a “green” planet continues to gain momentum.

Looking for a Green Party Planner? – Do your research!

And the meetings and events industry is taking the lead when it comes to creating sustainable events. If you’re using a party planner you may want to find out if he/she has experience at creating green or sustainable parties. Check the website, interview past clients and ask to speak with some of his/her suppliers to ensure that they all meet the green targets you’ve set for the function.

A true “green” party planner will have checklists and back up documents that will prove to potential clients that the suppliers/venues/products and services he/she uses for the event are considered to be “green” or to meet the industry’s sustainability standards. Ask the planner to provide documentation that highlights the actual impact of his/her sustainability practices. For example, how much garbage does the party planner divert from landfill by using a particular paper-goods supplier?

Party Planner Resources

In addition to researching your party planner and the work that he/she has done in the past there are a number of industry-specific resources available to you. If your preferred party planner is not currently “up-to-speed” on how to create a sustainable event you may want to direct him/her to any one of hundreds of websites, groups or associations that are out there to champion a sustainable meetings and events industry.

A number of North American cities have published their own guidelines and resource documents to help local party planners in their efforts to move toward sustainability. For example, Kansas City’s “Green Event Planning Guide” provides party planners in Missouri with contact information, check lists, best practices, etc. The City of Toronto, through http://www.toronto.com/article/646669, points party planners looking for local “green” suppliers and venues in the right direction.

Networking for the “Green” Party Planner.

A good place to start is LinkedIn. There are a number of industry-specific LinkedIn groups that focus on “green” practices and sustainability. These include the “EcoTourism Network”, The “Green Meetings” Forum and the “Green Meetings Industry Council” – the GMIC.

The LinkedIn groups provide a party planner with great contacts and access to information through forums, discussions and personal networking. The GMIC group on LinkedIn has almost 1,000 members – from around the world with local chapters in many North American cities.

Now is the IDEAL Time to Go “Green”

If you’re an established party planner or are just starting out in the industry, now is the ideal time to consider offering clients “green” options for sustainable events. With sustainability front-and-center in the news, the demand for green events of all types – meetings, conventions, conferences, social events, weddings, etc. – will only continue to grow.

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The Key to Planning a Party http://t.co/t2uEXQ1Ddb #parties #party #partyplanning2 hours ago