Meeting Trends: Mobile Technologies Are Green in More Ways than One

We are excited about the continued efforts across our industry to reduce the environmental impact of meetings and conventions. Our team often works with clients to incorporate common-sense green initiatives that also save money, such as using local suppliers to reduce shipping cost, custom-building menus to take advantage of local and seasonal ingredients, and managing power usage.

Small changes are important, but their impact is gradual. One big step that organizations can take to reduce their carbon footprint as well as boost the budget is to add technologies that reduce or eliminate the need for printed materials. Online registration virtually eliminates faxes, as well as reduces staff time and stress. E-marketing has become easier and more affordable – as well as more effective! – than expensive postcards and printed advance programs. And e-posters allow content to be captures and shared beyond the boundaries of time and space.

Replacing a printed conference program with a mobile app can easily save an annual meeting thousands of dollars in printing costs alone. In fact, one of our team members saved an association nearly $50,000 in printing and shipping costs by transitioning their meeting to a paperless format. By contrast, mobile apps start at just $5,000!

A comprehensive mobile app reduces or eliminates the need for printed materials of many kinds, including:
* Conference program books
* Exhibit hall maps
* Exhibitor guides
* Speaker biographies and session descriptions
* Onsite errata sheets to alert attendees about changes and last-minute additions

The C&LC team is proud that our meetsmart mobile conference navigation app is being used to support green initiatives. For additional ideas on greening your meeting, visit meetsmartmobile.com.

GMIC Has Green Meetings Directory

Located at www.GreenMeetingsDirectory.com, the Green Meetings Directory includes text as well as video listings, both of which feature complete product and service offerings and supplier contact information.

"Through the use of the Green Meetings Directory, planners who are familiar with the integrity of the GMIC community can now easily connect with organizations that are striving to be sustainable," said GMIC Board President Amy Spatrisano.

For more information about the Green Meetings Directory, which is searchable by category, company name or worldwide location, visit www.GreenMeetingsDirectory.com or www.GreenMeetings.info

Lean & Green: Trimming Conference Costs through Environmentally Responsible Practices

Many organizations have made strides towards “going green,” whether in small steps or grand gestures. But in a challenging economy, it’s easy to put responsibility practices on the back burner as other priorities demand attention. The good news is that environmental and fiscal responsibility don’t have to be at odds with one another.

Greening your meetings simply requires making thoughtful choices throughout the planning process that support your organizational priorities. Here are just a few tips to effectively manage resources – both environmental and financial! – for your next meeting or convention.

• Transitioning from paper handouts to web-based solutions saves printing and shipping costs, gives meeting content a longer shelf life, and allows delegates to share the value with colleagues.
• Switching from packaged foods to bulk items eliminates wasteful packing and reduces your food and beverage expenses.
• Finding a local school or charity to reuse conference bags and other materials is a positive contribution to the community, as well as a tax write-off.
• Including a carbon-offset donation on your registration form allows attendees to make tax-deductible contributions to support planting trees.
• Asking the chef to source food locally reduces food miles and provides attendees with fresher ingredients that taste better and cost les.
• Requesting that meeting facilities place recycling bins throughout your event won’t cost you a dime.

Going green isn’t just about saving the planet – making smart choices that can save your organization money make good business sense, too.

THE MILLION TONS OF TRASH CHALLENGE

Did you know that the average meeting produces 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms) of waste PER PERSON, PER DAY?

Join event industry leaders who are pledging to divert 1 Million Tons of trash from worldwide landfills in 2009.

The Million Tons of Trash Challenge was conceived by leaders and members of the Green Meetings Industry Council during the 2009 Action=Sustainability Conference. The purpose of the Challenge is to build momentum and awareness toward the ultimate goal of reducing the environmental footprint of meetings and events, thereby building a more sustainable industry.

Q: What kind of data do I need to collect?

A: All participants are required to report how much trash their event or company produced, and how much was recycled by weight at a minimum. Two simple numbers. For those who are also reducing trash by composting, providing donation programs or cutting back on things like paper you can report this information as an option. Optional data fields include weights of plastics, glass, paper, e-waste, cardboard, oil, compost, wood, construction waste, donations and others. Data can be provided in metric or imperial, and will be converted for aggregate calculations.

Go to http://www.greenmeetings.info/trashchallenge/challenge.html for tips, resources, case studies, and networking opportunities for anyone who wants to reduce event trash.

GMIC invites all who are involved with events to sign up and commit here to reduce and divert waste and to measure and submit statistics using our online calculator.

Follow them on Twitter and check back often to see Blog updates and new case studies that will motivate the industry to make a difference and change our event waste habits forever.