It is that Easy
Being Green is a Matter of Deciding and Doing
by Shannon Kilkenny | Published in June 2007 Event Currents
Green meetings and events are becoming mainstream — are you? If not, why not?
Yes, folks, it’s the topic of the times, the trendy buzzword, the chat at the water cooler and on the cover of nearly every magazine in our industry. The truth is, everyone is talking green. But the real question is, with the information you’ve read or heard about, have you changed the way you do business?
This is not a fringe movement any longer — it’s real and it’s here to stay. Going green is not an aspiration but a necessity. And perhaps soon to be a mandate. Event planners, venues, suppliers and attendees will soon be playing a role, whether they want to or not. Isn’t it time we started planning for it?
State of the Industry
At any given moment, thousands of meetings and events are happening with millions of guests traveling to different locations around the world. We, as an industry, have been leaving a heavy footprint in our wake. Let’s face it: We generate a lot of waste. We didn’t know better, but now we do — and we must do something about it. Fortunately, we are perfectly situated to have an extraordinary impact. We must plan events with the environment in mind and green up each phase of our decision-making process.
Our industry touches and influences so many others — transportation, lodging, food and beverage, communications, marketing and many more. Every metropolitan city in the world is affected by our comings and goings. The fact is, we leave a lot of money, but we also leave a lot of waste. However, because we are interwoven with these other industries, we have a great deal of power and leverage.
We have the power to transform other industries with our changes.
What Does Green Planning Mean Anyway?
In short, it’s a responsible way of doing business by integrating environmental and sustainable decisions during each phase of the planning process. It includes making choices to conserve energy and natural resources, reduce waste, reuse and recycle goods and use earth-friendly products.
By planning events with this enhanced awareness, our industry will have an extraordinary environmental and ecological impact all over the world. And that’s a big deal!
What you Can Do Starting Now
Here are five concrete ideas you can use no matter what type of event you’re planning.
I challenge you to go further than bulking up on your condiments and shampoos, using both sides of a piece of paper or recycling cans and bottles. (Don’t get me wrong, those are very important too!) Instead, I dare you to go further — investigate this emerging movement and discover what part you will play.
If you want to stand out as a green planner, do nothing less than the following:
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Create standards.
Establish environmental standards in writing and get buy-in from clients and/or management. Share your standards with every supplier, vendor, speaker and participant. Know exactly where you will draw the line with minimal guidelines. -
Stay educated.
Keep informed and up to date with what’s new in our industry. What hotels are utilizing green practices? What cities have the best transportation record? The number of businesses going green is changing rapidly — make informed choices! For a list of the latest hospitality industry green resources, go to www.successfuleventplanning.com/green_planning.html. -
Choose wisely.
Make every choice dependent on its environmental impact. Think about the consequences before you finalize any decision. Ask yourself: What is the legacy of this decision? Give priority to destination cities, venues, vendors and suppliers who are developing, implementing and innovating environmental and sustainable practices. If you are locked into a particular venue, bring your standards with you. Ask them to make changes at least while your group is there. -
Build green partnerships.
Work closely with everyone you do business with and ask them to green up their practices or find someone who does. Make sure everyone involved with your event is on the same page. Bring people on board and train them if necessary. If their practices are substandard, help them do better. Set examples that create permanent change. -
Share your success — and sell it.
Tell everyone involved — your participants, speakers and the media — about your successes. You will be surprised. Green efforts are contagious. And they are a great marketing tool, too!
Be creative, encourage involvement and follow your standards. If you start today, making the right choices will become second nature before you know it.
The challenge is on. If you are a meeting planner, start asking your vendors and suppliers to change their ways. If you are a vendor or supplier and aren’t taking steps to change the way you do business, then your competition will. Work together. The more planners request and ultimately hire green services, the more suppliers and vendors will begin to incorporate green practices. They will have to keep up with the times and the requests of their clients and participants.
But most of all, have fun with it and be proud of your efforts, no matter how big or small. Every green decision is a good one!
About the author: Shannon Kilkenny
Shannon Kilkenny has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is the author of “The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning.” She will present a seminar on green planning at the 2007 Event Solutions Idea Factory.
Contact: www.successfuleventplanning.com