Feature - February / March 2008

 

By Diana Rowe

High thread counts and spa services are great, but show me your biodegradable soap, high-impact fluorescent light bulbs and recycle bins. That’s the new dictum in site selection these days. In a very short time, eco-friendly initiatives have gone from becoming a thoughtful thing to do, to becoming a required component of meetings and events, where the ultimate goal is a zero-waste event.

At the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting held January 13–16 in Seattle, both the PCMA and the Washington State Convention & Trade Center carried out several initiatives to reduce the event’s environmental impact. Said PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton, “The meetings and convention industry is uniquely positioned to take tangible steps to limit our environmental footprint. We have a great opportunity to effect positive change and become leaders in this important global initiative.”

“FutureWatch 2008,” the sixth annual international study conducted by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and sponsored by American Express, confirms that environmental sustainability interest tops the chart. A survey of 1,643 meeting and event professionals and suppliers from around the world revealed that a growing number of professionals list conservation and environmental concerns among the top three trends affecting their work.

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre pioneered the “Zero Waste” event concept with PCMA’s 2007 Annual Meeting, after which the MTCC reported that the partnership created a highly successful zero-waste event at nearly 98 percent, the highest achieved percentage of recycling to date. Typically, an event the size of PCMA’s 3,000-delegate meeting would generate 90,000 cans or bottles, 75,000 cups, 87,500 napkins and 62,500 plates. Photo courtesy of Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Susan Sarfati, CAE, president and CEO of The Center for Association Leadership and executive vice president, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), indicated that the green movement is one area where associations can have a real impact. “Obviously, there’s a very strong trend toward green meetings and choosing destinations, hotels, meeting facilities and venues that have environmental policies in place. Many associations, including ASAE & The Center, are going paperless with their meetings and putting all their registration materials and meeting handouts online. Planners also want to see facilities recycling, and arranging for excess food and beverage to be donated. As time goes on, we are certain that additional actions will be taken by the meetings industry.” (Also see “Social Responsibility” on page 24.)

For help in establishing zero-waste standards and goals, many planners turn to The Green Meeting Industry Council. The Portland, OR-based Green Meeting Industry Council is dedicated to improving meeting management practices by promoting environmentally responsible strategies through the collaborative efforts of meeting industry stakeholders.

“GMIC was created to respond to the need to galvanize the hospitality industry stakeholders in this evolving arena and to provide education and resources for meeting planners to make their events and conferences environmentally responsible,” said Shawna McKinley, interim executive director of GMIC.

Recycling has become a national habit, a daily ritual reportedly practiced by more than 100 million people every day. Yet, according to McKinley, recycling alone does not describe a zero-waste event. The zero-waste approach seeks to reduce both the volume and toxicity of materials used and waste produced. It means less waste to landfills and incinerators as well as less upstream environmental impact — fewer trees cut, fewer mountains strip-mined, less energy spent and less pollution created from day-to-day activities.

“Recycling is a great beginning,” agreed McKinley, “but zero-waste events are more than tossing your trash into the right recycle bin. Zero waste is really a new way of examining the waste stream. The waste stream includes solid waste like paper, plastic, cardboard, and signage, but it can also be defined in broader terms like using energy efficiently and addressing issues like emissions created by an event. Instead of seeing materials as garbage in need of disposal, ‘discards’ are seen as a valuable resource.”

McKinley encourages planners to start by making a commitment to planning a zero-waste event by concentrating on a few items. “Use the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. Begin internally by reducing paper waste, such as registration forms, handouts, evaluation and collateral forms, etc. Ask facilities to recycle, and then engage exhibitors and delegates to move toward a zero-waste event.”

McKinley readily admits that throughout properties and venues in North America there are widely varying degrees of green. For example, the Four Seasons Vancouver, in Vancouver, British Columbia, hosts GMIC’s 2008 Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference February 19–21. Hotels such as the Four Seasons, which

During PCMA’s 2008 Annual Meeting in Seattle last month, the PCMA Education Foundation kicked off its “Annual Individual Giving Campaign” with a “plant a tree” drive. Individual and PCMA matching donations resulted in a contribution of 1,214 trees. Additionally, hundreds of trees used as décor throughout the meeting were donated, for a total of 3,000 trees left behind by PCMA in Seattle. Posing in front of the greenery at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center are (l to r) Chris Olcese and Jean Gallagher, California School Boards Association; Carolyn Brown, Reno-Tahoe Convention & Visitors Authority. Photo courtesy of PCMA

already had a composting program in place, make a planner’s zero-waste event goal easier to accomplish.

“However,” said McKinley, “when we travel to another site or city, we are not guaranteed that they will have any zero-waste partnerships in place. That’s a challenge for planners who know how to plan meetings, but not necessarily waste management. It is a learning curve, and often adds more work, but once done, it will be in place for future meetings.”

The Four Seasons Vancouver committed to implement the following for GMIC’s conference:
• A recycling program that includes paper, glass, plastic, metals and organic waste (compost).
• A food donation program for any leftover, unserved food.
• China and linen meal service.
• Condiments in bulk and juices, water and ice tea in pitchers instead of individual containers.
• Menu selections that include local and organic products and provide vegetarian options.
• Amenity donation program for any unfinished toiletries.
• Use live, edible and/or reusable decorations.
• Practice energy efficiency by turning off lights and HVAC when rooms are not occupied.

McKinley explained that the zero-waste term first surfaced in 2007 when the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) opened its 51st Annual Meeting at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). The convention’s 3,000 delegates represent North America’s leaders of the meeting and convention industry, illustrating the growing emphasis on green meetings.

According to Vince Quattrociocchi, vice president, operations at the MTCC, “The convention industry is known for producing a lot of waste. We really wanted to help change and shape our industry by creating a more environmentally conscious event, and the PCMA was a perfect opportunity to start.”

According to MTCC, a meeting of this size would typically generate 90,000 cans or bottles, 75,000 cups, 87,500 napkins and 62,500 plates. Through zero-waste efforts, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) and the PCMA reduced these numbers significantly and diverted all waste away from landfill.

Over and above the centre’s recycling initiatives, the MTCC has pioneered a new concept for the meetings and convention industry called the “Zero Waste” event. While the MTCC has long had aggressive corporate recycling goals, currently at 64 percent, MTCC’s Zero Waste event concept is a new and innovative solution that extends their existing recycling efforts and represents an historic first for large-scale events within the meetings and convention industry. In fact, when the dust settled on the PCMA event, MTCC reported that the partnerships created a highly successful zero-waste event at nearly 98 percent, the highest achieved percentage to date.

For larger associations, many proactive convention centers such as the Metro Toronto Convention Centre make a zero-waste event a no-brainer by already incorporating sustainability principles.

In fact, Quattrociocchi reports 14 successful association zero-waste events under their belt since last year. “Planners are often surprised at how easy it is to make a zero-waste event happen. Since we’ve already done the leg work and created partnerships with suppliers and vendors, it’s often just a matter of making the

Disney Cast Members celebrate the Walt Disney World Resort’s Green Lodging certifications granted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Three of Disney’s convention properties have earned this designation: Disney’s BoardWalk Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

request known and educating attendees and exhibitors on steps to support a zero-waste event.”

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre boasts more than 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art space. The MTCC has welcomed more than 25 million visitors since its opening and hosts more than 700 events annually, ranging in size from large international conventions to small local corporate meetings, for groups up to 40,000.

Continuing the precedent set last year in Toronto, the 2008 PCMA Annual Meeting in Seattle included PCMA’s own initiatives as well as “Recycle, Reduce, Reuse” tactics implemented by the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC), which, along with Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the event. Located in the center of one of the most environmentally progressive cities in the nation, the WSCTC offers more than 307,900 square feet of dedicated space, including  45,000 square feet of ballroom space and 61 meeting rooms.

PCMA’s green initiatives during the conference included reusable water bottles, recycle bins instead of trash cans, printed materials on post-consumer recycled paper, recycling of all name badges and meeting banners, donation of excess food to a local food rescue program and food preparation that focused on locally grown produce.

Over the course of the PCMA’s meeting, the WSCTC recycled 36.6 tons of mixed paper, glass, cans and plastic and 9 tons of cardboard. A total of 3.3 tons of kitchen waste was sent out for composting.

During all of 2007, the WSCTC’s sustainability initiatives resulted in the recycling of 174 tons of cardboard, 2,460 pounds of aluminum cans, 12 tons of scrap metal and 3,328 gallons of kitchen grease. In addition, 23,968 meals were sent to local charities. In recent years, the WSCTC  has overhauled its lighting system with more energy efficient fixtures, and installed new faucets and toilets to reduce water consumption.

Lighting at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and throughout all of the Disney hotels and convention centers is being converted to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs to conserve energy and support the company’s “Environmentality Program.” Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

Practicing What They Preach
Planners for environmentally related associations, such as Recycle Florida Today, have been on the cutting edge of greening their meetings. Pam Shoemaker is a board member and conference chair for the Tallahassee-based Recycle Florida Today, and recycling coordinator for Brevard County, FL. Shoemaker held her 2007 zero-waste event at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, which offers 220,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,921 guest rooms. Including the Coronado Springs Resort, three of Disney’s convention hotels have earned the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging designation. The other two are the BoardWalk Resort and the Contemporary Resort. In order to qualify for Green Lodging status, hotels must follow a host of conservation steps that involve everything from closely monitored energy consumption to water conservation and more.

“Their certified Green Lodging status is in part why we selected the Coronado Springs Resort,” said Shoemaker. “Our association members are all professionals in the recycling industry, and so it’s up to us to keep informed on what’s new and happening in the world of recycling. We have to practice what we preach. We believe in greening and look for the same philosophy in our host hotel.”

Other environmentally friendly features of Disney’s convention properties include advanced computerized energy management systems, recycling programs for guests and staff, low-flow shower heads, and a towel and linen reuse program. Banquet food that has been prepared but not served is donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Combined with contributions from its restaurants, Disney contributes nearly 50,000 pounds of edible food to the local community each month. In meeting rooms, in-house recycling is available to groups upon request in the form of marked containers for cans, bottles and paper.

The company is also on target to have all Disney resorts in Florida certified in 2008.

“Zero-waste events are about being conscious of the waste produced,” said Shoemaker, who encourages planners to review their last conference and ask questions. “Were there leftover brochures or unused printed handouts? Consider the venue and their  environmental policy. Do they use compact fluorescent lightbulbs? To conserve water, does the property utilize xeriscaping? It’s as simple as asking the questions, and often these practices save you money, too.”

Cheryl Brimer, director of conventions and personal membership services for the Marietta, GA-based Georgia Hospital Association suggested starting with a LEED-certified facility, such as Callaway Gardens. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Callaway Gardens is a 13,000-acre resort destination located one hour southwest of Atlanta and a natural choice when it comes to meetings that are productive, distinctive and green. 

“Callaway Gardens has already done the homework,” said Brimer, “From the automatic, water-saving faucets to the LEED-certified Southern Pine Conference Center, all I have to do is bring my group here and our meeting is headed to a zero-waste event.”

Several environmental initiatives at Callaway Gardens include enacting on-property recycling programs, water conservation efforts such as cultivating native plantings to minimize water use, energy-efficient construction and daily monitoring of electricity consumption. Now the property is green powered by using power credits to offset conventional electricity.

Portland boasts the most LEED-certified buildings per capita in the nation, including the 1-million-square-foot Oregon Convention Center (rounded buildings), the largest convention center in the Pacific Northwest. Photo courtesy of Oregon Convention Center

“At Callaway, all principles we appreciate about zero waste are built-in, from energy-efficient bathrooms to recycling programs,” Brimer said. “The result is a remarkable, sustainable facility that successfully integrates the surrounding natural environment including three golf courses, a brand-new, 26-acre golf practice facility, a recently opened spa, nine different nature trails, bicycling, fishing, a shooting club, tennis and much more.”

Brimer added that Callaway’s meeting space is as impressive as its natural environment. A combined 100,000 square feet of meeting space, wireless Internet access and advanced audio-visual services are available to ensure the success of any meeting.

Another green association, the Land Trust Alliance, is practicing what they preach.

“As a conservation organization, we feel Land Trust Alliance (LTA) has been on the cutting edge of green meetings,” said Pam Nicholls, training and conference manager for the Grand Junction-based association. “Each year we implement more and more green practices into our meetings, but it hasn’t always been easy, especially now that our attendance is over 2,200.”

With a more environmentally aware industry, Nicholls said zero-waste event goals are easier to achieve and more accessible than several years ago. Major metropolitan cities are helping by jumping on the green wagon, and this creates built-in partnerships and green practices for association planners.

Over the past few years, Nicholls has brought her meetings to three LEED-certified conference centers: Oregon Convention Center in Portland, David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, and twice to Monona Terrace in Madison, WI.

The Greater Madison Convention & Visitor Bureau is blazing a path where green meetings are concerned. In addition to the Land Trust Alliance event, last year Madison hosted The International Eco-Tourism Society for their annual meeting at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Monona Terrace offers a high recycling rate to 49 percent, among many other sustainable practices. Certified by Travel Green Wisconsin, the 250,000-square-foot, five-level facility extends 90 feet over Lake Monona. The U.S. Green Building Council recently certified Monona Terrace as the first LEED-EB Silver convention center in the U.S.

The Oregon Convention Center (OCC) is the largest convention center in the Pacific Northwest. Located in beautiful and lively downtown Portland, OR, the 1-million-square-foot facility is LEED-certified, and a preferred destination for many groups because of its commitment to customer service and leadership in sustainable practices. The center features two grand ballrooms, 50 meeting rooms, 255,000 square feet of exhibit space, full-service catering, and can handle events up to 10,000.

Activities and offsite venues are also important to LTA’s zero-waste conventions. “We search for downtown locations with easy access to walking paths and parks, as our attendees enjoy staying ‘in touch’ with the environment. We’ve discovered cities, like Portland, that support green initiatives frequently offer all these wonderful outdoor options, too. Because of Portland’s continued commitment to green their city, we plan to return in 2009.”

Currently, Portland also boasts the most LEED-certified buildings per capita in the nation. In addition, Portland is a city where, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, some 5,000 residents commute to work each day by bicycle; where city planners ripped out a freeway and replaced it with a park; where parking meters are solar powered; and where the meticulous synchronization of traffic signals results in an annual savings of 1.1 million gallons of gasoline.

Nicholls is hard at work at this year’s upcoming conference to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. In fact, Nicholls is also organizing behind-the-scene tours for attendees to understand the work that goes into making it a green facility.

While boasting breathtaking views of the North Shore and Downtown Pittsburgh from the multiple concourses, balconies and terraces, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center has been certified with a Gold LEED rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. As the first green convention center and world’s largest green building, the center capitalized on its environmentally smart structure by utilizing natural daylight and natural ventilation to light and heat the building, and by incorporating a water reclamation system that reduces potable water use. Meetings of all sizes will fit at this center, with its 1.5 million square feet of total building footage, more than 300,000 square feet of exhibit space and 51 meeting rooms.

To clearly delineate her expectations as a zero-waste event, Nicholls incorporates EPA’s Checklist for Sustainable Business Measures and Practices into her RFPs (see box on page 38). The checklist ranges from general questions about recycling programs and energy efficiency to specific ones about paperless billing and reused towels.

Nicholls said, “The more up-front I am at the beginning, the more prepared my suppliers can be. Waste that isn’t created doesn’t need to be managed. I try to look for every opportunity prior to the event to design waste out of the meeting. For example, avoid mass distribution of printed materials (handouts for presentations, etc.) by making printed material available electronically. From the hotels, request paperless check in and out, and ask attendees to be conscious of linen towel reuse. Use real plates, napkins and tablecloths, which are fully recyclable and classy.”

Other components in Nicholls’ quest for a zero-waste event are to find locations that are tuned-in to the environment. “We search for downtown locations near walking paths and parks. We search for restaurants that are locally owned, serving local foods. In fact, we adhere to the FLOSS philosophy for food: Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonable, Sustainable.”

Britta Erickson is the festival director for the Starz Denver Film Festival, division of the Denver Film Society. This 11-day festival welcomes 40,000 local and international attendees and filmmakers. Following a successful eco-friendly Live Earth event, this organization made the conscious decision to create a zero-waste festival. Since they were not green experts, they consulted with Sustainable Travel International (STI).

Erickson summed up the experience. “We’d heard how difficult it was to turn the focus of large events like ours into one with a reduced carbon footprint. The sorting part of the recycling element was actually the most difficult, primarily due to a culture that doesn’t always understand which item goes into which bucket. Most surprising  was that air travel wasn’t our biggest impact. Our biggest footprint was made by onsite transportation.”

For planners who want to turn their event into a zero-waste one, Erickson advised, “Don’t be afraid — it’s the right thing to do for our environment. STI offers an entire segment about turning your event into a zero-waste one. Even adding a few components to your meeting is making great strides. At the end of our event, we were surprised that the entire process was easier than we expected.”

Association planners are uniquely positioned to take a lead role in making their organizations powerful forces for good. A commitment to zero-waste practices not only transforms meetings and conventions with cost savings as well as a more engaged membership with higher attendance and retention — it makes the world a better place.    ACF

For More Information... The Green Meeting Industry Council is the central location for information and tools to help planners create meetings and events that achieve economic objectives, tread lightly on the earth and contribute to host communities. Visit www.greenmeetings.info. Sustainable Travel International has an eco-destination guide searchable by vacation type and/or region. Visit www.sustainabletravelinternational.org. ResponsibleTravel.com offers an easily searchable database of eco-aware hotels and resorts around the world. Greenbiz.com is a leading information source on how to align environmental responsibility with business success. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s green meetings page — epa.gov/oppt/greenmeetings — offers strategies on how to green meetings. Www.erowaste.org is a non-profit partnership working to develop and promote zero waste. Www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com. Search this Web site to find hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, motels, lodges and inns worldwide that are committed to the environment and greening of the hospitality industry. Rates properties on a scale of 1 to 7 for eco-friendly commitment. Greenhotels.com offers a free, downloadable “Meetings Planners Questionnaire for Green Lodging Establishments.” Carbon offsetting is the ability to purchase an offset to compensate for the eco-footprint of your auto or air travel. Several companies offer this service, along with mileage calculators on their Web sites to calculate your emissions. Each service offsets in a different way — one might support an initiative to plant trees and another might put the funds toward building wind turbines. Some links to carbon offsetting services: www.terrapass.com, www.nativeenergy.com, www.carbonfund.org and www.renewablechoice.com.

EPA Checklist for Sustainable Business Measures and Practices Planners can incorporate this checklist into their RFPs. Do you have a recycling program? If so, please describe. Do you have a linen/towel reuse option that is communicated to guests? Do guests have easy access to public transportation or shuttle services at your facility? Are lights and air conditioning turned off when rooms are not in use?  If so, how do you ensure this? Do you provide bulk dispensers or reusable containers for beverages, food and condiments? Do you provide reusable utensils, napkins and tablecloths when food and beverages are served? Do you have an energy efficiency program?  Please describe. Do you have a water conservation program? Please describe. Does your facility provide paperless check-in and check-out? Does your facility use recycled or recyclable products? Please describe. Do you source food from local growers or take into account the growing practices of farmers that provide the food? Please describe. Do you use biobased or biodegradable products, including biobased cafeteria ware? Do you provide training to your employees on these green initiatives? Please describe. What other environmental initiatives have you undertaken, including any environment-related certifications you possess, EPA voluntary partnerships in which you participate, support of a green suppliers network, or other initiatives?  Include Green Meeting information in your quotation so that we may consider environmental preferability in selection of our meeting venue.