Green Scene Series: Events Industry is going Green

I recently attended the International Special Events Society's (ISES) holiday party at the newly renovated Sheraton National. The penthouse Galaxy Ballroom has a great view of the Air Force Memorial and towards DC.

The theme of the meeting was "Ring in the Green Year." The keynote speaker addressed how the special events industry is going green with lots of great ideas, some of which were demonstrated at the meeting itself!

1. Entertainment - Carolers ... no electricity required!
   
2. Lighting - LEDs ... produces virtually no heat which would otherwise increase the temperature of a room.
   
3. Candles - beeswax tealights ... instead of petroleum based ones
   
4. Virginia beer and wine ... buy local
   
5. Honest Tea 100% USDA organic ... my personal favorite for years (it actually tastes like tea)
   
6. Old Dominion root beer .... buy local
   
7. Pitchers of water ... less packaging used from bottles
   
8. Hors d’oeuvres – some organic, Maryland crab cakes, Virginia cheddar cheese sandwiches ... buy local
   
9. Virginia ham and turkey .... buy local
   
10. Bay shrimp, free range chicken ... buy local & organic
    
11. Risotto with wild local mushrooms
12. Linen napkins ... less waste
    
13. Handouts on recycled paper ... reuse/ also the PowerPoint presentation was distributed electronically to avoid killing more trees
    
14. Recycling name badges ... reuse (especially for large conferences ... can you image!)
    
15. Encouraged carpooling and public transportation

Finally, even the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is going green.
For more about what the show did, click here. Below are some of their efforts:

• Recycling bins will be placed across the show floor this year to divert cans, cups, glass products and paper
• All CES flyers are printed on recycled paper using soy inks
• Remaining show publications and flyers will be recycled at the close of the event
• Attendee food containers and utensils are biodegradable, made from hemp, corn byproduct or other organic materials
• Environmentally friendly chemicals are used in maintaining over 100 restrooms daily, replacing more than 15,000 gallons of non-sustainable products
• The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) has switched to recycled paper products including toilet paper, facial tissue and paper towels
• All light bulbs and batteries used by the show are recycled and diverted from landfills
• Hazardous waste disposal programs are in affect for waste oil, paints and solvents
• Recycled carpet will be used in some convention spaces at the LVCC

Many of these ideas can be incorporated into your events! Ask us for more ideas.

Yours truly in the green short-sleeved sweater in the background. Photo courtesy of Roman Grinev Photography, who shot one of our September 2006 weddings. I was manning the ginger bread men station. Donated by Design Cuisine, members decorated gingerbread men and the finished products were given to the children's hospital at NIH for the holidays.