Pre-loved makes sense!

Have you ever been brainstorming ideas for an event and wanted to do something creative, but were worried that you couldn't do it because it wasn't very sustainable? Green event planners struggle with this all the time and I wanted to share an example.

Last fall I was planning an event called "Take Flight" and we were trying to incorporate the theme into the conference wherever we could. One activity that I wanted to do is to have a paper airplane contest that any of the participants could enter as many times as they wanted. The person who created the paper airplane that flew the furthest won an actual airline voucher that they could use after the conference. The participants could fly their planes during coffee breaks and lunch in the designated area, a volunteer was there to measure and record their distance.

I struggled with it because I couldn't envision using perfectly good sheets of paper for the airplanes and what could I do with them afterward? I could use 100% recycled content paper, but still, it was very wasteful. So......what about using "pre-loved" paper? You know, the paper that we collect throughout the day, i.e. fax headers, etc. that goes directly into the recycling bin.

That is exactly what we did! The agencies involved saved 8.5 x 11 paper for me during the month prior so that we would have enough for our participants to make as many paper airplanes as they wanted. It worked wonderfully and the paper airplanes were collected and recycled following the event.

This is just an example of how you can still be creative AND sustainable during your events.

J

What Can I do Differently?

The challenge of a green event planner is to look at all aspects of the event and say, "what can I do differently" to minimize the environmental impact. Lets take a practical look at that using a couple of recent events I attended as examples.

While having lunch with my conference colleagues, I noticed that each table had cereal sized bowls filled with toppings for our entree. There were 6 bowls on each table (2 of each topping) and they were filled to the top. After the lunch, I noticed that hardly any of the toppings had been used and I began to consider the waste. All of these would have to be thrown away. So I challenged my lunch mate to brainstorm with me about what we could have done differently. We came up with many different strategies, but the one that we decided would work the best was to use smaller bowls and refill as needed. Yes, there may still have been waste, but there would be less waste. By serving in smaller dishes, trays, etc. and replenishing often, we can reduce the waste at our event.

J

The Olympics have begun!

I was a proud Canadian last night as I watched the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The ceremony was so distinctly Canadian, simple yet effective. It highlighted our diverse culture and our First Nation community. The poem "We Are More" by Shane Koyczan was a treat to hear and watching Wayne Gretzky light the Olympic cauldron was so exciting.

I am a proud Canadian!

J

Day Two of GMIC Conference

On the steps of the Capitol Building in Denver, right at the point where we were one mile above sea level.
Well Day Two has come to a close and everyone who attended the 2010 GMIC Conference is making their way home hopefully to put into practice all that they have learned.

My goal in attending the conference was to re-energize my passion and commitment for green meetings and to make connections. I did accomplish those goals and will return home with a renewed sense of purpose.

As Annie Leonard said, we have to make changes in the way we live our lives. Lets make that change!

J

Day One at the GMIC Conference

Well, day one is behind me at the GMIC Conference in Denver. The event opened with a keynote from Annie Leonard who was fabulous! If you don't know who Annie is, she created "The Story of Stuff" and she is a great speaker and so passionate. Really enjoyed her presentation.

I attended quite a few sessions and met alot of interesting people. I had a great time at lunch visiting with Stephanie Shrewsbury from the University of Kentucky. They are busy getting ready for the World Equestrian Games and really working hard at greening the event. I wish them the best of luck!

I also met Jan Tolle MacDonald from Travel Alberta. She is the Regional Manager for the US Midwest and she is such a nice person. She took a liking to my Olympic lanyard with the Canadian flag on it, so I made a deal that I would trade it for something from her tomorrow before the end of the conference.

Connections and networking.....that is the name of the game! Now I am resting up for a full day tomorrow. I may even get to do a little site seeing!

J