Green is the new Black. Discover the future of your meeting.
During the last decade, environmental issues have received increased public attention and many industries have understood the importance of such topics as energy conservation and minimized consumption of natural resources. Statistics show that minor changes can have a huge impact on the environment, and that “going green” actually can save money. A growing number of organizations are now extending their environmental responsible policies to include activities such as conferences and meetings.

It is imperative that organizations who share a similar environmental mandate work together to reduce our ecological footprint. Our goal is to be a positive resource for such organizations by helping them to derive maximum benefits from implementing a green agenda, and become a stronger voice for environmentally responsible initiatives in our field.

According to research, during a typical five-day conference the average attendee produces 102 pounds of solid waste, compared to 21.5 pounds for a person staying at home.

With hundreds of thousands of meetings and conventions held each year for millions of attendees, the meeting industry is uniquely positioned to reduce its environmental impact on a truly meaningful scale. This is the perfect time for you to demonstrate the value of leveraging your green meetings and sustainable strategies into growing a green brand. Partnering with Green Housing Solution will positively affect the marketability of your event and generate goodwill far beyond the trade event spectrum.

Together as business partners, we can make responsible choices that positively impact business behavior. When applied, sustainable solutions and intelligent practices reinforce a sense of support and pride for all parties such as the convention centers, transportation companies or the hotels, and create a healthier, more appealing environment for you, your attendees, exhibitors, guests and workforce.

Via industry cooperation, the whole green process can become a team effort leading to very inspiring and ever-changing results. Below you will find useful information about some of the key green industry initiatives.

Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) – This is a premier global community solely dedicated to sustainability in the meetings and events industry, not only through education but also by spearheading research, policy and standards. GMIC provides educational resources to planners, suppliers, and venues seeking to meet the ever-rising standards, which consumers set for sustainable meetings.

Green Globe Inc. – The exclusive worldwide owner of the Green Globe brand, the premier international symbol for environmental responsiblity. The Green Globe brand is guided by the Agenda 21 principles of sustainable development, endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nation’s ground breaking Rio de Jainero Earth Summit in 1992. The Green Globe brand is utilized in a number of applications, including but not limited to carbon footprint calculation, the leading sustainability certification and benchmarking program, and offset programs.

APEX Industry Standards (for Accepted Practices Exchange) – The meeting industry has spearheaded new best practices and voluntary standards. They are aggressively pursuing the development of best practices for green meetings. Regardless of the processes used or technology available, all planners and suppliers can benefit by revolutionizing the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry.

Green Hotel Initiative (GHI) – It is designed to increase and demonstrate market demand for environmentally responsible hotel services, and has become a multi-stakeholder effort involving the hotel industry, business, non-governmental organizations, labor, academia and environmental advocates. The GHI is educating purchasers of hotel services, particularly meeting planners, about what they can require from hotels. GHI has several tools available for planners and hotels to clearly communicate their environmental preferences and performances.

Green Seal Standards & Certification – They work in a variety of ways with the lodging industry and its users, providing technical guidance, case studies, and certification of green hotels. The demand for environmentally friendly venues, services and practices has substantially increased and the certification will ultimately affect a hotel’s competitiveness. This has fueled many hotels towards completing the requirements to become Green Seal certified.

LEED Certification (for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) – This is an internationally recognized certification system for rating the design, construction and operation of green buildings. LEED contributes to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community, and the certification gives a competitive advantage when trying to attract conventions and meetings where sustainability is one key requirement in the RFP process. The certification is a great leap forward in reshaping the future of events and hotel experiences.

Convene Green Alliance – This is a grass-roots, industry initiative that is being spearheaded by numerous high-profile associations that seek to affect positive environmental practices through national, regional and local outreach and education. The initiative came about in response to demands from association members to promote positive change in order to lessen the environmental impact of their organizations and the events they sponsor.